With the Olympic roster freeze right around the corner and followed shortly thereafter by the NHL trade deadline on March 5, the New York Islanders are reportedly looking to trade Thomas Vanek, who turned down a lucrative extension from the team.
According to NHL.com, Vanek turned down a highly-priced contract offer from the Islanders that would have kept the unrestricted free agent-to-be on Long Island for several years, and the team is now looking to move the forward before the deadline.
According to Newsday, Vanek turned down an offer that was similar to the seven-year $50 million deal he signed with the last Buffalo Sabres. Vanek was acquired this year in exchange for Matt Moulson, a 2014 first-round pick and a 2015 second-round pick earlier this season.
Vanek, 30, has 15 goals and 23 assists for 38 points with the Islanders this season and a total of 19 tallies and 28 helpers for 47 points through 54 games split between the Sabres and the Islanders.
According to NHL.com, Vanek's agent Steve Bartlett said that he and Islanders general manager Garth Snow haven't spoken in several days. Bartlett added that Vanek had not told the Islanders that he would not sign an extension before hitting free agency in July.
"I understand we're getting close to the time where Garth may feel he needs to act," Bartlett told Newsday.
Vanek, a native of Austria, was selected fifth overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft and spent his whole career with the Sabres before being moved to the Islanders. In his career, he's appeared in 639 games while notching 269 goals, 266 assists and 535 points.
The Islanders are currently 21-28-8 and sit in last place in the Metropolitan Division.
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