Thomas Vanek's season came to an early end as a result of broken and displaced ribs, and his relationship with the Minnesota Wild may be permanently fractured this summer.
Owed $7.5 million next season, Vanek could be bought out by the club, meaning his $6.5 million cap hit would shrink to $1.5 million in 2016-17 and $2.5 million the following year.
It's a scenario Vanek knows could very well play out in the offseason, provided he's medically cleared by June 15 (or two days after the end of the Stanley Cup Final). It's also one he hopes to avoid.
"I signed here not because this is where I live. I signed here because I truly love it here and I want to win here," Vanek said Wednesday, according to Michael Russo of the Star Tribune. "That would be a dream come true.
"I do understand the business side of it. Again, I'm not happy with my year, but at the same time, I truly still believe that I'm a 30-goal scorer in this league. I'll worry about myself, have a good summer and be ready to go."
The business side suggests the Wild would be well served by using that money elsewhere, especially after Vanek recorded only 18 goals and 23 assists in 74 games this past season, his lowest output in years.
Even if he can hit the 30-goal mark - something he hasn't done since 2010-11 - it's a hefty price to pay for one aging player when youth and depth are key to building a winner.
