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With Vanek, Isles surging, questions about future intensify

Thomas Vanek

New York Islanders’ Thomas Vanek (26) skates back toward his bench after scoring during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2014, in New York. The Islanders won the game 5-3. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

AP

The New York Islanders took a risk when they traded away Matt Moulson, a 2014 first-round pick, and a 2015 second-round pick in exchange for Thomas Vanek.

For a while it looked like moving those picks was a mistake as the Islanders floundered near the bottom of the NHL. Lately though, they’ve gotten a ray of hope with a 10-3-0 run. Vanek has been a big part of that. He’s on a six-game point streak, including this gem against the Rangers last night:

If anything though, this complicates the Islanders’ position. Back when they seemed destined to miss the playoffs, the Islanders would have almost certainly traded Vanek by the deadline unless they were absolutely sure they could re-sign him.

They might still end up moving him, but taking the chance of letting him walk as an unrestricted free agent for the sake of having him for their stretch run is starting to look like a viable third option.

For his part, Vanek is very happy in New York, but isn’t ready to make a commitment yet.

“That’s still being discussed in a number of ways,” Vanek’s agent, Stephen Bartlett, told ESPN.com. “They have to make a decision where he fits into their team structure ... and Thomas has to decide whether at this stage of his career if that’s the best spot for him.

“But his decision in the end won’t reflect at all in the fact that he’s found way more positives than negatives about his experience on the Island.”

Bartlett added that he would “completely understand” if the Islanders ultimately decided to trade Vanek.

The Islanders still have eight games left before the NHL suspends its schedule for the Olympics. How they do over that stretch could color Islanders GM Garth Snow’s view has he evaluates the team’s future over the break.

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