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Habs Make Vanek Sized Splash at Deadline

Photo of Josh Beneteau Josh Beneteau Follow on X March 5, 2014
1 2 minutes read
Thomas Vanek became the newest Montreal Canadien Wednesday and he is expected to make an immediate impact. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)

The Montreal Canadiens got some much needed size and scoring on deadline day when they acquired Thomas Vanek from the New York Islanders. The Habs sent a conditional-second round pick and prospect forward Sebastian Collberg to the Islanders and received a conditional 5th with Vanek. The condition on both picks is the Habs making the playoffs, if they don’t neither pick will be traded.

“I’m excited,” Vanek told TSN’s James Duthie. “I played a lot there with Buffalo, it’s an electric city with great fans so I’m excited to join them.”

The trade was announced right at the 3:00 deadline and for a while it looked like Vanek wasn’t going to go anywhere. It is unclear how long the trade negotiation was but it is a safe assumption Montreal was not the only team asking about Vanek. And like most players these days, Vanek says he learned about the trade watching TSN.

Duthie asked anek if he had any teams in mind when he knew he could be traded.

“I didn’t really have a radar,” He replied. “You try to stay away from Twitter until you own from your own GM or the opposite GM.”

With 53 points, Vanek has an 11 point lead on the Habs scoring race. His 21 goals and 187 shots will bring some much needed offence to a team in the bottom third in the league in scoring.

But Vanek also brings some much needed size and strength. At 6’0 and 217, Vanek will be one of the bigger forwards on the team. Between him and Max Pacioretty on the wings, they now have two big power forwards who can score. For the rest of the season anyways, Montreal has a solid group of forwards that can score.

Vanek originally told the Islanders that he plans to test free agency and while he still sees set on that. But when asked by Duthie, Vanek said anything can happen, including resigning with Montreal.”

“I’m not sure. My mine is just racing,” He said. “I just got done talking to my wife and letting her know but you can never say never.”

Habs fans seemed pretty excited about the trade on Twitter.

 

 

 

 

Montreal made two other small trades before the deadline. Earlier on Wednesday, the team acquired goaltender Devan Dubnyk from the Nashville Predators for future considerations. Dubnyk was assigned to the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL. On Tuesday, they picked up defenceman Mike Weaver from the Florida Panthers for a fifth round pick. Weaver is a defensive first player who blocks shots and doesn’t put up a lot of points.

Josh Beneteau

Josh Beneteau

Hockey has always been a passion of mine and once I realized I would never make it as a player, I still wanted a career in the sport. With my writing, I get to be a part of the sport I love, safely in front of a laptop screen. I am currently studying journalism at Ryerson University in Toronto and I hope my degree and my many writing experiences lead to a successful career in the field.
Photo of Josh Beneteau Josh Beneteau Follow on X March 5, 2014
1 2 minutes read
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