Good Vanek article

[Bmwolf21]

To get away from the bickering TSR/Slug Logo thread for a few minutes (since somce posters say there are more important things to be concerned with...)

 

Good Buffalo News article on Vanek's rookie year, and how being benched in the postseason seems to have lit a fire under his butt. I think he comes back with another 25+ goal season, and shows more of the fire Lindy is looking for. If not, he can spend his time as a PP specialist, I guess...

 

Link

[hopeleslyobvious]

To get away from the bickering TSR/Slug Logo thread for a few minutes (since somce posters say there are more important things to be concerned with...)

 

Good Buffalo News article on Vanek's rookie year, and how being benched in the postseason seems to have lit a fire under his butt. I think he comes back with another 25+ goal season, and shows more of the fire Lindy is looking for. If not, he can spend his time as a PP specialist, I guess...

 

Link

 

Good article. I have pretty high expectations for Vanek this year. Looks like getting benched in the playoffs had the intended effect.

[fushetti]

He needs to be a number one pick...and play like one. Anything less will be a disappointment. I'm glad he's responding to his benching positively.

[Bmwolf21]

I like the fact that he is coming into camp a little lighter than last year - hopefully that will help his speed.

 

LY he was attacked as being a floater, not a hard worker, and my suspicions were that it was a case of him always being the most talented player on the ice, so he's never had to work hard to put up numbers, and some of the stuff in that article - especially the part about being the clutch scorer in college and the 1st-ever freshman MVP - make me think that was a big a big part of his problem. Now he's on the ice with guys who have as much talent as him, or guys who are close to his talent level and are willing to work hard to make themselves better. Hopefully he is ready to do that too.

[Goodfella25]

I'm one of his biggest critics and people always get on my case about how I "shouldn't judge him yet because he's so young." But the thing that bothers me is I remember reading scouting reports in the weeks prior to when we drafted him that said he doesn't show up all the time, and doesn't skate hard....then after we drafted him I read that he lacks the fire to show up on many night, and often disappears (or floats, pick your word). That reputation followed him to Rochester, and now its with him in the NHL. My point is, bad habits are hard to break. Floating and disinterested play have been the hallmark of his career so far (as in his journey from U of Minnesota to the NHL), so I think labeling him as a guy who floats is a warranted claim until he proves otherwise. It was my concern with him from the day we drafted him. Don't get me wrong, I love the fact that he can score, but imagine the damage he could do if he played with a fire and some raw determination a la Derek Roy and Daniel Briere.

[Kristian]

He needs to be a number one pick...and play like one. Anything less will be a disappointment. I'm glad he's responding to his benching positively.

 

Well, he talks the talk alright, but does he walk the walk?

 

I have to say, he disappointed me in the worst way in the playoffs. Have a bad post-season? Sure it can happen to anyone.

 

Take Max for example - He had a horrendous post-season compared to his regular season, making a ton of bad decisions, and completely forgetting what made him succesful that year... But at least he tried like a madman!

 

All I saw from Vanek was coasting and mailing it in night after night - in the playoffs! If that is any indication of his work ethic, which I fear it may very well be, then how soon can we ship him off to Long Island please? No more Miro's thank you very much.

 

Vanek is young still, he might turn it around. Hopefully he'll be the next Tim Connolly, though I hope he'll mature a little faster.

 

And if not? Well, hello Yashin and Miro :D

[nfreeman]

My (optimistic) take on Vanek is that like most rookies he was just a little overwhelmed last year. ie the game was just too fast for him. When he found himself in a familiar situation -- ie with the puck in the offensive zone -- he knew what to do. However, as a general matter he just couldn't handle the constant need to make fast decisions, keep his feet moving, skate hard and get into the right spot. In this view it wasn't lack of trying but lack of hockey sense at the NHL level.

 

I think he's going to have a better year this year but that he's still a few years away from a monster year. I also think his game and skating style are such that he will have a hard time escaping the charges of being another Miro. But I think he'll hustle.