Now that the Islanders seem to have found their rhythm, all eyes have turned to Thomas Vanek and his pending UFA status. Can Garth Snow make him a deal he can’t refuse? Or will Uniondale just be a pit stop for him before heading off to another city?
Of course this is a topic that everyone wants to discuss because the Isles have been burned before and as Snow himself said, they gave up something of value to get Vanek on this team. So what can they do to keep him here?
The truckload of money is already a given. The Isles have plenty of cap space, but that doesn’t mean they’ll offer ‘stupid money.’ After all, their brightest start is signed long term for what is considered below average money for his talent level. No, they won’t overpay for Vanek, or anyone else.
However, from Vanek’s point of view, this is the time he gets to make as much money as possible for his family and his future. You know, that future AFTER hockey. If a team comes along offering big bucks and has the slightest sniff at being a Stanley Cup contender, as amicable as he has been about staying on the Island, I think he’ll bolt.
When the Isles were in Minnesota, during the game broadcast Butch and Howie almost made it seem a given that Vanek would end up there. But I decided to ask the one person I know who covers all things hockey in Minnesota,
Fiona Quick, her thoughts on the Wild and Thomas Vanek. She said
“Think about where the Wild are. About to fire their coach, perhaps they will be in salary cap trouble soon with Koivu, Parise, and Suter."
(Yes ’stupid money’ there. I love Zach Parise, but really?)
So part of it could boil down to who does Vanek like better, John Tavares and Kyle Okposo or Parise and Suter? Well, recently
Dan Rosen did publish
Five Questions with Thomas Vanek on NHL.com from his interview on the NHL Network talking about his Isles team mates. Here is what he said when asked about John Tavares:
Can you compare Tavares to other centers you have played with? Is there even a comparison?
"Not that I've played with, and I've played with some good centers. I think John is as close to that [Sidney] Crosby category as you can get. There are some things he can still improve on like we all can, but he's creative, he battles, his work ethic. He's just the whole package. Sometimes in my eyes what he needs to realize is he's got a guy beat and then he wants to beat him again. Sometimes simple is more for him."
Ms. Quick brought up another point I hadn’t thought about. Living in ‘The State of Hockey’ is one thing, PLAYING there is another. There is a lot of pressure playing in Minnesota. There is almost ZERO pressure playing on Long Island. To the hockey world, the Islanders are an afterthought, until they win. And right now, they’re just starting to win again.
Rosen asked Vanek directly about his pending contract situation. He seemed to have a very honest answer for him. He said he understood the business aspect of NHL hockey and contract negotiations. Anything could happen.
"Well, I'm not ignorant about it. I know the scenario and what could happen for me. But my thought process is I do like it here. This team to me is really a team. I think the potential is a lot more than we've shown. We've shown we can play with the best teams.”
Okay, at least he said he likes it here and does see potential.
“Hopefully I can then stay here and finish off the year, but I do understand the business side of it. Am I worried if I get a phone call tomorrow about something? No, I'm really not. It's the business side of it. So be it. This business is what I signed up for. We're talking. I like it here. I do think there's a ways to go, but you never know."
Drat! Okay, so he understands that if Garth Snow can’t cut a deal with his agent, Vanek will indeed be flipped for another asset.
The thing I find most intriguing is that these guys, these talented money-making machines, leave a LOT to their agents. If the agent doesn’t have a good working relationship with a club, he finds one that he does. Certainly he is being paid to make the best possible deal for his client, and when they hit UFA status, it is all about the money.
Tonight, it’s all about the points. Isles face the Avalanche and their 27-12-4 record.
New York Islanders Blogger • 
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