Antoine Vermette

Antoine Vermette
Born	(1982-07-20) July 20, 1982 Saint-Agapit, QC, CAN
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight	200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb)
Position	Centre
Shoots	Left
NHL team Former teams	Chicago Blackhawks Ottawa Senators Columbus Blue Jackets Arizona Coyotes
National team	Canada
NHL Draft	55th overall, 2000 Ottawa Senators
Playing career	2003–present

Antoine Vermette (born July 20, 1982) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. Vermette is currently a member of the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Vermette previously played for the Ottawa Senators, Columbus Blue Jackets and Arizona Coyotes of the NHL. Vermette was a member of the 2007 Senators team that appeared in the 2007 Stanley Cup Final.

Playing career

QMJHL

Vermette played four seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Upon being drafted, he returned to the QMJHL for two more seasons and recorded a major junior career high 119 points in 2000–01. In his final year of junior, Vermette was limited to just 4 games during the regular season due to an mis-diagnosed nerve problem in his neck originally thought to be Post-concussion syndrome. He returned in the playoffs to contribute 26 points in 22 games, leading the Tigres to the 2002 President's Cup as QMJHL champions and an appearance in the 2002 Memorial Cup in Guelph, finishing with a silver medal from the tournament, falling in the finals to the Kootenay Ice.

Ottawa Senators

Coming out of major junior, Vermette played the 2002–03 season with Ottawa's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Binghamton Senators. In 74 games, Vermette scored 18 goals and 20 assists and earned a place on the AHL All-Rookie Team. The following season, Vermette earned an NHL roster spot with Ottawa out of training camp. In his rookie NHL season, Vermette would appear in 57 games, scoring 14 points.

During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Vermette returned to Binghamton and scored 28 goals and 45 assists, second in team scoring only to Jason Spezza. As NHL play resumed the next season, Vermette broke out with 21 goals. He proved to be a valuable part of the Senators' lineup, providing valuable secondary scoring behind the number one line of Heatley, Spezza, and Alfredsson. His six shorthanded goals were good enough for second in the league. The Senators were considered Stanley Cup contenders by many, but were upset by the Buffalo Sabres in five games. In the off-season, he signed a two-year contract on July 18 worth approximately $2 million.

Vermette during his tenure with the Blue Jackets.

In 2006–07, Vermette continued to improve, increasing his points total to 39 points, spending the majority of the season on a checking line with fellow penalty-killer Chris Kelly. The duo were rarely apart. On December 2, 2006, Vermette famously scored from behind the net through his legs on the short side against the Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Johan Holmqvist. The goal became well-known around the league and was named TSN's Goal of the Season. During the playoffs, Vermette recorded 5 points in 20 games and helped the Senators to the Prince of Wales Trophy as Eastern Conference champions before losing the Stanley Cup to the Anaheim Ducks in five games.

Vermette recorded his first career hat trick on April 3, 2008, against Vesa Toskala in an 8-2 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs. After completing another career-year in 2007–08, recording personal bests with 24 goals, 29 assists and 53 points, Vermette re-signed with the Senators on July 31, 2008, to a two-year $2.525 million contract, avoiding arbitration.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Leading up to the 2009 NHL trade deadline, Vermette was widely rumored to be the subject of trade talks between the Senators and the Columbus Blue Jackets. Columbus GM Scott Howson, looking for scoring help as his team attempted to make the playoffs for the first time in its history, was reportedly offering goalie Pascal Leclaire in exchange for Vermette.

It later became official, on March 4, as Vermette was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets at the 2009 trade deadline for Leclaire and a 2009 second-round pick (which ended up being Robin Lehner).

Arizona Coyotes

Vermette was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes on February 22, 2012 in exchange for goalie Curtis McElhinney, a 2012 second-round pick and a conditional 2013 fifth-round pick.^[1] He would go on to score five goals with five assists for the Coyotes during the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs.

On December 21, 2013, Vermette recorded his second career hat trick in a 4-3 win against his former team, the Ottawa Senators. Vermette's third goal of the night proved to be the game winning goal in OT.^[2]

In both the 2012–13 and 2013–14 regular seasons with the Phoenix Coyotes, Vermette finished in the top 10 league leader list for faceoff win percentage. Vermette finished both seasons with a faceoff win percentage above 56.0%.^[3]

Chicago Blackhawks

With the Coyotes out of playoff contention and approaching free agency, on February 28, 2015, Vermette was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Klas Dahlbeck and a 2015 first-round pick.^[4]

Awards

• Awarded the Mike Bossy Trophy (top QMJHL draft prospect) in 2000.
• Named to the AHL All-Rookie Team in 2003.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

References

External links

• Antoine Vermette's player profile at TSN.ca
• Antoine Vermette's player profile at NHL.com
• Antoine Vermette's career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database