San Jose Sharks Jim Vandermeer Interested in Playing for Vancouver Canucks -NHL Update
Vancouver Canucks just may have found the perfect replacement for former defender, Aaron Rome, as San Jose Sharks veteran defenseman, Jim Vandermeer, is interested in one day playing for the Vancouver Canucks and wearing that shark on his jersey.
At the moment, the 32-year-old is an unrestricted free agent, after his one-year, $1 million deal with San Jose came to an end following the previous 2011-2012 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season. He may not be able to get into negotiations right
away due to the persisting lockout, but has expressed his interest of making the move once things get settled between the stakeholders.
“It would be very attractive and work out great,” Vandermeer said Monday after skating with NHL peers and the Thunderbirds at UBC, according to The Province. “We’ve talked a little bit to Vancouver when we could, and it was the same as when we talked to
other teams. We picked the ones who would have a need for a guy like me. Hopefully, when we start talking, they [Canucks] feel the same way.”
Vandermeer is a native of Caroline, Alberta, Canada, and was not drafted into the professional league like many of his colleagues. Instead, he was a top level player of the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League (WHL) and Philadelphia Flyers were the
ones to pick him up from the minors.
He continued playing with the Flyers, before making a move to Chicago Blackhawks, followed by Calgary Flames, Phoenix Coyotes, Edmonton Oilers, and his previous season with San Jose Sharks.
He missed 20 plus games due to a broken hand last hockey year, but still boasts 461 games played with 105 points (25 goals, 80 assists), but what really makes him shine are his 664 penalty minutes.
Jim Vandermeer is certainly an asset to any team he joins and provides extensive defensive depth whenever the need arises. It is quite obvious the veteran would be looking for a longer term deal than his previous one, but there is nothing confirmed as of
yet.
“Who wouldn’t want more than a one-year deal?” asked Vandermeer. “But sometimes, that’s just the way it is and you just work hard and play hard so they want to bring you back.”
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