Thomas Vanek is doing his best to make up for the loss of teammate Zach Parise, even though the Minnesota Wild veteran forward knows the burden doesn't fall squarely on his shoulders.
Vanek has collected four goals and two assists during the seven-game absence of Parise, who is inching his way back from a knee injury.
"Like I said the minute he went out, you don't replace a player like him," Vanek told the Pioneer Press after Saturday's 4-0 win over the Central Division-rival Nashville Predators. "But at the same time, I think we're deep enough so it doesn't put any pressure on me. Whether he's in or out, I'm still going to play my game and make plays."
Vanek has a team-high eight goals and as many assists in 19 games this season. The 31-year-old Austrian is well above pace of his production in 2014-15, when he scored 21 goals and set up 31 others in 80 contests.
The fifth overall pick of the 2003 draft, Vanek has recorded 306 goals, 318 assists in 762 career games with the Sabres, New York Islanders, Montreal Canadiens and Wild.
In the #MNWild's seven games without Zach Parise, Thomas Vanek has six points and four goals.
— Chad Graff (@ChadGraff) November 22, 2015
