He did have a great game, and i'd like to see him become more involved in the emotion of the team. Not full on scrums, but atleast get some emotion going.

Very impressed with his goal yesterday. Thought he turned on the afterburners.

He EARNED that goal, for sure.

Anyone else like seeing Vanek with Kennedy?

I thought the fact that he said in the 2nd period vs Carolina that he has no confidence is a sign that something is off.

He did look good in the 3rd with TK & Grier. But, the whole team looked like they shotgunned Red Bull during the 2nd intermission..........

The hope is that the goal he did get starts Vanek on a hot streak.

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Sabres Hockey: Commitment to Mediocrity

I have to agree with JB's comment on them shotgunning Redbull between periods - I thought Vanek skated faster in the third than I've seen in a LONG time!!

The VKG line did appear to have chemistry, but was it because it got TV away from the other teams top defensive pairing?

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"I don't feel like Satan, but I am to them"
Neil Young

I guess even with him struggling he still leads our team in goals. I sure hope our entire top 6 kicks it into a higher gear because we need it. We need to start scoring a few more goals and not having to rely on Miller being an absolute beast.

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Here's my two cents on the "VKG" line. It forces Thomas Vanek to be Thomas Vanek. He doesn't have another scorer on that line to rely on, and it was the first time this season he's been forced to be the only real scoring threat on that line. We may all love Grier and Kennedy, but they'd be lucky to combine for 30 goals in a season, Vanek is a pure, and natural goal scorer. He's the best, and most talented player on this roster save for Miller, but for some reason, he just hasn't taken his game to the Ryan Miller level.

It has nothing to do with fitness, trust me, that guy is in shape. I've seen his entire off season work out regiment, and it rivals the Marines for boot camp fitness. It is a mental thing. How often have we seen him try to force a pass across to Connolly, Stafford, Pommers, ect? I feel like he tries too much to be a "complete" hockey player, and not just stay in the realm of a sniper. That being said the guy has scored 120+ goals in the past 3 seasons, not too bad for a player that is "fat, out of shape, lazy, floater, cherry picker, ass hole, ect"...I think the real problem is, fans continue to compare him to Ovechkin, Crosby, and Kovalchuk, but he's not one of those players, he's Thomas Vanek, and needs to play his game.

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"She's like plan C after an 18 pack"

Squanto 7/27/2010

Yep.

People focus too much on the contract, and use that as justification as to why he should be ripping it up like Ovie. Nobody seems to want to acknowledge that had Darcy not been cornered by Lowe's offer sheet (the fault which we can debate elsewhere), Vanek would probably be making around $4.5m-$5m now and be in a contract year.

I think it'd be a great pairing.

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Wheelhouse

I think his game is better suited to being 12-15' out in front of the goal rather than at the edge of the blue paint - the dude can hit the corners of the net better than anyone on the team, but you can't do that from the paint!!

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"I don't feel like Satan, but I am to them"
Neil Young

thank you

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I agree with Jay about Vanek being forced to be "Vanek" while playing left wing for Kennedy and Grier. The other benefit to that line combination is it can help boost Kennedy's confidence as a rookie center, and inflate Grier's stats a little (and I know we all love to see Grier score ).

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mechaphil

Vanek on the third line...It's come to that?

Tommy. Tommy. Tommy.

You know, Icey, that it's gonna be spun as "three equally useful lines"

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mechaphil

Jay's and Squanto's posts basically sum up everything I feel about this whole Vanek...situation.

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"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hockey Night in Buffalo

Totally agree. He's definitely not out of shape -I've seen those videos, too, and they're ridiculous.

Hopefully Lindy keeps this line together.

I thought he looked good again tonight.

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"Call a cop he robbed Delmore blind!!!"
Rick Jeanerette after Marty Biron's diving save back in 2000.

"I'm going to go to the spa and have a hot tub and massage and relax," Miller said. "That's it, and it's back to work tomorrow." Ryan Miller after clinching the North East division.

Yea, playing with Kennedy and His Holiness has reinvigorated him.

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mechaphil

he had another great game and he had three or four chances. Especially on that one where Gust hugged the post just perfectly to stop a goal from him.

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Still love him with Kennedy and Grier. He had some more good chances, and just looks better.

Vanek looked good again tonight.

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Wheelhouse