Antoine Vermette was a rising prospect in the Vancouver Canucks organization and management had high hopes for the youngster. Blessed with awesome speed and hockey instincts, Vermette was knocking on the door for a shot.
Stuck behind four strong centers and a solid core of forwards in Vancouver, Vermette's opportunity would have to wait. But then a trade between New Jersey and Vancouver would change everything. Vermette was packaged with Kyle McLaren and sent to the Devils for Scott Hannan. Only three days later, the Devils top cente, Scott Gomez, went down with a serious groin injury that is expected to keep him out of action for up to two months.
Vermette slid right into action on the third line as the Devils took on the desert dogs in Phoenix. While he didn't register any points, he didn't look out of place in the New Jersey 3 - 2 win over the Coyotes.
New Jersey GM McLaughlin commented about the newest Devil:
"As he gets comfortable with the pace of the pro game, he will surely be a factor out there. He will learn to use his speed in the right situations and keep the oppostition off balance. We are thrilled to have him."
Keepin it real
From the Garden State