Report: Red Wings ship Thomas Vanek to Florida
By @StefanKubus –
He was one of the biggest names rumored to move by Wednesday’s trade deadline, and now the Red Wings have officially traded Thomas Vanek.
The Red Wings’ second-highest scorer this season has reportedly been dealt to the Florida Panthers for a third-round pick, per Elliotte Friedman.
Vanek to FLA for a third-rounder. I don’t think trade call yet, but that’s what we’re looking at
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) March 1, 2017
UPDATE: Per Bob McKenzie of TSN, the Red Wings have also acquired Dylan McIlrath in the deal. He was a first-round pick of the Rangers in 2010.
McIlrath, a defenseman, checks in at 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds. He has appeared in 43 NHL contests since 2013-14, and has five points with 94 penalty minutes.
FLA gives up Dylan McIlrath and a third round pick to DET for Thomas Vanek. DET retains 50 per cent of salary.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) March 1, 2017
Per McKenzie, the Wings also retain 50 percent of Vanek’s salary.
The move comes after the Wings already traded Tomas Jurco to Chicago for a third-round pick and Brendan Smith to the New York Rangers for a pair of early-round picks.
If Vanek is going for a 3rd this year, DET now has four 3rd rd picks this year: TOR (Babcock), NYR (Smith), FLA (Vanek), CHI (Jurco).
— Dan Rosen (@drosennhl) March 1, 2017
The 33-year-old Austrian-born forward signed a one-year $2.6 million deal this past summer, a far cry from the $6.5 million, three-year deal Minnesota signed him to in 2014. The Wild bought out the final year, allowing him to sign in Detroit.
Conditional pick part of Vanek trade…if Florida makes the playoffs, Detroit gets Arizona's 3rd in 2017.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) March 1, 2017
Vanek, a former No. 5 overall pick of the Buffalo Sabres, certainly used his time in Detroit to prove he can still be an offensive force, as he has compiled 15 goals and 38 points in 48 games this season on an offensively-challenged team. Approaching the NHL All-Star Game, Vanek was one of the league’s hotter players despite missing some time with a groin injury, with 10 goals and 25 points in 29 games.
Over his 12-year NHL career, Vanek has amassed 331 goals and 687 points in 865 games. The Panthers mark his sixth team in the past four seasons.