Detroit Red Wings: signing Thomas Vanek was a smart move, NTC and all
By Ash Thompson
Much has been made of the NTC Detroit Red Wings GM Ken Holland gave Thomas Vanek. In reality, it doesn’t cost the team anything worth having.
The Detroit Red Wings gave Thomas Vanek a one year contract with a full no-trade clause. That has been mocked quite openly by many hockey writers. The other option, however, was to not have Vanek on the team.
Those writers apparently don’t truly understand how little value Vanek has on the trade market, or how few high quality forwards the Red Wings have. I will not defend Holland’s other NTC’s but this one loses him almost nothing. It is difficult to separate this move from Holland’s earlier mistakes, but it needs to be done.
The Vancouver Cannucks traded Vanek at the deadline this year for Jussi Jokinen and Tyler Motte. Another way to describe that trade is that the Cannucks traded Vanek for nothing of any short or long-term value. Jokinen is well beyond his expiration date as a useful NHL player. He had 17 points in 60 games during the 2017-18 season.
Motte is looking more an more like a career AHL player. He is 23 years old and has yet to break into the NHL full time as anything but a placeholder in the bottom six. Two franchises: the Chicago Blackhawks and Columbus Blue Jackets have already given up on Motte.
Vanek’s trade deadline value is a washed up player and a bum. Who cares? The Red Wings already have plenty of those. What they don’t have is a player like Vanek.
Vanek’s value on the ice is a 20 goal scorer and 50 point forward in the top six. The Red Wings did not have a single player who hit both of those plateaus in 2017-18. The value Vanek brings to the ice outweighs his virtually non-existent trade value.
Next. 3 players the Red Wings should trade. dark
Ken Holland needed to make the team better than it was, and these three moves did that. Holland may not be directly seated on the hot seat, but if the team doesn’t start improving he will be. The Wings need performance at key positions. Eventually, a rebuild has to actually build something. Holland is not in a position to keep his job forever if the team gets worse.