Fragen » Bonifacios infield load, Hahn said that Viciedo became exp

There were rumours throughout the NHL season that the Minnesota Wild would be a free agent destination for a particular top goal-scoring winger and, when free agency opened, they got their man. Numbers Game looks at the Wild signing Thomas Vanek. The Wild Get: LW Thomas Vanek. Vanek, 30, has been one of the most prolific goal-scorers in the game. Since 2006-2007, his 252 goals ranks fourth, behind Alex Ovechkin, Jarome Iginla and Ilya Kovalchuk. Vanek is a four-time 30-goal scorer who has scored at least 20 goals in each of the last nine seasons. Only Ovechkin and Rick Nash have managed that same feat. So, with that goal-scoring resume, Vanek should have been incredibly appealing as a free agent, but there was the small matter of his slump in the playoffs that left a sour taste for some. Vanek had eight points in 10 games, through Game Six of the Boston series, but fell flat after that, managing two assists and a total of eight shots on goal in the next seven games. He played under 15 minutes in each of his last eight playoff games. For a season in which he played a career-high 19:21 per game, with the Sabres, Islanders and Canadiens, that role reduction made it clear that Vanek would be moving on from Montreal. This following a season during which he scored 15 points in 18 games with the Habs, giving him 68 points in 78 games while moving around the Eastern Conference. Which brings us to Minnesota, which had been linked to Vanek pretty much from the get-go of his contract year. Vanek played college hockey at the University of Minnesota. His wife is from Minnesota. The Wild would have Dany Heatleys $7.5-million cap hit coming off the books. Former Sabres teammate Jason Pominville was playing well for Minnesota. It was all lining up for Vanek with the Wild. Ultimately, nothing really changed that. Maybe a great playoff would have given Vanek more leverage on the open market, but he didnt sign a break-the-bank deal, inking for $19.5-million over three years. The $6.5-million annual cap hit is actually less than Vaneks previous contract, but when a player has a preferred destination, and particularly when he has earned a boatload of money in his career already (more than $57-million in his career, according to Cap Geek), there is an opportunity for a team to get him for less than the top price on the market. That Vanek was willing to accept a three-year term is a clear indication that Minnesota was his preferred location. When it comes to his game, Vanek doesnt use his size (6-foot-2, 205 pounds) very effectively, aside from when hes in front of the net, where he positions well for tip-ins, deflections, screens, etc. Throughout his career, Vanek hasnt been much of a puck possession player, varying up and down a little bit in relative terms from year to year, but Vanek has always been a high-percentage finisher in his own right and consistently had high on-ice shooting percentages (which includes others on the ice with him in 5-oin-5 play), so hes going to bring offence to Minnesota. Depending on how the Wild want their lines to shake out, Vanek should have either Mikael Granlund or Mikko Koivu -- two pass-first playmaking centres -- setting the table for him and if Vanek is getting opportunties -- he had a career-high 3.18 shots on goal per game last season -- take 25 goals to the bank, with 30 or 35 possible at the top end. This is a nice upgrade for the Wild, who made some noise in the playoffs and have added a premier goal-scorer to their mix and have done so without spending too much in order to get him. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. Adrian Beltre Jersey . The 36-year-old said a few months ago he would hang up his boots at the end of the season, but has since changed his mind. "Its a pity the season is ending now, as I am in good physical shape and enjoying myself," Di Natale said. Rougned Odor Jersey . The three Calgary natives will compete after the sport was skipped by the Vancouver Games in 2010 but later included on the program for Sochi, Russia. 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Whitney, 30, had four goals and 13 points in 34 games with the Oilers last season.CHICAGO - The White Sox were looking to add versatility to their lineup, so they decided to bring back infielder Gordon Beckham after trading him last season.Beckham agreed to a $2 million, one-year contract with Chicago, which cleared a roster spot by designating outfielder Dayan Viciedo for assignment on Wednesday.General manager Rick Hahn wanted to give manager Robin Ventura more options.It certainly was very important for us, Hahn said, to find a way to provide more flexibility in the lineups for Robin so that he has the ability to play matchups more easily — defensive substitutions, offensive matchups, left-right matchups when appropriate. Signing Gordon is another step in that direction.Beckham has spent almost all of his six big league seasons with the White Sox, who traded him to the Los Angeles Angels on Aug. 21. He made $4,175,000 last season, when he hit .226, and Los Angeles declined to offer him a contract by the Dec. 2 deadline, making him a free agent.He said he is excited to return to the White Sox, particularly with the team poised to contend in the AL Central after back-to-back losing seasons. Chicago added pop to its lineup by signing Adam LaRoche and bolstered its rotation by trading for right-hander Jeff Samardzija. The White Sox also brought in closer David Robertson and outfielder Melky Cabrera, along with reliever Zach Duke.The moves have definitely been eye-opening, Beckham said. Theres definitely a willingness to win. I think its going to be a good team. Its going to be fun to win. I was really keen on the fact of coming back and winning in Chicago. That was important to me.Beckham also said he is in a better place mentally than he was when the White Sox traded him.dddddddddddd.Getting away was good for me just in general. (I) needed some time not only to reboot but also to work on my game, he said.Drafted with the eighth pick overall by Chicago in 2008, Beckham is a career .245 hitter. He owns the second- and third-highest single-season fielding percentages by a White Sox second baseman (.9899 in 2012 and .9889 in 2011). But with Micah Johnson and Carlos Sanchez expected to compete for the second base job, Hahn envisions Beckham filling in there as well as at third and shortstop.If either Micah or Carlos locks down second base, then Gordon has the ability to take some of the pressure off of them occasionally at second as well as fill in perhaps at third base for Conor (Gillaspie) against some lefties as well as take some of the load off of Alexei (Ramirez at shortstop).Emilio Bonifacio can also back up at second and third and play all three outfield spots. With Beckhams arrival lightening Bonifacios infield load, Hahn said that Viciedo became expendable, and the White Sox will try to flesh out any interest in him. Chicago has 10 days to trade Viciedo, send him outright to the minor leagues or place him on release waivers.Hes still young and he still has a world of talent and a great deal of power that weve all seen on display over a number of years, Hahn said. Its not going to surprise any of us in the least if he goes on to have a very successful career elsewhere.The 25-year-old Viciedo hit .231 with 21 homers and 58 RBIs in 2014. He agreed Jan. 12 to a $4.4 million, one-year contract, and Chicago would be responsible for $721,311 in termination pay if hes released. 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