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Thomas Vanek

Free Agent Profile: Thomas Vanek

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If you look at the resume of goal scorer Thomas Vanek, he’s been a man without a team for many years. After a long stint at the start of his career with the Buffalo Sabres, the winger has been on seven different teams over the last six seasons, and while he has proven to be a player that can put the puck into the net, he remains unsigned with plenty of questions on whether his career will continue.

Vanek, who has tallied 373 goals over the course of his career, was moved around so often that he would only sign with the Detroit Red Wings last season on the condition that he had a no-trade clause after being a trade-deadline victim three times over the course of his career. Regardless, he was useful in Detroit where he scored 16 goals as a middle-six option for the franchise after a 24-goal campaign in 2017-18 between Vancouver and Columbus. However, the 35-year-old continues to show he can score, but at his age, the veteran is less and less sought after.

Vanek said at the end of the season that he would need time to decide on whether to return next season for a 15th season. He played 64 games last season, dealing with both knee and finger injuries, but he might be ready to retire depending on what offers might come his way.

Potential Suitors

A return to Detroit might make quite a bit of sense as his 16 goals and 36 points was solid play for a third-line winger. However, with a number of youngsters coming up into the system, including Filip Zadina, Michael Rasmussen and Taro Hirose looking NHL ready, as well as a number of veterans who are starting to get pushed down the lineup, there may not be much playing time left to give Vanek.

The Buffalo Sabres might also be an interesting destination as he could return to the team that drafted him and the team he played with for eight-plus seasons. However, while the Sabres might be able to use the depth that Vanek could provide on the bottom lines, the team is already capped out and would have to make a roster move to be able to bring Vanek back to the team.

Other teams like the New York Islanders and the Winnipeg Jets could potentially be other options for the veteran. Lou Lamoriello likes to have a number of veterans on his teams, while the Jets might want some veterans (likely on minimum contracts) to help fill out their depth once the team signs both Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor.

Projected Contract

Over the past three years, Vanek has played for anywhere between $2-3MM on one-year deals. If Vanek signs with a team, it almost assuredly will be a one-year deal like the three previous contracts before that. However, with many teams already near the salary cap and few interested parties at the moment, Vanek might have to be willing to accept a pay cut, perhaps even playing for the minimum if he wants to keep playing.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

UFA Notes: Lehner, Zuccarello, Vanek

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While Robin Lehner wasn’t expecting to speak with other teams during this week’s interview window, he may be changing those plans before too long.  Arthur Staple of The Athletic reports (subscription required) that there is too substantial of a gap in what the Islanders are offering and what the netminder is seeking which means it’s quite likely that the 27-year-old will be playing elsewhere next season.  Lehner is coming off of a career year that saw him post a 2.13 GAA with a .930 SV% but is only a year removed from a rough season with Buffalo.  Staple notes that GM Lou Lamoriello is offering a deal around $5MM per year, something that’s a non-starter for Lehner’s camp and presumably, it’s the lack of a track record as a high-end starter that is leading to a lesser offer than a goalie coming off of that type of season would typically get.

Other news and notes from free agency:

  • Winger Mats Zuccarello is believed to be seeking a five-year deal, notes Aaron Portzline of The Athletic (Twitter link) who adds that the 31-year-old is on the radar of the Blue Jackets. Zuccarello posted the highest point-per-game average of his career in an injury-shortened 2018-19 campaign and before that, averaged 56 points per season in the past five years.   After playing on a team-friendly $4.5MM contract, he’s expected to get a fair bit more than that on the open market.
  • Thomas Vanek’s camp has been informed that there isn’t going to be a fit between him and the Red Wings for next season, reports Max Bultman of The Athletic (Twitter link). The veteran had a decent 2018-19, picking up 36 points in 64 games which isn’t bad for someone that barely averaged 14 minutes per game.  However, his lack of speed has limited his suitors on the trade market in recent years although, with no acquisition cost beyond a contract, he could attract some interest once some of the top players sign.

East Notes: Skinner, Kronwall, Vanek, Van Riemsdyk

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While the Sabres have discussed a potential contract extension for winger Jeff Skinner throughout the season, a deal has yet to be reached.  Speaking to reporters, including WKBW’s Matt Bove, GM Jason Botterill indicated that both sides are still focusing on getting a deal done, suggesting that Skinner hasn’t shifted his focus to free agency just yet.  The 26-year-old got off to a strong start with 30 goals over his first 44 games before cooling off considerably, scoring just 10 over the last 38 contests.  John Vogl of The Athletic examined (subscription required) some possible comparables for Skinner, noting that the new deal that Mark Stone signed upon his trade to Vegas (eight years, $76MM) is one that his representatives will likely want to use in discussions.

Elsewhere in the East:

  • Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall and Thomas Vanek are unsure as to whether or not they want to play next season, notes Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News. It was believed that Kronwall was likely to retire after 2018-19 but he wound up logging nearly 20 minutes a night over 79 games, suggesting that he’s still capable of being an important piece for Detroit.  Meanwhile, Vanek finished with a respectable 36 points in 64 games but indicated that his family will play a large role in determining whether or not he wants to play a 15th NHL season.  Both players are set to be unrestricted free agents in July.
  • The Flyers announced (Twitter link) that winger James van Riemsdyk will suit up for Team USA at the upcoming World Championships. It will be his first time suiting up in the tournament since he played a pair of games back in 2011.  His return to Philadelphia was a reasonable success as he finished fifth in team scoring despite missing 16 games due to injuries while his goal per game rate was only slightly below 2017-18 when he scored a career-best 36 goals.

East Notes: Vanek, Kinkaid, Staal

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Red Wings winger Thomas Vanek is no stranger to being part of trade deadline speculation having been dealt in that situation three times already.  However, as things stand, it doesn’t appear likely that he’ll be on the move again.  GM Ken Holland told reporters, including Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News (Twitter link) that there has been no interest in the 35-year-old so far.  Vanek has picked up his play as of late with 13 points in 21 games since the calendar flipped to 2019 which is decent production for a secondary scorer.  However, it doesn’t appear to be enough to intrigue anyone just yet.  Vanek is a pending unrestricted free agent with a full no-trade clause and carries a $3MM salary and cap hit.

More from the East:

  • The Devils would like to move goaltender Keith Kinkaid by Monday’s trade deadline, reports Fox Sports Midwest’s Andy Strickland (Twitter link). However, he adds that the goalie trade market is pretty weak at the moment.  With Cory Schneider locked up long-term plus promising youngster Mackenzie Blackwood waiting in the wings, there isn’t room for the pending unrestricted free agent beyond this season.  Kinkaid carries just a $1.25MM cap hit but has struggled this season, posting a 3.36 GAA with a .891 SV% in 41 games.
  • Carolina is set to welcome back a key piece of their forward group as the team announced that center Jordan Staal has been activated off injured reserve. The 30-year-old has missed 30 of the last 32 games due to an upper-body injury.  While his output when healthy has been low this season (he has just 11 points in 29 games), he has picked up at least 45 points in each of the last three seasons so it’s reasonable to expect that he’ll be a contributor down the stretch for them.  Staal is also consistently one of the top faceoff players in the league, giving the Hurricanes a boost in that regard as well as they continue to chase down a playoff spot.

Snapshots: Vanek, Carrier, Perry, Eaves

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Red Wings winger Thomas Vanek is no stranger to being moved at the trade deadline.  It’s undoubtedly part of the reason he pushed for a no-trade clause last summer in free agency and he managed to get one.  Although Detroit is believed to be selling between now and the February 25th trade deadline, Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press suggests that it’s unlikely that Vanek will be moved as he’s valued as a leader in the dressing room.  For his part, the 35-year-old indicated that thought of waiving his no-trade clause simply hasn’t crossed his mind.  Vanek has 23 points in 42 games so far this season.

Elsewhere around the league:

  • Golden Knights winger William Carrier has missed the last three weeks with what had been called an illness. Today, GM George McPhee informed reporters including Jesse Granger of The Athletic (Twitter link) that it’s actually an injury that’s keeping him out of the lineup although he declined to provide further specifics or an idea of how much longer he’ll be out.  Despite missing seven games already, Carrier remains the league leader in hits by a significant margin and is averaging just under five per game.
  • Ducks winger Corey Perry returned to practice for the first time since suffering a knee injury during the preseason, notes Elliott Teaford of the Orange County Register. While there is no timetable for his return, head coach Randy Carlyle indicated that he believes Perry is a little ahead of schedule.  When he underwent surgery late in September, Anaheim announced that he was likely to be out until early March so that would suggest he’s a few weeks away from returning.
  • In the same column, Teaford adds that the Ducks received permission to extend Patrick Eaves’ AHL conditioning stint by two more games. He’s on a Bona Fide Long-Term Injury/Illness Exception Conditioning Loan which is only supposed to last three games or six days, whichever comes first.  Eaves has been out of the lineup since mid-November due to a fractured rib and has played in just five NHL games so far this season as well as the past three with AHL San Diego.

Atlantic Notes: Vanek, Luongo, Byron

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The Red Wings will be without winger Thomas Vanek for two-to-three weeks due to a lower-body injury which is believed to be a knee issue, reports Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press.  The injury occurred early in the first period on Tuesday night against Columbus.  Detroit has filled his spot with Wade Megan but another recall may be needed depending on the availability of center Andreas Athanasiou for Thursday’s game versus New Jersey.  Vanek is off to somewhat of a quiet start this season with five points in a dozen games, well off the pace of his output from last season when he collected 56 points between Vancouver and Columbus.

More from the Atlantic:

  • While the Panthers were hopeful that goaltender Roberto Luongo would be able to play during the NHL Global Series this week, it doesn’t appear that this will be the case. Instead, head coach Bob Boughner told reporters, including NHL.com’s Brian Compton, that they now hope that he will be available to return at some point next week.  Following their two games in Finland, their next game will be November 8th so that appears to be the new target date.  Luongo was injured in the season opener back on October 6th and Florida has gotten off to somewhat of a sluggish start without their top netminder, going 2-4-3 to start the season.
  • Canadiens winger Paul Byron is listed as questionable for Thursday’s game against Washington after leaving Tuesday’s contest with a lower-body injury, notes Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette. He did not participate in practice today but Claude Julien doesn’t believe the issue is too serious.  Byron, fresh off of signing a four-year extension just before the season got underway, is off to a good start with seven points through eleven games.  If he can’t play, winger Andrew Shaw will likely take his place in the lineup.

Red Wings Re-Sign Mike Green, Agree To Terms With Thomas Vanek

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9:30 AM: The Red Wings have announced (via Twitter) that Green has signed his two-year deal.

7:36 AM: Craig Custance of The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that Vanek has agreed to a one-year, $3MM deal with Detroit.

Saturday: While the Red Wings are believed to be in rebuilding mode, it doesn’t appear that this is stopping them from being active in free agency.  On top of being expected to add goalie Jonathan Bernier tomorrow, TSN’s Darren Dreger reports (Twitter link) that defenseman Mike Green is staying put and that winger Thomas Vanek is also considering a return to Detroit as well.

Green remaining in Detroit isn’t a huge surprise as the team has been actively trying to re-sign him over the past week or so, offering multiple contracts of varying term and money.  It was reported earlier this week that the team was hopeful that they could lock him up on a two-year pact.  TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports (via Twitter) that the deal will carry a $5.375MM AAV.

His re-signing would take arguably the most prominent defenseman off the market before the market even opens up.  Green ranked eighth on PHR’s Top 50 UFA list, one of only two rearguards in the top-10.  He gives Detroit back their top offensive threat from the back end; he has led the team in scoring by a defender in each of his three seasons with the Red Wings, averaging 35 points per season.

As for Vanek, he is quietly one of the highest scoring players in free agency this summer as his 56 points in 2017-18 rank third among all unrestricted free agents.  That helped earn him the #14 ranking on our list.  Despite his offensive performance in recent years, he has bounced around in recent years, playing for five different teams since 2016.

One of those teams is Detroit, who initially signed him in the summer of 2016 after he was bought out by Minnesota.  He fared relatively well as he posted 38 points in 48 games before being dealt to Florida as a rental player at the trade deadline.  It wouldn’t be surprising to see if that was the idea they have in mind here as well although Vanek would certainly prefer to have a little bit more stability and security after moving around as much as he has lately.

These moves would likely represent the bulk of Detroit’s offseason spending in free agency.  While the team has a little over $20.5MM in cap space per CapFriendly, these three veterans would likely eat up half of that or more and they still have some notable restricted free agents to re-sign, headlined by center Dylan Larkin.

Atlantic Notes: Red Wings, Green, Sabres, Canadiens, Miller

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On top of being one of the teams that have shown interest in signing free agent winger Ilya Kovalchuk, the Red Wings also are interested in signing winger Thomas Vanek this summer, reports MLive’s Ansar Khan.  Vanek spent most of the 2016-17 season with Detroit and fared quite well, recording 15 goals and 23 assists in 48 games before being shipped as a rental to Florida at the trade deadline.  Vanek’s nomadic journey continued this past season and he could once again be in line for a one-year deal in free agency.

Khan adds that the Red Wings has their eyes set on a pair of goalies that are soon set to hit the open market in Carter Hutton (St. Louis) and Anton Khudobin (Boston).  Both netminders have shown that they are capable of handling more than the typical workload for a backup goalie which will come in handy given incumbent Jimmy Howard’s up-and-down performance over the last few years.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic:

  • In the same column, Khan provides the details for the contract offers that Detroit has on the table for pending UFA defenseman Mike Green. The Red Wings have pitched a one-year, $6MM offer which matches what he made in each of the past three years as well as a two-year, $10MM proposal.  Green is slated to be one of the more prominent defenders on the open market this summer and is expected to be fully recovered from the cervical spine surgery he had back in April.
  • Although there have been reports that the Sabres were expected to buy out winger Matt Moulson, Sabres GM Jason Botterill told Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News that the team does not have any interest in buying anyone out at the moment. Moulson has one year remaining on his contract with a $5MM cap hit and spent most of 2017-18 in the minors on loan to the Kings’ AHL affiliate in Ontario.  While a buyout would save Buffalo some cap room this season compared to putting him in the minors, it would also create a cap charge of nearly $667K on their books for 2019-20.  The Sabres have a lot of cap room at the moment so they may feel that they’re better off absorbing the higher cost for 2018-19 to get him off the books entirely instead of taking on the extra hit the following year.
  • Speaking with reporters to discuss Friday’s trade, Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin stated (via Arpon Basu of The Athletic on Twitter) that they currently have no plans to buy anyone out. Montreal had several veterans that underachieved in 2017-18 but most are signed for at least the next two years which would make a buyout somewhat prohibitive long-term.
  • Tampa Bay has yet to begin contract talks with pending RFA forward J.T. Miller, reports Joe Smith of The Athletic (Twitter link). Instead, it appears that discussions between the two sides will pick up at the draft.  The 25-year-old has wrapped up his bridge contract, is coming off of a career season offensively, and has arbitration rights which put him in line for a sizable raise from the Lightning on the $2.75MM he made in each of the last two years.

Blue Jackets Unlikely To Add At Center This Summer

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It was another strong regular season for the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2017-18. The team had its second-best finish with 97 points behind the strong efforts of all-world goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, blossoming young defensemen like Seth Jones and Zach Werenski, rookie forward Pierre-Luc Dubois and game-changing acquisition Artemi Panarin. Yet, the Jackets were again ousted in the first round and still have yet to advance past that stage of the postseason in their 17-year history. In evaluating what area Columbus needs to improve in next season, some will point to poor special teams or a lack of shots on net. However, the major issue this season was the center position, where everyone not named Dubois had a disappointing campaign. The scoring depth, defensive ability, and face-off success of the group was all lacking this year. Entering the off-season with more than $13MM in salary cap space, many think the Blue Jackets should make a competitive offer to John Tavares or even Paul Stastny or Tyler Bozak in an effort to solve their problems down the middle. As The Columbus Dispatch’s Steve Gorten describes, that is unlikely to be the case.

While on surface level Columbus seems to be in fine shape regarding the salary cap, Gorten feels that GM Jarmo Kekalainen needs to tread carefully when contemplating adding salary to the current roster. In the short term, the team already faces several free agency dilemmas. Restricted free agents Boone Jenner, Oliver Bjorkstrand, and Ryan Murray are in need of new contracts and the team is surely to be interested in retaining several impending unrestricted free agents such as Ian Cole, Matt Calvert, and possibly Thomas Vanek. The team’s long-term considerations are more pressing though; Columbus will need to pay Panarin, Werenski, and Bobrovsky after next season, all of whom will command significant contracts in both term and salary.

Given these spending limitations, both this year and in the future, signing a top free agent center is unlikely to be the right move for the Blue Jackets. Instead, Gorten suggests that Columbus stand pat and wait for their current centers to rebound from down seasons. 23-year-old Alexander Wennberg showed 60+ point potential last season, but injuries and long stretches of poor play kept him to just 35 points in 66 games this year, the first season of a six-year, $29.4MM deal. Health may be all it takes to get Wennberg back into that true #1 center range and the 2013 first-rounder may still make his contract look like a bargain and could even end up being a superior player to Dubois. For his part, Kekalainen has trust in the young forward, telling Gorten “I’m 100 percent confident with Wennberg that he’s going to have a great year next year.” What Kekalainen may be more focused on is improvement in the bottom-six, where the Jackets need a return to form from veteran Brandon Dubinsky. The 32-year-old is midway through a six-year, $35.MM deal but did not play to that level this season. Dubinsky was held to just 16 points in what was easily the worst season of his career. A buyout at this point in the contract would be very costly to Columbus, who are left to hope that he can bounce back. Gorten also suggests that the depth down the middle could be substantially bolstered by a prospects like Lukas Sedlak, Alexandre Texier, or Jonathan Davisson taking a step forward in their development, while there is also the off chance that the Jackets could land a potentially pro-ready pivot like Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Isac Lundestrom, or Barrett Hayton at pick #18 in the first round.

Even if all of that doesn’t work out, Columbus will also have options like Jenner and captain Nick Foligno, who they have hesitated to leave at center full-time, but are more than capable of playing the position if necessary. Rather than handcuff themselves with a free agent contract that could cause problems down the road, Gorten seems right in his take that hoping for the in-house options to step up their game seems to better suit the Blue Jackets this off-season.

Vancouver Canucks Will Not Re-Sign Jussi Jokinen

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According to Rick Dhaliwal of News 1130, the Vancouver Canucks have informed Jussi Jokinen’s agent that they will not be offering the pending free agent another contract. Jokinen is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after being acquired by the Canucks as part of the Thomas Vanek deal earlier this year.

Unfortunately, it may be the end for Jokinen after playing on four different clubs last season. Though he did find some success at the end with Vancouver, he failed to accumulate 20 points for the first time in his career and couldn’t contribute in many of the ways he was known for in his youth. Now 35, Jokinen was once one of the more versatile forwards in the league, able to play all three positions and hit the ice on both special teams. Responsible in his own end and dangerous at the other, Jokinen was also a good playoff performer with 32 points in 54 games.

As for the Canucks’ other pending unrestricted free agents, Dhaliwal reports that they have not spoken to Nic Dowd yet and have told Darren Archibald he’ll have to wait until they deal with some of their restricted free agents. The Canucks have some big decisions to make with RFAs like Troy Stecher, Sven Baertschi, Jake Virtanen and Derrick Pouliot.

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