To Thomas Vanek's agent - Steve Bartlett - no news is good news.
After the 32-year-old posted the lowest full-season goal total of his career - 18 goals - in his second season with the Minnesota Wild, there are rustlings that Vanek could be a prime candidate for a buyout from his club. However, Bartlett insists general manager Chuck Fletcher has not hinted at such a move, suggesting his client could be in the clear.
"If Chuck knew he was going to buy him out by now, I think I would know by now," Bartlett said, according to Michael Russo of the Star Tribune. "I do think I have a good enough relationship that he'd give me the heads up. Now that doesn't mean that they couldn't decide something different between now and two weeks from now."
The window to buy out player contracts opened on Wednesday and while obviously things could still change, Bartlett is hopeful that with a new head coach at the team's helm - in Bruce Boudreau - Vanek will have the opportunity to redeem himself.
"With a new coach, we'll just have to see how it all shakes out," Bartlett said. "I still think there's a rebound year in Thomas, and I'm hoping they'll give him that opportunity, but I understand in this day and age, you never know. You can never predict."
Vanek has one year remaining on his three-year contract with a cap hit of $6.5 million.
