The Revelation of the Year

One of the most talented yet polarizing forwards in the National Hockey League seems to have finally found a permanent home in Detroit with the Red Wings.

 

Thomas Vanek has been bounced around several teams in his 11-year career, though he has managed to perform relatively well without necessarily demonstrating a strong sense of consistency in his play. Often criticized for his lacklustre efforts, the 2003 fifth overall pick in the NHL Entry Draft boasts 319 career goals and 656 points in 823 games. Ten years ago, he scored 43 goals while scoring another 40 in 2008-2009. Moreover, he has managed over 20 goals a season (and sometimes 30+) until he was bought out of his multi-year contract by the Minnesota Wild last season after scoring only 18 times in 74 games.

 

That all seemed to change when general manager Ken Holland signed the unrestricted free agent to a one-year, $2.6 million contract this past summer. So far, Vanek is tied for first in scoring for the Red Wings with seven points in six games. However, it’s not the point totals that have proven to be a revelation in his case.

 

For the first time in many years, Vanek seems involved. He is working hard on every shift, boasting a plus-4 rating thus far which signifies that he is back checking and playing intelligent defensive hockey when called upon to do so. He has developed a knack for heading towards the front of the net, which is often seen as a player’s willingness to pay the price to help his team win, and has four points on the power play this season (tied for first with Mike Green).

 

We’ve often seen the 32-year-old start seasons off strongly and falter as the calendar pages turn, but there is a certain sense of unity that has overtaken this edition of the Detroit Red Wings. Everyone, including “backup” goaltender Jimmy Howard and the oft-scrutinized defensive corps are all pulling in the same direction and impressing fans with their convincing performances.

 

Holland took a gamble on a player with a less-than-flattering reputation, albeit of a low-risk high-reward type. He publicly stated that he was going to count on the veterans to lead the way during the “Farewell Season at the Joe” instead of choosing to opt for a youth movement that could have included Anthony Mantha, Teemu Pulkkinen (now with the Minnesota Wild), Martin Frk (Carolina Hurricanes) and Andreas Athanasiou.

 

The gambel is paying off thus far, and we can only hope that Vanek’s performances continue to be as exemplary and passionate as they have been so far. 

Image courtesy of: Yahoo! Sports