Could Thomas Vanek return to the Detroit Red Wings next season?

Although it’s been a season to forget for Detroit Red Wings forward Thomas Vanek, he’s picked up his production of late and might be a candidate to return on a one-year deal next season.

I don’t think it will be a popular choice amongst Detroit Red Wings fans, but the team has many worse options currently rostered.  Understanding to complete a team, and have a well-rounded group not everyone is expected to be an offensive difference maker.

Teams need “mudders,” grinders and penalty killers but the better teams in the league have those who also chip in on the scoreboard.

The Detroit Red Wings are struggling to find scoring depth from their bottom four and at times bottom six forwards.  Thomas Vanek was expected to be a 20 goal scorer and potentially a player the Detroit Red Wings could flip at the trade deadline for future assets, but it didn’t work out this season.

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I personally would rather see Vanek over players like Darren Helm and Jacob de La Rose.  The Wings already have limited scorers who fit the bill described above with Frans Nielsen, Justin Abdelkader, and Christoffer Ehn, how many of these guys can a team afford to roster?

Vanek has accounted for 16 goals on the season, 8 less than he recorded last season.  The 35-year-old veteran winger is amid the worst offensive season of his career.  Lately, he’s built chemistry with one of the newest members of the team Taro Hirose; the pair are playing on the Wings third line centered by Frans Nielsen.

Dylan Larkin recently spoke with Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press, and he explained how Vanek had impacted him this season;

"“Vannie has been great,” Larkin said. “A guy who doesn’t wear a letter but he’s most definitely a leader and in a natural way. Any time you are a young guy and you have a guy like that to look up to, it’s important for who you are as a person and as a player coming up in this league.“There are ups and downs in this league, so many highs and lows. Through time you learn that more and you become OK with it. You want to be better for your team and for yourself, but you understand there’s going to be tough times. You look at older guys and they all understand that and are professional about that.”"

Depending on how the NHL draft shapes up I could see a scenario where the Detroit Red Wings become open to the idea of bringing Vanek back on a cheap one-year deal.  For example, let’s say the Wings get bounced back to fifth or sixth in the draft and miss out on the top-four projected forwards defenseman Bowen Byram comes into consideration.

The Detroit Red Wings have a plethora of forwards who will remain under contract for next season, but Jacob de La Rose’s heart condition remains in question.  The possibility of trading someone like Luke Glendening remains on the table but with the early emergence of Hirose, the expectation of Zadina and Svechnikov making the opening day roster limits the number of open roster spots.

In all likelihood, Vanek is destined for retirement, but his leadership and goal-scoring ability will have management keeping his services in consideration this offseason.