The Columbus Blue Jackets have traded Antoine Vermette to the Phoenix Coyotes for goalie Curtis McElhinney, a 2012 2nd round pick and a 2013 5th round pick. LeBrun noted (through McKenzie) that the 2012 2nd pick is the one they acquired from the Senators.
Pierre LeBrun via twitter: The 2013 5th round pick will become a 4th round pick if the Coyotes win a playoff round this year.
Vermette carries a $3.75 million cap hit (and salary) for the next 3 years according to capgeek. McElhinney has a $625,000 cap hit and will be a UFA at the end of the year.
Aaron Portzline via twitter: McElhinney had abdominal surgery in January and is not expected to play again this year. The Coyotes need the roster flexibility as they were at the 50 man limit.
Bob McKenzie via twitter: The Coyotes have a pre-approved budget for player payroll that GM Don Maloney must work within.
Pierre LeBrun via twitter: The Coyotes feel that Vermette is “a Tippett-type player” and that he has more offense in him that he’s shown in Columbus this year.
Jesse Spector via twitter: Coyotes GM Don Maloney on Vermette: “A smart, skilled, two-way center who will be a great addition to our lineup.”
Gus Katsaros of McKeen’s Hockey: an excerpt as presented in the 2011-12 McKeen’s Hockey Yearbook for Vermette:
fast, fluid and talented skater .. requires just a few strides to hit top gear, all powered by terrific balance, footwork and lower-body strength .. can dangle with the puck as he has quick hands and good one-touch skills .. incredible face off ability, consistently among the league leaders .. uses his feet well to control pucks .. most effective in open ice, albeit does look more comfortable and courageous in traffic .. can lose 1-on-1 battles due to a lack of stick power and preparation .. enigmatic puckcarrier – rushes plays and overlooks shooting opportunities, while at other times can appear indecisive .. still potential upside here, although as a role player
The Goalie Guild: Scouting report from last season for Curtis McElinney: (Also, Scouting Journal report from The Goalie Guild)
The main area of improvement for McElhinney will continue to be improving his skating skills and foot speed. Both of those areas I would consider “slightly below average” for an NHL goaltender. It is good that he relies on solid positioning to absorb a lot of shots, but he struggles to stay square when he is forced to move or shuffle laterally. Even in today’s game, he had to dive in a desperate manner on a couple of chances due to a lack of balance and footwork after making the original save.
Click the link below to see player stats included.
Antoine Vermette
Curtis McElhinney