Antoine Vermette

Antoine Vermette
Born	July 20, 1982 (1982-07-20) St-Agapit, QC, CAN
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight	200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb)
Position	Centre
Shoots	Left
NHL team Former teams	Columbus Blue Jackets Ottawa Senators
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, an alternate captain for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL).

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 6 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.

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 a 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 2nd round pick (which ended up being Robin Lehner).

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						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		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				540	133	159	292	305		42	4	4	8	28
QMJHL totals				203	96	122	218	227		50	14	23	37	32
AHL totals				161	62	73	135	99		20	3	13	16	20

External links

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

Preceded by Maxime Ouellet

Winner of the Mike Bossy Trophy 1999–2000

Succeeded by Aleš Hemský