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Antoine Vermette Should be at Top of New York Rangers’ Wishlist

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By @chriswgamble

Getty Images

Getty Images

Even though the New York Rangers have won 16 of their last 19 games heading into the All-Star break, there is a glaring weakness on the team. Anyone who has watched a Rangers’ game knows they have struggled on faceoffs. Rangers’ GM Glen Sather will undoubtedly look to add someone to give the team a boost as they head into the de facto second half.

Enter Arizona Coyotes’ center Antoine Vermette, a 6-foot, one-inch, 200-pound center who has won 556 of his 973 faceoffs this season. He also has 11 goals and 19 assists this season in 46 games. Last season, Vermette, 32, tallied 24 goals and 21 assists in 82 games. He is also unafraid to play physically and has 59 hits. In many ways he is similar to Brian Boyle, only better on the offensive side.

The Rangers could use size up the middle and need someone who can win key faceoffs aside from Dominic Moore. Vermette would give the Rangers that, a scoring touch, and size up the middle, something they are lacking right now.

Arizona figures to be in sell mode soon and Vermette figures to be in high demand with teams looking for a player with his skills and size. The asking price shouldn’t be too steep, perhaps a pick and a prospect as Arizona looks to rebuild, or continue their rebuild. The Rangers’ blueline is stable for years to come with Marc Staal, Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi locked up through the 2018-19 season and Kevin Klein under contract through 2017-18, the Rangers could use some of their younger blueline depth like Dylan McIlrath to potentially get a deal done.

The Rangers have pieces to deal and Sather will look to shore up his team’s biggest weakness. Vermette should be at the top of his wish-list at the moment.

 

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