Former Gopher Thomas Vanek turns down $50 million offer from Islanders

[BleedGopher]

per the PiPress:

Newsday reported Monday that former University of Minnesota star Thomas Vanek turned down a long-term contract extension with the New York Islanders for seven years and $50 million.

While the Wild are unlikely to trade for Vanek during the season because of the steep price likely needed for the free-agent-to-be, they are very much in the mix of teams he could sign with this summer.

He lives at his home in the Twin Cities during the offseason.

http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_25053923/former-gopher-thomas-vanek-turns-down-islanders-50

Go Gophers!!

 

[PartoPitinosPosse]

I might be a total homer in in this way, but kind of like how Molitor and Winfield went for less cash to play for the Twins and Puckett stayed in Minnesota while he could have gone elsewhere to make more, I think the Wild would be smart to try to do the same thing and get some of our favorite former Gophers onto the Wild Roster, especially if we can get them to take less cash in the process!!! I think a few Gopher fans might go to a Wild game where they otherwise wouldn't, or would at least might watch some of their games on TV when the Gophers aren't playing of course. I'd start watching the NHL during the week and even on the weekends as long as the Gophers weren't playing if there were more than 1 or 2 former Gophers on the team. And its not like we'd have to lower our standards either.

I am not so convinced we should draft a lot of Gophers, unless its a no-brainer because they don't always pan out. But once they've already established themselves as formidable players at the NHL level and with the draw of being able to go back home, where they might even have a home, like Vanek does, like I said, they could possibly get them for less money as well.

Could be the best or only way for the Wild to get the edge they need to challenge for a Stanley Cup?!



And in an indirect way, it could help the Gophers recruiting as well, in the long term?

 

[pointman99]

The Wild know what they're doing here. They picked up his favorite linemate last off season(Pominville) to set this up.