Possibly the biggest question mark going into the Montreal Canadiens' offseason is the contractual status of soon-to-be unrestricted free agent Thomas Vanek. Following the trade deadline, Vanek had Habs fans on their feet with exceptional production with linemates Max Pacioretty and centerman David Desharnais. Vanek played with fire and worked creatively and efficiently once he got used to his new team after spending time with a slacking New York Islanders team.
Racking up 15 points in his regular season time with the Montreal Canadiens, Vanek played well enough to silence the critics about his work ethic and compete level. One particular play I remember that really had me sold on Vanek was an assist against the Detroit Red Wings. Vanek was going after the puck near the corner against Red Wings defenceman Niklas Kronwall, a very physical blueliner. Vanek hit Kronwall completely off his feet, turned around and fed David Desharnais through two defencemen for a highlight reel goal. Another thing I noticed about Vanek was that he has unreal hands in front, if you put a puck in his range out front and he will get a piece of it. I had an idea that Vanek was a soft, streaky, skilled player that was very lazy. In the regular season, I didn't see that. Sure, he wasn't hustling as hard as he could every single night but he was making things happen. You won't get a 100% consistent player in the NHL, it just doesn't happen.
Then the 2014 NHL Playoffs came around. In the first round versus the Tampa Bay Lightning, Thomas Vanek played a lesser game than he had given in the regular season. He only notched one goal in the series. In the second round, versus the Boston Bruins, Vanek continued to float and look lazier than ever. Although he registered more goals in the series, it appeared he was losing steam. Finally, in the third round and Eastern Conference Final against the New York Rangers, Vanek was demoted to the Habs fourth line. It appeared Habs head coach Michel Therrien had enough of Vanek, although he said that he simply just wanted to shake things up. When the Habs needed Vanek most in the playoffs, he disappeared. He earned the name "Thomas Vanish" all by himself.
As he said with the New York Islanders, Vanek's agent confirmed he would be testing the free agent market come July 1st. However, he didn't rule out a return to the Bleu Blanc et Rouge. Vanek is open to returning to Montreal if they do indeed decide to offer him a new contract. Although GM Marc Bergevin said he was happy overall with Vanek's performance, I believe he stresses character very much as stated when he first got the job. After Vanek's playoff run, I don't believe he is a Marc Bergevin type of player. Recently Habs legend Guy Lafleur said that you can't win a cup with guys like Vanek, and he should be let go. After his small stint with the Habs, Thomas Vanek is a lazy, streaky winger that has the skill to go hot for a few games but after that hes taking a vacation. He was somewhat able to perform under pressure, but not in the playoffs in Montreal. What do you think Habs fans? Is Vanek a high level winger we should pay high to keep, or a lazy winger we could do without and shouldn't overpay?
