Amid a miserable weekend (and month, really) for the New York Islanders, Thomas Vanek’s three-point output might have to do as a bright spot.
The 30-year-old trade target scored the first two goals in Sunday’s game against the Florida Panthers and added a primary assist on a Ryan Strome tally, but it wasn’t enough. The Panthers rattled off four unanswered goals to win 5-3 on Sunday.
This comes after the New Jersey Devils trounced the Islanders 6-1 on Saturday ... and big picture-wise, after the Islanders lost John Tavares to a season-ending injury. (Hey, at least someone else is paying his salary for a while, though.)
Indeed, things have been rough lately, so focusing on the future might be wisest. In that regard, Vanek does indeed bring trade value; this three-game output gives him six points in his last five contests.