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Vanek wants to stay in Buffalo - unless there’s a lengthy rebuild

Buffalo Sabres v Toronto Maple Leafs

TORONTO, CANADA - JANUARY 21: Thomas Vanek #26 of the Buffalo Sabres shoots during warmup before NHL action at the Air Canada Centre January 21, 2013 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Abelimages/Getty Images)

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It sounds like Thomas Vanek wants to stick with the Buffalo Sabres ... sort of.

He hinted that he doesn’t want to leave to the Buffalo News, even if it’s a short rebuild, but that would change if the reboot takes longer than a season.

“I would definitely like to stay,” Vanek said. “I like this area. I’m comfortable where I’m at, but I would like to know what the direction is. The next four days I can’t control, then after that we’ll see what Darcy and [owner] Terry [Pegula] and them have to stay.

“I’m sure nobody likes to call their team a rebuilding team, but if that’s the phase, if it’s one year that’s OK, but if it’s a two-, three-year plan again, you would probably look the other direction.”

Vanek, 29, explains that it all comes down to what type of reboot they’re expecting.

“To me, there’s different types of rebuild,” Vanek said. “There’s rebuilds like the Penguins and the Oilers did, consistently draft in the top five, or you go and get good players through trades, free agency and rebuild your team quicker in the summer.

“Rebuild is not a bad word, it’s just which direction you choose to go.”

So, in summation: rebuild is not a bad word, but “long rebuild” are two bad ones.