Detroit Red Wings ink Thomas Vanek for one year $3 million

The Detroit Red Wings have signed Thomas Vanek to a one year deal worth $3 million. He joins a list of veteran Wings who could net trade deadline assets.

Craig Custance of the Athletic is reporting Thomas Vanek has agreed to terms with the Detroit Red Wings on a one year deal for $3 million. There are two types of free agents in an NHL rebuild. There are those that a GM brings aboard long term to form the nucleus of their team, and those they bring aboard to flip at the trade deadline for draft picks. Vanek has played for eight teams in five years. This is his second stint with the Red Wings. He is definitely the latter.

Vanek is a 20 goal, 50 point forward who can not find a permanent home in the NHL. He is an archetype that teams covet. He is a right-hand shot. Vanek immediately helps a team’s second unit power play. 37% of his 357 career goals have come on the power play. He is a career 14.3% shooter. This is why teams are so willing to add Vanek at the trade deadline. He seldom pays off in that regard, the last time he scored a power-play goal for a team he had been dealt to at the deadline was in 2013-14.

Vanek’s possession metrics point to him being an anchor rather than an engine. There are blips with certain teams where Vanek’s Corsi is positive, but they are rare. The last full season in which Vanek was on the ice for more shot attempts for his team than opponents was 2010-11.  That is despite the fact that the last season in which Vanek had less than 60% of his shifts start in the offensive zone was 2012-13. The reason for this likely lies in the fact that Vanek commits far more giveaways than takeaways.

Vanek is a five-time All-Star. Those days are long gone, however. He is still a player that serves a purpose in the top six forward group. The Red Wings will likely seek to move Vanek at the trade deadline for future assets. Vanek joins Jimmy Howard, Gustav Nyquist, and Niklas Kronwall as players that the Red Wings will be trying to pump up and move for virtually any assets during the season.