Thomas Vanek

[57special]

Vanek kept passing the puck because he was too slow to get into a shooting area.

What worries me is his being relegated to a bottom six role during the end of his time in MTL, and his terrible production during the first half of last year when he was supposedly healthy.

I fear that his sloth-like style of play has become obsolete in today's NHL,
and even more so on a Yeo coached team which demands that all of the players pitch in on D.

I don't see how his linemates caused him to turnover the puck. I do see how injuries could've done it. Saw very similar play by Heatley.

 

[Harvest]

“If I wanted points and goals, I would have signed with the Islanders and had a center like Johnny [Tavares] and a winger like Kyle [Okposo], but I came back here because I thought we had depth and one of the best defenses in the league,” Vanek said. “Minnesota is special to me and being a former Gopher and winning, I’d like to come back here and contribute to getting a Cup.

“But I knew the goals and points would be harder. They’re not going to be any easier this year just because I feel better. We don’t have maybe the strongest depth in the middle, so I’ll have to find a way again of probably making more plays than shooting and creating chances rather than getting chances.”

Altough it may be true I'm not sure how I feel that he is blaming Koivu, Coyle and Granlund that he didn't score more..Or am I just reading this wrong?

We have enough pass first guys, we need him to focus scoring goals.
I just have a bad feeling that he is gonna be Heatley 2.0. These days in this league if you are a slow skater there is only so much you can do.

Im not gonna lie that I liked his season, but what bugs me most that there was so many times he didn't looked to care at all and he was just floating around.

Yeah, and those turnovers as well.

 

[Gaps]

Hard to blame yourself for playing through 2 hernias. Definitely had some good points.

I believe he was hurt, but putting the blame on others still isn't ok in my books. This is a team and what he said won't do him any favors in the locker room. There are so many other things I'd like to say about Vanek now, but I'll be nice and keep my mouth shut, kind of like he should have done.

 

[W75]

Heatley maybe didn't have any hands or legs in the end, but it felt that he had a good attitude still. Although we might have misunderstood Vanek's words.. or something something.

 

[ThatGuy22]

Altough it may be true I'm not sure how I feel that he is blaming Koivu, Coyle and Granlund that he didn't score more..Or am I just reading this wrong?

We have enough pass first guys, we need him to focus scoring goals.
I just have a bad feeling that he is gonna be Heatley 2.0. These days in this league if you are a slow skater there is only so much you can do.

Im not gonna lie that I liked his season, but what bugs me most that there was so many times he didn't looked to care at all and he was just floating around.

Yeah, and those turnovers as well.

Its all how people want to interpret it.

You can take the same sentence, bold the end and it reads that he doesn't care about his individual stat line, just winning. And Winning here.

 

[57special]

How many times did i see Vanek get a pass in space either in the neutral zone or entering the O zone only to see him make nothing of it because he is so slow. His C's have nothing to do with his footspeed.

Ah well, at least he's not signed longterm. I'm not mad at Fletcher for signing him at the price he did, but Vanek is a hard player to like.

 

[DANOZ28]

vanek was the best option that wasnt going to cost us more picks. i wish he was faster but find the right linemates and he'll do fine. i expect 24G.

 

[Harvest]

vanek was the best option that wasnt going to cost us more picks. i wish he was faster but find the right linemates and he'll do fine. i expect 24G.

I feel like Iginla would have been better fit..

 

[Digitalbooya]

I don't see the Vanek-Heatley comparison. Two very different players and two very different attitudes. Only common draw is they were/are both slow. I don't see the slowness effecting Vanek as badly as it did to Heatley. Heatley never really had the puck handling skills that Vanek has.

 

[Billy Mays Here*]

Vanek telling it like it is, we have only one somewhat skilled center, and he probably won't get a chance to play with him. Honestly, I'd rather see Vanek with Granlund then Parise because unlike Vanek, Parise can make it work with almost anyone he plays with and doesn't necessarily need Granlund to be effective.

 

[Generic User]

Vanek telling it like it is, we have only one somewhat skilled center, and he probably won't get a chance to play with him. Honestly, I'd rather see Vanek with Granlund then Parise because unlike Vanek, Parise can make it work with almost anyone he plays with and doesn't necessarily need Granlund to be effective.

Think that's what the issue here. Some think that he should reserve that kind of honesty for the locker room when the microphones are off, cameras aren't rolling and the beat writer isn't around. I'm sure the players know it's the truth too but they also seem to know that it won't do any good to blather that to the media about it. Distractions.

 

[57special]

I think Vanek drags down whatever line he is on. Turnovers/lack of speed and physicality do that.

My hope is that he becomes effective as a PP specialist.

 

[Wild11MN]

Love the honesty. I think he'll have a slightly better year, but not a major jump.

 

[J22*]

Think that's what the issue here. Some think that he should reserve that kind of honesty for the locker room when the microphones are off, cameras aren't rolling and the beat writer isn't around. I'm sure the players know it's the truth too but they also seem to know that it won't do any good to blather that to the media about it. Distractions.

Clearly what Vanek should've done was to fly in one of his old centers to work with before camp. That's what real leaders do on this team.

FTR- I'm not a fan of Vanek airing his issues to the press, but can't really blame him too much after all of the criticism he took from the clueless all of last year.

 

[Billy Mays Here*]

Don't care if it hurts feelings or causes a distraction, I love his honesty. Better than the usual stereotypical responses we always hear "we have to be better" or "it happens".

 

[BigT2002]

Vanek telling it like it is, we have only one somewhat skilled center, and he probably won't get a chance to play with him. Honestly, I'd rather see Vanek with Granlund then Parise because unlike Vanek, Parise can make it work with almost anyone he plays with and doesn't necessarily need Granlund to be effective.

Seriously I'm a little shocked people are up in arms that he is being honest about a deficiency that everyone on this board has been harping about for the last couple years: we do not have great center depth. And the ones we do have lack a skillset that another has. If you combined all 4 together, you may have a solid 1C on our hands: Granlund's vision and stick skills, Koivu's face off consistency, Coyle's size and Haula's speed.

I would actually enjoy seeing a Parise-Haula-Poms line this preseason.

 

[57special]

I was a big Haula fan, but he's got a lot to prove before he earns a shot centering Parise and Pominville. He had an awful year last year.

 

[HollaHaula]

While I don't like Vanek much as a player, if he's going to be on our team he needs to be on a line with Granlund. I agree with an earlier post that Parise can play with anyone. Vanek is a sniper and he needs someone to feed him. Koivu and Coyle just are not good at that sort of thing.

I also like his honesty. Our Cup window is closing and it's time that some players stir the pot to get a fire under this team started. Anyways, he's right about our center depth and Yeo's constant juggling of lines...

 

[W75]

Yes, it's true that it's true what he said. But I think his criticism comes with responsibility. He must start to be a part of the solution too. And show us that it was only a bad season because of injuries. Don't know if it had an affect to his decision making too? And not only legs.

Admit, wasn't a fan of him in the first place. But the deal was so reasonable that it would've been madness not to sign him. Let's see if he wants to win too or is Minnesota only a nice place to play for him with lesser competition.

So prove me wrong mr. Vanek.

At least this worked with Dubnyk

 

[hirawl]

Really Vanek? Just because Koivu and Coyle do not meet your Tavares level of criteria for playmaking, you just have to slow everything down to your level and make those stupid no look passes to the blue line and turn it over? Really Vanek?

No doubt there's a nice little chat with Mikko coming your way. Enjoy it.

 

[WILDTATE10]

I have absolutely no issue with what Vanek said

 

[Gaps]

While I don't like Vanek much as a player, if he's going to be on our team he needs to be on a line with Granlund. I agree with an earlier post that Parise can play with anyone. Vanek is a sniper and he needs someone to feed him. Koivu and Coyle just are not good at that sort of thing.

I also like his honesty. Our Cup window is closing and it's time that some players stir the pot to get a fire under this team started. Anyways, he's right about our center depth and Yeo's constant juggling of lines...

It doesn't matter whether he's right or not. You shouldn't air your dirty laundry in public, if you're still planning on staying on the team. He won't 'light a fire' under anyone and nobody will magically turn into Tavares no matter what he says. Instead he will be disliked by his teammates. So yeah, well done there Vanek.

 

[Uberdachen]

His teammates are supposed to be offended that he said he'd score goals more easily on the Islanders' first line with one of the league's top centers than with the Wild, despite the next thing he said being that he chose this over that because it has the depth he thinks will get all parties involved a championship?

 

[BusQuets]

I don't think our center depth is that bad honestly it's just that we are currently(hoping for it to change this season) missing bonafide 1st line center. Koivu as 2nd and Coyle as 3rd line center is not that bad.
Also i agree that the best place for Vanek would be with Granlund but that would mean big changes to the line-up.

 

[J22*]

I don't think our center depth is that bad honestly it's just that we are currently(hoping for it to change this season) missing bonafide 1st line center. Koivu as 2nd and Coyle as 3rd line center is not that bad.
Also i agree that the best place for Vanek would be with Granlund but that would mean big changes to the line-up.

Easily bottom 10 in the league and more than likely bottom 5. It is that bad. Hopefully Granlund and Coyle can take a step forward this year. I thought Coyle was decent last night, and it sounded like Granlund was pretty good on Monday.