News:Thomas Vanek, who has one year left on a seven-year, $50 million deal, isn't sure if he fits into the team's long-term plans, The Buffalo News reports. Said the winger Saturday: "Let's be honest. I'm not stupid. I know I have a year left and they can probably deal me for prospects, young guys, whatever else is out there. Yeah, I've thought about it. If it looks like it's a long rebuild, then it probably makes sense for both parties to move on."
Analysis: The Sabres would probably love to have their best skater back under the right circumstances, but the offseason will determine whether the team has a plan to bring in a few veterans to mix with all its young talent and remain competitive, or if it's time for a total rebuild following several disappointing seasons. If it's the later, Thomas Vanek and goaltender Ryan Miller would seem to be prime candidates to be moved. Vanek has spent his entire eight-year career in Buffalo, and currently has 250 goals and 488 points on his resume. Consider him a 50-50 proposition for now to remain a Sabre. If he were to get dealt, there would certainly be high interest for a player of Vanek's caliber, plus he still hasn't turned 30 yet.
News:Thomas Vanek assisted on Buffalo's lone goal during Friday's shootout win over the Islanders, giving him five points in the last three games.
Analysis:Thomas Vanek's season has been one of binge scoring and stretches of invisibility, but, when he was scoring, few players in the league were more productive. Vanek finishes the season with 41 points in and a shooting percentage close to 20 percent; he had 20 goals for yet another season and remains one of the league's more reliable forwards despite his stretches of futility and the fact that he cooled off considerably after a blistering start.
News:Thomas Vanek ripped off two goals and an assist in Thursday's victory over Pittsburgh.
Analysis:Thomas Vanek had been slowed since returning from an upper-body injury, going minus-9 with just four points in seven games, but he'd shown signs of emerging from the slump even before Tuesday, as he'd collected points in three of the last four games coming in.
News:Thomas Vanek scored a power-play goal on six shots on goal against the Jets on Monday.
Analysis:Thomas Vanek slowed down after a hot start, and injuries hindered him as well, but he now has 37 points in 36 games played after putting up four points in his last four contests.
News:Thomas Vanek registered a goal and an assist in the Sabres' 3-2 shootout victory over the Bruins on Wednesday.
Analysis: The goal was Thomas Vanek's first in his last six contests, but he still leads the Sabres' with 36 points in 34 games.
News:Thomas Vanek posted an assist in Sunday's 3-1 win over the Lightning, his first point in four games since returning from injury earlier this month.
Analysis:Thomas Vanek has been playing hurt for much of this season and has missed 10 games due to various injuries. He remains Buffalo's top scoring threat, but it's not reasonable to expect the type of scoring clip that saw him post 25 points in 15 games to open the season.
News:Thomas Vanek returned to the lineup Tuesday and went minus-4 with two shots on goal in a 4-1 loss to Winnipeg. He'd missed six games with an upper-body injury.
Analysis: Not exactly a stellar return for the beleaguered Sabres' star, who has battled various injuries this season after a hot start. This was his first game since the departure of longtime linemate Jason Pominville, who was sent packing at the trade deadline.
News:Thomas Vanek (upper body) will return to action Tuesday against the Jets.
Analysis:Thomas Vanek missed six games with his upper body injury, but he will take the ice in a game the Sabres need against a competitor for one of the final playoff spots in the East. Vanek will skate on a line with Drew Stafford and Tyler Ennis in his first game since the Sabres made some changes ahead of the trade deadline.
News:Thomas Vanek, who has not played since March 26 due to an upper-body injury, is on the ice for pre-game warmups ahead of Tuesday's game at Winnipeg.
Analysis: It's assumed Thomas Vanek is going to play in a game the Sabres need against a competitor for one of the final playoff spots in the East. It looks like he'll be on a line with Tyler Ennis and Drew Stafford in his first game since the Sabres made some changes ahead of the trade deadline.
News: Coach Ron Rolston said that Thomas Vanek (upper body) is a "possibility" for Tuesday's game against the Jets.
Analysis: Despite not playing since March 26 and only playing in 29 games overall, Thomas Vanek still remains atop the Sabres' scoring list, with 33 points.
News:Thomas Vanek (upper body) will not play Sunday, the Buffalo News reports. "He is getting better, yeah, but I don't think he'll be ready for tomorrow," coach Ron Rolston said. "We're hoping the best-case scenario would be Tuesday [in Winnipeg]."
Analysis: Previous reports made it sound like Thomas Vanek had a good chance to return Sunday, but now that appears to be in doubt, if not completely out of the question. Fantasy owners should probably just hope for a Tuesday return.
News:Thomas Vanek (upper body) will miss his fifth straight game Friday.
Analysis:Thomas Vanek was able to participate in the team's morning skate, but doesn't seem to be ready to return to action quite yet. The Sabres take on the Devils Sunday, a game where Vanek is likely to return to the lineup barring any setbacks he faces in this weekends practices.
News:Thomas Vanek (upper body) may play in Friday's game against the Senators, according to the Buffalo News.
Analysis:Thomas Vanek will participate in the team's morning skate and pregame skate and the team will see how that goes before deciding whether he will play. Check in on his status before the opening puck drop on Friday.
News:Thomas Vanek (upper body) won't play Tuesday against the Penguins.
Analysis:Thomas Vanek has been able to skate of late, but at this point, he isn't ready to play and thus won't be in the Buffalo lineup before Friday's game against Ottawa.
News: Coach Ron Rolston noted Monday that Thomas Vanek (upper body) is "highly unlikely" to play Tuesday against the Penguins.
Analysis: Assuming he sits, as appears will be the case, it will be the fourth consecutive missed game for Thomas Vanek, who last suited up on March 26.
News:Thomas Vanek will miss Sunday's game against the Bruins with a muscle strain, the Boston Globe reports.
Analysis: Though Thomas Vanek was able to skate Sunday morning, he's not quite ready for a return and will miss his third straight game as a result. Consider him day-to-day as Tuesday's game against the Sens approaches.
News: Coach Ron Rolston says that Thomas Vanek, who suffered an upper-body injury during Tuesday's game in Tampa Bay, is out for Saturday's game against Washington, according to Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News.
Analysis: The coach says Thomas Vanek might play Sunday against the Bruins, so even though Vanek's ailments have been annoying for much of the season, it doesn't sound like this one is too serious either if he's a possibility for a game just a day away.
News:Thomas Vanek (upper body) is doubtful for Saturday's game against the Capitals, WGR Buffalo reports.
Analysis:Thomas Vanek rode an exercise bike Friday, but he was unable to participate in practice, and it's looking like he will sit out for the second straight game. The Sabres play again Sunday, so it's possible Vanek could miss both games this weekend if he is unable to get in any work on the side.
News:Thomas Vanek (upper body) won't play in Thursday's game against the Panthers.
Analysis:Thomas Vanek's injury is being described by coach Ron Rolston as an upper body muscle strain, so for now we'll classify the Sabres' forward as day-to-day.
News:Thomas Vanek (upper body) is iffy For Thursday's game against the Panthers, wgr550.com reports. "He didn't skate today so he's got an upper body, just a muscle strain so we'll see tomorrow, we'll see how he's doing at the skate and go from there," coach Ron Rolston said Wednesday.
Analysis: Rolston further noted that Thomas Vanek "potentially" could play Thursday, but acknowledged that as of Wednesday the forward was "still pretty sore."
News:Thomas Vanek suffered an upper body injury and did not return to Tuesday's game against the Lightning.
Analysis: The extent of Thomas Vanek's injury is unknown, but expect an update on his status as more details become available. Consider Vanek questionable for the Sabres' next game Thursday against the Panthers.
News:Thomas Vanek (lower body) returned with a bang Saturday, scoring both Buffalo goals in a 2-1 win over Montreal. It's his first multi-goal game in 18 games.
Analysis: Perhaps this is a sign the supreme sniper is back on track. He's still in the top 10 scorers in the NHL (tied with John Tavares for 10th) and he's top six among goal scorers.
News:Thomas Vanek will play in Saturday night's contest at Montreal after missing one game and part of another with a lower-body injury.
Analysis: He was hit by a shot from teammate Christian Ehrhoff in a win Tuesday, also against the Habs, but the ouchies are gone and he'll slot back in, likely taking his usual place on the top line. Activate Thomas Vanek if you own him.
News:Thomas Vanek (lower body) expects to return to the lineup Saturday, reports Jon Vogl of The Buffalo News.
Analysis:Thomas Vanek sat out Thursday's win over the Maple Leafs and has been dealing with nagging injuries throughout the season. He has 31 points in 27 games, but it should be noted that 25 of those points came within the season's first 15 games.
News:Thomas Vanek (lower body) will not play Thursday against Toronto.
Analysis: On the plus side, the report notes that Thomas Vanek could possibly return to action as soon as Saturday against Montreal.
News:Thomas Vanek (lower body) was not on the ice for Thursday's morning skate.
Analysis: Though Thomas Vanek hasn't been ruled out for Thursday's game against the Leafs, his absence from the team's morning skate is not a positive indicator with regards to his availability for that contest.
News:Thomas Vanek (lower-body) was not present for Wednesday morning's skate, wgr550.com reports.
Analysis: As for Thomas Vanek's potential availability for Thursday night's game against Toronto, coach Ron Rolston said the Sabres will have to see how the day-to-day Vanek feels Thursday morning before making a call on that front.
News: Although the Sabres originally said Thomas Vanek suffered an upper-body injury in Tuesday's game at Montreal, it was changed to a lower-body injury after the contest, the Associated Press reports. Said coach Ron Rolston: "We'll have to go day-to-day. He's limping around a bit.
It will probably be a day-to-day, pain-tolerance thing."
Analysis:Thomas Vanek was hit by teammate Christian Ehrhoff's shot near the hip in the second period and was unable to return. It sounds like nothing is broken, meaning Vanek may have escaped something more severe. He should be able to return in relatively short time once the pain subsides.
News:Thomas Vanek suffered an upper-body injury during the second period of Tuesday's game and will not return.
Analysis: Details of Thomas Vanek's injury were not released, but he will be unable to finish Tuesday's game. Expect an update on Vanek's status as more information is released.
News:Thomas Vanek returned to action Tuesday after missing both games this past weekend with an upper-body injury suffered last week. Said Vanek to The Buffalo News: "It just didn't get any better. Now I feel at the point where I can deal with the pain and be able to play."
Analysis: He registered an assist in the loss and skated for 17:25, so it looks safe to use Thomas Vanek going forward. The team has enough days off in the coming weeks that he might get some healing time in - just be aware the issue has lingered for a while now with the star forward.
News:Thomas Vanek (upper body) has confirmed that he will be back in the lineup Tuesday against Carolina.
Analysis: Great news for the Buffalo offense, as Thomas Vanek -- who last suited up Feb. 28 -- returns to action ranked fifth in the NHL with 27 points in 20 games to date.
News:Thomas Vanek (upper body) participated in Tuesday's morning skate.
Analysis: We'll await confirmation of his status later in the day, but Thomas Vanek's presence on the ice bodes well for his chances of suiting up Tuesday night against the Hurricanes.
News:Thomas Vanek (upper body) will not play Sunday against the Rangers, NHL.com reports.
Analysis: On the plus side, coach Ron Rolston indicated that Thomas Vanek is "close" to a return, with the Sabres very hopeful that their sniper will be available Tuesday against the Hurricanes.
News:Thomas Vanek is out Saturday with an undisclosed injury, the Bergen Record reports.
Analysis: The report is vague, bit it appears Thomas Vanek is out of action for Saturday's game against Devils.
News:Thomas Vanek had a "maintenance day" Monday, which explains his absence at practice, reports The Buffalo News.
Analysis: It looks like he's good to go for Tuesday's game in Tampa Bay. After starting the season on a torrid pace, Thomas Vanek has just two points in his last seven games and is minus-5 during that span. This type of streakiness is par for the course for Vanek, but those who sold high after his start are feeling pretty good about themselves now.
News:Thomas Vanek posted a goal and an assist in Sunday's 4-3 loss to the Penguins, snapping a three game pointless streak. He remains the NHL's scoring leader with 25 points in 15 games.
Analysis: Those that were worried about an extended slump can breathe easy. Thomas Vanek is still carrying the Sabres offensively and should be active in all formats.
News:Thomas Vanek has not recorded a point in his team's last two games.
Analysis: Through the Sabres' first 11 games, Thomas Vanek recorded 23 points. While Vanek remains the league leader in points and goals, he seems to be cooling off. The Sabres have lost their last two games, so it seems they go as far as Vanek takes them. Vanek will see if he can turn it around Friday against the Bruins.
News:Thomas Vanek scored his league-leading 11th goal of the season and added an assist in Buffalo's 3-2 win Saturday over the Islanders. He not only leads the league in goals, but points, too, with 23.
Analysis: Get thee to the trade block ASAP in single-year leagues -- he's on an utterly unsustainable 48-goal, 100-point pace. He's been held off the scoresheet just once this season.
News:Thomas Vanek scored two third-period goals and added another in the shootout in Thursday's win over the Canadiens. His game-tying goal came with less than two seconds remaining in regulation time.
Analysis:Thomas Vanek is an early-season Hart Trophy candidate, with a staggering 21 points in 10 games. While his pace may slow a little, he's clearly the straw that stirs the drink in Buffalo.
News:Thomas Vanek scored a goal, his eighth of the season, and added two assists against the Panthers on Sunday. He also posted a plus-3 rating.
Analysis:Thomas Vanek is off to a great start, as he currently leads the league in points with 19 in eight games, and he's scored 11 points in his last five contests.
News:Thomas Vanek exploded for five points (three goals, two assists) in Thursday's 7-4 victory over the Bruins. He also put up five points in the season opener and has recorded 15 points in six games overall.
Analysis:Thomas Vanek continues to look dominant on a line with Jason Pominville and Cody Hodgson. He is playing at an even higher level than in his 40-goal campaigns, but can't possibly keep up this pace. Enjoy the early returns, but don't be afraid to look for an opportunity to sell high.
News:Thomas Vanek, who missed Sunday's game against the Capitals after getting banged up in Friday's loss to Carolina, is expected to play Tuesday against the Leafs, The Buffalo News reports.
Analysis: Good news all around for the Sabres, as they'll get their leading scorer back (nine points in four games), plus the team has also decided to keep first-round draft pick Mikhail Grigorenko in the fold the rest of the season.
News:Thomas Vanek (general soreness) hopes to play Tuesday and reported improvement Monday after missing Sunday's game against Washington, Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News reports.
Analysis:Thomas Vanek was able to get on the ice during Monday's practice. For Vanek owners in weekly leagues facing a Monday lineup decision, it sounds like there is a good enough chance that he will suit up Tuesday to roll the dice on him for the upcoming lineup period.
News:Thomas Vanek (general soreness) will miss Sunday's game against the Capitals.
Analysis: Despite missing Saturday's practice, Thomas Vanek was expected to play Sunday, so his absence comes as a surprise. Since he appeared close to playing Sunday, logic would suggest that he will not be held out long. Consider him day-to-day for the time being.
News:Thomas Vanek (general soreness) was held out of practice Saturday, but is still expected to play Sunday against the Caps, The Buffalo News reports.
Analysis: Marcus Foligno moved up to skate on the top line with Cody Hodgson and Jason Pominville during Saturday's practice, an arrangement that could be utilized if Thomas Vanek isn't feeling good enough to play Sunday. The Sabres have not provided details regarding Vanek's injury, but he appeared to hurt his back during a fall in Friday's loss to Carolina.
News:Thomas Vanek missed some time in Friday's loss to Carolina during the second period after landing hard on his tailbone and back, but went to the dressing room and returned, The Buffalo News reports.
Analysis: Coach Lindy Ruff says Thomas Vanek has a mild muscle strain and might miss a day of practice, but he doesn't seem to be at any risk of missing Sunday's game against the Capitals.
Vanek added his ninth point of the season in the loss, and he's now tied in scoring with Joe Thornton of the Sharks.
News:Thomas Vanek potted Buffalo's lone goal in Friday's loss to Buffalo, giving him three goals and nine points in four contests to begin the season.
Analysis:Thomas Vanek is providing monstrous mid-round value for owners that gambled on him following last season's relatively down year. His goal on Friday was a typical power forward strike, as he took the puck off the boards and curled to the middle, beating the Canes' Dan Ellis. Vanek is showing excellent chemistry with center Cody Hodgson and right winger Jason Pominville and figures to see his production level off a bit, but not too much.
News:Thomas Vanek picked up two assists in Thursday's loss to the Hurricanes, giving him eight points in three games to start the year.
Analysis: Coming off a down season -- his 26 goals last year were Thomas Vanek's fewest since his rookie season -- the Austrian winger has come out of the gate hot with points in all three contests and looks poised to return to elite-level production.
News:Thomas Vanek recorded two goals (one into an empty net) and three assists in Sunday's 5-2 win over the Flyers in the Sabres' season opener.
Analysis: Nothing like a nine-shot/five-point game to start the season, but with Thomas Vanek, talent is not an issue, while consistency often is.
News:Thomas Vanek has returned to Buffalo after a one-month stint playing in Austria, reports Jon Vogl of The Buffalo News.
Analysis: "Now it's cross your fingers so we have NHL hockey back soon," Thomas Vanek said. The Sabres' veteran sniper recorded 15 points (5 G, 10 A) in 11 games playing in his home country. He should hit the ground running if and when the season gets underway.
News:Thomas Vanek will join the Graz 99ers in his native Austria during the NHL lockout, The Buffalo News reports.
Analysis:Thomas Vanek is the fourth member of the Sabres to commit to play overseas during the lockout, joining Christian Ehrhoff (Germany), Tyler Ennis (Switzerland) and Andrej Sekera (Slovakia). The deal has not yet been completed due to insurance issues, but Vanek is expected to reach a deal with Graz by the end of the week.
News:Thomas Vanek's two assists in Saturday's shootout loss to the Bruins put him above the 60-point plateau for the fifth time in his career.
Analysis: He certainly ended the season on a high note, with 11 points in his last 10 games, but it wasn't enough to lift the Sabres to the postseason. Thomas Vanek continues to be a frustrating fantasy player to own but still holds plenty of value as the Sabres' offensive workhorse. Retain him in keeper leagues, as he should be good for another 60-70 points next season.
News:Thomas Vanek had a pair of assists in Tuesday's thrilling overtime victory over Toronto.
Analysis:Thomas Vanek had been visibly hobbling and looked sluggish in Saturday's loss to the Leafs, and didn't have a good start Tuesday. However, both assists came in the late stages of the game, helping to salvage Vanek's night and also the Sabres' season.
News:Thomas Vanek missed several shifts in the first period but returned to play 16:44 in Saturday's loss to Toronto.
Analysis: He was visibly in pain and looked slow throughout the game, in which he went minus-2. He had entered the game on a three-game scoring streak, but is evidently still dealing with various injuries that have plagued him recently. Bench him until further notice.
News:Thomas Vanek scored a goal in Friday's loss to the Penguins and has found the net in three consecutive games.
Analysis: It looks like Thomas Vanek is finding his stride late in the season. With a back-to-back set against the woeful Maple Leafs coming up, he makes for a good bet in the season's final week.
News:Thomas Vanek netted his 25th goal of the season in Tuesday's 5-1 win over the Capitals.
Analysis: He's clearly been playing hurt over the past couple of weeks, but his goal Tuesday was exactly what his team needed in such an important game. He's still the team's most dangerous goal scorer and even in an off-year has secured his seventh consecutive 25-goal season.
News: Despite scoring his 24th goal in Saturday's win over Minnesota, Thomas Vanek is playing through a lot of soreness/minor injuries right now, The Buffalo News reports.
Analysis:Thomas Vanek hasn't looked like his usual self since taking a hard hit from Johnny Boychuk on March 8 in Boston. He had been scoreless in his previous seven games prior to Saturday. Regardless, he's the best skater on the Sabres and normally is a tough player, so with the team in a dogfight for one of the final playoff spots he's going to gut it out every game. Once the Sabres' playoff fate is sealed however, should there be any games remaining Vanek would almost certainly be rested or see limited minutes.
News:Thomas Vanek scored his first goal in eight games in Saturday's win over the Wild. It was his 24th goal of the season. He also added an assist.
Analysis: We called him out a day ago for his slump; too bad that kind of criticism didn't come earlier. He's now just one goal shy of scoring at least 25 in each of his seven seasons in the NHL. He may be streaky but that's impressive. And he has five points (one goal, four helpers) in his last four games. Make sure you're taking full advantage.
News: Despite the red hot form of Buffalo over the past month, Thomas Vanek has one goal in his last 13 games for the Sabres.
Analysis: It is hard to envision Thomas Vanek staying this cold for this much longer, unless something is medically wrong that has not been made known. He started off the season on fire, and more importantly was consistent night after night. Then again, after scoring one goal in all of January, we thought he would snap out of it then. Not the case.
Sabres' Vanek Records Assist For Second Straight Game
News:Thomas Vanek, who has been in a month-long slump, added an assist in Wednesday's 3-0 win over Montreal.
Analysis:Thomas Vanek now has three helpers in the last two games for the Sabres, who desperately need his offense. They've been in tremendous form of late, but it's hard to envision them locking down a playoff spot with more consistent out put from Vanek.
News:Thomas Vanek had two assists in Monday's 7-3 win over Tampa Bay, snapping a three-game scoreless streak.
Analysis:Thomas Vanek could still be playing hurt after taking a hard hit on March 8 in Boston that caused him to sit out a game. He has just five goals in 2012 and remains one of the most frustrating stars to own in any fantasy league.
News:Thomas Vanek (upper body) fired two shots on goal and played 17:25 in Wednesday's game against the Avs.
Analysis: Considering that he hasn't landed on the score sheet in either game since missing Saturday's game against the Senators, it's reasonable to think that Thomas Vanek is still playing at something less than 100 percent.
News:Thomas Vanek (upper body) is expected to return to the lineup Monday against the Canadiens, reports The Buffalo News.
Analysis: This news comes as a bit of a surprise, as he was not able to skate on the weekend and it had been reported the injury may be serious. Keep monitoring Thomas Vanek throughout the day and be ready to put him back in your lineup.
News:Thomas Vanek's injury (upper body) may be more serious than originally thought, reports CBC's Hockey Night in Canada.
Analysis: This is not good news for the Sabres or his fantasy owners. Sabres coach Lindy Ruff told reporters after Saturday's game that Thomas Vanek wasn't even able to attempt an off-ice workout earlier in the day. He was hit hard by Johnny Boychuk in Thursday's loss and his head and neck snapped back in an ugly way. He's got to be considered doubtful for the Sabres' next tilt and may need to be sat down in weekly formats.
News:Thomas Vanek (upper body) is not playing in Saturday's game, the Buffalo News reports.
Analysis:Thomas Vanek's injury is not believed to be serious, so the team is likely just being cautious with the winger. He's posted 50 points in 65 games this season.
News:Thomas Vanek's upper body injury is not believed to be serious, but he remains questionable for Saturday's game against Ottawa, Sabres.com reports.
Analysis: The injury is still a disappointing disruption for Thomas Vanek, who had three points in his last two games, but it at least appears as if he avoided anything serious.
News:Thomas Vanek notched an assist in Thursday's 3-1 loss to Boston, but left the game with an apparent injury in the third period and did not return.
Analysis: He was hit hard by the Bruins' Johnny Boychuk with about seven minutes remaining in the third period. If the injury is serious, it will be another bump in the road for Thomas Vanek, who looked to finally be regaining chemistry with linemate Jason Pominville. We'll keep you posted.
News:Thomas Vanek tallied a power-play goal and added an assist Wednesday as the Sabres defeated the Hurricanes 3-2 in overtime.
Analysis: He hadn't found the net since Feb. 21 and has just eight points in 14 games since the All-Star break. He'll drive you nuts with his inconsistency, but monitor his next few games; his scoring streaks are often worth the wait.
News:Thomas Vanek grabbed his first goal in three games with a tally in Tuesday's win over the Islanders.
Analysis:Thomas Vanek has a point in each of the last two games and has been a highly effective scorer for the Sabres, save for a few barren stretches. Vanek has been quiet compared to his teammates the last two games, but he's still a reliable option.
News:Thomas Vanek didn't play for the final 8:35 of the first period Friday after taking a costly penalty, The Buffalo News reports. Vanek has taken 23 minors this year and is fourth on the team with 46 penalty minutes.
Analysis: "It's an issue that has to be dealt with," coach Lindy Ruff said. "It's something that I've talked to him at length about at different times. That's just the type of penalty early that referees love to call." We don't imagine the Sabres will do anything drastic with Thomas Vanek and take him off the top six or give him less ice time, and it was probably more of a message during another frustrating run for the Sabres. But it's worth noting that next time Vanek takes what Ruff deems a dumb penalty, he may see significantly less ice time for that game.
News:Thomas Vanek (upper body) scored a power-play goal in Friday's 3-2 shootout victory over Dallas. He returned to the lineup after missing three games with an upper body injury.
Analysis: He slumped through a miserable January, recording just two points in 12 games before suffering his injury on January 31st in Montreal. However, he is returning to a rejuvenated Sabres squad and notoriously scores in bunches. He should be active in all formats.
News:Thomas Vanek (upper body) will take the ice Friday night for the Sabres against Dallas, according to Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News.
Analysis: The final healthy piece of the puzzle returns in what has been a season destroyed by injuries for Buffalo. Thomas Vanek figures to take his normal spot alongside Derek Roy and Jason Pominville. The Austrian star should get right back into form against a Dallas team on the second night of back-to-back road contests, starting their backup goaltender on Friday night.
News:Thomas Vanek, who suffered an upper-body injury Jan. 31, practiced Thursday and expects to be ready to play Friday against Dallas, The Buffalo News reports. "We'll see how it reacts today, but that's my goal," Vanek said.
Analysis: If he is able to return, Thomas Vanek will have only missed three games, which surprisingly enough resulted in a 2-0-1 record in his absence. One thing to watch is that the Sabres have had success getting Ville Leino going in Vanek's usual top line spot, so Vanek could be eased into a role somewhere on the second line to keep that first line intact for the short term.
News:Thomas Vanek (upper body) took the ice for the team's morning workout Wednesday, but will not face the Bruins on Wednesday night, according to Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News.
Analysis: A definite step closer to getting Thomas Vanek back on the ice both for the Sabres and your fantasy squad. It's not a stretch to expect him back by the weekend.
News:Thomas Vanek (upper body) will not play Wednesday against Boston, the team's official Twitter page reports.
Analysis: Sabres general manager Darcy Regier wouldn't rule Thomas Vanek out for the rest of the week. With 41 points (19G, 22A) in 50 appearances this season, it's needless to say that fantasy owners will want to keep an eye an Vanek's situation.
News: Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said Thomas Vanek will be sidelined for "maybe a week" due to an upper-body injury, the Montreal Gazette reports.
Analysis:Thomas Vanek was injured during Tuesday night's win over the Canadiens in Montreal.
News:Thomas Vanek left Tuesday's game with an upper body injury and will not return, the Sabres' official site reports.
Analysis: No word yet on the nature of the injury. Consider Thomas Vanek day-to-day.
News: With a scoreless night Thursday against Winnipeg, his fourth straight such effort, Thomas Vanek is still stuck on just two points (one goal, one assist) in the month of January.
Analysis: The Sabres' offense lives and dies with Thomas Vanek at this point, and with him in the midst of a power outage, right now it's not a pretty picture. In the seven January games in which Vanek's gone scoreless, Buffalo has scored a grand total of 10 goals -- and four of those came in one game. Vanek suffered from a stomach bug and took a puck to the face last week, which make for as good an explanation as any for his slump.
News:Thomas Vanek, battling a stomach bug that seems to be going around the Sabres locker room, took a puck to the face Saturday night, but he'll still go full-bore for Buffalo, The Buffalo News reports.
Analysis: The Sabres have six games left on their longest road trip of the season, a long trip that would feel much, much longer had their Austrian playmaker been in street clothes.
News:Thomas Vanek left Saturday's game after he was hit near his right eye by a puck. Fortunately, he was able to return to the ice later in the game wearing a full cage.
Analysis: You can breathe a sigh of relief -- his face was red and swollen but he appears to be OK. The Sabres can ill-afford to lose any more players to injury. We'll watch for updates Sunday just in case x-rays are needed.
News:Thomas Vanek notched his 22nd assist of the year in Friday night's 3-2 win over Toronto.
Analysis: 19 goals and 22 assists in 42 games, still Thomas Vanek will be hitting the golf course on All-Star weekend. The gigantic snub may be a blessing in disguise for Buffalo. Vanek is playing a ton, night in and night out for Lindy Ruff's men.
News:Thomas Vanek, who left Tuesday's game with a stomach bug, was back on the ice Thursday, skating in his usual spot along with linemates Jochen Hecht and Jason Pominville, the Sabres' official site reports.
Analysis:Thomas Vanek's presence on the ice Thursday suggests that he will be fine for Friday's game against the Maple Leafs.
News:Thomas Vanek left Tuesday's game with a stomach bug, not due to injury, Sabres.com reports.
Analysis: His owners should breathe a sigh of relief. It's believed that he may have been suffering from food poisoning, since another teammate had the same symptoms after eating at the same restaurant. Provided he's over the bug, look for Thomas Vanek to be back on the ice Friday when the Sabres take on Toronto again.
News:Thomas Vanek suffered an upper-body injury early in Tuesday's game against Toronto and will not return, according to the Buffalo Sabres. He played just 4:00 in the contest.
Analysis: Yikes -- that hard hit by Dion Phaneuf could be the culprit, as Thomas Vanek was laboring after the hit. His absence would be a devastating loss for a Sabres team that relies on his offense.
News:Thomas Vanek did not finish the first period of Tuesday's game against the Leafs and was not on the bench for the second period.
Analysis: No injury report ... yet. The sniper, who was bothered by the flu last week, played just six shifts in the first and was hit hard by Dion Phaneuf on his last shift. We'll report as soon as we hear anything.
News:Thomas Vanek only played 15:18 in Tuesday's win over Edmonton as he was dogged by the flu along with teammate Jason Pominville, The Buffalo News reports. He was held pointless for the second straight game.
Analysis: In case you were wondering why Thomas Vanek's minutes were down, it looks like a short-term illness. The team now has two days off, so we imagine that's enough rest that the Sabres' best player will be close to 100 percent for Friday's game in Carolina.
News:Thomas Vanek scored on the power play at the 7:41 mark of the second period to give Buffalo its only goal of the evening in a 3-1 loss to New Jersey on Wednesday.
Analysis: While he did score his 18th goal of the season in the loss, Thomas Vanek finished the night with a minus-2 rating and only two shots on net. He now has a six game points scoring streak in which he's scored four goals and added five assists.
News:Thomas Vanek, who played 18:30 in Monday's win over Washington, had no ill effects from the shoulder injury that has dogged him the last few days. He also practiced Tuesday for the first time in a week, The Buffalo News reports.
Analysis: With four points in his last four games, Thomas Vanek's shoulder is something you should keep an eye on but also something that doesn't seem like a major concern at this point. And it sounds like he's out of the woods, so hopefully it was just a bruise that's almost fully healed.
News:Thomas Vanek (lower body) will be okay to play in Monday's game dispite sitting out the third period of Thursday's game, WGR 550 reports.
Analysis: Despite battling through this lower body injury for over a week now, Thomas Vanek has still tallied three points in his last three games. Even injured, Vanek is tough to slow down. Through the season's first 34 games, he's been his usual steady self on offense, posting 36 points (17 goals, 19 assists).
News:Thomas Vanek left Thursday's game in the second period with the same lower body injury that kept him out of practice last week, WGR Buffalo reports.
Analysis: While Thomas Vanek has been able to play through the injury up to this point, he did not practice again Friday will meet with team doctors to see where he stands health-wise. Vanek has totaled seven points in his last four games, and 36 in 34 contests this seas, so his loss would be significant if he is forced to miss any time. Those whose fantasy teams include Vanedk should keep close tabs on his situation until he is back at 100 percent.
News:Thomas Vanek will play Thursday against the Leafs but the Sabres' leading goal scorer is clearly struggling with a lower-body injury he suffered Saturday in Pittsburgh, The Buffalo News reports. Vanek has missed some practice time this week and didn't appear to be going full strength Thursday morning either.
Analysis: The Christmas break certainly comes at a good time for Thomas Vanek if he can get through this important game against a division rival. With 35 points in 33 games and all sorts of power play time, it'd be tough to sit him down and maybe even silly ... but just know he's not fully healthy for you right now either, so don't be surprised if his minutes get curtailed depending on game circumstance.
News:Thomas Vanek assisted on Jordan Leopold's power-play goal in Tuesday's 4-1 loss to Ottawa, extending his points streak to three games. He has six points in that span.
Analysis: Despite Buffalo's struggles, Thomas Vanek looks like he's regained the form that made him a rising star in the league back in his 84-point '06-'07 season. Although he missed practice with an undisclosed injury, it wasn't a surprise that he took the ice and notched a point, giving him 35 in 33 games on the year.
News:Thomas Vanek, who missed Monday's practice with an undisclosed injury, will play in Tuesday's game against Ottawa, according to Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News.
Analysis: This was expected all along, but make sure you have Thomas Vanek and his 34 points in 32 games active in case you were worried.
News:Thomas Vanek (undisclosed) is probable for Tuesday's game against Ottawa despite missing Monday's practice, Sabres.com reports.
Analysis: It appears that Thomas Vanek's owners can lock him into the starting lineup for Tuesday with minimal concern.
News:Thomas Vanek (undisclosed) did not practice Monday, The Buffalo News reports.
Analysis: Buffalo hasn't said yet whether Thomas Vanek's absence is injury-related or a mere maintenance day. It would seem safe to presume that any injury he's dealing with is minor given that he played and scored Saturday, but The Buffalo News speculates that he might have a sore knee due to a collision from Friday's game. We will follow up on Vanek's status when more information is available.
News:Thomas Vanek scored his fifth goal in six games Saturday night.
Analysis: He has five goals and seven points over his latest hot streak. Thomas Vanek trails Jason Pominville by one point for the team lead in points for Buffalo with 34 (17G, 17A) in 32 contests.
News:Thomas Vanek fired home two goals and added two assists in Buffalo's 5-4 win over Toronto on Friday night. He now sits only three goals back of Milan Michalek and Steven Stamkos for the NHL goal scoring lead.
Analysis: Prior to Friday's contest Thomas Vanek had only two points in his last six games. He's on pace to pot 42 goals this season, which would be the first time he's tallied at least 40 goals since the 2008-09 season.
News:Thomas Vanek ripped home his 14th goal of the season in Saturday's loss to the Rangers.
Analysis: He has goals in two of his last three games and 29 points in as many games this season. He's obviously streaky ... but you knew that already. It's the total that matters in all but head-to-head format -- he's on pace for his best season since his sophomore effort. Roll him and enjoy the wealth.
News:Thomas Vanek notched his 13th goal of the year Wednesday night in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Flyers. It was his first goal in seven games.
Analysis: With only two goals over his last 11 games, Thomas Vanek's certainly not scoring like he was earlier in the season. With that said, he's still producing points as he also has seven assists during that same 11-game span.
News:Thomas Vanek added an assist in Buffalo's loss to the Islanders Tuesday, giving him three points in the last four games.
Analysis: The slick Austrian has 27 points in 24 contests this season and remains the team's top offensive threat. Buffalo has lost three of its last four contests but Thomas Vanek is still managing to produce. You know what to do.
News:Thomas Vanek assisted on both Buffalo goals and added a tally in the shootout during Monday's 3-2 win over Montreal.
Analysis:Thomas Vanek has shown little signs of slowing down and he and teammate Derek Roy are enjoying life the last 10 days. The pair of helpers gives Vanek five points in the last four games and 22 in 17 games on the season.
News:Thomas Vanek scored twice, including the overtime winner with 25 seconds left in Tuesday night's 6-5 win over Winnipeg.
Analysis:Thomas Vanek logged 23 minutes of ice time, by far the most of any forward on the team. 50 goals may seems like a lofty goal, especially on a Lindy Ruff coached team, but it's not out of the question for Vanek.
News:Thomas Vanek left the ice for nearly 20 minutes during Wednesday night's loss to Philadelphia after sustaining a nasty cut to his face, but returned late in the game.
Analysis: Always scary to see one of your leading scorers go out both from the Sabres' standpoint, but also for Thomas Vanek's fantasy owners. He came back and nearly tied the game late, and still managed to grab an assist, his eighth in 11 games.
News:Thomas Vanek sniped his eight goal of the season in Saturday's loss to the Panthers.
Analysis: He has quite strangely been the model of consistency this season. He has been held off the score sheet just once in 10 games and has 15 points, a tally that has him tied for second in the NHL. Those of you in head-to-head formats might examine your trade opportunities -- is he really a 123-point player? Or is he the streaky guy he's always been? Someone might overpay and it's all about asset optimization.
News:Thomas Vanek scored two goals in Thursday's win over Florida, continuing his season-opening six-game points streak.
Analysis: He now has six goals and four assists in Buffalo's six games so far, flashing the kind of form we haven't seen from him since his 43-goal, 84-point sophomore season back in '06-'07. Ride and enjoy the Austrian winger in fantasy.
News:Thomas Vanek netted his fourth goal of the season in Tuesday's 3-1 win in Montreal.
Analysis:Thomas Vanek has a point in all five games this season for the Sabres. Buffalo's top line continues to be one of the most productive in all of hockey five games into the season.
News:Thomas Vanek earned an assist in Saturday night's 3-2 win over Pittsburgh.
Analysis:Thomas Vanek has now earned a point in every game this season. A streaky player in the past, if Vanek can stay even mildly consistent an 80 to 90 point season is not out of the question.
News:Thomas Vanek scored his third goal of the year Friday night in Buffalo's 4-3 loss to Carolina.
Analysis: Even though he admittedly played an awful game Friday other than the goal, Thomas Vanek now has six points in three games to start the year. Vanek is coming off a solid 2010-11 campaign and it looks like he's picking up right where he left off.
News:Thomas Vanek tallied two assists in Saturday's victory over the Ducks.
Analysis:Thomas Vanek has been a point machine early on, with two goals and three assists through two contests. He will be one of the better options for the left wing spot on your fantasy roster.
Buffalo's Vanek Gets First Two Goals Of Season Friday
News:Thomas Vanek scored two goals and added an assist in Buffalo's 4-1 victory over Anaheim on Friday.
Analysis: He fired nine shots on net and was also named the game's first star.
News:Thomas Vanek had two goals and an assist in Buffalo's 4-3 overtime loss to Washington on Friday night.
Analysis: The goals were his first of the pre-season. In four pre-season games, Thomas Vanek has notched two goals and three assists. Once again, he'll be counted on by Buffalo to provide much of the offense this year, but Vanek will have more help with the various off-season signings the Sabres made.
News: Vanek netted two goals in Sunday's 5-4 loss Philadelphia.
Analysis: Vanek has a pair of two-goal games and has scored five goals in the first six games against Philadelphia.
News: Vanek scored twice in Saturday's Game 2 loss to Philadelphia. Both goals came on the power play.
Analysis: He almost completed the trick on a spin-a-rama late in the third. He finished the season with 11 points, including seven goals, in his last eight games and will be counted on to carry the Sabres as far as they can go this postseason.
News: Vanek, who missed Buffalo's last regular season game for precautionary reasons, declared he's ready to play in Game 1 of the Sabres' opening playoff series, the Associated Press reports.
Analysis: This was pretty much a no-brainer and we would have been shocked if Vanek didn't play the last game had the Sabres' season been on the line, but they locked up their spot in the previous game. You can draft Vanek in playoff leagues as you normally would, in what should be a compelling first-round series against the No. 2-seeded Flyers.
News: Vanek, who was held out of Saturday's game against Columbus for precautionary reasons, led the Sabres with seven points (2 G, 5 A) in four games this season against their first round opponents from Philadelphia.
Analysis: Vanek got a little bit banged up Friday night against Philly, and coach Lindy Ruff did not want to take any chances. Vanek finished the season with 73 points (32 G, 41 A), 18 more points than any of his teammates.
News: Vanek (undisclosed) did not suit up for Saturday's game, Sabres.com reports.
Analysis: There's no information on what the deal is, unfortunately, and the news broke only minutes before the start of the game.
News: Vanek scored the game-winning goal in overtime as Buffalo downed Philadelphia 4-3 on Friday night.
Analysis: He also added two assists in the win. Vanek's overtime goal helped Buffalo secure a playoff spot. He's been on fire for over a month now and has had a nice bounce-back year with 32 goals and 41 assists in 80 games which is the most points he's scored in a single season since recording 84 back in 2006-07.
News: Vanek had a hat trick in Tuesday's win over Tampa Bay.
Analysis: Buffalo really needed two points in the contest and Vanek helped them get it. Vanek's owners would like to see his goal total closer to 40 than the 31 he currently has, but he has chipped in 39 assists. All told, he's had a fairly solid season.
News: Vanek stretched his point streak to five games with a goal Saturday night.
Analysis: He's been held off the score sheet just twice in his last 14 games and has 15 points in that span. This consistency is fantastic for head-to-head owners who are currently in playoffs. And roto league owners just love his late-season push. His current 67 points are his best tally since his sophomore season when he delivered 84. Roll with confidence.
News: Vanek scored for the second-consecutive game, posting a goal in Buffalo's loss to Toronto Tuesday.
Analysis: Vanek's been a steady hand for Buffalo as the season races to a close, with 13 points in the last 12 games. You know what you get with a talented forward like Vanek and he appears safe to be a reliable producer the rest of the season.
News: Vanek scored his 26th goal of the season in Saturday's 2-0 win over New Jersey.
Analysis: For Vanek, it's his first goal in the last two weeks. Fortunately for him, the Sabres and his fantasy owners, goals tend to come in bunches for Vanek, and with four games on the slate next week, it could be a big one for Vanek.
News: Vanek picked up a goal and an assist in Thursday's OT win over Boston after missing Tuesday's game with the flu.
Analysis: Looks like he's fine to roll out as you normally would.
News: Vanek, who missed Tuesday's loss to Pittsburgh due to a nasty flu bug, was able to take the ice for practice Wednesday, according to Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News.
Analysis: That would indicate the sniper has a decent chance of playing Thursday against division-rival Boston, especially when you consider the fact Vanek had been ill for some time leading up to Tuesday. We'll try and snuff out his status Thursday afternoon.
News: Vanek has the flu and will not play Tuesday against the Penguins, The Buffalo News reports.
Analysis: "Thomas has got the flu pretty bad," coach Lindy Ruff said. "He hasn't left the hotel yet. No chance." Vanek has been battling the flu since Sunday, so it's clearly more than a 24-hour bug, which probably leaves his status for Thursday's game in some jeopardy. With Vanek, Jochen Hecht, Mike Grier and Patrick Kaleta all out, the Sabres will be very short-handed Tuesday.
News: Vanek played Thursday in a loss to Carolina despite not practicing Wednesday after taking a puck to the leg the night before.
Analysis: He skated 17:36 and went minus-2 without a shot on goal, so perhaps Vanek would have been better served sitting and letting his leg heal up a little more rather than rushing back to the ice -- even if it is a playoff chase.
News: Vanek (leg) was not at Wednesday's practice, wgr550.com reports.
Analysis: Vanek took a puck to the leg Tuesday against the Rangers, but fortunately he was able to the finish the game and X-rays were negative, so at first glance, this doesn't seem like a serious issue.
News: Vanek had two goals and an assist in Tuesday's win over Tampa Bay.
Analysis: Vanek has now recorded multiple points in seven of his last 10 games. His minus-12 rating is pretty ugly, but the rest of his numbers are about where they should be at this point in the season.
News: Vanek scored a goal and added two helpers Saturday in a win over Toronto.
Analysis: He has really amped things up since New Year's. He has 19 points (six goals, 13 assists) in his last 14 games after struggling through December. Make sure you have him in your lineup; he's gold right now.
News: Vanek indicated that he's been dealing with a bone bruise on the middle finger of his right hand for close to three weeks, the Buffalo News reports.
Analysis: Vanek reportedly had his finger wrapped when he was seen in the locker room Tuesday but said he's "been getting used to different grips of his stick." It sounds like Vanek has found a way to cope with the injury, but to be safe, keep close tabs on him ahead of Friday's game against the Penguins.
News: Vanek (upper body) will dress Tuesday night against Ottawa, according to The Buufalo News.
Analysis: The Sabres desperately need Vanek's offense in the lineup. They don't have another game until next Friday, so Vanek can afford to tough it out for one night knowing he has a week-and-a-half off.
News: Vanek is dealing with a nagging upper-body that limited him to just 13 minutes of ice time in Sunday's win over the Islanders, The Buffalo News reports.
Analysis: If it weren't for injuries to four other forwards on the roster, Vanek might even be sitting out, but the Sabres just cannot afford to sit him. Consider him questionable, but with reduced playing time for the two games this week before a much needed All-Star break.
News: Vanek grabbed a goal and an assist Thursday in the win over Boston, extending a points streak to four games.
Analysis: Vanek's been seeing his name on the scoresheet often with two points in each of his last four games and 14 since January 1. His talent has never been in question, but he's been streaky during his career. Buffalo is turning their season around, and Vanek will factor often into its scoring.
News: Vanek (hand) played Thursday against Carolina and picked up two assists in the win.
Analysis: Looks like the injury isn't enough to slow down Vanek's hot hand. He's got eight points in his last five games after snapping a nightmarish seven-game pointless streak.
News: Vanek (hand) said that he will be in the lineup Thursday against the Hurricanes, the Buffalo News reports.
Analysis: The report notes that Vanek is dealing with an injured right hand, but it's something he plans to play through.
News: Vanek (undisclosed injury) tells Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News that he's in for Thursday's game against the Hurricanes.
Analysis: With Derek Roy (35 points to date) out, Vanek is poised to take over the Sabres' scoring leader in the coming days. He's currently second on the squad with 31 points (including a team-high 16 goals) in 42 games.
News: Vanek (undisclosed) is questionable for Thursday's game against Carolina, WGR Sports Radio 550 reports.
Analysis: There isn't more information available at the moment, so it looks like Vanek's owners will need to monitor the situation leading up to Thursday's game, unfortunately. Vanek did not practice Wednesday.
News: Vanek has made every Buffalo scoresheet of the New Year; he collected a power-play assist in Saturday's win at Phoenix for his third January helper.
Analysis: He's not piling up huge numbers, but after a seven-game dry spell to close out 2010, his fantasy owners are happy with whatever they can get. With teammate Derek Roy likely gone for the season, he's one of the Sabres' few offensive weapons. If opposing defenses start keying on him, he might see fewer scoring chances.
News: Vanek picked up a goal and an assist in Tuesday's loss to Colorado.
Analysis: After going seven games without a point, Vanek now has four points in his last two contests. Overall, he has 15 goals in 39 games on the season
News: Vanek registered his second goal in three games with a tally Tuesday against Boston.
Analysis: Buffalo lost the contest, but Vanek has been playing solidly of late with four points over the last three contests. He's a bit streaky, as most players tend toward, but he has a boatload of talent and will continue to be a major factor in the Bison Swords' attack.
News: Vanek scored the only goal in the shootout Saturday to deliver a 1-0 win over the Senators.
Analysis: He has a ratcheted things up significantly since November 10 and is finally a solid fantasy roll again.
News: Vanek scored a goal and added two assists in Buffalo's 5-0 romp over Columbus on Friday.
Analysis: The goal was his 10th of the season. Vanek has greatly improved his game as of late, with 14 points (6G, 8A) in his last 11 games.
News: Vanek scored the Sabres' lone goal Saturday. It stretched his point streak to seven games.
Analysis: He has 10 points in those seven contests after tallying just seven points in his first 15 games. He's a legitimate 40-goal type if he can maintain some consistency.
News: Vanek registered two assists in Monday's win over Vancouver, extending a points streak to four games.
Analysis: Vanek's showing his talent over the last week, erasing a slow start. He finished Monday's contests a plus-3 with seven shots. He has six points in the last four games and remains one of the team's most talented players.
News: Vanek scored twice, including the overtime winner, in Saturday's 3-2 victory over Washington.
Analysis: The Sabres, their fans, and Vanek's fantasy owners have all been waiting for this. Hopefully for all this is the start of a patented Vanek hot streak.
News: Vanek notched an assist in Wednesday night's 5-4 shootout win over New Jersey.
Analysis: While it's good to see Vanek get on the score sheet, he still looks as though all of his confidence is gone. He only put two pucks on net, and passed up numerous attempts to shoot.
News: Vanek has gone five games without notching a point and is a minus-5 during that stretch as he and the Sabres continue to be among the biggest disappointments this season in the NHL.
Analysis: Vanek is a minus-8 on the season, and has fallen way down the pecking order for coach Lindy Ruff. His lack of production and big contract are giving the Sabres and their fans big headaches.
News: Vanek's poor performance Saturday saw him dropped to the fourth line for parts of the game.
Analysis: He played just 13:29 and looked both lost and disengaged. He's a pure sniper with just four goals in his pants right now. But he's headed for a benching if he doesn't change his game quick. He has no points in his last five (save a shootout goal Saturday); bench his lazy butt for now.
News: Vanek scored twice Saturday night as the Sabres earned a 6-1 win over New Jersey.
Analysis: After a painfully slow start, Vanek has three goals in three games for the Sabres. It's a good sign for Vanek, who some projected for 40 goals this season.
News: Vanek scored a late third period goal on Wednesday night to ice the game for the Sabres as they beat Atlanta 4-1.
Analysis: He only has three points in seven games and will need to continue to score if he's to be of any good fantasy-wise.
News: Vanek was credited with an assist, despite not touching the puck, for his first point of the season in Friday's loss to Montreal.
Analysis: The old "Wayne Gretzky assist" goes to Vanek, who was in the scrum in front of goal but did not look as if he touched the puck as it squirted free for Derek Roy, who put it home.
News: Vanek again stayed of the scoresheet Wednesday night as Buffalo was shutout 1-0 by New Jersey.
Analysis: Vanek has switched over to the right wing with the absence of Jason Pominville. The change obviously did not wake him up, as he is still awaits his first point of the 2010-11 season.
News: Vanek stayed off of the scoresheet for the third straight game in Monday night's 4-3 loss to Chicago.
Analysis: Vanek will get it together. He is getting his shots on goal, but the breaks haven't come his way yet. Obviously it's way too early to get concerned, but big things were expected out of Vanek, and his start to the season has been very underwhelming.
News: In the first two games of the season, Vanek has gone pointless, and is a minus-4 for the Sabres.
Analysis: It could be lingering symptoms of a neck injury towards the end of camp, but Vanek has been missing in action. It will get better, but owners who started Vanek in the first week of the season because Buffalo has six games in nine days have to be disappointed.
News: Vanek (head) is all set to play in Friday night's season opener against Ottawa, WGR550.com reports.
Analysis: Vanek should score at least 30 goals this season, the immediate question right now though is how the injury and lack of ice time in the past week will affect his start to the season.
News: Vanek (head) skated at Wednesday's practice, the Associated Press reports.
Analysis: The Sabres don't open Thursday, so that gives Vanek an extra day to get ready for the regular season. Coach Lindy Ruff feels positive about Vanek playing in Friday's opener against Ottawa.
News: Vanek (neck) skated, but did not take part in any contact drills Tuesday, according to WGR550.com.
Analysis: This is the first step in getting Vanek back into shape for the season opener. Monitor the situation closely, as developments on Wednesday and Thursday could clear up whether or not Vanek is ready to go Friday night.
News: Vanek (head/neck), who missed Sunday's preseason finale, may be back on the ice Tuesday, The Buffalo News reports.
Analysis: Coach Lindy Ruff said he was not overly concerned the Sabres' top winger would miss the opener. We'll assume the same, but we'll check in when Vanek does return to practice this week.
News: Vanek netted a power-play goal, his first tally of the preseason, in Thursday's 5-3 preseason win over Montreal.
Analysis: Vanek's performance in the preseason has no bearing on his fantasy value. Fantasy owners and the Sabres just need the University of Minnesota product to stay healthy.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek was back in the lineup for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against the Bruins after missing three games with an ankle injury. He scored a goal and finished at minus-1 in 16:32 of ice time. Unfortunately, the Sabres lost, 4-3, and were eliminated from the playoffs.
Analysis: Vanek now gets an offseason to rest his ankle and return at 100 percent for the 2010-11 campaign. The 26-year-old skater managed only 28 goals and 53 points in 71 games in 2009-10. It was a down season by his standards, but Vanek showed some life late in the year, which gives us hope he will be a bounce-back candidate next season. If you are fortunate to grab Vanek, who is likely to fall down some draft boards, then consider yourself lucky.
News: Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff says it's up to leading scorer Thomas Vanek to determine whether he's ready to play in Game 6 of the team's first-round playoff series at Boston on Monday. Ruff put the decision squarely on the shoulders of Vanek, who has spent the past two days testing his injured left ankle in practice. The top-line forward has missed three games in a best-of-seven series which the Bruins lead 3-2.
Analysis: Ruff said Vanek's "close" to returning. He added if the player knocks on his door on Monday and says he's ready, Vanek will play. After practice Sunday, Vanek said his ankle was still sore, but he feels he can play. Vanek was walking with a noticeable limp. We are not sure how much long-term damage Vanek might do by playing on an injured ankle, but as long as he avoids offseason surgery, we feel he will be ready for the start of the 2010-11 season. Vanek had a down season by his standards in 2009-10, and that will cost him some Fantasy appeal on Draft Day. But if you are lucky to grab Vanek, who is likely to fall down some draft boards, then consider yourself lucky since he is still a talented scorer and could be in for a bounce-back season in '10-11.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek did not dress for Game 5 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinals series against the Bruins on Friday due to a high ankle sprain. He was injured in Game 2 and has not played since.
Analysis: Vanek finished with 28 goals this season and 53 points in 71 games, his lowest total since his rookie season. We still don't feel Vanek is on the downswing of his career; he just had a bad season. He could drop by draft boards in 2010-11 because of it, but if you draft him, then consider yourself lucky that you have a 40-goal threat.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek did not suit up for Game 4 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinals series against the Bruins on Wednesday due to a high ankle sprain. He was injured in Game 2 and has not played since.
Analysis: Vanek finished with 28 goals this season and 53 points in 71 games, his lowest total since his rookie season. We still don't feel Vanek is on the downswing of his career; he just had a bad season. He could drop by draft boards in 2010-11 because of it, but if you draft him, then consider yourself lucky that you have a 40-goal threat.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek missed Game 3 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against the Bruins after leaving Game 2 on Saturday, a 5-3 win by the Bruins, in the first period with a lower-body injury. Vanek had trouble putting weight on his left foot then hobbled to the Sabres bench and fell to his knees as he tried to get through the gate.
Analysis: If Vanek ends the season on the injured list, then it will be a poor way to close what was a disappointing campaign. Vanek finished with 28 goals -- his lowest total since his rookie season (25) -- and 53 points in 71 games. His cause was hurt by the fact Vanek was not as effective on the man advantage as in past years. He scored only 10 times on the power play. We don't feel Vanek is on the downswing of his career and he just had a bad season. He could drop by draft boards in 2010-11 because of it, but if you draft him, then consider yourself lucky that you have a 40-goal threat.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek didn't return after hurting his lower left leg in the first period of Saturday's loss to the Bruins in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. Sabres coach Lindy Ruff wouldn't reveal the severity of the injury or whether Vanek would play Monday. Ruff would only say that he expects Vanek to travel to Boston with the team.
Analysis: Vanek only returned from a lower-body injury a week ago, and maybe he tweaked the same injury on Saturday. If he's healthy, Vanek will head into 2010-11 as a must-draft Fantasy option, but is no longer a must-start.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek returned from a six-game absence Saturday night at Ottawa and showed off his offensive skills, scoring four times in a win over the Sens. "It was a good game for us overall and it's nice for me to be back and capitalize on my opportunities," Vanek said. "We haven't won in this building in a long time, so this feels great."
Analysis: Man, the Sabres would love this Vanek to show up in the playoffs starting next week, but the Austrian veteran hasn't had the best of seasons with just 52 points. His Fantasy value will take a hit going into 2010-11, but he should still be drafted in all formats and started in the majority.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek did not suit up for Thursday's game against the Bruins due to a lower-body injury. He's sat out Buffalo's last six contests.
Analysis: The Sabres are locked into either the second or third playoff spot already, so the team isn't likely to risk Vanek before next week's start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. While he's worth starting in the majority of Fantasy leagues when healthy, he's a risky play the rest of the regular season.
News: The Sabres' official web site reports that Sabres LW Thomas Vanek (lower body) may return to the lineup this weekend. “We’re taking it day by day,” Vanek said. “The goal is to get in this weekend. Anytime you come back from injury, the speed of the game and getting your legs back, if I can do that before playoffs start I think it would benefit myself… The good news is that I’m out there working and it didn’t get any worse.”
Analysis: The Sabres are locked into either the second or third playoff spot already, so the team isn't likely to risk Vanek too much before next week's start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. While he's had a disappointing season, Vanek is still worth starting in the majority of Fantasy leagues when healthy.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek (lower body) did not play on Tuesday against the Rangers. He has missed the last five games.
Analysis: In a positive turn, Vanek did skate on Tuesday and is taking the necessary steps toward returning. However, Buffalo's top priority is getting Vanek healthy for the playoffs. Fantasy owners should probably stay away from Vanek. It's been a tough year for the Austrian scorer and this injury is just icing to the cake.
News: The Buffalo News reports that Sabres LW Thomas Vanek (lower body) was back skating on Tuesday. He remains out of commission, however. "Any time you miss some time, it's frustrating to watch but it's a good step to be back out there and do some of the drills," Vanek said. "I felt pretty good. Obviously I didn't go 100 percent. I'm just easing into it but overall I'm happy with the progress."
Analysis: Vanek might return to action later this week, so keep an eye on him if you're still in the playoff mix in a daily league. The Austrian has suffered through a poor offensive campaign, but is still capable of contributing in all Fantasy leagues when healthy and playing well.
News: The Sabres' official web site reports that Sabres C Tim Connolly (foot) and C Thomas Vanek (lower body) both missed practice on Monday and are not ready to return to action. “Thomas actually went for a little bit of a skate today. Tim is back riding the bike and doing well with that,” coach Lindy Ruff said. “I’m optimistic that we’ll get them back on the ice maybe later in the week. Whether they’ll be able to play or not, I don’t know.”
Analysis: While owners would love to start these two semi-decent Fantasy forwards in all formats for the final scoring period of the season, it could turn out to be Fantasy suicide. You're better off just looking elsewhere for center help.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek (lower body) missed his fourth straight game Saturday.
Analysis: While Vanek's performance in 2009-10 has left a lot to be desired, he's still a viable Fantasy option in the majority of formats when healthy. He will be a risky injury start for Fantasy Week 25 (April 5-11).
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek was a scratch for Thursday's game against the Maple Leafs due to a lower-body injury. He's missed three straight games.
Analysis: Vanek has scored five goals and recorded four assists in 11 games since the Olympic break. He is a struggling Fantasy forward who still possesses high-end potential.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek did not play in Wednesday's game against the Panthers due to a lower-body injury. He's missed the team's last two contests.
Analysis: Coach Lindy Ruff expects Vanek to miss some time, so don't be surprised if he sits out a few games, so Buffalo can have him fresh for the playoffs. That clearly makes him a tough play in Fantasy, but Vanek has lost a lot of appeal this season because his scoring has been way down.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek missed Monday's game against the Bruins after suffering a lower-body injury on Saturday against the Lightning. He is day to day.
Analysis: Coach Lindy Ruff expects Vanek to miss some time, so don't be surprised if he sits out a few games, so Buffalo can have him fresh for the playoffs. That clearly makes him a tough play in Fantasy, but Vanek has lost a lot of appeal this season because his scoring has been way down.
News: NESN reports that Sabres LW Thomas Vanek (lower body) will not play Monday at Boston.
Analysis: Vanek is expected to miss a few games with this issue, so definitely bench him for Fantasy Week 24 (March 29-April 4). His absence will certainly hurt many owners' chances of winning a title, but nothing you can do about it. While Vanek has struggled this season, he's still worth using in most formats when healthy.
News:The Sports Xchange reports Sabres LW Thomas Vanek suffered a lower-body injury on Saturday against the Lightning and is expected to miss "some time," coach Lindy Ruff said.
Analysis: This injury just puts the icing on the cake for what has turned into a disastrous campaign for Vanek. The Austrian forward has slumped to 23 goals and 48 points in 69 games. It is anticipated that he will miss at least 30 goals and 64 points for the first time in four seasons. He definitely did not live up to his drafted position in Fantasy. Vanek is not a recommended Fantasy start for Week 24 (March 29-April 4).
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek scored both of his team's goals during a 3-2 loss to the Wild on Friday. Vanek, a former University of Minnesota star, easily tapped in Derek Roy's cross-ice pass from the right circle to make it 3-1 early in the third, and cut it to 3-2 with 1:58 left with his team-leading 22nd of the season after Patrick Lalime was pulled for an extra attacker.
Analysis: Lalime has four goals and five points in six games since the Olympic break. Vanek has 11 goals and 21 points in his last 27 games for arguably his best stretch of hockey this season. It has come late in the season, but at least Vanek is starting to live up to his potential as a high-end Fantasy option.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek ended a five-game goalless streak when he lit the lamp in Saturday's win over the Sharks.
Analysis: Vanek has been a disappointment so far with just 39 points on the season, but he's still capable of being a productive Fantasy option in most leagues. Hopefully he'll pick up the pace in the second half.
News: The Sabres' official web site reports that LW Thomas Vanek was from the top line at practice Wednesday in favor of LW Clarke MacArthur. "I’m looking for a road lineup that will get us the win," coach Lindy Ruff said. “We’re trying to spread it out where one team can’t put out their so-called [top] defensive pair against one line or two lines. Now that it’s spread out amongst three, maybe we can get a little more balance.”
Analysis: After scoring 40 goals last season, Vanek hasn't even hit the 20 mark this campaign with just 17 in 53 contests. Maybe that 84-point season in 2006-07 was just a fluke, but Vanek still just about does enough to be worth using in 12-team leagues. He certainly doesn't deserve to be in 85 percent of lineups, though. The 24-year-old MacArthur, meanwhile, has 24 points (13G, 11A) and a minus-15 in 57 contests. This move might certainly help his Fantasy value, but continue to ignore him in all but the deepest of leagues until he proves to be worthy of consideration.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek scored a goal, tallied an assist and finished at minus-1 on Monday against the Penguins. Vanek put Buffalo up 2-1 at 6:03 with his 17th goal. It was also the first time he scored in consecutive games since Dec. 26.
Analysis: Vanek has six goals and 11 points in his last 11 games. He is becoming a regular to the scoring sheet again and that's just welcome news for Fantasy owners that drafted Vanek as a high-end option.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek had the decisive goal during a 2-1 win against the Bruins on Friday. Vanek made it 2-0 with a power-play goal with 2:28 to go in the first. It was his team-leading 16th goal of the season and fourth score in seven games.
Analysis: Vanek has five goals and five assists in his last 11 games. This is the type of production we expect from Vanek, who can still be a high-end Fantasy option despite his down season.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek netted a power-play goal during Monday's game against the Canucks. Vanek's deflection of Tim Connolly's shot went off the post, off Roberto Luongo and trickled over the line, extending Tim Connolly's point streak to 16 games -- the longest active run in the NHL -- with seven goals and 18 assists.
Analysis: While Connolly is on a roll, Vanek has also been playing some of his best hockey this season as of late. He has four goals and five assists in his last nine games. This is the type of production we expect from Vanek, who can still be a high-end Fantasy option despite his down season.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek scored a goal, tallied two assists and finished at plus-2 on Monday against the Coyotes. Vanek recorded his 13th goal of the season 2:47 into the third. It was his second score in four games. He has six points in his last five outings.
Analysis: Vanek has been one of the most disappointing players in Fantasy since he hasn't been a regular scoring threat. He is really going to struggle to make it to 30 goals, if he doesn't get on a roll here. Vanek's woes probably can be traced back to Buffalo being more of a defensive team in 2009-10. He is not as strong of a Fantasy option until he has nights like Monday on a more regular basis.
News:The Sports Xchange reports the Sabres have had trouble finding a consistent top line. They may have solved that dilemma. The trio of Tim Kennedy, Mike Grier and Thomas Vanek have combined for eight points in the past two games, including six in Sunday's 5-3 victory over St. Louis. They had success early in the year but were broken up because of injuries and absences, but they reunited Saturday with immediate success. They see no reason why it should stop Tuesday when they host Pittsburgh. "Sometimes you just have a natural thing with some guys, and I think we have that," Kennedy said. "We just know where everyone is going to be. You can feel it, but I'm playing with two guys that are not very hard to play with at all. Michael, he's always talking to me and always in position. Thomas is always in the slot, always looking for the puck, so my job's not too hard."
Analysis: Kennedy has two assists during the run. Grier, the right wing, has two goals and two assists, while Vanek has manned the left side with a goal and an assist. "We play the same kind of hockey," Grier said. "We all want to play north-south, get the puck in, hang on to pucks and get things to the net. We're just trying to work, create some opportunities, and (Sunday) I thought we did that." The most interesting name in this trio is Vanek, who has underachieved most of the season. But if he finds chemistry with guys that should probably be players on the lower lines, then so be it. Fantasy owners are dying for Vanek to get on a roll. As for Kennedy and Grier, they are still low-end Fantasy options until long-term success.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek scored Saturday as he returned to action following a three-game absence (midsection).
Analysis: Vanek now has 11 goals and 11 assists on the season and has a lot of work to do in the new year if he's going to regain his elite Fantasy status. He's still worth starting in the majority of leagues simply because of his potential, however.
News: Buffalo winger Thomas Vanek and C Nathan Gerbe were both scratched for Wednesday's game against the Capitals. Both will be questionable for the Saturday game against Ottawa.
Analysis: Vanek was hoping to return on Wednesday but instead saw another scratch. Despite his struggles this season, he's still worth using in most Fantasy formats when healthy.
News: Buffalo winger Thomas Vanek (midsection) is missing a second straight game Monday at Toronto. "I didn’t feel right out there, but at the same time it’s tough not to play," said Vanek on Monday to the Buffalo News. "When I try to take off it doesn’t feel right, so we’re going to keep working on it. It’s better than it was two days ago, so hopefully it keeps progressing." He is day to day and will attempt to return Wednesday at Washington.
Analysis: The Sabres are scheduled for four games in Fantasy Week 12 (Dec. 21-27), so Vanek might still be worth a shot in deeper leagues if you have no other viable option at the wing position. Despite his struggles this season, he's still worth using in most Fantasy formats when healthy.
News: The Buffalo News reports that Sabres LW Thomas Vanek (midsection) will miss a second straight game Monday at Toronto. "I didn’t feel right out there, but at the same time it’s tough not to play," said Vanek on Monday. "When I try to take off it doesn’t feel right, so we’re going to keep working on it. It’s better than it was two days ago, so hopefully it keeps progressing."
Analysis: The Sabres are scheduled for four games in Fantasy Week 12 (Dec. 21-27), so Vanek might still be worth a shot in deeper leagues if you have no other viable option at the wing position. Despite his struggles this season, he's still worth using in most Fantasy formats when healthy.
News: The Sabres were without LW Thomas Vanek in Saturday's shootout loss to the Penguins. He is dealing with soreness in his midsection.
Analysis: Vanek has been a disappointment this season and Fantasy owners have been looking for a real reason to bench him. This injury might be it. Even with his slow first few months, Vanek is still worth using in most formats when healthy as he was drafted too high to bench, but he will be a bit of a risky injury start in Fantasy Week 12 (Dec. 21-27).
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek scored a goal and finished at plus-2 on Friday against the Maple Leafs. Vanek gave Buffalo a 5-1 lead as he beat Jonas Gustavsson on a wrap shot in the third period. It was his second goal in five games and 10th on the season.
Analysis: Vanek has 21 points in 31 games. That's not bad production for a lot of NHLers, but for Vanek, we expect a lot more. He definitely ranks up there with the more disappointing Fantasy options, but you have to start him since he is such a scoring threat.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek scored a goal, tallied an assist and finished at plus-2 during Saturday's game against the Hurricanes. Vanek capped the scoring with his eighth goal, 14:37 into the third period. Vanek has three goals in his last seven games.
Analysis: Vanek missed a few games earlier in the season with an upper-body injury, but with just eight goals in 21 games, we have to wonder if he is not 100 percent. Vanek has been an elite scorer the last few seasons, but he is only on pace for 28 goals. That's not the type of production Fantasy owners or the Sabres want to see. Vanek remains a must-start Fantasy option based on potential, but he is definitely underachieving.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek scored in Saturday's loss to the Senators, giving him six points in his last six games.
Analysis: It looks like Vanek is back on track again after a slow start to the season, so get him back active in all Fantasy formats.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek scored his sixth goal of the season Saturday in a win over the Flyers, giving him 10 points in 15 games.
Analysis: Vanek took just seven games to get 10 points last season, which tells you how much he's struggling so far in 2009-10. He does have a three-game point streak going, so maybe Vanek is finally getting back on track. Continue to start him in all formats.
News: The Buffalo News reports that Sabres coach Lindy Ruff wants to see more better skating out of struggling LW Thomas Vanek, who has one goal in his last seven games. "It starts with your feet. When you're not moving, there's not much going on," said Ruff.
Analysis: Vanek might just be finally getting over the upper-body injury that kept him out for a bit earlier this season, so don't demote him to your Fantasy bench just yet. All scorers go through cold phases now and again.
News:Thomas Vanek had a goal and assist in the Buffalo Sabres' 3-0 victory over the New York Islanders on Wednesday. Buffalo cashed in again on the power play with 2:47 left in the second period when Vanek deposited the puck past Martin Biron on his own rebound from in tight. It was Vanek's fifth goal and first in five games.
Analysis: Vanek has been a little off his game since returning to the lineup following an upper-body injury. He finally looked like his former self on Wednesday and that could be the first step in the right direction. Vanek is an elite scorer and worth starting in Fantasy through thick and thin.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek returned to the lineup Wednesday against the Panthers with his fourth goal of the season. Vanek, who missed Buffalo's last two games with an upper-body injury, knocked the puck into the net to make it 5-1 in the first period. He has three goals in his last two games.
Analysis: The Sabres initially feared the worst with Vanek and thought he might miss several weeks. Luckily, the injury was very minor and Vanek just needed some time to rest. He was able to put the puck in the net Wednesday, so Fantasy owners shouldn't have any qualms about keeping the 40-goal threat active in all Fantasy formats moving forward.
News: The Buffalo News reports that Sabres LW Thomas Vanek (upper body) practiced Monday and could return to action on Wednesday at Florida or Saturday at the Lightning.
Analysis: The Sabres only play twice in Fantasy Week 3 (Oct. 19-25), so you might just want to bench Vanek instead of having him play just once for you. When healthy and with three-plus games in a week, Vanek is a must-start in all Fantasy formats.
News: Buffalo LW Thomas Vanek missed his second straight game with an upper body injury on Saturday against the Thrashers. Vanek was injured in Tuesday's game against the Red Wings. Coach Lindy Ruff had hoped that Vanek would be able to return for one of the team's two weekend games, but now won't be able to return until at least Wednesday at Florida.
Analysis:Newsday reported on Friday that the latest Vanek would return from the injury would be on Wednesday against the Panthers, so it seems like he is a safe play for the upcoming scoring period. Consider him a high-end Fantasy option for Week 3 (Oct. 19-25).
News: The Sabres played their first game Friday against the Islanders without Thomas Vanek, the high-scoring forward who sustained an upper-body injury Tuesday night against Detroit. Vanek was originally thought to be lost for at least a couple of weeks, but coach Lindy Ruff said Wednesday that Vanek could play in one of Buffalo's weekend games. The Sabres host Atlanta on Saturday.
Analysis: Although Vanek was held out Friday, the good news is that Fantasy owners won't have to be without his services for several weeks. Vanek has been practicing with the Sabres and insists he is not injured. Even if he doesn't play Saturday, Vanek is a low-risk start for Week 3 (Oct. 19-25). He is a high-end Fantasy option when healthy.
News: Injured Buffalo Sabres forward Thomas Vanek may not be out as long as originally expected, and could miss only a few days rather than weeks. Coach Lindy Ruff said on Wednesday that Vanek's upper body injury sustained in Tuesday's win over Detroit isn't as bad as first thought. Following the game, Ruff said Vanek would be out for "some time," referencing weeks as a timetable. "He's actually feeling a lot better," Ruff said. "He's doing remarkably well."
Analysis: Ruff added that he wasn't going to rule Vanek out for Buffalo's two games this weekend. The Sabres host the New York Islanders on Friday and Atlanta on Saturday. Vanek, a two-time 40-goal scorer, did not return after scoring his second goal of the game in the second period against Detroit. Fantasy owners know what it feels like to be without Vanek after missing several weeks last season with a jaw injury and it's not a very good feeling. However, the good news is that Vanek's absence could be much shorter this time around. Don't cut Vanek in Fantasy until we get further news on his status this weekend. He is a must-start Fantasy option when healthy.
News: Buffalo LW Thomas Vanek scored his second goal of the season in the 2nd period of a 6-2 win over the Red Wings Tuesday. Vanek put the team ahead 3-1 with his first goal of the game. He capped four unanswered goals by the Sabres as he added his third of the season later in the 2nd period to make it 5-1. Both of his goals were assisted by Derek Roy. He played just under eight minutes in the game, however, as he left the game with an upper-body injury and coach Lindy Ruff said he will be out for "weeks." Without providing the exact nature of the injury, Ruff said following the game Tuesday that Vanek will "miss some time," before adding that it's going to be weeks and not days. Vanek did not return after scoring his second goal of the game against Detroit at the 12:46 mark of the second period. Though Vanek fell awkwardly after snapping in the shot at the right post, Ruff said the player had been hurt earlier in the game. Vanek spent a few moments on the bench wincing in pain before leaving for the locker room.
Analysis: Vanek entered Tuesday's game with one goal on the season after three contests. He has that total up to three now. Vanek is a two-time 40-goal scorer and must-start Fantasy option, when healthy. Now that he's out for a decent chunk of time, however, you should be reserving him in all leagues.
News:Thomas Vanek snapped a late third-period tie with a power-play goal, and Ryan Miller made 23 saves to help the Sabres to a 2-1 win over the Coyotes on Thursday. Vanek cashed in on Buffalo's seventh power-play opportunity with 3:53 to go after defenseman James Vandermeer was sent off for cross-checking him behind the Phoenix net. Vanek scored from the slot, one-timing Clarke MacArthur's pass from underneath the goal line. "We had chances but just couldn't get them," Vanek said. "We stuck to our systems, stuck to our game and got rewarded in the end."
Analysis: We expect to see a lot of goal scoring from Vanek in 2009-10 after he posted 144 goals in his first 319 NHL games. He is deadly on the power play and remains a must-start Fantasy option as long as he is healthy.
News: Buffalo LW Thomas Vanek scored the game-opening goal against the Thrashers in a loss on Wednesday night in overtime. Vanek scored on a power play, his 36th, in the first period. He added his 37th in the 2nd, also on a power play, to tie the game at two.
Analysis: Vanek's two goals give him 60 points on the year, though he hadn't recorded any in his previous three games. Vanek is hoping to get back to being an elite scorer and still has high-end Fantasy appeal. Get him active.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek scored a goal and finished at even during Friday's game against the Flyers. Vanek notched his 35th goal on a tip-in 3:55 into the second. He has three goals and two assists in his last six games.
Analysis: Vanek is finally getting his legs back after missing nearly a month with a broken jaw. Hopefully, he can really heat up here in these last few weeks and get back to the elite scorer he was prior to the injury. Obviously, Vanek has high-end Fantasy appeal as one of the top scorers in the NHL.
News: Buffalo goal leader Thomas Vanek returned to the Sabres' lineup Wednesday night against Montreal after missing nine games because of a broken jaw. Vanek, who played the 300th game of his career, wore a helmet featuring a protective guard around his mouth. He entered the game third in the NHL with 15 power-play goals, and second among Sabres with 52 points, including a team-leading 32 goals this season. Buffalo went 3-5-1 without Vanek, including two shutout losses.
Analysis: Vanek didn't scored during Wednesday's 5-1 win and actually finished at minus-1. He did take three shots in 13:42 of ice time. Vanek's minutes will definitely rise as soon as his conditioning is back up to par, so Fantasy owners shouldn't worry. Hopefully, he can get over the mental aspect of suffering a serious facial injury and return to his high-scoring ways because Vanek is usually a must-start Fantasy option when healthy.
News:The Buffalo News reports Sabres LW Thomas Vanek, who has been out since Feb. 7 with a broken jaw, participated in full contact drills Monday and proclaimed himself ready to play Wednesday against the Canadiens. "That's the plan for right now," Vanek said. "It's always tough to watch the team, especially when they're not winning. That makes it even tougher. If you're watching the game and you're out injured or a healthy scratch, you hate watching your team struggle and lose. It's nice to get back and hopefully help out."
Analysis: Vanek had 32 goals, third in the NHL, and a league-leading 15 power-play goals when he was injured. "It's a big plus," coach Lindy Ruff said of Vanek's return. "The question is how ready he's going to be. Can he answer the physical? Can he answer the conditioning? We hope he can. On the power play alone, getting his body in front of the net...makes us more dangerous." Fantasy owners are also elated to have Vanek back as he is a must-start option when healthy. Vanek appears to be a low-risk start Week 22 (March 2-8).
News:The Sports Xchange reports the Sabres have been desperate for good news on the injury front. They finally got some. Left wing Thomas Vanek, the Sabres' leading goal scorer, is anticipating returning Wednesday when the Sabres host Montreal. Vanek has been out since fracturing his jaw Feb. 7 in Ottawa. Vanek has 32 goals, including 15 on the power play. The Sabres have been ravaged by injuries over the past two months, with goaltender Ryan Miller out indefinitely after spraining his ankle Feb. 21. Vanek skated with the Sabres on Thursday prior to their in 2-1 shootout loss to Carolina. "The first week after the injury I didn't do much," Vanek said. "The second week I actually started exercising already, and I think that helped me out a little bit. After two weeks of not skating, I was pleasantly surprised with how good I felt out there."
Analysis: Vanek will have to wear a face shield over his jaw for about a month when he returns. "I don't have much pain," he said. "Obviously, when I try to open my mouth a lot it hurts or when I try to eat something harder it hurts, but overall I feel great." Vanek thought he might have to miss 5-6 weeks after having early February surgery, but the recovery process has gone well and it appears he will return Fantasy Week 22 (March 2-8). Still, there could be some risk involved with starting Vanek as he could be a little bit rusty once he is back on the ice. Fantasy owners should definitely start scooping up Vanek since he is a must-start Fantasy option when healthy.
News:The Buffalo News reports injured Sabres forward Thomas Vanek practiced with the team Monday for the first time since breaking his jaw Feb. 7. He took part in the 55-minute session wearing a face shield, but has still not been cleared for contact.
Analysis: Just last week Vanek said he expected to miss 5-6 weeks, but just a few days later he takes part in nearly an hour long practice. While he is still wearing a non-contact jersey, it's encouraging to see Vanek back on the ice. He is not a recommended start Week 21 (Feb. 23-March 1), but perhaps the All-Star forward is back ahead of the recovery curve.
News:The Buffalo News reports Sabres LW Thomas Vanek is doing some light exercise after having jaw surgery Feb. 8, but the team's leading scorer isn't overly optimistic he will return to the ice in the 3-4 week timetable he was given. "I hope that I haven't lost too much of my fitness but we'll see about that once I start skating again," Vanek wrote in a diary entry posted on his official Web site for fans in his native Austria. "The doctors said that I would miss at least four weeks altogether but it also could be five to six weeks. We'll just have to wait and see."
Analysis: Vanek will have to wear a full face shield once he is healthy to prevent another hit to the jaw, so the extra equipment could help in his speedy return to the ice. However, he is expected to need at least two weeks on the ice after he begins light skating before he returns to game action. We are not expecting to see Vanek back until March at this point, so Fantasy owners will need to be patient with the high-end option. At least he is not expected to miss the rest of the season.
News: Buffalo Sabres All-Star Thomas Vanek will be sidelined three to four weeks after having surgery Sunday to repair a fractured jaw. Vanek, whose 32 goals ranks third in the league, was hurt in the first period Saturday night in Ottawa after being struck in the face by a slap shot by Senators defenseman Anton Volchenkov. The Austrian native clutched his bloodied mouth and immediately skated off the ice and into the Sabres dressing room.
Analysis: Vanek has been an iron man for the Sabres since joining the league. He played in his 225th straight game Saturday and has only missed one regular-season game in his four years in the NHL. And that came when he was a healthy scratch back in 2006. Well, that streak is now over. Vanek's loss is huge in Fantasy, but he still could make it back for the playoff run, which usually begins in early March for Fantasy owners. He is a high-end Fantasy option when healthy.
News: Sabres scoring leader Thomas Vanek left the ice Saturday against the Senators after taking a puck in the face early in the first period. He did not return. "Right now, he's suffered a big laceration on his jaw," coach Lindy Ruff told The Buffalo News. "We don't know if there's any fracture there and he'll be evaluated when we get home. We're hoping there's nothing there. He was in a lot of pain. The teeth got pushed up a little bit but they are involved on the lower jaw part."
Analysis: Vanek, who has 32 goals, has been an iron man for the Sabres since joining the league. He played in his 225th straight game Saturday and has only missed one regular-season game in his four years in the NHL. And that came when he was a healthy scratch back in 2006. The Sabres are holding their breath and hoping Vanek's injury isn't too serious and he might only miss a week or two, similar to teammate Teppo Numminen, who just returned from his own facial injury. Ruff said Vanek told him the puck struck him flat on the face, rather than on edge, which is a promising sign since a flat puck usually does less damage. Still, Vanek looks like a poor start for Fantasy Week 19 (Feb. 9-15). He is a high-end Fantasy option when healthy.
News: Buffalo LW Thomas Vanek scored a natural hat trick in Wednesday's game against the Maple Leafs, scoring three consecutive goals in a 5-0 win. Vanek sealed the win over Toronto by scoring the final three goals, two on the power play. Four of Vanek's five career three-goal games have been natural hat tricks.
Analysis: Vanek had a six-game points streak snapped against the Ducks on Monday, but more than made up for it on Wednesday with three goals and an assist to boot. He is one of the top goal scorers in the league this season and should be starting in all Fantasy leagues.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek assisted in Saturday's win over the Coyotes, extending his point streak to six games (2G, 7A).
Analysis: Vanek hasn't been scoring much lately, but he's been assisting at a nice pace and remains a must-start Fantasy forward in all formats.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek scored and tallied two assists in Tuesday's 10-2 embarrassment of the Oilers.
Analysis: Vanek was struggling with his goal touch earlier this month, but he appears to have it back again now. The All-Star forward is churning his way toward 40 goals and remains a high-end Fantasy option.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek scored a goal during Monday's 3-2 shootout win against the Panthers. Vanek broke a 1-all tie early in the third on Buffalo's second power play of the third period, with both penalties called on All-Star defenseman Jay Bouwmeester. Vanek scored on his second rebound attempt after Toni Lydman's wrist shot from the point bounced off the chest of Tomas Vokoun. The puck bounced off the stick of defenseman Karlis Skrastins before slowly sliding into the net. It was actually Vanek's first goal in six games.
Analysis: Vanek endured his longest scoring slump of the season before lighting the lamp Monday against the Panthers. He has still been productive in January and with the goal notched his 10th point of the month. The All-Star forward is churning his way toward 40 goals and remains a high-end Fantasy option.
News: Buffalo LW Thomas Vanek was credited with two assists in the Sabres' 3-1 win over the Hurricanes on Saturday. Vanek had gone two games in a row without tallying a point and stil hasn't scored a goal since Jan. 6 against Ottawa. Vanek increased his points total on the season to 41 with the two-assist performance.
Analysis: Vanek slowed down some in December and seemed to have cooled a little bit in recent days before the two-assist performance on Saturday. He remains one of the best forwards in the league and a must-start in all formats. The Sabres are one of 18 teams that play two games in the next scoring period while the other 12 teams play only once.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek assisted in Saturday's loss to the Red Wing to extend his point streak to five game.
Analysis: Vanek had a little slow patch in the second half of December, but he's back producing again in the new year and remains a must-start Fantasy forward in all formats.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek salted away Tuesday's 4-2 win against the Senators with an empty-net goal with 26 seconds remaining. He also had an assist in the game and finished at plus-2. Vanek has scored in consecutive games and has seven points in his last six outings.
Analysis: Vanek broke 10 assists Tuesday, but more importantly he scored for the 27th time and continues to push for the NHL scoring title. He has been a red hot scorer for Buffalo since February of last season and remains a must-start Fantasy option.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek scored his 26th goal of the season in Saturday's win over the Bruins.
Analysis: Vanek only had one goal in his last eight contests coming into Saturday, but he did have four assists in his last four games, so he was keeping his owners relatively happy despite the goal slump. Vanek has scored 84 points in the past, so this season isn't completely out of the blue. Continue to start the fifth-year guy in all formats.
News: Buffalo LW Thomas Vanek picked up two assists in Thursday's 4-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Vanek got his hand in on Derek Roy's 2nd period goal to make the score 2-0 and later assisted Roy's second tally of the game to make it 4-0.
Analysis: Vanek has now recorded points in three of his past four contests with 34 points on the season for Buffalo. With his 25 goals, Vanek remains a must-start Fantasy option in all formats for the time being.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek, who assisted in Saturday's win over the Islanders, has only three points (G, 2A) in the second half of December.
Analysis: All great scorers go through quiet periods now and again, and Vanek's owners have to be hoping his slump ends sooner rather than later. With his 25 goals, Vanek remains a must-start Fantasy option in all formats for the time being.
News:Thomas Vanek and the Buffalo Sabres withstood the New Jersey Devils' best punch in the second period. The Devils struck for two goals in a span of just over four minutes, taking a 2-1 lead in a potential momentum changer. The Sabres didn't get rattled, scoring the next three to pull out a 4-2 victory Saturday. Vanek led the way with his NHL-leading 23rd and 24th goals. "When they scored two, it crushed a little bit of our energy," Vanek said. "We slowly worked our way back into it, and dominated the last 20 minutes."
Analysis: Vanek got Buffalo rolling 70 seconds into the game, steering in the rebound of Jochen Hecht's backhander off Kevin Weekes' pads. "He's doing a good job finishing," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. "We did a good job of putting it away when we got the key opportunities." Vanek connected again at 12:54 of the third period. It was his seventh multi-goal game of the season and second in three games. Vanek is on pace for 61 goals and remains a must-start Fantasy option.
News: When the Buffalo Sabres need a big goal this season, they turn to Thomas Vanek. Vanek scored twice, including his league-leading 22nd goal, in Buffalo's 4-2 comeback win over Tampa Bay on Wednesday night, the Lightning's ninth straight defeat. Two nights after scoring the winner in the third period against Pittsburgh, Vanek snapped a 2-2 second-period tie with his second goal of the game on the power play, sending the Sabres to their third straight win. "It's just a testament to how talented he really is," said Drew Stafford, who also scored for Buffalo. "When he gets opportunities, we have a lot of faith that he's going to bury those."
Analysis: Down by a pair of goals after Mark Recchi scored for Tampa Bay with less than four minutes left in the first period, the Sabres scored four unanswered goals over the final 41 minutes to beat the Lightning for the second time this week .Vanek scored twice in an eight-minute span to end the second period. "I don't think there's enough good things to say about his game right now," Pominville said about Vanek. "I've seen him score in so many ways. He's playing really well." Vanek has scored four times in three games and has six multi-goal games in 2008-09. Vanek was hurt a bit to start the 2007-08 season after Buffalo lost Daniel Briere and Chris Drury to free agency. He is once again comfortable with the forwards in Buffalo and remains a must-start Fantasy option.
News:Thomas Vanek's go-ahead goal, his NHL-best 20th of the season, completed a rally from two goals down and gave the Buffalo Sabres a 4-3 victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday night. Vanek's goal was a tap-in of a pass from Jason Pominville while he stood in the low left slot 6:13 into the third period. He is the first player to get to 20 goals this season -- Philadelphia's Jeff Carter has 19 -- doing so in his 27th game.
Analysis: Last season, Vanek did not score his 10th until his 31st game and did not tally his 20th until his 56th contest. He is on pace for 60 goals this season. Vanek was hurt a bit to start the 2007-08 season after Buffalo lost Daniel Briere and Chris Drury to free agency. He is once again comfortable with the forwards in Buffalo and remains a must-start Fantasy option.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek scored his 19th goal of the season Saturday in a win over the Lightning.
Analysis: Vanek is tied with Jeff Carter of the Flyers for the NHL goals lead, as both continue to have superb seasons. After a disappointing 2007-08 season, Vanek is now back as a point-per-game guy and should be active in all formats, despite his lack of assists (five).
News: Buffalo LW Thomas Vanek got the scoring started on Saturday night against Montreal with his 16th goal of the season on a power play. Vanek then picked up his 17th on a goal in the 2nd period to make it 2-1 Buffalo. The Sabres ultimately lost the game, 3-2.
Analysis: Vanek has 17 goals and 23 points on the season. The two goals marked his first since scoring two against Boston on Nov. 19. As you can see, he scores more often than not. Vanek has really developed into one of the NHL's best scorers and a must-start Fantasy option.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek scored a pair of goals, added an assist and finished at plus-1 during Wednesday's 7-4 loss to the Bruins. Vanek scored his 14th goal of the season 4:58 into the game to give Buffalo a 3-1 lead. Vanek notched his second goal of the night on the power play to give the Sabres a 4-2 lead with 7:23 remaining in the opening period. He had all of two goals in his previous six games.
Analysis: Vanek has now scored two goals in four games this season. He has been held without a goal in just seven of 18 games. As you can see, he scores more often than not. Vanek has really developed into one of the NHL's best scorers and a must-start Fantasy option.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek scored his 13th goal of the season in Saturday's loss to the Penguins. He's now tied for the NHL lead in that category with Alexander Semin.
Analysis: Vanek is making an early run at the scoring title and MVP honors. Vanek remains an elite scorer and must-start Fantasy option while he stays producing at this elite level.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek scored his 12th goal of the young season Friday against Atlanta, giving him four goals in his last four games. He's scored in three of his last four contests.
Analysis: Vanek is making an early run at the scoring title and MVP honors. Vanek remains an elite scorer and must-start Fantasy option while he stays producing at this elite level.
News: One of the first Sabres off the ice after practice Thursday, Thomas Vanek sat patiently at his locker, waiting for the reporters and cameras to gather around. Slipping on his Buffalo Sabres' cap, Vanek got up and eagerly anticipated the first question. "OK, let's go," he said with a smile. What last year appeared to be a chore or something to endure -- Vanek would occasionally answer questions with his arms crossed in defiance if he was in a scoring slump -- has become an easy part of his routine a month into this season. The Sabres (8-2-2), who host the Atlanta Thrashers on Friday, are riding high, sitting atop the Northeast Division standings and second in the Eastern Conference a year after missing the playoffs. And Vanek has bounced back, too, leading the way by getting off to a hot start with a league-leading 11 goals in 12 games. "Yeah, it's good. It's a little bit different," he said. "Usually, I'm on the opposite side where I start a little slow and then heat up after a while. But yeah, I'm happy about it."
Analysis: Other than getting married this summer, the Sabres fourth-year star forward insists his outlook and objectives haven't changed. And like many of the NHL's pure goal-scorers, Vanek would rather chalk up his performance to good fortune than anything else. To say otherwise would, perhaps, tempt fate and bring on a slump. "I think that's what happened last year," he said. "I wasn't scoring, the team was losing games. You bottle that up together, and it's a lot of frustration." He's scored in eight of Buffalo's 12 games, has two game-winners and not gone more than two games without a goal. That's quite a departure from a player who didn't score his 11th goal until his 34th game last season and seven times endured goal droughts of four games or more, including one that lasted seven games. It didn't help that Vanek was thrust into the role of being the team's workhorse after the Sabres lost the bulk of their offense with the free-agent departures of co-captains Chris Drury and Daniel Briere. Vanek's new contract only added to the burden on his shoulders, a year after he produced career bests with 43 goals and 41 assists. Well, the pressure seems to be off Vanek to start 2008-09 and that's great news for Fantasy owners. Continue to start him in all formats.
News:Ryan Miller stopped 29 shots for his eighth NHL shutout, Thomas Vanek scored twice, and the Buffalo Sabres beat the Washington Capitals 5-0 Saturday. Vanek, who leads the league with 11 goals, posted his third multigoal game of the season. He scored in the 1st period to make the score 1-0 and added his second in the 2nd period to make 4-0.
Analysis: Vanek is making an early run at the scoring title and MVP honors. Vanek remains an elite scorer and must-start Fantasy option. He and Derek Roy are clicking on the first line and that's good news for Fantasy owners.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek returned to the goal column Thursday against the Wild after a one-game absence. Vanek, a former standout at the University of Minnesota, beat Niklas Backstrom with a rising shot from the left dot with 3:14 left in the third period. He has eight goals and has been shut out just once in seven games.
Analysis: Vanek is making an early run at the scoring title and MVP honors. Vanek remains an elite scorer and must-start Fantasy option. He and Derek Roy are clicking on the first line and that's good news for Fantasy owners.
News: Buffalo Sabres left wing Thomas Vanek has been named the NHL's first star of the week for the week for Oct. 13-19. Minnesota goalie Niklas Backstrom was the second star and Dallas left wing Fabian Brunnstrom the third star.
Analysis: Vanek had six goals and two assists as the Sabres went 3-0-1 for the week. Vanek has nine points (seven goals) in five games as he rang up at least one goal in each of Buffalo's first five games. Vanek remains an elite scorer and must-start Fantasy option.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek scored his NHL-leading seventh goal of the season during Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Thrashers. Vanek got the Sabres within 2-1 during a two-man advantage with three minutes left in the second period. Dating back to last season, Vanek has 15 goals in the past 15 games,
Analysis: Vanek is off to the quickest start of his career, scoring seven goals in Buffalo's first five games. Vanek has a pair of two-goal games, three power-play scores and two short-handed tallies. He has developed nice rapport with Derek Roy and continues to be one of the Eastern Conference's top offensive weapons. He remains a must-start Fantasy option.
News:Thomas Vanek scored twice, once on a power play and again when Buffalo was short-handed, and the Sabres handed the Rangers their first loss, 3-1 Wednesday. "We all heard about how good the Rangers are, and they are really good," Vanek said. "They're off to a great start, so it's good for us to come in here and play a solid a road game and give up only one goal." Vanek scored the second of Buffalo's two power-play goals in the second -- the first man-advantage tallies allowed by the Rangers this season -- and then widened the lead in the third. He has five goals in the Sabres' first three games, including consecutive two-goal contests.
Analysis: Vanek also has the first two short-handed goals of his career, welcoming the added work of penalty killing from coach Lindy Ruff. Despite the results, the job is hardly coming to him naturally. "No it's not," Vanek said, laughing. "Lindy has been giving me some responsibilities and I am going to take my challenge positively and hopefully I can stay on it. I'm actually trying not to give up any when I'm out there. The two shorties are just a bonus." It took Vanek 20 games to reach five goals last season. He has developed nice rapport with Derek Roy and continues to be one of the Eastern Conference's top offensive weapons. He remains a must-start Fantasy option.
News:Thomas Vanek scored the lone goal in regulation in the Sabres' season-opener Friday against the Canadiens. Vanek tied the game at 1 in the first period on a great individual play and following a neutral-ice turnover. Vanek drove up the left side, patiently waited for Andrei Markov to slide past him, and stepped into the slot to beat Carey Price. Vanek, however, was denied another goal later in the game by Price. The second-year goalie flubbed a chance to poke check Vanek coming out from behind the net, but recovered in time to dive across the crease to stop Vanek's shot from the slot.
Analysis: Vanek took eight shots Friday, finished at plus-1 and was hit with a holding penalty. Vanek now has 105 career goals in 246 games and continues to be one of the Eastern Conference's top offensive weapons. He remains a must-start Fantasy option.
News:The Sports Xchange reports Sabres LW Thomas Vanek played through a hip injury in 2007-08, but still managed 36 goals last season. Now in the second year of a $50 million deal, he'll face less pressure regarding money and could return to his 40-goal ability.
Analysis: It could also help Vanek in 2008-09 that he will be playing on a line with Derek Roy and that will help take off some of the defensive pressure. As long as Vanek is healthy, he has the chance to post 40-plus goals. Continue to view him as a must-have Fantasy forward.
News: The Bruins lost 3-0 Saturday to the Buffalo Sabres, who got a hat trick from Thomas Vanek and strong goaltending from Jocelyn Thibault. Buffalo took a 1-0 lead 1:01 into the second period when Jochen Hecht backhanded a pass from the right corner behind Boston goalie Tim Thomas and Vanek one-timed the puck in from the slot. Vanek made it 2-0 at 11:38 of the period. Jason Pominville took a shot from about 40 feet out on the right and Vanek redirected it past Tim Thomas from the edge of the crease. Vanek got the hat trick on an unselfish play by Derek Roy, who could have scored easily into an empty net. But he passed to Vanek, skating a few feet to his left, for his 36th goal with 43 seconds left in the game. "I never look at goals being a successful season," Vanek said. "I've just got to be more consistent."
Analysis: Vanek had a brutal start to the season with just 11 goals in his first 37 games. This coming from a guy that scored a career-high 43 in 2006-07. He started to get on track in January, but really exploded in February with 13 goals. He has Roy's outstanding play to thank for that. Vanek still managed to play in 80-plus games for a third straight season and notch 30-plus goals for the last two. Because he is durable and a gifted goal-scorer, Vanek will be a at worst a No. 2 Fantasy forward come Draft Day 2008.
News:Thomas Vanek scored his 32nd goal of the season, but Buffalo was undone by an inept power play, and failed to build off the momentum of a 7-4 win against Tampa Bay on Wednesday, a game in which the Sabres scored six unanswered third-period goals. The Sabres had outscored their previous three opponents 20-7, but Buffalo lost 4-1 on Friday night to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Sabres had a three-game win streak snapped and lost ground in the standings, dropping to 10th, a point behind Washington after the Capitals beat Atlanta.
Analysis: Vanek has four goals in the last two games. He had just a pair of markers in the previous 12 games. Vanek is worth using as a high-end Fantasy forward in most leagues for the remainder of the season.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek scored a natural hat trick in less than eight minutes, including the winner with 6:46 remaining, as Buffalo scored six third-period goals in a 7-4 victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night. "It's a good thing they stuck around," Vanek said, referring to the fans after helping the Sabres rally from a 4-1 deficit. "We didn't make it easy for us, but it's good to know we can come back."
Analysis: Vanek had only two goals in his previous 12 games coming into Wednesday's contest, so this hat trick came a bit out of nowhere. He did have a fine February, however, and has the talent to explode for outings like this once in a while. He is worth using as a high-end Fantasy forward in most leagues for the remainder of the season.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek scored a goal and finished at minus-1 during Monday's game against the Rangers. Vanek tied the game 14 minutes into the second period, deflecting in Jason Pominville's shot from the left point. It was his 28th goal and 15th on the power play.
Analysis: Vanek scored for the first time in five games Monday, but he was quite the goal score in February as he lit the lamp 13 times. He was having a very disappointing season up until that point. Vanek is drawing a lot of defensive packages from opposing teams and that has cut into his production. He is still worth using as a high-end Fantasy forward in most leagues because of his explosiveness.
News:Thomas Vanek is just unstoppable right now. Vanek scored his 26th goal on a deflection off Jaroslav Spacek's shot from the blue line and also had two assists on goal by Ales Kotalik and Derek Roy as the Buffalo Sabres won for the 10th time in 14 games by beating the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-1 Thursday night.
Analysis: Vanek has scored in four straight games and in seven of the last eight games. Vanek is on a serious roll right now considering he only managed 13 goals in his first 50 games this season. Even though Vanek is not the same player and does not have the same production he had last season, he has definitely stepped up big time recently to move up to a reliable No. 2 Fantasy forward.
News:Thomas Vanek scored three consecutive goals, including the winner 2:25 into overtime, to rally the Buffalo Sabres to a 4-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night. After scoring two goals 36 seconds apart, tying the score at 3 with 1:45 remaining, Vanek sealed the victory on the power play, after Dan Boyle was penalized for hooking. Jason Pominville started the play from the left point, by feeding Jaroslav Spacek in the right circle. Spacek then immediately sent a pass through the crease to Vanek, who stuffed it inside the left post.
Analysis: It was Vanek's second three-goal game of his career, both coming in the last five games. He also scored three against Ottawa on Feb. 12. That gives Vanek 12 goals -- including four game-winners -- in his past 11 games. Vanek's on a considerable roll, after he managed only 13 goals in his first 50 games this season. Even though Vanek is not the same player and does not have the same production he had last season, he has definitely stepped recently to move up to a reliable No. 3 Fantasy forward.
News:Thomas Vanek's power-play goal spoiled Henrik Lundqvist's shutout bid with 6:58 remaining. It was the only goal the Buffalo Sabres were able to come up with against a good performance by the New York Rangers in Saturday's 5-1 loss.
Analysis: Vanek has seven goals in his last seven games and 21 goals for the season. That's pretty hot for just about any player. Keep him in Fantasy lineups while the hot run lasts. While Vanek is not the same player he was last season, he has stepped it up recently to be as a No. 3 Fantasy forward.
News:Thomas Vanek scored three times for the first time in his NHL career to lead the Buffalo Sabres to a 5-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night. Vanek opened the scoring in the second and added two goals in the third, including his 20th of the season on a 5-on-3 with 3:58 remaining for his first hat trick.
Analysis: Vanek has six goals in his last five games and seven goals in seven games. That's pretty hot for just about any player. Keep him in Fantasy lineups while the hot run lasts. While Vanek is not the same player he was last season, he has stepped it up recently to be as a No. 3 Fantasy forward.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek scored a goal and tallied an assist during Sunday's game against the Panthers. Standing in the slot, Vanek redirected Brian Campbell's shot from the blue line to beat Craig Anderson on the power play at 9:06 of the third period. Vanek now has four goals in his last six games.
Analysis: Vanek has been playing some of his best hockey since Jan. 18 and that date correlates with the return of Derek Roy from a shoulder injury. The two have been paired up on the second line ever since and Vanek has a lot of reasons to be thankful. He has five goals and six assists in 11 games. He is not the same player he was last season, but has re-emerged as a useful No. 3 Fantasy forward.
News:Thomas Vanek scored for the Sabres on Friday who lost for only the second time in seven games (5-0-2). Playing their third game in four night, the Sabres ran out of gas, particularly in the third period, when they were outshot 17-1 by the Bruins en route to a 3-2 shootout loss. Vanek scored with 38 seconds left in the second period, converting Derek Roy's backhand pass into the slot.
Analysis: Vanek tallied his 16th goal this season, but he is nowhere near the 43 goals he had last season. Vanek is playing on a line with Drew Stafford and Derek Roy. Vanek remains just a No. 3 or No. 4 Fantasy forward at this time.
News:Thomas Vanek broke a second-period tie to help the Sabres win for the fourth time in five games during a 4-2 victory Tuesday against the Bruins. Vanek tipped Drew Stafford's pass between Tim Thomas' pads with 5:44 gone in the second period for his 15th goal and second in three games.
Analysis: Vanek scored 43 goals a season ago in 82 games and has managed just 15 through 52 games this season. Yeah, he isn't going to even come close to that total in 2007-08. He does have three goals and five assists in his last eight games. That's largely because he is now playing on a line with Stafford and Derek Roy. Vanek remains just a No. 3 or No. 4 Fantasy forward at this time.
News:Thomas Vanek scored a power-play goal in the first minute of the second period and Ryan Miller stopped 32 shots in the Buffalo Sabres' 1-0 victory over the Florida Panthers on Wednesday. Vanek scored the lone goal 40 seconds into the middle period while Florida's Richard Zednik served a stick-holding penalty called with one second left in the first. Jason Pominville fired a slap shot from the point, and Vanek one-timed the rebound past Vokoun.
Analysis: Buffalo won its second victory in two nights after they went into the All-Star break having lost 12 of 14. Fantasy owners have been waiting all season for the guy who scored 68 goals in the previous two seasons to re-emerge. This might be it, but remains to be seen in the next few games. Vanek can be a No. 1 Fantasy forward, but for now should be treated as a No. 3 forward until he really starts producing. He has taken a step in the right direction.
News: Sabres C Derek Roy has provided a boost recently for Buffalo, having scored five goals and adding two assists in his past four games since returning from a shoulder injury. Roy's return has also helped Thomas Vanek, who has a goal and five assists in his past four games. That's a considerable improvement after Vanek managed three goals and three assists in his previous 17 games. "It's not a numbers game for me," said Vanek, who has 13 goals after scoring a career-high 43 last season. "For us it's about winning hockey games and getting this team back into the playoffs. I think we're in the race, and that's the main focus."
Analysis: Fantasy owners have been waiting all season for the guy who scored 68 goals in the previous two seasons to re-emerge. Teams have started to respect him a little more now that he is the guy in Buffalo and his numbers have suffered. Vanek can be a No. 1 Fantasy forward, but for now should be treated as a No. 3 or No. 4 Fantasy forward until he really starts producing. He has taken a step in the right direction.
News: The line of Derek Roy, Drew Stafford and Thomas Vanek produced when the Sabres struck first -- and fast on Thursday against Dallas. Taking a puck out of the corner in their own end, Roy, Stafford and Thomas Vanek charged the length of the ice for the tiebreaking goal. Vanek took a cross-ice pass and returned the puck to Roy just to the right of the net for a backhanded shot.
Analysis: Vanek has been a pretty big disappointment after totaling 43 goals and 84 points last season and signing a monster contract with the Sabres over the summer. Continue to consider him a No. 4 or No. 5 Fantasy forward for now, but if he continues to see a drop in ice time, you might want to bench him.
News: The Buffalo News reports that Sabres LW Thomas Vanek played only one shift in the last 15 minutes of the Sabres’ 4-2 loss on Saturday to the Toronto Maple Leafs in Air Canada Centre.
Analysis: Vanek has only two goals in the last 12 games and has been a huge disappointment after totaling 43 goals and 84 points last season and signing a monster contract with the Sabres over the summer. Continue to consider him a No. 4 or No. 5 Fantasy forward for now, but if he continues to see a drop in ice time, you might want to bench him.
News: LW Thomas Vanek had his contribution in Buffalo's 10-1 win over Atlanta on Friday with a goal and a pair of assists. Vanek was without a point in four straight games. He has 13 goals and 15 assists for the season.
Analysis: Vanek has been a huge disappointment after totaling 43 goals and 84 points last season and signing a monster contract with the Sabres over the summer. He is just about on track to match his rookie year total of 48 points, but that makes him nothing more than a No. 4 or No. 5 Fantasy forward. That's a far cry from being selected with the 26th pick on average in drafts earlier this year.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek scored his 12th goal of the season Sunday as Buffalo fell 5-2 to the Atlanta Thrashers. Vanek now has three points in his last two games after going without a point in nine of his previous 11 games.
Analysis: Vanek has been a huge disappointment after totaling 43 goals and 84 points last season and signing a monster contract with the Sabres over the summer. He is just about on track to match his rookie year total of 48 points, but that makes him nothing more than a No. 4 or No. 5 Fantasy forward. That's a far cry from being selected with the 26th pick on average in drafts earlier this year.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek tallied two assists and finished at minus-1 during Friday's game against the Senators. It was his first points in five games and his first assists in eight games.
Analysis: Vanek is up to 24 points this season, but his performances continue to be all over the place. He looks nothing like the guy who managed 84 points last season and is nothing more than a No. 4 or No. 5 Fantasy forward at this time.
News: Buffalo's Thomas Vanek said he was just doing his job. Vanek scored with 7.2 seconds left in regulation, Ales Kotalik had the only shootout goal and the Sabres beat the Philadelphia Flyers 6-5 on Saturday to sweep the home-and-home series and extend their season-high winning streak to six games. "I like distracting the goalie," Vanek explained after he redirected Jochen Hecht's shot from the center of the right circle to send the game into overtime. "Jochen had a great shot. I had a good tip on it and it went in. That's my job. I like doing it."
Analysis: Vanek now has two of his 11 goals in his last four games. Vanek is nowhere near the guy who tallied 43 goals last season, but can still be used as a No. 3 Fantasy forward at this time. He should get going eventually.
News:Thomas Vanek had a goal and assist to spoil Patrick Kane's homecoming and help lift Buffalo to a 3-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday. Vanek tied it with his 10th nearly three minutes into the second period on the power play. Standing in the slot, Vanek let go a quick wrist shot after accepting a pass from Derek Roy, who was behind the goal line. He now has three goals in his last six games.
Analysis: Vanek had a very quite November with points in just six games, but is already much better in December with a point in four of eight games. He has a lot of potential, but should be treated as a No. 2 or No. 3 Fantasy forward until he keeps posting points consistently.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek had one goal and finished at plus-1 during Saturday's game against the Sharks. He now has nine goals this season and three in his last four games.
Analysis: Vanek had a very quite November with points in just six games, but is already much better in December with a point in three of four games. He has a lot of potential, but should be treated as a No. 2 or No. 3 Fantasy forward until he keeps posting points consistently.
News:Thomas Vanek's goal-scoring slump came to a timely end. Vanek scored to break a third-period tie to help the Buffalo Sabres beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-2 Friday. With the score tied at 2 and with Buffalo on the power play, Vanek knocked in his own rebound at 11:27 after his original deflection of Nathan Paetsch's shot was stopped by goalie Carey Price. It was his first goal since scoring against Florida on Nov. 2, a span of seven games. "It's nice to finally get rewarded," said Vanek, who had four assists in his two previous games combined. "It was good timing."
Analysis: While he wasn't scoring goals, Vanek did manage four assists in the two previous games leading up to Friday. Vanek has struggled in November and is not really living up to expectations after signing a huge free-agent contract. He has a lot of potential, but should be treated as a No. 2 or No. 3 Fantasy forward until he starts rolling.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek assisted on two goals and finished at plus-1 during Friday's game against the Canadiens. He also spent two minutes in the penalty box for slashing. Vanek was held off the stat sheet in his previous five games.
Analysis: Vanek has struggled in November and is not really living up to expectations after signing a huge free-agent contract. He has a lot of potential, but should be treated as a No. 2 or No. 3 Fantasy forward until he starts rolling.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek ended a four-game points streak at Montreal Monday.
Analysis: Vanek two goals and three assists. He has already played in 13 games this season and has 10 points. He remains a must-start Fantasy option.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek scored a power play goal with 3:23 left in regulation during Friday's 4-2 loss to the Panthers. He has at least one point in five of his last six games. He has two goals and four assists in that span.
Analysis: Vanek has shown his durability in his first two seasons in the NHL, by playing in 80 or more games. He has already played in 12 games this season and has 10 points. He remains a must-start Fantasy option.
News: The Buffalo Sabres got the bounce they needed. Thomas Vanek scored late in overtime and the Sabres rallied for a 4-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday. During a 2-on-1, Vanek tried to pass the puck from along the right-wing boards to teammate Nathan Paetsch in the slot, but the puck deflected off Tampa Bay defenseman Shane O'Brien into the net with 40.5 seconds left. "I was just trying to get down and stop the pass from going across and I stopped it, but it went in," O'Brien said.
Analysis: Vanek also had an assist in the game and finished with a plus-2 rating. Vanek has had some trouble staying on the positive side recently, but still has three goals and five assists in 10 games. Despite the pressure of performing following a big offseason contract, Vanek remains a must-start in all Fantasy leagues.
News: RW Drew Stafford and LW Thomas Vanek had forgettable nights on Wednesday at Carolina. Or make that forgettable third periods. The Sabres were tagged for four third-period goals and Stafford and Vanek each finished the night scoreless with a minus-3 rating.
Analysis: Vanek, who said on Tuesday in the Buffalo News that he feels like he is struggling early on, has just two goals and five points with a minus-1 rating in the first eight games. Despite the pressure of performing following a big offseason contract, Vanek remains a must-start in all Fantasy leagues. The Sabres travel to Florida on Friday.
News: Jason Pominville and Jochen Hecht had a goal and an assist each in Monday's game against the Maple Leafs, and Adam Mair and Thomas Vanek also scored for Buffalo, which won its third straight game.
Analysis: Pominville and Vanek are must-starts in all Fantasy leagues, while Hecht is a decent No. 4 or 5 forward in most formats. Mair should only be used in deeper formats which heavily reward penalty minutes. The Sabres are in action next on Friday against the Blue Jackets.
News: Sabres C Derek Roy, LW Thomas Vanek and RW Drew Stafford each had a goal during Friday's 6-4 loss to the Islanders. They all finished with a plus-1 rating. Roy and Vanek took three shots in the game, while Stafford took one. Vanek was in the penalty box for four minutes and Stafford spent two minutes in the box.
Analysis: Vanek had a breakout sophomore season in 2006-07 with 43 goals and 41 assists. He is off to a great start in 2007-08 and should be starting in all Fantasy formats.
News: Thomas Vanek has known pressure almost as long as he's been lacing up hockey skates. Long before he led Minnesota to an NCAA hockey title as a freshman, was picked by the Sabres in first-round of the 2003 draft, and well before he signed a seven-year, $50 million contract last summer, Vanek felt the burden of expectations. The Austrian might not have been able to express it in English, but he certainly knew what pressure and expectation felt like late in the summer of 1998 when his flight touched down in Calgary, Alberta. That's where it all began for Vanek who, at 14, left his family and friends behind to pursue his childhood dream of one day playing in the NHL.
Analysis: Vanek scored a team-leading 43 goals last season, and he signed an eye-popping contract in July. There will be plenty of pressure on his shoulders this season because Vanek becomes the new face of a Sabres franchise that endured a tumultuous summer. The team botched its attempts to re-sign Chris Drury and Daniel Briere, and wound up losing both co-captains to free agency. "Is it realistic to think he can go from 25 goals to 43 to 70-something? I don't think so," coach Lindy Ruff said. "I need Thomas to play like he's a $900,000 player because it seemed to be pretty good last year." Vanek shone last season, finishing fifth in the NHL in scoring while producing the most goals by a Sabres player since Alexander Mogilny scored 76 and Pat LaFontaine 53 in 1992-93. He should be starting in all Fantasy formats.
News: Thomas Vanek scored his first goal of the preseason on Wednesday at Toronto and he picked up three assists with a plus-3 rating in 13:27 of ice time.
Analysis: Roy and Vanek combined for 10 points (4 G, 6 A) in the 7-2 preseason win at Toronto. Vanek is a must-start in all Fantasy leagues and this type of production is a sign of things to come.
News: The Buffalo News reports Roy is practicing on the team's top scoring line with Maxin Afinogenov and Tomas Vanek.
Analysis: Vanek exploded last season for 43 goals and 84 points in 2006-07 with the Sabres, well eclipsing career-highs of 25 goals and 48 points in his rookie season of 2005-06. He is a must-have in keeper Fantasy leagues and will be a big-time early-round pick on Draft Day 2007-08.
News: Losing Chris Drury and Daniel Briere to free agency was bad enough. The Buffalo Sabres weren't going to let high-scoring youngster Thomas Vanek get away at any price. Without hesitation, the Sabres signed Vanek to a seven-year contract Friday, matching the offer the player received from the Edmonton Oilers. "We matched it for a lot of different reasons," Sabres general manager Darcy Regier said. "One, was to say to everyone in the National Hockey League, 'If you want to shop this way, don't come here."'
Analysis: Vanek exploded last season for 43 goals and 84 points in 2006-07 with the Sabres, well eclipsing career-highs of 25 goals and 48 points in his rookie season of 2005-06. He is a must-have in keeper Fantasy leagues and will be a big-time early-round pick on Draft Day 2007-08.
News: Thomas Vanek scored twice and the Buffalo Sabres matched a franchise record with their 52nd victory, a 4-2 win over the Boston Bruins on Thursday night.
Analysis: Vanek has posted eight goals and 16 points over the past 11 games and his 42 goals and 17 better than his career-high of 25 set last season.
News: Thomas Vanek popped in his 40th goal of the season and added his 39th assist in Tuesday's win at Pittsburgh.
Analysis: Vanek has managed six goals and 14 points over the past 10 games and has improved upon a 25-goal total in his rookie season.
News: Thomas Vanek had two goals and an assist and the Buffalo Sabres erased a three-goal third-period deficit to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-4 on Friday night. Vanek is currently on a five-game points streak, in which he has three goals and six assists.
Analysis: Vanek remains a must-start in all Fantasy leagues and is a tremendous keeper heading into the 2007-08 season in all formats. He has gone from 48 points to 74 in just one season.
News: After a three-game scoreless stretch and five-game goal drought, Thomas Vanek has a modest three-game point streak with a goal and three assists with a plus-5 rating.
Analysis: Vanek remains a must-start in all Fantasy leagues and is a tremendous keeper heading into the 2007-08 season in all formats.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek had two goals and a plus-3 rating in a 8-5 win over the Canadiens Friday. He is currently on a four-game points streak in which he has five goals and three assists.
Analysis: Vanek continues to roll right along this season with 34 goals, 30 assists and a plus-38 rating. He remains a high-end Fantasy forward.
News: LW Jochen Hecht, D Henrik Tallider and LW Thomas Vanek each had an assist and plus-1 rating in Thursday's game against the Oilers. D Dmitri Kalinin also chipped in with an assist and even rating in the overtime win.
Analysis: Vanek has fired up again, posting four goals and an assist during his current four-game points streak. He has emerged as a must-start in most Fantasy formats this season.
News: Thomas Vanek scored twice, including the game-winner with 4 minutes left, to lift the Buffalo Sabres to a 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday night.
Analysis: Vanek has three goals and six points over the past nine games. He remains a must-start in all Fantasy leagues.
News: Jason Pominville and Thomas Vanek eack picked up a goal and assist in Tuesday's game against the Bruins. Pominville finished with a strong plus-3 rating, while Vanek checked in with a plus-1.
Analysis: Vanek has been scoreless in two games since the All-Star break, but there is nothing to worry about. He remains a solid Fantasy option in most formats.
News: Thomas Vanek, who sits in a tie for the team-lead in goals with 24 with Chris Drury, has also managed 25 assists and a team-high plus-26 rating through 49 games at the All-Star break.
Analysis: The Austrian-born Vanek, who was picked fifth overall by the Sabres in 2003, has emerged as a must-start in all Fantasy leagues. He is third in the NHL in plus/minus rating.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek had an assist on Monday to extend his point streak to four games (four goals, two assists).
Analysis: With 22 goals and 20 assists, he is the first Sabre to record at least 20 goals in his first two NHL seasons since Ray Sheppard in 1987-88 and 1988-89. Vanek trails only Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin as the NHL's highest-scoring sophomores this season. Vanek remains a must-start Fantasy option.
News: Ales Kotalik scored on a penalty shot to help the Buffalo Sabres beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1 on Thursday night. Jason Pominville, Chris Drury and Thomas Vanek also scored for the Sabres.
Analysis: Vanek and Drury became the first Sabres players to score 20 goals before January since Dave Andreychuk, Pat LaFontaine and Alexander Mogilny did it in 1992.
News: Thomas Vanek, who has scored eight goals and five assists in his past 10 games, might be getting linemate Derek Roy (hand) back from injury for Friday's game against the Rangers.
Analysis: Not that Vanek needs much help, but he might be able to take it to another level for his Fantasy owners once he and Maxim Afinogenov are reunited with Roy. They were really clicking before Roy's hand injury.
News: LW Thomas Vanek has five goals and two assists in his past five games and 11 goals and nine assists in his past 13 games.
Analysis: Vanek has emerged as a must-start winger in all Fantasy leagues.
News: Thomas Vanek scored a goal and added an assist with a plus-1 rating and a game-high eight shots on goal in 16:37 of ice time in Monday's game at Carolina.
Analysis: Vanek has managed six points (4 G, 2 A) and a plus-3 rating during his current four-game point streak. He has emerged as a must-start in all Fantasy leagues.
News: Thomas Vanek had two goals, including the winner 19 seconds into overtime, and the Buffalo Sabres erased another two-goal deficit to win 5-4 over the Florida Panthers on Friday night. With the Sabres on the power play, Vanek picked up a loose puck in front and slid it past Florida goalie Alex Auld to give Buffalo its second straight win and 13th overall. He finished the game with a plus-1 rating.
Analysis: Vanek now has 10 goals and nine assists on the season. But more impresssive, he has a plus-15 rating. He is on the ice at the right time. He has re-emerged as must-start Fantasy player.
News: Sabres LW Thomas Vanek (wrist) returned to action on Thursday against the Bruins and had two assists. He logged 19:16 of ice time, took three shots and finished with a plus-2 rating.
Analysis: It appears safe to insert Vanek back into your Fantasy lineup. He has seven goals and nine assists on the season. He has re-emerged as must-start Fantasy player.
News: Sabres.com reports Thomas Vanek was unable to practice on Monday, but he was back and able to participate in the full practice on Tuesday. He had been sidelined due to a sore wrist.
Analysis: Head coach Lindy Ruff said he is not at 100 percent, but is expected to play on Thursday at Boston.
News: LW Thomas Vanek has scored six of his seven goals over the past six games, including one against Atlanta on Saturday.
Analysis: Vanek has been ridiculous over the past six games, posting six goals and five assists with a plus-10 rating. Needless to say, he has emerged as a must-start in all Fantasy leagues.
News: Thomas Vanek extended his goals streak to four games in Monday's game at Montreal when he scored into an empty net after stepping out of the penalty box with 19 seconds left in the third period.
Analysis: Vanek has been ridiculous over the past four games, posting five goals and five assists with a plus-10 rating. Needless to say, he has emerged as a must-start in all Fantasy leagues.
News: Maxim Afinogenov scored a goal, added four assists and had a plus-4 rating in Tuesday's game against Philadelphia working on a new third line consisting of Derek Roy and Thomas Vanek. Roy had two goals and a plus-5 rating and Vanek had two goals, two assists and a plus-5 rating in the 9-1 drumming of the Flyers.
Analysis: The trio combined for 11 points (5 G, 6 A), so it is likely that they'll be skating together for at least a few more games. If any of these players are available in your Fantasy league, they should be scooped up immediately.
News: Maxim Afinogenov, Daniel Briere (hip) and Thomas Vanek were all scoreless in Wednesday's regular season opener at Carolina. However, Briere was able to pot the game-winner in the shootout to propel the Sabres past the defending champs.
Analysis: All three forwards are must-starts in most Fantasy leagues. The Sabres will be back on home ice for Friday's game against the Canadiens.
News: Thomas Vanek has posted 18 goals through 56 games, which is good for second on the team behind Ales Kotalik through 48 games at the Olympic Games. He also has 18 assists and 50 penalty minutes.
Analysis: The rookie has emerged as a useful Fantasy option as a No. 4 or 5 in all formats and is an outstanding keeper heading into 2006-07.
News: Thomas Vanek ended a five-game goal drought on Tuesday at N.Y. Rangers, posting one score and three shots on goal in 14:32 of ice time.
Analysis: Vanek has slowed down a little bit, notching just three points (2 G, 1 A) over the past nine games, but he remains a nice option in larger Fantasy leagues.
News: Thomas Vanek had a goal, assist and plus-1 rating in 15:45 of ice time in Monday's game against the Islanders.
Analysis: Vanek has scored a goal in three straight games, the second time he has accomplished that feat this season. He also did it from Dec. 8-14 and he has lit the lamp in six of his past nine starts.
News: Thomas Vanek scored a goal and had three shots on goal in 15:33 of ice time in Thursday's overtime win against the Mighty Ducks.
Analysis: Vanek has been a solid looking rookie this season, posting five goals and 14 assists in 29 games. He is a solid No. 4 or 5 Fantasy forward in leagues of 12 or more teams.
News: Thomas Vanek picked up an assist in 12:52 of ice time in Sunday's game at Colorado.
Analysis: Vanek has five points (1 G, 4 A) over the past 12 games. He has been a solid rookie this season, worthy of starting as a No. 4 or 5 Fantasy wing in leagues of 12 or more teams.
News: Thomas Vanek scored a goal in Sunday's game at Washington in 14:12 of ice time.
Analysis: Vanek had failed to score a goal in each of the past seven games. He remains useful only in larger weekly Fantasy leagues and those which allow keepers.
News: Thomas Vanek scored two goals and an assist in Wednesday's game against the Hurricanes, posting a plus-1 rating with eight shots on goal in 16:11 of ice time.
Analysis: Vanek enjoyed lighting the lamp for the first time in his career at 10:45 of the third period on the power play, that he added another goal three minutes and 28 second later. The rookie now has 12 points (2 G, 10 A) in 15 games.
News: Thomas Vanek picked up an assist on Maxim Afinogenov's score in the third period on Wednesday against the Islanders.
Analysis: It was a pretty solid NHL debut for Vanek, who posted a plus-2 rating.
News: Thomas Vanek has five goals and two assists in four preseason games for the Sabres so far.
Analysis: Vanek is tied for the league-lead in goals during the preseason. He is expected to play on the team's top scoring line in Buffalo and his future is extremely bright.
