"There's a difference between a star and a superstar. Thomas Vanek is a star. But since the first day he arrived in Buffalo, he's wanted to be a superstar.

As Vanek began his fifth NHL season Saturday with the start of Sabres training camp, he made it clear he knows how to make the jump. He can't be just a 40-goal scorer. He has to be a lethal scorer on a team that makes the playoffs.

That recipe will lift him to the elite status he craves and is primed to achieve. It will also make the Sabres a contender again.

"Besides the goals, there's a lot more that comes with it," Vanek said in HSBC Arena. "What comes with that is taking your team to the next step and getting into the playoffs consistently. That's something I'm disappointed at in myself, that I wasn't [a] good enough leader on the ice to get us there."

The disappointment of missing two straight postseasons faded Saturday. The ice surface, dressing rooms and hallways were filled with smiles, handshakes and hope as the 2009-10 season got under way.

"It's been another long summer for us, so I think guys are anxious and excited and ready to start up," Vanek said.

The left winger has the credentials to be mentioned in the same breath as the league's top players. Only four players topped his 40-goal output last season. No one bested his 20 power-play tallies. Plus, he did it despite breaking his jaw, which sidelined him for nine games and slowed him down for several more."