Detroit Red Wings: Five players Steve Yzerman needs to move on from
By Bob Heyrman
Vanek didn’t live up to my expectations last season, and there is simply no need to bring him back next year.
Thomas Vanek is a player I do not dislike. I was ok when the Detroit Red Wings decided to bring him back last season because I thought a trade market would follow at the deadline in late February, but that failed to happen.
The season before Vanek achieved 24 goals which would have tied for the team lead on the Wings with Anthony Mantha. While that is an underwhelming number for a team leader, it explains just how bad the Wings were two seasons ago. I expected 20-plus goals from Vanek which would potentially land the organization a pair of mid-late round picks or possibly a third-round selection from a team trying to add a depth scoring winger.
Although the team was unable to trade Vanek, it did absolutely no harm to the franchise having him around. There was a point during the season when the Wings effort on the ice was less than underwhelming, and it was Vanek who stepped up in the locker room expressing his displeasure about the energy being left out on the ice.
Young players, one, in particular, Dylan Larkin to exception the speech talking about how important it was to the group that Vanek shouldered the leadership role at that time, in turn, rallying the troops to a come from behind victory that night. Larkin mentioned although Vanek doesn’t wear a letter on his sweater he was one of the teams’ leaders.
The leadership alone doesn’t warrant a new contract, and the Detroit Red Wings would be wise not to reconcile with Vanek on a new deal with not been able to deal him at this past trade deadline. In 64 games last year he recorded 16 goals and totaled 36 points while playing with a minus -16 rating. His CF% was below average at 46.7%.
After seeing a significant dip in his play, I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if Vanek decided to hang up his skates and call it a career. The only way he hangs around in the NHL for one more season is if he’s willing to sign a one-year deal worth about one-million dollars on a contending team that is looking for some veteran leadership.