Michael Vernace

Michael Vernace
Born	(1986-05-26) May 26, 1986 (age 37) Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb)
Position	Defence
Shot	Left
Played for	Colorado Avalanche Tampa Bay Lightning Adler Mannheim Rögle BK Alba Volán Székesfehérvár Rungsted Seier Capital
NHL Draft	201st overall, 2004 San Jose Sharks
Playing career	2006–2018

Michael Vernace (born May 26, 1986) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenseman. He played in the National Hockey League with the Colorado Avalanche and the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Playing career

Born in Toronto, Ontario, Vernace grew up playing most of his minor hockey in the Greater Toronto Hockey League, finishing his minor career with the 2001–02 Mississauga Reps Bantams. After that season, Vernace was a 9th round choice (163rd overall) in the 2001 OHL Priority Selection by the Brampton Battalion.

The following season, Vernace was assigned by the Battalion to the OHA Jr.A. Bramalea Blues.

Vernace was drafted 201st overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft from the Brampton Battalion of the Ontario Hockey League. He attended Chaminade College School for his high school education.

On June 1, 2006, Vernace was traded by the Sharks to the Colorado Avalanche for a 6th round drafts pick and was signed to an entry level contract. ^[1] Vernace made his professional debut with the Arizona Sundogs of the CHL before joining the Avalanche's affiliate the Albany River Rats of the AHL in the 2006–07 season.

Vernace joined new Avalanche affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters, for their inaugural season in the 2007–08 season, leading the Monsters in games played with 79. After spending the majority of the 2008–09 season with the Monsters, Vernace received his first NHL call-up on March 16, 2009. ^[2] He made his NHL debut with the Avalanche in a 3–2 shootout loss to the Minnesota Wild on March 17, 2009. ^[3]

After not being offered a contract with the Avalanche, Vernace a free agent, signed a one-year deal with the Atlanta Thrashers on July 30, 2009. ^[4] On September 26, 2009, Vernace was assigned to AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, for the beginning of the 2009–10 season. ^[5] After 47 games with the Wolves, Vernace was then reassigned to the Hamilton Bulldogs on March 10, 2010. ^[6] He recorded 4 assists in 18 post season games to help the Bulldogs reach the Western Conference finals.

On June 23, 2010, Vernace was traded by the Thrashers, along with Brett Sterling and a 7th round selection in 2010 NHL Entry Draft, back to the Sharks for future considerations in order to help the Thrashers facilitate an earlier trade of Dustin Byfuglien from the Chicago Blackhawks. ^[7]

Unable to come to terms with San Jose, Vernace signed as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Lightning on July 29, 2010, to a one-year, two-way contract. ^[8]

In the 2011–12 season, on December 2, 2011, Vernace was traded by the Lightning, along with James Wright, to the Florida Panthers for Mike Kostka and Evan Oberg. ^[9] Assigned to AHL affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage, his tenure was short lived when on February 25, 2012, Vernace was traded by the Panthers to the New York Rangers, along with a third round pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, for Wojtek Wolski, Vernace's former teammate from the Brampton Battalion. ^[10]

After two seasons within the Rangers organization, Vernace left as a free agent to sign his first European contract in Germany on a one-year deal with Adler Mannheim of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga on August 8, 2013. ^[11] After 18 points in 51 games with Mannheim, Vernace belatedly signed in the Swedish second division the following season, signing for the remainder of the 2014–15 season with Rögle BK on December 11, 2014. ^[12]

Vernace played two seasons in Europe, before opting for a return to North America and with the 2015–16 season underway, signed a contract with the Brampton Beast of the ECHL on October 28, 2015. ^[13]

Career statistics

Vernace (right) while with the Connecticut Whale, defending against Brett Connolly (left)

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2002–03	Mississauga Reps 18U AAA	GTHL		38	13	27	40	28		—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	Bramalea Blues	OPJHL		33	3	12	15	16		—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	Brampton Battalion	OHL		2	1	1	2	0		11	2	3	5	8
2004–05	Brampton Battalion	OHL		68	12	38	50	42		6	2	2	4	0
2005–06	Brampton Battalion	OHL		68	10	62	72	54		11	1	5	6	6
2006–07	Arizona Sundogs	CHL		24	3	11	14	20		—	—	—	—	—
2006–07	Albany River Rats	AHL		30	1	11	12	35		—	—	—	—	—
2007–08	Lake Erie Monsters	AHL		79	3	26	29	59		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Lake Erie Monsters	AHL		65	3	14	17	52		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Colorado Avalanche	NHL		12	0	0	0	8		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Chicago Wolves	AHL		47	2	10	12	29		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Hamilton Bulldogs	AHL		15	0	1	1	23		18	0	4	4	8
2010–11	Tampa Bay Lightning	NHL		10	0	1	1	2		—	—	—	—	—
2010–11	Norfolk Admirals	AHL		68	7	21	28	60		6	0	2	2	8
2011–12	Norfolk Admirals	AHL		22	2	10	12	23		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	San Antonio Rampage	AHL		22	0	4	4	7		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	Connecticut Whale	AHL		21	1	1	2	20		9	0	2	2	0
2012–13	Connecticut Whale	AHL		69	8	27	35	51		—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	Adler Mannheim	DEL		51	1	17	18	34		4	0	0	0	2
2014–15	Rögle BK	Allsv		18	1	3	4	44		7	0	0	0	2
2015–16	Brampton Beast	ECHL		56	5	31	36	117		—	—	—	—	—
2015–16	Stockton Heat	AHL		5	0	0	0	2		—	—	—	—	—
2016–17	Brampton Beast	ECHL		23	2	11	13	12		—	—	—	—	—
2016–17	Fehérvár AV19	AUT		14	2	3	5	10		—	—	—	—	—
2017–18	Rungsted Seier Capital	DEN		48	6	12	18	74		14	1	3	4	41
AHL totals				443	27	125	152	361		33	0	8	8	16
NHL totals				22	0	1	1	10		—	—	—	—	—

Awards and honours

Award	Year
OHL
First All-Rookie Team	2004–05

References

1. "Avalanche acquires defensive prospect". Colorado Avalanche. 2006-06-01. Archived from the original on 2011-10-02. Retrieved 2009-03-18.
2. "Avalanche recalls Vernace". Colorado Avalanche. 2009-03-16. Archived from the original on 2011-10-02. Retrieved 2009-03-18.
3. "Defensemen make debuts in Avs' loss". Denver Post . 2009-03-17. Retrieved 2009-03-18.
4. "Thrashers sign unrestricted free agents, Josh Gratton and Mike Vernace". Atlanta Thrashers. 2009-07-30. Retrieved 2009-07-30.^{[ permanent dead link ]}
5. "Thrashers assign nine players from training camp roster". Atlanta Thrashers. 2009-09-26. Retrieved 2010-02-22.
6. "Wolves get Stewart, Bulldogs add Vernace". The AHL. 2010-03-10. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2010-03-10.
7. "Sharks playing a role in deal thats sending Dustin Byfuglien to Eastern Conference". Mercury News . 2010-06-23. Retrieved 2010-06-23.
8. "Lightning sign trio of defencemen". TSN. 2010-07-29. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
9. "Lightning trade Wright, Vernace to Panther for Kostka, Oberg". The Sports Network. 2011-12-02. Retrieved 2011-12-02.
10. "Panthers acquire Wolski from Rangers for Vernace, pick". The Sports Network. 25 February 2012. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
11. "Eagles commit Mike Vernace" (in German). Adler Mannheim. 2013-08-08. Archived from the original on 2014-10-29. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
12. "Canadian back ready for Rogle" (in Swedish). Rögle BK. 2014-12-11. Archived from the original on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 2014-12-11.
13. "Former NHLer and Battalion legend Vernace joins beast". Brampton Beast. 2015-10-28. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-10-28.

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com , or  Eliteprospects.com , or  Hockey-Reference.com , or  The Internet Hockey Database