What is wrong with Vanek

[VansTheMans]

Whether or not giving Vanek more minutes on the ice motivates him to play better, unfortunately for Vanek, I doubt its going to change.

 

Ruff seems quite comfortable with the team as it is.

[JJFIVEOH]

Whether or not giving Vanek more minutes on the ice motivates him to play better, unfortunately for Vanek, I doubt its going to change.

 

Ruff seems quite comfortable with the team as it is.

 

Thank you. Personally, I think it's a non-issue. Thankfully we're not one of the teams that has to rely on one or two guys to get it done. IF Vanek is getting less playing time because of his performance, well so be it. It obviously hasn't hurt us that much. I think he'll come around, but I don't think Lindy needs to give him maximum playing time to "force" him out of a slump.

[PASabreFan]

Hell, I'd take it a step further and say that you'd probably have to watch the games and see why his ice time may have went down. Did he block a shot with his foot? Did he take a hard cross check to the lower back while parking in front of the net? The boxscores can paint a very different picture than those little details that don't wind up in the records. Yeah, I think there's something there, but I really don't have a clue exactly what it is.

 

Hey, me not having a clue. There's something new.

 

Thomas has been hurt a lot! /sarcasm

[PASabreFan]

To put a finer point on it, in games 26-30, Vanek averaged a hair over 19 minutes a game. He scored six goals in those games. In games 31-35, he averaged about 16 and a half minutes. He scored once.

[shrader]

To put a finer point on it, in games 26-30, Vanek averaged a hair over 19 minutes a game. He scored six goals in those games. In games 31-35, he averaged about 16 and a half minutes. He scored once.

 

My point is that something else could have easily happened to cut back on his ice time other than just a Ruff decision. That stuff doesn't come through in a box score.

[Calvin]

Didn't Ruff recently say something about keeping people's ice times lower now wherever possible, and that we'll thank him come January and February, when people are dinged up and tired..

 

Is this Ruff's masterplan to unleash a much fresher Vanek on the league come crunchtime?

[spndnchz]

Didn't Ruff recently say something about keeping people's ice times lower now wherever possible, and that we'll thank him come January and February, when people are dinged up and tired..

 

Is this Ruff's masterplan to unleash a much fresher Vanek on the league come crunchtime?

 

Okay Mr Vanek. Unleash yourself. I'm about ready to toss out the baby to preserve the bathwater.

[static70]

Okay Mr Vanek. Unleash yourself. I'm about ready to toss out the baby to preserve the bathwater.

:blink:

Oh no, not the baby. Where is that number to childrens services? :o ;)

[darksabre]

Can I just say that I've had enough of Vanek's sh*t?

[bob_sauve28]

So, just for the sake of argument, what if a team at the trade deadline offered us a second round pick to take Vanek and his salary, would anyone do it?

 

I would

[wjag]

So, just for the sake of argument, what if a team at the trade deadline offered us a second round pick to take Vanek and his salary, would anyone do it?

 

I would

1st and salary..

[darksabre]

1st and salary..

 

Yeah. I'd make that trade without batting an eye. He can be some other team's problem/potential 40 goal scorer.

[wonderbread]

1st and salary..

 

I'd look to take Frolov and a 2nd if were DR. Frolov is UFA this year. Turn around and sign him in the summer. Maybe Lindy just can't reach Thomas.

[JohnRobertEichel]

So, just for the sake of argument, what if a team at the trade deadline offered us a second round pick to take Vanek and his salary, would anyone do it?

 

I would

 

That would just be a horrible, defeatist trade. Something I'd expect the Bills to do, but not the Sabres.

 

Have some patience, everyone.

 

Besides, the fact that Vanek, Roy, Stafford, Pominville, and Connolly are ALL having underproductive seasons suggest to me that maybe it is a systemic policy (Ruff wanting to be more defense-oriented now that he sees Miller is Hasek-like this year) rather than the fault of certain specific individuals?

[FearTheReaper]

That would just be a horrible, defeatist trade. Something I'd expect the Bills to do, but not the Sabres.

 

Have some patience, everyone.

 

Besides, the fact that Vanek, Roy, Stafford, Pominville, and Connolly are ALL having underproductive seasons suggest to me that maybe it is a systemic policy (Ruff wanting to be more defense-oriented now that he sees Miller is Hasek-like this year) rather than the fault of certain specific individuals?

 

I definetly agree with you. Vanek is a pure offensive player. It is probably highly frustrating for him to be held back a little because of Ruff's system. But at the same time, were halfway through the season here. If Vanek hasn't adjusted yet, then there might be a bigger problem at hand.

[nucci]

That would just be a horrible, defeatist trade. Something I'd expect the Bills to do, but not the Sabres.

 

Have some patience, everyone.

 

Besides, the fact that Vanek, Roy, Stafford, Pominville, and Connolly are ALL having underproductive seasons suggest to me that maybe it is a systemic policy (Ruff wanting to be more defense-oriented now that he sees Miller is Hasek-like this year) rather than the fault of certain specific individuals?

Good point but at least the other 4 are starting to produce a bit. Vanek is invisible most nights lately.

[VansTheMans]

I would not trade Vanek for Frolov.

 

Nope.

 

If Vanek were to be traded, IMO, it shouldn't be for another scorer. What's the point? The whole team isn't producing. I have to be inclined to believe that Lindy has more to do with the players not scoring than the players themselves. Whether it be the system, the practices, whatever. At 42 games in, its clear to see this team in its current state is offensively challenged.

 

If that's the route Ruff is going to continue, fine. Its winning games, and no one can argue against that. But if you want to dump Vanek, don't do it for another winger who may realistically fall victim to our system. Do it for a freaking brute defenseman. A stud dman. Rework our defense a bit. Lydman and Tallinder may be gone at the end of the year, and Rivet (who is already done IMO) will be officially off the team at the end of next season. Bring in another exceptional dman to pair with Myers.

[Calvin]

Agree, and disagree. I wouldn't trade for a fulltime sniper either, but I'd rather we traded for a first line veteran center. That solves a lot of other problems we have on this team.

 

I would not trade Vanek for Frolov.

 

Nope.

 

If Vanek were to be traded, IMO, it shouldn't be for another scorer. What's the point? The whole team isn't producing. I have to be inclined to believe that Lindy has more to do with the players not scoring than the players themselves. Whether it be the system, the practices, whatever. At 42 games in, its clear to see this team in its current state is offensively challenged.

 

If that's the route Ruff is going to continue, fine. Its winning games, and no one can argue against that. But if you want to dump Vanek, don't do it for another winger who may realistically fall victim to our system. Do it for a freaking brute defenseman. A stud dman. Rework our defense a bit. Lydman and Tallinder may be gone at the end of the year, and Rivet (who is already done IMO) will be officially off the team at the end of next season. Bring in another exceptional dman to pair with Myers.

[repster]

We play the Toronto Maple Leafs Friday. If that doesn't work, nothing will.

[nfreeman]

So, just for the sake of argument, what if a team at the trade deadline offered us a second round pick to take Vanek and his salary, would anyone do it?

 

I would

1st and salary..

Yeah. I'd make that trade without batting an eye. He can be some other team's problem/potential 40 goal scorer.

Insanity.

 

That would just be a horrible, defeatist trade. Something I'd expect the Bills to do, but not the Sabres.

 

Have some patience, everyone.

+1

 

Good point but at least the other 4 are starting to produce a bit. Vanek is invisible most nights lately.

+1, but it would still be crazy to just give up on a 25-yr-old 2-time 40-goal scorer.

[LabattBlue]

...but it would still be crazy to just give up on a 25-yr-old 2-time 40-goal scorer.

I'm sure there are examples on both sides of the fence, but Paul Kariya had logged 3 40+ goal seasons by the time he was 25, but after that he became a low 30 goal scorer at best for the rest of his career. Vanek's contract combined with the fact he has shown more signs of becoming one dimensional in the offensive zone, makes me wonder what the future holds for him.

 

 

This is not hindsight on my part...I still regret DR not choosing Phaneuf over Vanek at the draft. :(

[nfreeman]

I'm sure there are examples on both sides of the fence, but Paul Kariya had logged 3 40+ goal seasons by the time he was 25, but after that he became a low 30 goal scorer at best for the rest of his career. Vanek's contract combined with the fact he has shown more signs of becoming one dimensional in the offensive zone, makes me wonder what the future holds for him.

 

This is not hindsight on my part...I still regret DR not choosing Phaneuf over Vanek at the draft. :(

This is a very good point, and I too have worried whether Vanek's game is too limited and whether he'll get back to 40+ productivity.

 

As for Phaneuf, he's a good player, but I think probably overrated (and overpaid) to the same degree that Vanek is. He certainly is a tough SOB though and I can see why you'd rather have him. If Vanek gets to 32 goals or so this year and stays in the 35-45 range for his career, I'd probably rather have Vanek, but it's not clear-cut.

[Mbossy]

The big surprise Vanek was talking about on his website? His autobiography.

 

 

Secret revealed!

 

For weeks we've built up the suspense and now the time has finally come to reveal the big surprise Thomas has been talking about.

Well, the surprise is *roll the drums*: a biography about Thomas Vanek! Below

you find the official blurb for "The Game of my Life" (as for now the book will only

be available in German, so this is just a rough translation) which will hit

bookstores on January 18, just in time for Tom's birthday. Come back on January 5 to

get a first look at the offical cover of the book.

 

 

„The game of my life“

Curtain call for Thomas Vanek. Born on January 19th 1984 as the son of a Czeck refugee family near Vienna, raised in Zell am See and Graz he has the courage to leave his home for North America only 14 years old to pursue his dream. The game of his life was taught to him by his father: Hockey.

 

After seven years in the juniors and minors finally a dream comes true: 2005 Vanek takes to the ice for the Buffalo Sabres for his first NHL game ever, surrounded by the greatest hockey-talent in the world. Following in the footsteps of Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr he’s been breaking records ever since. Already in his sophomore season Vanek scores 43 goals and 41 assists.

 

23 years old Vanek over night becomes the highest paid hockey player in the world. 50 million dollars for 7 years.

 

January 2009 sees Vanek becomes the first Austrian ever to take part in the NHL All Star Game. On February 4th he scores his fourth consecutive natural hattrick, matching an NHL record from the year 1924.

 

[Sabretip]

I don't see Vanek's struggles in any way as a result of Ruff's "system" - in the past, scorers on more defensive-minded teams (i.e. Elias, Gionta & Gomez in NJ; Gaborik in Minnesota; etc.) have still managed to produce big numbers despite their team's style of play.

 

Moreso, I think Vanek's problems stem from two things: 1) the NHL's regression back to the obstruction/clutch-and-grab style of play; and 2) Vanek's own unwillingness to put in a consistent work ethic for an entire game.

 

Coming out of the lockout, when the game was more free-flowing, we saw Vanek score off many rushes from the wing or deke around defenders to score some highlight-reel goal. Once the rules stopped being called that way, he became more and more relegated to being a deflection guy or screen in the slot. He doesn't seem to have the speed to beat guys outright to the puck and with 4 defenders now facing him at the blueline, isn't able to make any moves. He also draws more coverage because of his stats in the past.

 

Combine that with his own effort level, where he clearly stops skating or is left standing around, waiting for the puck to come to him, and it's not surprising to see his production wane. It doesn't help that, when he's paired with hardworking linemates like Kennedy & Grier, he rarely touches the puck because they don't. When he's paired with offensive centers like Roy or Connolly, Vanek ends up falling into his habit of cutesy plays or passing up shots to set one of his linemates up. If Ruff could instill a more selfish, assertive mindset into Vanek like all of the premium scorers in the league have by always shooting first, passing second, it would help. In his 43-goal season in '06-'07, I remember seeing in the box scores him registering 5-6 shots per game with regularity. Now, it seems he's often held to 1 shot or less more often than not. I attribute that more to the fact that he's not constantly moving to get in the open like he should be doing. He could learn a lot by watching guys like Ovechkin or Kovalchuk, both of whom are never stationary or just waiting to be set up for shots.

 

It's very frustrating for us as fans and spectators because we've all seen Vanek show signs of brilliance often. He's the most talented player on the roster but he's an enigma. I don't think he's given everything he has to give but I also don't buy the notion that the Sabres should dump him in a trade.

[darksabre]

The big surprise Vanek was talking about on his website? His autobiography.

 

 

Secret revealed!

 

For weeks we've built up the suspense and now the time has finally come to reveal the big surprise Thomas has been talking about.

Well, the surprise is *roll the drums*: a biography about Thomas Vanek! Below

you find the official blurb for "The Game of my Life" (as for now the book will only

be available in German, so this is just a rough translation) which will hit

bookstores on January 18, just in time for Tom's birthday. Come back on January 5 to

get a first look at the offical cover of the book.

 

 

„The game of my life“

Curtain call for Thomas Vanek. Born on January 19th 1984 as the son of a Czeck refugee family near Vienna, raised in Zell am See and Graz he has the courage to leave his home for North America only 14 years old to pursue his dream. The game of his life was taught to him by his father: Hockey.

 

After seven years in the juniors and minors finally a dream comes true: 2005 Vanek takes to the ice for the Buffalo Sabres for his first NHL game ever, surrounded by the greatest hockey-talent in the world. Following in the footsteps of Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr he’s been breaking records ever since. Already in his sophomore season Vanek scores 43 goals and 41 assists.

 

23 years old Vanek over night becomes the highest paid hockey player in the world. 50 million dollars for 7 years.

 

January 2009 sees Vanek becomes the first Austrian ever to take part in the NHL All Star Game. On February 4th he scores his fourth consecutive natural hattrick, matching an NHL record from the year 1924.

 

What a**hole writes an autobiography at 25?