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Jacob Strozyk, Contributor – Buffalo Sabres Forward Thomas Vanek
My favorite Buffalo Sabre of all time has to be Thomas Vanek. From the time that I started watching hockey in 2006, he had an immediate impact on how I watched hockey. I’ll admit that I loved the fact that he was scoring goals in 2007, so I clung to him as a vision of a great player. He had everything that the Sabres needed, speed, skill, and pure goal scoring talent.
For the next couple of years he would consistently lead the Sabres in goals and be relied on for his power play speciality. The amount of excitement that came about from seeing Vanek make his way towards the from of the net for tip in goals, or powering down the right wing and blasting a slap shot top far corner on the goaltenders, or ghosting his way around the play to score against unsuspecting defenses.
Eyes On Isles
I’m not sure if it was because he was on the Buffalo Sabres that he never really got covered like a super star, but he had the scoring ability and pure talent to make opposing defenses shutter. He always hovered around like a ghost and was able to impose his scoring will. It was his attitude and will to win that I always admired in him, and the goals scored as well didn’t hurt how much I liked him.
I was devastated when he was traded to the Islanders, but I knew that he needed to move on from where the Buffalo Sabres were headed. Now he is playing for the Wild and is once again in the playoff hunt. I wish him well and will continue to love what he brings to the game.
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