Report: Prolific Scorer Seeking Redemption

In light of less-than-stellar performances in recent years by Thomas Vanek, the 32-year-old veteran is looking to turn the page with the Detroit Red Wings.

 

Often questioned for his work ethic and motivation, it came as no surprise then that the Minnesota Wild opted to buy out the remaining year of his 3-year, $19.5 million contract. In 154 games with the Wild, he posted 39 goals and 93 points, which hardly justified his $6.5 million AAV salary.

 

Fresh off of a 1-year deal valued at $2.6 million, the Red Wings are hoping that Vanek can find his scoring touch. After all, at 6’2” and over 215 lbs, he can certainly prove to be a powerful net presence.

 

Moreover, his right-hand shot is something of a rarity in the top-9 forward group of Detroit, thus his contract could prove to be a worthwhile risk for a Red Wings team that could use an injection of scoring.

 

Here’s what Vanek had to say about himself after practice: