Thomas Vanek---The Making of a Superstar

[SHAAAUGHT!!!]

Honestly, i don't know what you're talking about. I think he's always skating hard, he is laying out some hits like he didn't do last year and he's even playing the penalty kill. Lindy Ruff would never let someone who is playing half-assed play the penalty kill. Notice Kotalik ever on the PK?

 

Vanek is just fine, he's a star player, amazing with the stick. Might he seem slow on some plays? Probably, but when you're skating at full blast all the time, you get tired.

 

Vanek doesn't just show up to play the PP and late in games. Every shift out there you can notice him.

 

And the comment of "easy goals" really got to me. He has 16 goals for gods sake. And only 6 of them are on the PP. He has 14 assists. And i'd beg to differ about the easy goals, i think he has many awesome goals, some look easy, like the Florida goal in OT, but you have to hand it to Vanek for being in the right place, right time, and that is also part of skill of a top class player.

 

Don't get me wrong. Vanek has become a very good player, but I don't think he has proven himself as a great player yet. The kid has definately come a long way in his development in just a few short months. To start the season his work ethic was amazing, but it has seemed to taper off a bit over the last 5 games. I don't know, maybe it could be due to the incredible amount of special teams play we have had to put up with lately which hasn't allowed him to skate the way he was the first 15 games.

 

I truly think he has the ability to score 40-50 goals in a season, but Satan did too. I hope Darcy locks him up for 3 years when it is time to cut him a deal.