Michael Vernace
| Michael Vernace | |
|---|---|
 Vernace (right) while with the Connecticut Whale, defending against Brett Connolly (left) | |
| Born | May 26, 1986 Toronto, ON, CAN |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight | 200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb) |
| Position | Defence |
| Shoots | Left |
| DEL team Former teams |
Adler Mannheim Colorado Avalanche Tampa Bay Lightning |
| NHL Draft | 201st overall, 2004 San Jose Sharks |
| Playing career | 2006–present |
Michael Vernace (born May 26, 1986 in Toronto, Ontario) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenseman who currently plays for Adler Mannheim of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). He has previously played in the National Hockey League with the Colorado Avalanche and the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Playing career
Vernace grew up playing most of his minor hockey in the Greater Toronto Hockey League, finishing his minor career with the 2001-02 Mississauga Reps Bantams. After that season, Vernace was a 9th round choice (163rd overall) in the 2001 OHL Priority Selection by the Brampton Battalion.
The following season, Vernace was assigned by the Battalion to the OHA Jr.A. Bramalea Blues.
Vernace was drafted 201st overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft from the Brampton Battalion of the Ontario Hockey League. He attended Chaminade College School for his high school education.
On June 1, 2006, Vernace was traded by the Sharks to the Colorado Avalanche for a 6th round drafts pick and was signed to an entry level contract.[1] Vernace made his professional debut with the Arizona Sundogs of the CHL before joining the Avalanche's affiliate the Albany River Rats of the AHL in the 2006–07 season.
Vernace joined new Avalanche affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters, for their inaugural season in the 2007–08 season, leading the Monsters in games played with 79. After spending the majority of the 2008–09 season with the Monsters, Vernace received his first NHL call-up on March 16, 2009.[2] He made his NHL debut with the Avalanche in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Minnesota Wild on March 17, 2009.[3]
After not being offered a contract with the Avalanche, Vernace a free agent, signed a one-year deal with the Atlanta Thrashers on July 30, 2009.[4] On September 26, 2009, Vernace was assigned to AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, for the beginning of the 2009–10 season.[5] After 47 games with the Wolves, Vernace was then re-assigned to the Hamilton Bulldogs on March 10, 2010.[6] He recorded 4 assists in 18 post season games to help the Bulldogs reach the Western Conference finals.
On June 23, 2010, Vernace was traded by the Thrashers, along with Brett Sterling and a 7th round selection in 2010 NHL Entry Draft, back to the Sharks for future considerations in order to help the Thrashers facilitate an earlier trade of Dustin Byfuglien from the Chicago Blackhawks.[7]
Unable to come to terms with San Jose, Vernace signed as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Lightning on July 29, 2010, to a one year, two-way contract.[8]
In the 2011–12 season, on December 2, 2011, Vernace was traded by the Lightning, along with James Wright, to the Florida Panthers for Mike Kostka and Evan Oberg.[9] Assigned to AHL affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage, his tenure was short lived when on February 25, 2012, Vernace was traded by the Panthers to the New York Rangers, along with a third round pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, for Wojtek Wolski, Vernace's former teammate from the Brampton Battalion.[10]
After two seasons within the Rangers organization, Vernace left as a free agent to sign his first European contract in Germany on a one-year deal with Adler Mannheim of the DEL on August 8, 2013.[11]
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2003–04 | Bramalea Blues | OPJHL | 33 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Brampton Battalion | OHL | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 | ||
| 2004–05 | Brampton Battalion | OHL | 68 | 12 | 38 | 50 | 42 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 2005–06 | Brampton Battalion | OHL | 68 | 10 | 62 | 72 | 54 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 6 | ||
| 2006–07 | Arizona Sundogs | CHL | 24 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Albany River Rats | AHL | 30 | 1 | 11 | 12 | 35 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Lake Erie Monsters | AHL | 79 | 3 | 26 | 29 | 59 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Lake Erie Monsters | AHL | 65 | 3 | 14 | 17 | 52 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | Chicago Wolves | AHL | 47 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 29 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | Hamilton Bulldogs | AHL | 15 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 23 | 18 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 8 | ||
| 2010–11 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | Norfolk Admirals | AHL | 68 | 7 | 21 | 28 | 60 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | ||
| 2011–12 | Norfolk Admirals | AHL | 22 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | San Antonio Rampage | AHL | 22 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | Connecticut Whale | AHL | 21 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 20 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2012–13 | Connecticut Whale | AHL | 69 | 8 | 27 | 35 | 51 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 22 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
Awards and honours
| Award | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario Hockey League | ||
| First All-Rookie Team | 2004–05 | |
References
- ↑ "Avalanche acquires defensive prospect". Colorado Avalanche. 2006-06-01. Retrieved 2009-03-18.
- ↑ "Avalanche recalls Vernace". Colorado Avalanche. 2009-03-16. Retrieved 2009-03-18.
- ↑ "Defensemen make debuts in Avs' loss". Denver Post. 2009-03-17. Retrieved 2009-03-18.
- ↑ "Thrashers sign unrestricted free agents, Josh Gratton and Mike Vernace". Atlanta Thrashers. 2009-07-30. Retrieved 2009-07-30.
- ↑ "Thrashers assign nine players from training camp roster". Atlanta Thrashers. 2009-09-26. Retrieved 2010-02-22.
- ↑ "Wolves get Stewart, Bulldogs add Vernace". The AHL. 2010-03-10. Retrieved 2010-03-10.
- ↑ "Sharks playing a role in deal thats sending Dustin Byfuglien to Eastern Conference". Mercury News. 2010-06-23. Retrieved 2010-06-23.
- ↑ "Lightning sign trio of defencemen". TSN. 2010-07-29. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
- ↑ "Lightning trade Wright, Vernace to Panther for Kostka, Oberg". The Sports Network. 2011-12-02. Retrieved 2011-12-02.
- ↑ "Panthers acquire Wolski from Rangers for Vernace, pick". The Sports Network. 25 February 2012. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
- ↑ "Eagles commit Mike Vernace" (in German). Adler Mannheim. 2013-08-08. Retrieved 2013-08-08.