Antoine Vermette

Antoine Vermette
Vermette pictured during his first stint with the Coyotes
Born	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	Arizona Coyotes Ottawa Senators Columbus Blue Jackets Chicago Blackhawks
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 centre currently playing for the Arizona Coyotes of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Vermette previously played in the NHL for the Ottawa Senators, Columbus Blue Jackets and Chicago Blackhawks. Drafted in the second round, 55th overall in 2000 by Ottawa, Vermette was a member of the 2007 Senators team that appeared in the 2007 Stanley Cup Final. Vermette won the Stanley Cup in 2015 with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Playing career

Major junior

Vermette played four seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Upon being drafted in the second round, 55th overall, by the Ottawa Senators at the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, 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 four 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 Victoriaville Tigres to the 2002 President's Cup as QMJHL champions, as well as an appearance in the 2002 Memorial Cup in Guelph, Ontario, finishing with a silver medal from the tournament after falling in the finals to the Western Hockey League (WHL)'s Kootenay Ice.

Ottawa Senators

Emerging from his major junior career, Vermette played the 2002–03 season with Ottawa's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Binghamton Senators. In 74 games, he scored 18 goals and 20 assists and earned a place on the AHL All-Rookie Team. The following season, 2003–04, Vermette earned an NHL roster spot with Ottawa out of training camp. In his rookie NHL season, he 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 team's top line of Dany Heatley, Jason Spezza and Daniel Alfredsson. Vermette's six short-handed goals ranked second in the League in the statistic. In light of the 2006 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Senators were considered Stanley Cup contenders by many, but were ultimately upset by the Buffalo Sabres in five games. In the subsequent off-season, on July 18, Vermette signed a two-year, $2 million contract extension with Ottawa.

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 2007 playoffs, Vermette recorded five points in 20 games and helped the Senators to the Prince of Wales Trophy as Eastern Conference champions before ultimately 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, thereby avoiding salary 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 General Manager Scott Howson, looking for scoring help as his team attempted to make the playoffs for the first time in its history, was reportedly offering goaltender Pascal Leclaire in exchange for Vermette. The deal later became official on March 4 when Vermette was traded to Columbus for Leclaire and a second-round draft pick in 2009, which Ottawa eventually used to select goaltender Robin Lehner.

Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes

Vermette was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes on February 22, 2012, in exchange for goaltender Curtis McElhinney, a 2012 second-round draft pick and a conditional 2013 fifth-round draft pick.^[1] He would go on to score five goals with five assists for the Coyotes during the 2012 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 overtime.^[2]

In both the 2012–13 and 2013–14 regular seasons with the Coyotes, Vermette finished in the top ten NHL leader list in faceoff win percentage; he finished both seasons with a faceoff win percentage above 56%.^[3]

Chicago Blackhawks

On February 28, 2015, the Coyotes traded Vermette, a pending unrestricted free agent, to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Klas Dahlbeck and a 2015 first-round draft pick (Nick Merkley) at the trade deadline.^[4] From the Coyotes to the Blackhawks, Vermette’s role transitioned from a top-line forward to a role player with limited ice-time.^[5][6] Vermette recorded only three assists during the rest of the 2014-15 regular season without any goals. Vermette was a healthy scratch for the first two games of the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs. Shortly after being reinstated into the lineup, Vermette scored his first goal as a Blackhawk against the Nashville Predators on April 22.^[7] On May 23, Vermette scored the game-winning goal against the Anaheim Ducks in double overtime of the Western Conference Finals to tie the series 2-2.^[8] Vermette and the Blackhawks defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning to win the 2015 Stanley Cup. He finished the playoffs with four goals, including three game winners, and three assists. Vermette was also dominant on the face-off dot, winning 166 of 282 draws for a 58.9% face-off win percentage during the postseason.^[9]

Return to Arizona

On July 1, 2015 Vermette returned to the Arizona Coyotes on a two-year deal.^[10]

Awards

• Awarded the Mike Bossy Trophy (top QMJHL draft prospect) in 2000.
• Named to the AHL All-Rookie Team in 2003.
• 2015 Stanley Cup Champion

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1998–99	Quebec Remparts	QMJHL		57	9	17	26	32		13	0	0	0	2
1999–00	Victoriaville Tigres	QMJHL		71	30	41	71	87		6	0	1	1	6
2000–01	Victoriaville Tigres	QMJHL		71	57	62	119	102		9	4	6	10	14
2001–02	Victoriaville Tigres	QMJHL		4	0	2	2	6		22	10	16	26	10
2002–03	Binghamton Senators	AHL		74	18	20	38	54		18	2	2	4	16
2003–04	Ottawa Senators	NHL		57	7	7	14	16		4	0	1	1	4
2003–04	Binghamton Senators	AHL		3	0	0	0	6		—	—	—	—	—
2004–05	Binghamton Senators	AHL		78	28	45	73	36		6	1	4	5	10
2005–06	Ottawa Senators	NHL		82	21	12	33	44		10	2	0	2	4
2006–07	Ottawa Senators	NHL		77	19	20	39	52		20	2	3	5	6
2007–08	Ottawa Senators	NHL		81	24	29	53	51		4	0	0	0	4
2008–09	Ottawa Senators	NHL		62	9	19	28	42		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Columbus Blue Jackets	NHL		17	7	6	13	8		4	0	0	0	10
2009–10	Columbus Blue Jackets	NHL		82	27	38	65	32		—	—	—	—	—
2010–11	Columbus Blue Jackets	NHL		82	19	28	47	60		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	Columbus Blue Jackets	NHL		60	8	19	27	12		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	Phoenix Coyotes	NHL		22	3	7	10	16		16	5	5	10	24
2012–13	Phoenix Coyotes	NHL		48	13	8	21	36		—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	Phoenix Coyotes	NHL		82	24	21	45	44		—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	Arizona Coyotes	NHL		63	13	22	35	34		—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		19	0	3	3	6		20	4	3	7	4
2015–16	Arizona Coyotes	NHL		76	17	21	38	93		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				910	211	260	471	546		78	13	12	25	56

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2011	Canada	WC	5th		4	0	0	0	0
Senior totals					4	0	0	0	0

Personal life

In 2009, Vermette married his childhood sweetheart, Karen, a pharmacist.^[11] They have two daughters.

References

1. "Coyotes add Jackets' Vermette". National Hockey League. February 22, 2012. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
2. "Vermette Completes Hat Trick with OT Goal". National Hockey League. December 21, 2013. Retrieved December 21, 2013.
3. "Regular Season Faceoff Leaders". National Hockey League. December 18, 2014.
4. "Vermette acquired by Blackhawks for steep deadline price". Yahoo! Sports. February 28, 2015. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
5. Roarke, Shawn (2015-06-14). "Vermette overcame tough transition to Blackhawks". nhl.com. Retrieved 2015-06-16.
6. Leahy, Sean (2015-06-14). "Antoine Vermette can't stop scoring big goals for the Blackhawks". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved 2015-06-16.
7. Cohen, Jay (2015-04-22). "Seabrook lifts Blackhawks to 3 OT win over Predators". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved 2015-06-16.
8. "Vermette acquired by Blackhawks for steep deadline price". Yahoo! Sports. February 28, 2015. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
9. "2014-2015 / Playoffs / All Skaters / Faceoff Leaders / Faceoff Win Percentage". NHL. 2015-06-17. Archived from the original on 2015-06-17. Retrieved 2015-06-17.
10. Kuc, Chris (2015-07-01). "Brad Richards and Antoine Vermette make it official — they're gone". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2015-07-02.
11. http://25stanley.com/letrange-mariage-dantoine-vermette.html

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