Thomas Vanek
Hockey
Austria’s most successful hockey player has been a client of e|motion for years. Thomas Vanek, the most successful Austrian hockey professional playing abroad, started his overseas career with Sioux Falls of the American USHL league. To achieve his dreams, he left Austria just 14 years old, went to the USA and finally reached his goal: to play in the NHL, the best hockey league in the world. “If I would have to give a kid advice today it would be three things: ‘Always have a goal.’ I always had one. If you achieve it, well that’s a different matter. Next: ‘Work hard to reach your goal.’ And: ‘Have fun at what you do.’”
The Buffalo Sabres drafted him on 21 June 2003 at No. 5 out of the University of Minnesota. Up to this day, Vanek remains the highest drafted Austrian player of all times. Since then he has collected 789 scoring points (373 goals, 416 assists). In the playoffs he scored 36 points (21 goals, 15 assists).
