Jim Vandermeer
Vandermeer in 2013
Born (1980-02-21) February 21, 1980
Caroline, Alberta, Canada
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 214 lb (97 kg; 15 st 4 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Left
Played for Philadelphia Flyers
Chicago Blackhawks
Calgary Flames
Phoenix Coyotes
Edmonton Oilers
San Jose Sharks
Kloten Flyers
Belfast Giants
NHL Draft Undrafted
Playing career 20012019

James Patrick Vandermeer (born February 21, 1980) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who last played for the Belfast Giants of the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL). Vandermeer previously played for the Philadelphia Flyers, Chicago Blackhawks, Calgary Flames, Phoenix Coyotes, Edmonton Oilers and the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Playing career

Amateur

Vandermeer capped-off a four-year career (1997–2001) with the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League (WHL) winning the Memorial Cup in 2001, while leading the WHL that season in plus/minus, with a +49. The recipient of the WHL Humanitarian of the Year award in 2001, Vandermeer served as the team's captain from 1999–2001, and amassed over 700 PIM in his four years in Red Deer.

Professional

On December 21, 2000, Vandermeer signed with the Philadelphia Flyers as an undrafted free agent.[1] He made his professional AHL debut with the Philadelphia Phantoms during the 2001-02 season. On January 2, 2003, Vandermeer made his NHL debut with the Philadelphia Flyers playing against the Anaheim Ducks.

On February 19, 2004, Vandermeer was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks with Colin Fraser and a 2004 second round draft pick in exchange for Alexei Zhamnov.[2] During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Vandermeer played with the Norfolk Admirals, the AHL affiliate to the Chicago Blackhawks. Vandermeer re-signed with the Chicago Blackhawks from 2005-08. He was named one of the team's alternate captains for select games and earned over $3 million during this time.

On December 18, 2007, Vandermeer was traded back to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Ben Eager.[3][4] On February 20, 2008, Vandermeer was traded by the Flyers to the Calgary Flames for a third round pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.[5]

On July 1, 2008, Vandermeer signed a three-year deal worth $6.9 million as an unrestricted free agent with the Calgary Flames.[6] On June 27, 2009, Vandermeer was traded by the Flames to the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for Brandon Prust.[7]

On April 7, 2010, Vandermeer was named Man of the Year by the Phoenix Coyotes.[8] On June 30, 2010, Vandermeer was traded by the Coyotes to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Patrick O'Sullivan.[9]

During the 2010–11 season with the Oilers, Vandermeer was named one of the alternate captains for select games. On March 22, 2011, Vandermeer recorded his 100th career point vs the Nashville Predators with an assist on a goal by Jordan Eberle.

On July 1, 2011, Vandermeer became an unrestricted free agent and signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the San Jose Sharks.[10][11]

On January 14, 2013, after the lockout ended, Vandermeer continued his journeyman career in signing a one-year, two-way contract with the Vancouver Canucks that paid him $600,000 at the NHL level and $275,000 at the AHL level.[11][12] Vandermeer spent the majority of the shortened season with the Canucks AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, and was named one of the team's alternate captains for select games.

On September 6, 2013, Vandermeer signed a one-year contract in Switzerland with the Kloten Flyers of the NLA.[13][14] He signed one-year contract extensions with the Kloten Flyers in November 2013,[15] and September 2014.[16]

On February 2, 2016, Vandermeer signed with the Belfast Giants of the Elite Ice Hockey League.[17] Vandermeer re-signed with the Giants in August 2017 for the 2017-18 season, becoming Belfast's player/assistant coach alongside head coach Adam Keefe in the process.[18] Vandermeer remained with Belfast until the end of the 2018–19 season.

Personal

Born and raised in Caroline, Alberta,[6] Vandermeer has a brother, Pete, a pro hockey player himself.

Vandermeer and his wife, Stefanie, were introduced by their mutual friend Brent Seabrook in 2007. They were married on July 3, 2009 in Vancouver. NHL stars Brent Seabrook and James Wisniewski served as groomsmen. They reside in Vancouver during the offseason. They have two children, a son, born in 2013 and a daughter, born in 2014.

Career statistics

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPGAPtsPIM GPGAPtsPIM
1997–98 Red Deer Chiefs AAA AMHL 26481251
1997–98 Red Deer Rebels WHL 3503355 20000
1998–99 Red Deer Rebels WHL 7052328258 901124
1999–00 Red Deer Rebels WHL 7183038221 401116
2000–01 Red Deer Rebels WHL 72214465180 223131643
2001–02 Philadelphia Phantoms AHL 741131488 502214
2002–03 Philadelphia Phantoms AHL 484812122
2002–03 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 2421327 80119
2003–04 Philadelphia Phantoms AHL 26167120
2003–04 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 2332525
2003–04 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 232101258
2004–05 Norfolk Admirals AHL 5231013164
2005–06 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 7661824116
2006–07 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 4616753
2007–08 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 2627944
2007–08 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 2815627
2007–08 Calgary Flames NHL 2102239 70004
2008–09 Calgary Flames NHL 45167108 60114
2009–10 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 62481260
2010–11 Edmonton Oilers NHL 622121474
2011–12 San Jose Sharks NHL 2513433
2012–13 Chicago Wolves AHL 34551066
2013–14 Kloten Flyers NLA 492101286 1610126
2014–15 Kloten Flyers NLA 43371039
2015–16 Belfast Giants EIHL 122101231 201112
2016–17 Belfast Giants EIHL 508172587 30110
2017–18 Belfast Giants EIHL 337162386 21120
2018–19 Belfast Giants EIHL 484162031 41348
NHL totals 4362580105590 2102217

Awards and honours

Award Year
WHL Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy 2000–01
WHL West First Team All-Star 2000–01 [19]
CHL Humanitarian of the Year Award 2000–01
WHL Plus-Minus Award 2000–01
AHL Philadelphia Phantoms Most Coachable Player Award 2000–01
AHL Philadelphia Phantoms Most Coachable Player Award 2001–02
NHL Phoenix Coyotes Man of the Year Award 2009–10
EIHL Belfast Giants Defenseman of the Year Award 2016–17

References

  1. "Flyers sign overlooked free agent Vandermeer". The Morning Call. 22 December 2000. Archived from the original on 10 May 2017. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  2. "Zhamnov on way to Flyers". Chicago Tribune. 20 February 2004. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  3. "Flyers trade Eager to Blackhawks for Vandermeer". CBC News. 19 December 2007. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  4. Panaccio, Tim (20 December 2007). "Flyers pick up a meat-and-potatoes defenseman". philly.com. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  5. "Flames trade for defenceman Vandermeer". CBC News. 20 February 2008. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  6. 1 2 "Sawmill sharpened Flame's work ethic". Calgary Herald. 3 October 2008. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  7. "Vandermeer adds grit to Oilers". London Free Press. 1 July 2010. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  8. "Coyotes announce annual team award winners". NHL.com. 7 April 2010. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  9. "Oilers trade O'Sullivan to Coyotes for Vandermeer". San Diego Tribune. 30 June 2010. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  10. "Sharks sign D Vandermeer to open free agency". NHL.com. 1 July 2011. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
  11. 1 2 "JIM VANDERMEER". CapGeek.com. Archived from the original on 15 January 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
  12. "Canucks sign veteran defenseman Vandermeer". NHL.com. 14 January 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
  13. "Kloten Flyers sign Peter Mueller, Jim Vandermeer" (in German). Kloten Flyers. 9 September 2013. Archived from the original on 3 April 2014. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
  14. "Kloten Flyers sign foreigners Vandermeer (33) and Mueller (25)". Swiss Hockey News. 6 September 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  15. "Kloten Flyers extend contracts with Vandermeer and Schelling". Swiss Hockey News. 24 November 2013. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  16. "Kloten Flyers extend contracts of Gerber, Vandermeer and Stoop". Swiss Hockey News. 9 September 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  17. "Belfast Giants sign ex-NHL star Vandermeer". BBC Sport. 2 February 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  18. "Experienced defenceman Jim Vandermeer extends his contract with the Belfast Giants". BBC Sport. 10 August 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  19. Jesse Watts (2014). Western Hockey League 2014-2015 Official Guide (PDF). pp. 242–3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 March 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
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