ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Veteran center Antoine Vermette has agreed to a two-year, $3.5 million contract with the Anaheim Ducks.
Anaheim announced the deal Monday.
The former Stanley Cup champion spent last season with the Arizona Coyotes, getting 17 goals and 21 assists. The Coyotes bought out the remaining $3.75 million on Vermette's contract earlier this month, making him a free agent.
The Coyotes reasoned that his presence could create a logjam on the roster, with top prospects Dylan Strome and Christian Dvorak vying for playing time at the center position along with veterans Martin Hanzal and Brad Richardson. In two stints with the Coyotes, Vermette registered 70 goals and 79 assists in 291 games.
Vermette, 34, has scored 471 points in 910 NHL games with four franchises, establishing a reputation as a steady two-way center with a knack for big goals. He scored the double-overtime playoff winner for the eventual champion Chicago Blackhawks in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals against the Ducks in 2015.
Vermette will fill a gap left by Nate Thompson, whose torn Achilles tendon will keep him out for several more months.
