Detroit Red Wings: Thomas Vanek is frustrated and so are the fans

When Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland signed Thomas Vanek to a one-year deal worth 3 million dollars many fans immediately questioned his willingness to accept a rebuild.

The Detroit Red Wings veteran forward continues to struggle to produce points for the team.  Wings fans again are starting once again to question the signing of the veteran, heavily traveled forward.  Ken Holland brought Vanek back on a one-year deal during a rebuild signaling to some that he was failing to buy into his own rebuild.

The idea wasn’t the worst of all-time, I mean Vanek achieved 24 goals last season spending time with both the Vancouver Canucks and Columbus Blue Jackets.  The thought of singing Vanek, playing him as a top-nine forward and see him produce on a 20 goal season pace and then flip him at the deadline for more draft picks wouldn’t be the worst thing I’ve ever heard.

The problem is, “said” player needs to produce, and Vanek has struggled to do so.  That along with Kenny Holland setting up his own roadblock attaching a “no movement” clause to Thomas Vanek‘s contract.

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If Vanek decides he doesn’t want to move, he doesn’t have too.  That along with his below average on-ice performance thus far makes him nearly impossible to find any takers.  Through the first 30 games of the season, he’s only been able to score 5 goals and add 10 helpers.  He is also a minus 8 and playing a merely 13 minutes a night.

Recently Vanek has mentioned he is fighting it, gripping his stick a little too tight, and electing to pass when he should take a shot on goal.  He is genuinely snakebitten right now and says he is losing sleep over it.  In a story from Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News produced Vanek talks about his struggling season.  Head coach Jeff Bashill also weighs in;

"“I’m losing sleep over it, but at the same time, I have to stay positive here and keep getting to the net. Hopefully, it’ll turn quick.”“The thing Thomas does well is he can make guys exponentially better with his ability,” Blashill said. “The way the lines were set up, I had to some maneuvering that probably hurt some other guys’ ice time, but that’s the way it goes.“Confidence is a huge thing in life and he’s been a great player in this league. But when you don’t feel it, sometimes you start to force it a little bit or you don’t think you have quite as much time as you have.“Thomas has been better overall of late. We just have to build off it.”"

The somewhat comical saying that states “shooters shoot” needs to come to the forefront of Vanek’s mind.  Although fans are not losing sleep over his struggles, we’ve become somewhat irritated with his lack of production.

If Vanek can find his way out of an early-season rut that has extended nearly to the mid-season mark and find some scoring the Detroit Red Wings may be able to find a contending team looking for a third or fourth line rental scoring winger who can play on the power-play.  Vanek would, of course, have to agree to the move and that is something he may decide against.