from Ansar Khan of Mlive,
2018-19 outlook: The Red Wings are rebuilding but still want to dress a competitive lineup and don't want to promote a player they believe isn't ready for the NHL or hasn't earned that right. They signed Vanek because they need scoring (they ranked 28th at 2.59 goals per game) and could use a right-handed shooter. They liked what they saw from Vanek during his 48-game stint in Detroit in 2016-17 (15 goals, 38 points).
Vanek, Gustav Nyquist and Darren Helm formed a strong line at the start of 2016-17 before being broken up by injuries.