Vanek: Playoffs Biggest Loser?

1) Few players in our opinion, with the possible exception of Ryan Miller,
 http://newfaux.blogspot.com/2014/04/millers-stock-plummets.html  will lose more in these playoffs than Montreal's Thomas Vanek. The soon-to-be UFA was in the eyes of many one of the premiere available forwards in his summer's free agent class. Many, apparently including Vanek/his agent themselves figured they would get multiple offers near the max dollar and term (7 years). Why else then would Vanek have turned down the Isles reportedly generous contract offer of about 7 years 50 million if he didn't think he could get more this summer?

2) With his near disappearance when his team needed him most this spring, coupled with his disastrous Olympics, we believe that many GM's will think twice before offering the Austrian what he theretofore was almost guaranteed; a 50+ million dollar pay day this summer.  It was rumoured that Canadiens head coach Michel Therrian  was thinking of scratching the veteran winger, or at the very least demoting him to 4th line status.  In the end he had little choice but to play and hope that somehow Vanek would snap out of it, and produce something. He didn't, and now both Vanek and his agent must be wondering how much they may have lost out on.

3) Our sources on LI tell us the Isles have no intention of reaching out to Vanek once he is free to talk with other teams on July 1.  "That boat has sailed", is how we were told. Snow is still smarting on the trades (Buffalo and Montereal) to go down that road once again.  " I'd doubt they would even want him at 1/2 the original offer" is what one Eastern Conference asst GM told Fauxrumors this morning.  Its not so much bad blood as it is old news and time to move on.  As for possible destinations, the persistent team that pops up are the Wild, but even they are now re-thinking their potential offers.  A reliable players agent we talked with said he figured Vanek will still get a good contract but "he can forget about max term" and settle for 3-4 years at about 6 or so mil. If that  pans out Vanek would have potentially cost himself 25 million dollars. This would probably make Vanek: The playoffs biggest loser!