ST. Nike Air Max Nederland Bestellen . PAUL, Minn. - Thomas Vanek had Minnesota high on his list from the start. Hes not the first NHL free agent to do so, and the way the Wild have been progressing he probably wont be the last. Vanek agreed Tuesday to a three-year, $19.5 million contract, giving an improving lineup a potentially prolific scorer and allowing the Austrian-born left wing to settle in an area he has made his home since college. Two summers ago, the Wild turned heads by landing left wing Zach Parise and defenceman Ryan Suter. Now theyve added another top-market free agent in Vanek, whose 277 goals are the eighth-most in the NHL since his debut nine years ago. "What intrigued me the most was obviously with Zach signing here and Suter signing here, this team is getting really good and is very good," Vanek said, adding: "Im extremely thrilled to be a part of the Wild and of a group like this." According to a person with knowledge of the contract who spoke to on condition of anonymity because the team did not announce the value, Vanek will make $5.5 million this season, $6.5 million in 2014-15 and $7.5 million in 2015-16. Vanek lives with his family in Stillwater, an idyllic riverfront suburb a few miles from Xcel Energy Center. He played two seasons at the University of Minnesota before turning pro with Buffalo and called winning the national championship with the Gophers the "best thing" hes done in his hockey career. "To be a part of the Wild now and go after the big prize and having a chance to do it in Minnesota is beyond my wildest dreams," Vanek said. Vanek was the fifth overall pick by the Sabres in 2003. He had two 40-goal seasons for them, but last fall he was traded to the New York Islanders, who later dealt him to Montreal. He totalled 27 goals over 78 games with the three teams. In the playoffs with the Canadiens, he had five goals and five assists in 17 games. Vaneks production slipped at times this season, and he was even benched briefly during the post-season, but the Wild werent deterred. "It certainly wasnt my best one I can tell you that. But Ill take the blame for that," Vanek said. "Its not always easy moving around and being away from my family." Vanek will play on either the first or second line, with some combination of Parise, Jason Pominville, Charlie Coyle, Mikko Koivu and Mikael Granlund likely filling the other top five forward spots. Vaneks 113 power-play goals since his 2005-06 rookie season are the third-most in the NHL in that span. The 6-foot-2, 217-pound Vanek has the type of finishing ability around the net the Wild have lacked. "Theres no question that we do have some skill, but we dont score goals easily," coach Mike Yeo said. Vanek turned down seven-year offers, including from the Islanders. When Pominville was traded to the Wild last year, Vanek was the one who encouraged his long-time Sabres teammate. "He loved Buffalo a lot, which I did too," Vanek said. "But I told him, Youll like it there. Theres a lot of good fans. And after a week or so, he called me and said, You know what? Youre right. I do like it here a lot." Unlike in the other major pro sports, Minnesota can be a destination market in the NHL because of its hockey roots. The addition of Parise and Suter and the Wilds advancement to the Western Conference semifinals this spring were further steps toward NHL prominence. "People recognize the talent that you have. So were getting better. Were in a good place," general manager Chuck Fletcher said. Defenceman Clayton Stoner (Anaheim), left wing Matt Moulson (Buffalo) and centre Cody McCormick (Buffalo) departed the Wild as unrestricted free agents. Others in that category not expected back are left wing Dany Heatley and goalie Ilya Bryzgalov. Defenceman Nate Prosser could return for the right price. The Wild also signed defenceman Stu Bickel (one year) and centre Brett Sutter (two years) to two-way contracts, adding depth with players wholl likely bounce between AHL affiliate Iowa and the parent club. The 27-year-old Sutter, the son of Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles coach Darryl Sutter, has played in 54 career NHL games with Calgary and Carolina. Bickel, a native of Chanhassen who played one season for the Gophers, played in 67 games for the New York Rangers over a two-year span. He spent last season in the AHL. ___ AP Sports Writer John Wawrow in Buffalo, New York, contributed to this report. Nike Air Max Sale Nederland ." Those traits were clear to the 24,071 at Olympic Stadium on Saturday as the Impact dominated the scoring chances but settled for a 2-2 draw with the New York Red Bulls in a battle of still-winless Major League Soccer teams. Air Max 1 Sale Nederland .C. -- The Bobcats announced theyve signed centre Justin Hamilton to a 10-day contract. http://www.airmaxkopennederland.com/ . At least 90 players who had college eligibility remaining are expected to enter the draft, shattering last years record number of 73. "Its a humongous number, so the first reaction is it makes you step back a little bit," said NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah, a former scout with the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles.The 2014 FIFA World Cup draw took place in Brazil on Friday, as the 32 qualified teams were drawn into eight groups of four. Some quick thoughts on what it means for the tournament next summer: 1. Brazil were favourites going into the draw - and they still are As host nation, Brazil did not need to qualify for the World Cup. That is sometimes regarded as a disadvantage, as the host nation does not play any competitive games leading up to the tournament, and instead relies on a series of friendly games for their preparation. I dont believe that this will affect Brazil one bit. They have been impressive in 2013, winning their last six exhibition games by a cumulative score of 20-2. They comprehensively won the Confederations Cup in the summer, defeating reigning world and European champions, Spain 3-0 in the final. In total, Brazil lost just two of their 19 games played in 2013; a 2-1 loss to England to start the year, and a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Switzerland in August. They have a wealth of talent to choose from, with players like Ramires, Oscar, Paulinho, Thiago Silva and Hulk all likely to be relied upon. But the player that everyone is looking at to steal the show in Brazil next summer is Neymar, the 21-year old superstar who was voted the best player at this years Confederations Cup. Next summers World Cup could be his tournament to decide. 2. South American teams will dominate This is the fifth time the World Cup will be played in South America. The previous four tournaments have all been won by South American nations. Uruguay lifted the first World Cup in 1930, then again in 1950; Brazil claimed victory in 1962, and Argentina took home the trophy in 1978. There is plenty of evidence to support the idea that this trend will continue. The qualification process in CONMEBOL is an arduous one; 16 games played over a two-year period ensures that only the best teams reach the finals. The experience gained by those nations - getting used to the climate, conditions, travel and logistics - is invaluable, not to mention the competitiveness of the qualifying games themselves. Do not underestimate the effects of the weather conditions and travel distances, either. It will be very hot and humid in some of the Brazilian venues, something that the northern European countries do not prefer. The midday kickoff times for many games will simply add to their discomfort. And the travel between venues as teams progress in the tournament just adds another obstacle for teams to overcome. 3. England is not a legitimate contender This might seem like common sense to anyone who follows the world game, but it is worth repeating every four years. England will not win the World Cup - and they wont even come close. Regardless of the players selected and regardless of the form of the team heading into the tournament, there is always an unrealistic expectation from England fans that this could be the year that England will claim its first World Cup victory since 1966. Well, it isnt going to happen. In fact, England will do well to get out of their group. Drawn in Group D with Uruguay, Costa Rica and Italy, it is not an unreasonable scenario to see England going home after the group stage. Uruguay boast two of the best strikers in the worlld in Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, and despite having to qualify through the playoffs, they will be favourites to win the group. Nike Air Max Nederland. Italy will be a difficult opponent for England, who lack the individual creativity to break down the Italians traditional strong defensive unit. In Mario Balotelli and Giuseppe Rossi, the Italians have offensive talents that will be difficult for England to contain, so I make the Italians favourites to pip England and reach the knockout stage. 4. Group of Death is a tired cliché Every four years, fans and pundits alike revel in discussing which is the Group of Death, the most difficult from which to reach the knockout stage. Do we really need to do this? Every group is difficult. Every team has its own unique strengths and weaknesses. Even minnows like Iran and Algeria will not simply roll over and accept defeat at the hands of their more illustrious opponents (remember New Zealand in 2010?) The coaching staff of each team, regardless of their relative strengths or weaknesses, will meticulously prepare their teams to ensure that they are capable of achieving their objective in each game. That being said, there are some interesting matchups. Many people were quick to point out the strength of Group G, with Germany, Portugal, Ghana and the United States, but for me, Group B is far more interesting. Defending world and European champions Spain are the seeded team, with the Netherlands, Chile and Australia rounding out the group. Do not be surprised to see Chile finish ahead of the Netherlands. Alexis Sanchez is a fabulous attacking talent, and Arturo Vidal is one of the most complete box-to-box midfielders in the world. The Chile vs Netherlands game will decide which of the two nations accompanies Spain into the knockout stage. 5. Winners and losers There are always teams that come out of the draw with a figurative smile on their face, while others are left to curse their bad luck. Here are the winners: Brazil - Group A shouldnt pose a problem for the favourites, and they will cruise through in first place. Argentina - The seeded team in Group F will face Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iran and Nigeria. Again, expect comfortable passage to the knockout phase. Belgium - Many people see Belgium as a dark horse in the World Cup, and given that they face Algeria, Russia and Korea Republic, theyve been given a fairly gentle introduction in the group stage. Here are the losers: Australia - It couldnt get much worse for the Aussies, who face defending champs Spain, the always difficult Dutch and the attacking flair of Chile in Group B. It will be three and out for Australia. England - While England should get the better of Costa Rica, they have two extremely difficult games against Uruguay and Italy - not to mention the weight of expectation that is always heaped on their shoulders. If England are to make it to the knockout phase, they will have to perform above their capabilities. United States - Three very different opponents in Group G; the efficient Germans, the powerful Ghanaians, and the brilliance of arguably the worlds best player, Cristiano Ronaldo and his Portuguese team. It is hard to envision Jürgen Klinsmann leading the U.S. into the knockout stage. ' ' '