‘Mr. Trade Deadline’ has a no-trade clause
His agent, Steve Bartlett, jokingly calls him “Mr. Trade Deadline,” but Thomas Vanek has earned the moniker. He has been moved three times at the deadline — in 2014, 2017 and 2018 — and has been the subject of rumors in every year he hasn’t.
His annual availability has become a running gag for NHL fans — and one that reached its apex when the Detroit Red Wings handed out a no-trade clause to a player who has been on nine different teams in the past six seasons, including this current second tour of duty with the Wings.
But there’s plenty we don’t see when the 35-year-old Austrian winger’s name crosses the transaction wire. He has a wife, Ashley, and three children — 11-year-old Blake and twin 8-year-olds named Luka and Cade — who have been through all of these trades and signings.
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“Anyone that has a family, it’s affected by it. The last couple of years, Thomas, at his age, has made the conscious decision not to have his family join him in Vancouver or in Detroit, mostly because the kids were at an age where they were involved in their own stuff,” said Bartlett, who explained that Vanek’s family resides in a suburb of Minneapolis. “These players’ wives should get a congressional medal of honor, because they’re left behind to deal with all this stuff while the player has to be on his new team in 48 hours.”
Then there are the changes for Vanek himself: entering a strange locker room for the first time, attempting to find chemistry with new teammates, learning systems, finding a place to live and, above all else, trying to help a contender’s push for the playoffs rather than be the dreaded “deadline bust.”
We spoke with Vanek recently about all of the deadline drama in his career and about being “Mr. Trade Deadline” with a no-trade clause.
ESPN: Do you have trade-deadline anxiety at all?
Thomas Vanek: [Laughs] Not anymore!
ESPN: Ha, that’s right. Thank you, Red Wings GM Kenny Holland. But in the past, before the trade protection, were you ever worried?
Vanek: No, that’s not in my nature. That’s not how I am. And I usually have some idea that I’m moving; I just don’t know where. This year, I have that no-move [clause], so that’s the nice part about it. You do have some say, some control. The other times I did not. That’s kind of tough. You know it’s coming, but you don’t know when. And then you have to find out from somebody on Twitter or something before someone tells you.
ESPN: Are you fascinated by that? Here you are, waiting to be traded, and so many people find out before you?
Vanek: You can’t blame the GMs, because they have to take time to file the paperwork. Usually, someone in the media gets the scoop, and all of a sudden you find out through Twitter or a buddy texting you that you’ve been traded, and you’re sitting in your hotel room finding out that you’re now playing for Columbus.
That’s one of the only tough things, you know? There has to be some kind of different system where the player and the family get to find out before [the media]. Does it change things? No, it doesn’t change things. But at the end, it is what it is.
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ESPN: On trade deadline day, you’re not glued to the TV watching the news?
Vanek: On the first one I did, when I went from the Islanders to Montreal. It was my first deadline deal, and I knew I was getting traded. I found out through the media online first, so I figured it doesn’t matter if I watch. I usually get a text from a buddy or a media person to let me know anyway. I’ll follow it, because I love hockey. But overall, I’m not refreshing Twitter.
ESPN: It sounds like the trade protection from Detroit is much more about having the ability to figure out where you’re headed next rather than vetoing any deal.
Vanek: Sure, 100 percent. At the same time, the reason I came back to Detroit is because I think this team has a good future. I wanted to be part of it. But if they approach me and say they wanted to do this or that … Kenny [Holland] is a great person. One of the best. He’ll talk to me and be open-minded. Hopefully, it doesn’t have to come up, but if it does, I’m sure Kenny will be very professional and keep me in the loop.
ESPN: Have you found that most general managers are straightforward and upfront about this stuff with you?
Vanek: Everyone’s different, but for the most part, I’ve had good experiences. They all have their reasons. A couple of trades were my own fault because I didn’t sign an extension, but that’s the business side of it.
ESPN: You decided not to have your family move with you when you’re with a new team. What was behind that decision?
Vanek: It’s the hard part. I’ve been traded three times now at the deadline, but it’s never fun. At least for me, you go in to every new season with the intention of having a good year, making the playoffs and staying with that team. And sometimes that doesn’t work out that way. There’s always the reality of the business side, and that’s getting traded. I’ve been through that a few times now, and it’s hard.
It’s happened to me three times. The first time, I was traded earlier in the year, to the Islanders, and then in the same year to Montreal. It’s tough, especially when you have kids. Mine are older, so it makes it hard to move them all around and have then switching schools, and all that stuff that comes along with it. They’ve got their hockey and soccer and baseball. They’ve got their school buddies. So, it certainly gets harder.
ESPN: Does your family keep up with trade rumors?
Vanek: My kids aren’t at the point where they listen to trade rumors. But after I was traded the first time, and then traded again a few months later, I think they realized that was a possibility — especially later in my career, and having a one-year deal and stuff like that. So they know it’s a possibility, but I’m not sure they really care. They have closets full of different jerseys [laughs]. They’re happy about that part of it.
ESPN: When a trade does happen, what’s the conversation with your family like? Is it a rough one?
Vanek: No, no … for my wife, she’s used to it by now. She understands the business. It’s not always fun, but at the same time, I’m very fortunate. You can’t complain about it. Again, it’s not always fun, but I think they get it.
ESPN: What about for you personally?
Vanek: The type of person I am, to be honest, I’m pretty outgoing. So I have fun with it. I love playing the game. I love meeting new players. I know so many guys now having played on different teams. I’ve always adapted quite well. It’s not always fun packing up and finding a place to live quickly again and getting comfortable and getting to know your teammates and the systems they play. But I’ve always done pretty well fitting in with the new team and the new guys. Finding a niche there.
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ESPN: This seems like an underrated player skill. For all of your experience as a player, you’ve got experience going into new rooms, too.
Vanek: Yeah. Again, it’s a very hard thing. The guys in hockey are really welcoming, but at the end of the day, they got you there to play hockey. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t. It’s so hard in such a short period of time to find chemistry. For me, I just want to get in the room and find chemistry with the guys off the ice. On the ice, I feel like having been through several teams now, I’m getting better at it — especially last year in Columbus. They’re such a good team. As a new guy, you never want to come in and disrupt things, you know?
So, what I’ve learned in the past is not to wait for it. To watch everyone when you get there. To know where you might fit in. To know what every single player does well. And to think about what I could do to help make them better and how they can help. But it’s very hard. It’s such a quick turnaround to find chemistry with new teammates.
ESPN: You mentioned earlier about being fortunate. At the end of the day, you’re a player that other teams want. Do you take any pride in that?
Vanek: Well, for sure. Maybe if you’re a young kid and you’re getting dealt, it’s probably a little harder. You can look at it like there’s a better opportunity, maybe, but there’s still a little “Why me?” For a player my age, it’s a good thing. It means that I’ve been doing something right.
ESPN: Was there one team where you were bummed that it didn’t stick?
Vanek: Florida. That was the one where it was a great group of guys and I fit in, but it never really clicked for me on the ice. Sometimes it goes that way; sometimes it doesn’t. That’s the one where you’re like, “I wish I could have done more.” Montreal, too, was a tough fit and a tough market. But I really enjoyed that run with the Canadiens, because we went so far when Carey [Price] got hurt.
They’re all unique experiences. I’ve made so many friends over the years, getting traded. They’re never easy, but I’ve enjoyed all of them.
ESPN: Finally, do you expect to be traded this year?
Vanek: It’s tough. We’re three weeks away. We’ve been playing some unbelievable hockey, but the results haven’t shown yet. You look back at our last 15-some games, and we should have won 12 of them. But it doesn’t work that way. You have to win them. But hopefully, we put some wins together, and then no one gets traded.