Thomas Vanek
Encyclopedia
Thomas Vanek is an Austria
n professional ice hockey
left winger
, an alternate captain for the Buffalo Sabres
of the National Hockey League
(NHL). Vanek was drafted by the Sabres fifth overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft
, making him the highest draft pick in Austrian history.
, Austria
, to Slovak
mother Jarmila and father Zdeněk, who moved in 1982 from Czechoslovakia
to Austria. He grew up in Zell am See
(Salzburg
) and in Graz
(Styria), where his father played professional ice hockey. He moved in 1998, at age 14, to the United States
, where he attended and graduated from O'Gorman High School
while playing junior hockey for the Sioux Falls Stampede
.
of the United States Hockey League
(USHL), Vanek joined the University of Minnesota
Golden Gophers
, leading the team in goals (31), assists (31) and points (62) in the 2002–03 season. In part to his prolific scoring touch, the Golden Gophers won the 2003 NCAA National Championship
. Vanek was named MVP of the Frozen Four tournament, scoring the game winning goals in both the semifinal against Michigan
in overtime and in the final against New Hampshire
. He was also named Minnesota's team MVP for 2003, becoming the first freshman to receive the honor. He scored the most points by a Golden Gopher freshman in 2003 since Aaron Broten
who scored 72 total points in 1979–80. He was the first freshman to lead the team in scoring since Mike Antonovich
in 1969–70. His 31 goals also led all NCAA freshmen in goal scoring, and was fourth in the entire country. He was also the 2003 WCHA Rookie of the Year, the third Golden Gopher to win the award.
Vanek was a member of the Austrian national team in the 2004 IIHF World Championships, where he collected seven points in six games (two goals and five assists). Vanek led the Golden Gophers in goals (26) and points (51) for the second-straight season and finished fifth in points among Division I leaders with 51. Vanek was the Twin Cities Best College Athlete for 2004.
Vanek spent 2004–05
with the Sabres' AHL
affiliate Rochester Americans
, recording 68 points in 74 games and helped Rochester to the best record in the AHL. Vanek finished second on the team in points, 11 points behind Chris Taylor
, but led the team in goals with 42 and in power play goals with 25. He finished second among rookies in points and led all rookies in goals scored, the latter of which was second in the league among all players.
Vanek recorded his best statistical season, the following year in 2006–07. He played in all 82 regular season games for the Sabres, scoring 43 goals, tied for fifth in the league, and 41 assists. He also finished an NHL best +47, earning the NHL Plus/Minus Award
. Upon the expiration of his entry-level contract during the 2007 off-season, Vanek signed a seven-year $50 million offer sheet from the Edmonton Oilers
. The Sabres, having lost Chris Drury
and Danny Briere
as free agents that off-season, immediately matched the offer sheet, thus keeping Vanek under contract until at least the end of the 2013–14 season. Despite his lucrative new contract, Vanek's production dipped to 64 points in 2007–08.
In the midst of a more productive year, however, Vanek was named to his first NHL All-Star Game in 2009 in Montreal
. He helped the East to a 12-11 shootout victory over the West. Earlier in the season, on December 13, 2008, Vanek helped the Sabres reach a milestone by scoring the 10,000th goal in franchise history. Following the All-Star Game, on February 4, 2009, Vanek carved a unique little slice of NHL history with a natural hat-trick to cap the Sabres' 5-0 cruise past the Toronto Maple Leafs
in HSBC Arena. It was also Vanek’s fourth consecutive natural hat-trick, matching an NHL record set by Cy Denneny
between 1923 and 1924 with the old Ottawa Senators
. Later that week, on February 7, Vanek took a slapshot from Anton Volchenkov
of the Ottawa Senators
, fracturing his jaw. He underwent surgery the next day and was announced to be out of the lineup for three to four weeks. At the time of the injury, Vanek was third in the league goal-scoring. At the end of the 2008-2009 season Vanek would score a total of 40 goals with 24 assists totaling 64 points. At the end of the season Vanek led the NHL in Powerplay goals with 20.
The 2009-10 season also started on a sour note as Vanek sustained an upper body injury after scoring two goals in a 6-2 win against the Detroit Red Wings
on October 13, he has since returned. Vanek had scored 3 goals in 4 games up to that point. 4-10-10 Vanek scored 4 goals against Ottawa (one on a penalty shot) in the first two periods.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
left winger
Winger (ice hockey)
Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink...
, an alternate captain for the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL). Vanek was drafted by the Sabres fifth overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft
2003 NHL Entry Draft
The 2003 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tennessee on June 21, 2003.Marc-Andre Fleury was selected first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins, only the third goalie in NHL history selected as the first overall draft choice...
, making him the highest draft pick in Austrian history.
Early life
Vanek was born in Baden bei WienBaden bei Wien
-Points of interest:The town offers several parks and a picturesque surrounding, of which the most frequented is the Helenental valley. Not far from Baden, the valley is crossed by a widespread aqueduct of the Vienna waterworks...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, to Slovak
Slovaks
The Slovaks, Slovak people, or Slovakians are a West Slavic people that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is closely related to the Czech language.Most Slovaks today live within the borders of the independent Slovakia...
mother Jarmila and father Zdeněk, who moved in 1982 from Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
to Austria. He grew up in Zell am See
Zell am See
Zell am See is the capital city of the Zell am See district in the Austrian state of Salzburg. The city has about 10,000 inhabitants.Zell am See is a tourist destination and a transportation hub for the region...
(Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
) and in Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
(Styria), where his father played professional ice hockey. He moved in 1998, at age 14, to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where he attended and graduated from O'Gorman High School
O'Gorman Catholic High School (Sioux Falls, South Dakota)
O'Gorman High School is a Catholic high school in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The school was founded in 1961 by Bishop Lambert Hoch and named after Bishop Thomas O'Gorman....
while playing junior hockey for the Sioux Falls Stampede
Sioux Falls Stampede
The Sioux Falls Stampede is a Tier 1 junior ice hockey team playing in the West Division of the United States Hockey League . Based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the Stampede plays its home games at the Sioux Falls Arena....
.
Personal life
Vanek is married to his longtime girlfriend Ashley. They have three sons, Blake Thomas and twins Luka Robert and Kade Ashton. They also have a dog named Diesel.Pre-NHL years
After playing junior hockey for the Sioux Falls StampedeSioux Falls Stampede
The Sioux Falls Stampede is a Tier 1 junior ice hockey team playing in the West Division of the United States Hockey League . Based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the Stampede plays its home games at the Sioux Falls Arena....
of the United States Hockey League
United States Hockey League
The United States Hockey League is the top junior ice hockey league in the United States. The USHL has 16 member teams located in the Midwestern United States, consisting of players who are 20 years of age and younger...
(USHL), Vanek joined the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
Golden Gophers
Minnesota Golden Gophers
The Minnesota Golden Gophers are the college sports team for the University of Minnesota. The university fields both men's and women's teams in basketball, cross country, gymnastics, golf, ice hockey, swimming, tennis, and track and field. Men's-specific sports include baseball, football, and...
, leading the team in goals (31), assists (31) and points (62) in the 2002–03 season. In part to his prolific scoring touch, the Golden Gophers won the 2003 NCAA National Championship
2003 NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey Tournament
-Northeast Regional:-Midwest Regional:-West Regional:-Frozen Four:* Overtime** Double Overtime-Record by conference:-External links:* *...
. Vanek was named MVP of the Frozen Four tournament, scoring the game winning goals in both the semifinal against Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in overtime and in the final against New Hampshire
University of New Hampshire
The University of New Hampshire is a public university in the University System of New Hampshire , United States. The main campus is in Durham, New Hampshire. An additional campus is located in Manchester. With over 15,000 students, UNH is the largest university in New Hampshire. The university is...
. He was also named Minnesota's team MVP for 2003, becoming the first freshman to receive the honor. He scored the most points by a Golden Gopher freshman in 2003 since Aaron Broten
Aaron Broten
Aaron Kent Broten is a former professional hockey player who was drafted in the 6th round, 106th overall in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft by the Colorado Rockies...
who scored 72 total points in 1979–80. He was the first freshman to lead the team in scoring since Mike Antonovich
Mike Antonovich (ice hockey)
Michael John "Antone" Antonovich is a former professional ice hockey player, and coach. He was selected in the ninth round of the 1971 NHL Amateur Draft, 113th overall, by the Minnesota North Stars. He is currently a scout for the St...
in 1969–70. His 31 goals also led all NCAA freshmen in goal scoring, and was fourth in the entire country. He was also the 2003 WCHA Rookie of the Year, the third Golden Gopher to win the award.
Vanek was a member of the Austrian national team in the 2004 IIHF World Championships, where he collected seven points in six games (two goals and five assists). Vanek led the Golden Gophers in goals (26) and points (51) for the second-straight season and finished fifth in points among Division I leaders with 51. Vanek was the Twin Cities Best College Athlete for 2004.
Vanek spent 2004–05
2004–05 AHL season
The 2004–05 AHL season was the 69th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-eight teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Rochester Americans finished first overall in the regular season...
with the Sabres' AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
affiliate Rochester Americans
Rochester Americans
The Rochester Americans are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and a top affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial...
, recording 68 points in 74 games and helped Rochester to the best record in the AHL. Vanek finished second on the team in points, 11 points behind Chris Taylor
Chris Taylor (hockey player)
Chris Taylor is a retired professional ice hockey player who has played for the Rochester Americans in the American Hockey League...
, but led the team in goals with 42 and in power play goals with 25. He finished second among rookies in points and led all rookies in goals scored, the latter of which was second in the league among all players.
Sabres years
Vanek signed a three-year deal with Buffalo on September 3, 2004, and began playing for the Sabres in 2005–06 after a season with their AHL affiliate. He had a promising rookie season with 25 goals and 48 points in 81 games for the Sabres. His performance tailed off in the playoffs, managing 2 goals in 10 games.Vanek recorded his best statistical season, the following year in 2006–07. He played in all 82 regular season games for the Sabres, scoring 43 goals, tied for fifth in the league, and 41 assists. He also finished an NHL best +47, earning the NHL Plus/Minus Award
NHL Plus/Minus Award
The NHL Plus-Minus Award is a trophy awarded annually by the National Hockey League to the ice hockey "player, having played a minimum of 60 games who leads the league in plus/minus statistics." It is sponsored by a commercial business, and it has been known under five different names...
. Upon the expiration of his entry-level contract during the 2007 off-season, Vanek signed a seven-year $50 million offer sheet from the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
. The Sabres, having lost Chris Drury
Chris Drury
Christopher Drury is an American retired professional ice hockey player. Drury is a Hobey Baker Award-winner with Boston University, a Calder Trophy winner with the Colorado Avalanche, a Stanley Cup champion with the Avalanche, a two-time Olympic silver medalist with the United States, and a...
and Danny Briere
Daniel Brière
Daniel "Danny" Brière is a French Canadian professional ice hockey centre and an alternate captain for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League . He has previously played with the Phoenix Coyotes and Buffalo Sabres...
as free agents that off-season, immediately matched the offer sheet, thus keeping Vanek under contract until at least the end of the 2013–14 season. Despite his lucrative new contract, Vanek's production dipped to 64 points in 2007–08.
In the midst of a more productive year, however, Vanek was named to his first NHL All-Star Game in 2009 in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. He helped the East to a 12-11 shootout victory over the West. Earlier in the season, on December 13, 2008, Vanek helped the Sabres reach a milestone by scoring the 10,000th goal in franchise history. Following the All-Star Game, on February 4, 2009, Vanek carved a unique little slice of NHL history with a natural hat-trick to cap the Sabres' 5-0 cruise past the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
in HSBC Arena. It was also Vanek’s fourth consecutive natural hat-trick, matching an NHL record set by Cy Denneny
Cy Denneny
Cyril Joseph Denneny was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Ottawa Senators and Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League and the Toronto Blueshirts of the National Hockey Association. His brother Corbett Denneny also played in the NHL.-Early life:Cy Denneny was born...
between 1923 and 1924 with the old Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators (original)
The Ottawa Senators were an amateur, and later, professional, ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Canada which existed from 1883 to 1954. The club was the first hockey club in Ontario, a founding member of the National Hockey League and played in the NHL from 1917 until 1934...
. Later that week, on February 7, Vanek took a slapshot from Anton Volchenkov
Anton Volchenkov
Anton Alekseyevich Volchenkov , also known as the A-Train and the Russian Bear, is a Russian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the New Jersey Devils in the National Hockey League .-Playing career:Volchenkov grew up in Moscow and began attending the CSKA hockey school at the...
of the Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, fracturing his jaw. He underwent surgery the next day and was announced to be out of the lineup for three to four weeks. At the time of the injury, Vanek was third in the league goal-scoring. At the end of the 2008-2009 season Vanek would score a total of 40 goals with 24 assists totaling 64 points. At the end of the season Vanek led the NHL in Powerplay goals with 20.
The 2009-10 season also started on a sour note as Vanek sustained an upper body injury after scoring two goals in a 6-2 win against the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
on October 13, he has since returned. Vanek had scored 3 goals in 4 games up to that point. 4-10-10 Vanek scored 4 goals against Ottawa (one on a penalty shot) in the first two periods.
Awards
- 2007 NHL YoungStars GameNHL YoungStars GameThe NHL YoungStars Game started in 2002, to replace the Heroes of Hockey Old-Timers game during the All-Star Weekend activities. The first four games were played as separate games to the actual All-Star Game, but starting in 2008, it was changed to become part of the NHL Super Skills Competition,...
- 2007 NHL Plus/Minus AwardNHL Plus/Minus AwardThe NHL Plus-Minus Award is a trophy awarded annually by the National Hockey League to the ice hockey "player, having played a minimum of 60 games who leads the league in plus/minus statistics." It is sponsored by a commercial business, and it has been known under five different names...
- 2007 Second All-Star Team
- 2009 NHL All Star Game
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1999–00 | Sioux Falls Stampede Sioux Falls Stampede The Sioux Falls Stampede is a Tier 1 junior ice hockey team playing in the West Division of the United States Hockey League . Based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the Stampede plays its home games at the Sioux Falls Arena.... |
USHL United States Hockey League The United States Hockey League is the top junior ice hockey league in the United States. The USHL has 16 member teams located in the Midwestern United States, consisting of players who are 20 years of age and younger... |
35 | 15 | 18 | 33 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | ||
| 2000–01 | Sioux Falls Stampede | USHL | 20 | 19 | 10 | 29 | 15 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 2 | ||
| 2001–02 | Sioux Falls Stampede | USHL | 53 | 46 | 45 | 91 | 54 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | ||
| 2002–03 | U. of Minnesota Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey The Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey team is the college ice hockey team at the Twin Cities campus of the University of Minnesota. They are members of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association and compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I ice hockey... |
NCAA National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States... |
45 | 31 | 31 | 62 | 60 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | U. of Minnesota | NCAA | 38 | 26 | 25 | 51 | 72 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 2004–05 AHL season The 2004–05 AHL season was the 69th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-eight teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Rochester Americans finished first overall in the regular season... |
Rochester Americans Rochester Americans The Rochester Americans are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and a top affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
74 | 42 | 26 | 68 | 62 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 10 | ||
| 2005–06 | Buffalo Sabres Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
81 | 25 | 23 | 48 | 72 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | ||
| 2006–07 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 82 | 43 | 41 | 84 | 40 | 16 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 10 | ||
| 2007–08 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 82 | 36 | 28 | 64 | 64 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 2008–09 NHL season The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the... |
Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 73 | 40 | 24 | 64 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 NHL season The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010... |
Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 71 | 28 | 25 | 53 | 42 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 2010–11 2010–11 NHL season The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech... |
Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 80 | 32 | 41 | 73 | 24 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| USHL totals | 108 | 70 | 73 | 151 | 81 | 14 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 19 | ||||
| NHL totals | 469 | 204 | 182 | 386 | 288 | 36 | 15 | 5 | 20 | 18 | ||||