Thomas Vanek...overpaid, overrated?

Question

40 goal scorer in his second season, +/- of +47

3rd season 20 less points, +/- of -5.

stats are sometimes the worst lie, but a stat like 50 million over 7 seasons (10 mill this past season, for 36 goals, 28 assits, and a +/- of -5 like I said) is a hard stat to ignore...and stomach. Maybe Buffalo fans can offer some insight. I personally think the money could have been better spent.

Answer 1

hes a great player, but i agree he is overpaid.....he pretty much just stands in front of the net knocking in pucks while getting beat up, but he stick is really good at stickhandling

Answer 2

He makes too much but every yr his cap number lowers. It's only about 8mil this year. We had to sign him though. We had just lost Drury and Briere and this was a neccesity. Besides he played better down the stretch. Early he struggled w//ot Brierer or Drury on the PP but seemed to adjust in the final months. I expect a bounce back yr. Since Febuary he had 24goals in a little over 2months

Also he had a different line. Roy wasn't centering his line this yr and his linemates Afinogenov and Stafford struggled

Answer 3

He is overpaid because idiot lowe offered him 10 mil or something, and since buf already lost drury and briere, they needed him too, if he gets good linemates he could turn out to be a 50 goal scorer

Answer 4

Vanek will be a superstar in a couple of seasons but remerber buffalo didn't even make the playoffs but 2 years ago they won the presidents trophy they were a much weaker team so don't blame vanek they just didn't have a great team this year don't blame vanek blame the whole team just let vanek develope you'll be eating those words in a year or 2

Answer 5

Buffalo was forced to pay him that. Its a shame, but thats why I dont count him as willingly overpaid by a team. He also lost his linemates last season... so lets see what this year brings before we conclude even though it was a forced signing, it was an awful move. He is still young and hasnt achieved maximum potential yet.

But as Jeff points out..... the picks they would have received by not matching the offer look pretty good in hindsight!

Answer 6

Overpaid and overprice...he stood out because he was playing with Briere, Drury, Connelly, etc.

Answer 7

I have thought that, as well.  

I see Vanek more of a Milan Michalek type player.  Their points are similar, but Michalek is making about a third of Vanek's salary.

Answer 8

Buffalo should not have matched that Offer sheet. 4 first rounders... 10 mil is more then Crosby makes. Come on... He's good, but nowhere near that good.

Answer 9

Kevin Lowe, Gm of the Oilers, offered vanek the lucrative contract. the sabres were forced to re sign him, as they had already lost drury and briere on the same day. Remember lowe is the same guy who offered a big contract to dustin penner, agitating Ducks GM Brian Burke. Vanek picked his play up at the end of the year, but he slumped badly in the beginning. he put too much pressure on himself to score early on. he shud return to his 06-07 form, and with his star linemate derek roy setting him up, who probably had the quietest 81 points in the NHL last year