Squanto wrote:
Jesus.
Vanek scores 40 goals,isn't defensively responsible : "Well he doesn't backcheck and is lazy, so he's no good."
Vanek scores 30 goals, but plays a much more complete game : "Well, he's not scoring enough, so he's no good.
This is moronic. Some of you people will never be satisfied with anything the guy ever does. It's a joke.
Vanek is going to drop 30, and is playing great hockey every time he sees the ice lately. What more do you want?
They want the 2006 numbers....even though the game has tightened up and this team doesn't really have another superstar skater on it. Been a Vanek fan from day one. Can't stand all the crap he's taken. I remember that article that came out after the Bruins cheapshotted his playoffs away from him which listed all the injures he dealt with all season. What else could anyone want from this guy???
He doesn't backcheck according to some people? I have never gotten this point. He definitely does...he's like inside 5 feet from the opponent's net 80% of the time and getting mugged by one and usually more opponents. When Roy or Connolly bounces the puck off a skate ...Vanek's supposed to be the first one back? WTF!
When he's not 5 feet from the net, is there a Sabre that skates harder to the net than Vanek does? I think Thomas walks on water, but physics is bitch. That's one long ass backcheck to make usually through 1 or 2 sticks and a bump and cross check or 2...and he still gets back there. Still a minority (and a shrinking one) thinks he's Satan on the backcheck. Whatever.
I'd absolutely love it if he hit those 2006 numbers, but frankly 32 goals when he's not being hidden on the third line behind Briere is a fucking huge victory for him and us and some people will never get that. Could Vanek hit 40 or 50? Well look at all those skaters that do...seems to me they have a #2 guy for teams to contend with. Seriously, is Derek Roy Vinny LeCavalier, is Jason Pominville Martin St. Louis? I'm pretty certain that Vanek nets 44 goals playing with those guys. Seems to me that there's more open ice to play on when there are other superstars to take minutes against the opponent's 1st D pairing. I mean Stamkos is a great player. Vanek is a great player who doesn't fall down when the AC kicks on in the arena. Can Stamkos say the same thing? He's faster, but I'll hand Vanek's hands over his.
I mean that fucking pass last night on Pominville's goal...that was Datsyuk/Oates good. Have any of these haters noticed how Thomas has ramped up his physical play behind (he's not Lucic by any stretch of the imagination) the net or how ridiculous his passing has gotten? Maybe that's due in part to him not being as banged up this season. I mean I've actually seen Sabres bang into people who've run Thomas and Ryan this year....holy crap like they finally figured out the 2 guys they need to protect above all others on the roster?
If we ever got a center or another winger who could take some of the heat off of Vanek being keyed on every time he touches the puck..sick wouldn't even describe it. Sure Ennis and Gerbe are making teams focus on them, but they aren't scary enough yet. (Ennis being the exception last year in the Bruins series b/c Roy and Connolly did absolutely nothing.) How many of those like 9 posts he's hit in the last month end up in the net if he's got a little sliver more of open space?
Sorry this is long, just get amped up when it comes to Vanek.