Thomas Vanek

Thomas Vanek (born 19 January 1984) is an Austrian former professional ice hockey left winger. He played fourteen years in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, Montreal Canadiens, Minnesota Wild, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, Vancouver Canucks and Columbus Blue Jackets. Vanek was drafted by the Sabres fifth overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, making him the highest-drafted Austrian in NHL history.
== Early life==
Vanek was born in Baden bei Wien, Austria, to Slovak mother Jarmila and Czech father Zdeněk,GettingToKnow: #26 Thomas VANEK who emigrated from the Czechoslovakia to Austria in 1982. He grew up in Zell am See (Salzburg) and in Graz (Styria), where his father played professional ice hockey.
As a youth, he played in the 1997 and 1998 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournaments with a team from Austria. In 1998, at the age of 14, he moved to Canada.
==Playing career==
===Pre-NHL years===
After playing junior hockey for the Sioux Falls Stampede of the United States Hockey League (USHL), Vanek joined the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers, leading the team in goals (31), assists (31) and points (62) in the 2002–03 season. In part due to his prolific scoring touch, the Golden Gophers won the 2003 NCAA National Championship. Vanek was named MVP of the Frozen Four tournament, scoring the game-winning goals in both the semifinal against Michigan in overtime and in the final against New Hampshire. He was also named Minnesota's team MVP for 2003, becoming the first freshman to receive the honor. He scored the most points by a Golden Gopher freshman in 2003 since Aaron Broten who scored 72 total points in 1979–80. He was the first freshman to lead the team in scoring since Mike Antonovich in 1969–70. His 31 goals also led all NCAA freshmen in goal scoring, and was fourth in the entire country. He was also the 2003 WCHA Rookie of the Year, the third Golden Gopher to win the award.
Vanek was a member of the Austrian national team in the 2004 IIHF World Championships, where he collected seven points in six games (two goals and five assists). Vanek led the Golden Gophers in goals (26) and points (51) for the second-straight season and finished fifth in points among Division I leaders with 51. Vanek was the Twin Cities Best College Athlete for 2004.
Vanek spent 2004–05 with the Sabres' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rochester Americans, recording 68 points in 74 games and helped Rochester to the best record in the AHL. Vanek finished second on the team in points, 11 points behind Chris Taylor, but led the team in goals with 42 and in power play goals with 25. He finished second among rookies in points and led all rookies in goals scored, the latter of which was second in the league among all players.
===Buffalo Sabres===
Vanek signed a three-year deal with Buffalo on 3 September 2004, and began playing for the Sabres in 2005–06 after a season with their AHL affiliate. He had a promising rookie season with 25 goals and 48 points in 81 games for the Sabres. His performance tailed off in the playoffs, managing two goals in ten games.
Vanek recorded his best statistical season, the following year in 2006–07. He played in all 82 regular season games for the Sabres, scoring 43 goals, tied for fifth in the league, and 41 assists. He also finished an NHL best +47, earning the NHL Plus-Minus Award. Upon the expiration of his entry-level contract during the 2007 off-season, Vanek signed a seven-year, $50 million offer sheet from the Edmonton Oilers. The Sabres, having lost Chris Drury and Daniel Brière as free agents that off-season, immediately matched the offer sheet, thus keeping Vanek under contract until at least the end of the 2013–14 season. Despite his lucrative new contract, Vanek's production dipped to 64 points in 2007–08.
In the midst of a more productive year, however, Vanek was named to his first NHL All-Star Game in 2009 in Montreal. He helped the East to a 12–11 shootout victory over the West. Earlier in the season, on 13 December 2008, Vanek helped the Sabres reach a milestone by scoring the 10,000th goal in franchise history. Following the All-Star Game, on 4 February 2009, Vanek made NHL history by becoming only the second player to score four consecutive natural hat-trick. He recorded his fourth natural hat trick, and fifth overall, in a 5–0 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in HSBC Arena. It was also Vanek's fourth consecutive natural hat-trick, matching an NHL record set by Cy Denneny between 1923 and 1924 with the old Ottawa Senators. Later that week, on 7 February, Vanek took a slapshot from Anton Volchenkov of the Ottawa Senators, fracturing his jaw. He underwent surgery the next day and was announced to be out of the lineup for three-to-four weeks. At the time of the injury, Vanek was third in the league goal-scoring. At the end of the 2008–09 season, Vanek would score a total of 40 goals with 24 assists, totaling 64 points. He led the NHL in powerplay goals with 20.
The 2009–10 season also started on a sour note, as Vanek sustained an upper body injury after scoring two goals in a 6–2 win against the Detroit Red Wings on 13 October. Vanek had scored three goals in four games up to that point. On 10 April 2010, he scored four goals against Ottawa (one on a penalty shot) in the first two periods.
On 1 October 2012, Vanek signed with the Graz 99ers in Austria to play for them until 4 November 2012, during the 2012–13 NHL lockout.
On 1 October 2013, the Buffalo Sabres names Vanek and Steve Ott captains; Vanek would wear the "C" for home games while Ott would wear the "C" for road games.
===New York Islanders and Montreal Canadiens===
On 27 October 2013, Vanek was traded to the New York Islanders for Matt Moulson, a conditional 2014 first-round draft pick and a 2015 second-round draft pick. He immediately joined the team's top line alongside John Tavares and Kyle Okposo, which Vanek said later was the best line he ever played on. On 4 February 2014, Vanek confirmed that he had turned down a contract extension offer from the Islanders. The contract was reportedly for seven years and $50 million, with Vanek stating that the Islanders move to Barclays Center was one of his primary reasons for leaving the team.
On 5 March 2014, Vanek was dealt to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Sebastian Collberg and a second-round draft pick. On 19 March 2014, he scored his first three goals for the team – a hat trick in a game against the Colorado Avalanche that they went on to win 6–3. However, Vanek was noted for his lackluster performance during the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs, including scoring just five even-strength points over 17 games. In late June, Canadiens General Manager Marc Bergevin announced that the team would not be re-signing Vanek, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent.
===Minnesota Wild===
On 1 July 2014, Vanek signed a three-year, $19.5 million contract with the Minnesota Wild with a no-trade clause, turning down a three-year, $21 million offer to return to the Islanders. The signing reunited Vanek with former Sabres teammate Jason Pominville.
With the Wild up against the salary cap and Vanek having endured an unsuccessful stint with the Wild, Vanek's last year of his contract was bought-out by Minnesota on 24 June 2016.
===Detroit Red Wings===
On 1 July 2016, Vanek signed a one-year, $2.6 million contract with the Detroit Red Wings reuniting him with Co-Captain Steve Ott when a member with the Sabres.
===Florida Panthers===
With the Panthers looking to make a playoff push, on 1 March 2017, Vanek was traded to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Dylan McIlrath and a conditional third-round pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. Vanek recorded 10 points in 20 games with Florida, but ultimately the Panthers did not qualify for the post-season.
===Vancouver Canucks and Columbus Blue Jackets===
On 1 September 2017 Vanek signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Vancouver Canucks. On 20 December 2017, Vanek recorded his 10th career hat trick in a loss to the Montreal Canadiens. On 26 February 2018, the day of the trade deadline, Vanek was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Jussi Jokinen and Tyler Motte. He recorded his 11th career hat trick in the same season on 27 March 2018, in a game against the Edmonton Oilers.
===Return to Detroit===
On 1 July 2018, Vanek signed a one-year, $3 million contract for a second stint with the Red Wings. He would tally 16 goals and 20 assists during what would be his final NHL season.
==Personal life==
Vanek and his wife Ashley have three sons. They live in Stillwater, Minnesota.
On 21 July 2014, Vanek's name was listed in records seized from The Marina Restaurant & Bar, a Rochester, New York, facility suspected of running an illegal gambling ring. For his part, Vanek denied all wrongdoing, cooperated with authorities and was not charged with any crime.Craig, Gary and Kevin Oklobzija (22 July 2014). Thomas Vanek questioned in Charlotte gambling case. Rochester Democrat & Chronicle. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
==Career statistics==
===Regular season and playoffs===
 	 	 		Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season		Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs
Season 	Team 	League 		GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM 		GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM
1999–00 	Sioux Falls Stampede 	USHL 		35 	15 	18 	33 	12 		3 	0 	1 	1 	8
2000–01 	Sioux Falls Stampede 	USHL 		20 	19 	10 	29 	15 		8 	5 	4 	9 	2
2001–02 	Sioux Falls Stampede 	USHL 		53 	46 	45 	91 	54 		3 	0 	0 	0 	9
2002–03 	Minnesota Golden Gophers	WCHA 		45 	31 	31 	62 	60 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2003–04 	Minnesota Golden Gophers	WCHA 		38 	26 	25 	51 	72 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2004–05 	Rochester Americans 	AHL 		74 	42 	26 	68 	62 		5 	2 	3 	5 	10
2005–06 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 		81 	25 	23 	48 	72 		10 	2 	0 	2 	6
2006–07 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 		82 	43 	41 	84 	40 		16 	6 	4 	10 	10
2007–08 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 		82 	36 	28 	64 	64 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2008–09 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 		73 	40 	24 	64 	44 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2009–10 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 		71 	28 	25 	53 	42 		3 	2 	1 	3 	2
2010–11 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 		80 	32 	41 	73 	24 		7 	5 	0 	5 	0
2011–12 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 		78 	26 	35 	61 	52 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2012–13 	Graz 99ers 	EBEL 		11 	5 	10 	15 	4 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2012–13 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 		38 	20 	21 	41 	20 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2013–14 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 		13 	4 	5 	9 	4 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2013–14 	New York Islanders 	NHL 		47 	17 	27 	44 	34 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2013–14 	Montreal Canadiens 	NHL 		18 	6 	9 	15 	8 		17 	5 	5 	10 	4
2014–15 	Minnesota Wild 	NHL 		80 	21 	31 	52 	37 		10 	0 	4 	4 	2
2015–16 	Minnesota Wild 	NHL 		74 	18 	23 	41 	22 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2016–17 	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 		48 	15 	23 	38 	16 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2016–17 	Florida Panthers 	NHL 		20 	2 	8 	10 	6 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2017–18 	Vancouver Canucks 	NHL 		61 	17 	24 	41 	28 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2017–18 	Columbus Blue Jackets 	NHL 		19 	7 	8 	15 	8 		6 	1 	1 	2 	2
2018–19 	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 		64 	16 	20 	36 	26 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals		1,029 	373 	416 	789 	547 		69 	21 	15 	36 	26
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
===International===
Year 	Team 	Event 	 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
2002 	Austria 	WJC D1 	 	5 	5 	6 	11 	2
2003 	Austria 	WJC D1 	 	5 	9 	4 	13 	10
2004 	Austria 	WJC 	 	6 	3 	1 	4 	37
2004 	Austria 	WC 	 	6 	2 	5 	7 	0
2008 	Austria 	WC D1 	 	5 	5 	5 	10 	6
2009 	Austria 	WC 	 	6 	1 	3 	4 	2
2013 	Austria 	WC 	 	7 	4 	2 	6 	2
2014 	Austria 	OLY 	 	4 	0 	1 	1 	4
2016 	Team Europe 	WCH 	 	6 	0 	1 	1 	2
Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals	16	17	11	28 	49
Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals	34	12	17	29 	16
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==Awards and honours==
Award 	Year 	
College 	College	College
All-USHL First Team 	2001–02	
All-WCHA Rookie Team 	2002–03	
All-WCHA Second Team 	2002–03	
All-NCAA All-Tournament Team 	2003 	
All-WCHA Second Team 	2003–04	
AHCA West second-team All-American	2003–04	
NHL 	NHL 	NHL
NHL YoungStars Game 	2006–07	
NHL Plus-Minus Award 	2006–07	
NHL Second All-Star Team 	2006–07	
NHL All-Star Game 	2009 	
==See also==
*List of NHL players who have signed offer sheets
==References==
==External links==
*
Category:1984 births
Category:AHCA Division I men's ice hockey All-Americans
Category:Austrian ice hockey left wingers
Category:Austrian people of Czech descent
Category:Austrian people of Slovak descent
Category:Buffalo Sabres captains
Category:Buffalo Sabres draft picks
Category:Buffalo Sabres players
Category:Columbus Blue Jackets players
Category:Detroit Red Wings players
Category:Florida Panthers players
Category:Graz 99ers players
Category:Ice hockey players at the 2014 Winter Olympics
Category:Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey players
Category:Minnesota Wild players
Category:Montreal Canadiens players
Category:National Hockey League All-Stars
Category:National Hockey League first-round draft picks
Category:NCAA men's ice hockey national champions
Category:New York Islanders players
Category:Olympic ice hockey players of Austria
Category:Rochester Americans players
Category:Sioux Falls Stampede players
Category:Vancouver Canucks players