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Bish Fry

April 27, 2016, 2:01 PM ET [2 Comments]
GARTH'S CORNER
NHL news by Garth • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Talk about awkward moments.

Hours after being named a finalist for the 2015-2016 Vezina Trophy, Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Ben Bishop was sent to the showers early in Wednesday's Game 1 against the New York Islanders.

The odds on favorite to win the Vezina Braden Holtby (Washington) and Jonathon Quick (LA) were also nominated for the prestigious Vezina Trophy.


The Islanders smelled doubt and vulnerability on Bishop's breath so they attacked him.

Bishop allowed four goals on just 13 shots on goal.

The pride of Spencerport, NY (Rochester) Shane Prince scored two goals in a 2:29 span late in the first period. John Tavares and Travis Hamonic also scored on Bishop who was replaced in the third period by Andrei Vasilevskiy.

Bishop was a beast in the first round series versus Detroit posted a .950 save %. Tampa won that series in five games.


The Bolts made a third period push with goals by Nikita Kucherov and Val Filppula.

Cal Clutterbuck added an ENG for Brooklyn to seal the 5-3 win.



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Thomas Vanek is now at a crossroads in his NHL career.

His health, durability, and lack thereof, has been a concern since he left Buffalo in 2013-14.

The Wild were knocked out of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs by Vanek's old boss and part time drill sergeant Lindy Ruff.

Vanek enjoyed his best NHL successes while in the employ of Ruff.

The Wild cleaned out their lockers on Wednesday and Vanek was asked about his 2015-16 season.


In their defense, the Wild were forced to play their first round series without the services of their top two goal scorers Zach Parise and Thomas Vanek who were forced to sit out due to long term injuries.

Vanek came correct on getaway day.


He said that he is obviously disappointed with his performance. He was benched a few times by former head coach Mike Yeo. Vanek got a reprieve when interim head coach John Torchetti took over the Wild bench. Torchetti was forced to have to park Vanek in the press box for a few games as well.



The veteran forward missed the first round playoff series with an undisclosed injury. We now know that Vanek suffered broken and displaced ribs. Ouch! It's hard to play hockey when your ribs are busted. I've tried it. Not fun all all. My orthopedic doctor warned me that I could puncture a lung if I disregarded his care plan which included staying away from the rink for 8-12 weeks while I fully healed.


Vanek said Wednesday that after he rests and recovers this summer he will be be ready to be a top contributor to the Wild offense. Vanek said that he still feels like he is a 30-goal scorer.





There is a growing population of people inside the NHL who feel that Vanek's 30 goal days are done. He is out to prove his doubters wrong.

Vanek's much ballyhooed return to The State Of Hockey has provided very few fireworks, if any. In fact, the Austrian sniper has been a bust in the Twin Cities. That is certainly not the result that Wild GM Chuck Fletcher was looking for when he signed Vanek as a UFA two summers ago.


Frankly, Vanek hasn't been the same since he left Buffalo for Long Island in the fall of 2013. That's when then Buffalo Sabres GM began his campaign of "suffering". Vanek was traded for Matt Moulson and a first round draft choice.

Vanek's departure from Buffalo triggered the official opening faceoff on Buffalo's tank campaign. Regier and Ruff were fired weeks after the Vanek trade. Ted Nolan and Pat Lafontaine took over the reins of the Sabres. In January 2014, Lafontaine resigned and Tim Murray was hired as Buffalo's GM. Ryan Miller and Steve Ott were traded weeks later and the rest is tanking history.

Around the same time Murray took over in Buffalo, Vanek was turning down a $50 million guaranteed contract extension offer from Islwa GM Garth Snow.

As a result, Vanek landed in Montreal in 2014.


Vanek had 4 goals at the time of the trade. He scored 17 while with the Islanders. He was traded before the NHL trade deadline in 2014 and scored only 6 in Montreal. Vanek scored 5 goals and 5 assists for the Canadiens during their Eastern Conference Final trip, however, Mike Therrien relegated Vanek to the fourth line.


In 80 games in Minnesota last season, Vanek scored 21 goals. The most damning stat was that he scored zero goals in 10 Wild playoff games.

In 74 games this season, Vanek potted only 18 goals. Again, no playoff goals due to his broken ribs.

Vanek says he is still a 30 goal man.

It's time to start show not tell, Thomas.







On Wednesday, Vanek was asked about whether he would be a buyout casualty.

He really doesn't have much of a leg to stand on with his declining production and failing health. He still has the eyes and hands of a sniper. His wheels just are not there. Today's NHL is a young man's game and the tempo is fast and furious. Once the legs go, the player gets exposed quickly. Just ask Matt Moulson, the man that Vanek was traded for. Moulson's lack of mobility was evident in 2015-16. Like Vanek, Moulson is 32 now and the kids are just too damn fast to keep up with on a shift by shift basis.


Vanek is entering the final season of his three year, $19.5 million contract.

Vanek has earned $71.3 million in guaranteed salary during his NHL career.


The future of Wild GM Chuck Fletcher is in serious doubt right now. The Wild have become a one and done playoff team. They struggle to make the playoffs and when they finally squeak in, they get punted in round one. Wild management have spent to the cap and yet are nowhere near being in the same class as Western powers Chicago Blackhawks, Anaheim Ducks, LA Kings, St. Louis Blues, San Jose Sharks, and Nashville Predators.


The only way I see Fletcher surviving in Minnesota is if he can move his team to the Eastern Conference. Which I don't see happening.
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