Thomas Vanek is an Austrian former professional ice hockey winger who played fourteen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Buffalo Sabres, Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, and Vancouver Canucks. Vanek was drafted by the Sabres fifth overall in the 2003 NHL entry draft, making him the highest-drafted Austrian player in NHL history along with David Reinbacher in the 2023 NHL entry draft. He was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2026.