Ducks sign center Antoine Vermette

The Ducks on Monday signed veteran center Antoine Vermette to a two-year contract worth $3.5 million.

Vermette, 34, was bought out by the Arizona Coyotes and was one of the few remaining veteran forwards on the market. He can slot in as a replacement for Ducks center Nate Thompson, who is expected to be out through the first half of the upcoming season because of a torn Achilles sustained in June.

Vermette is a four-time 20-goal scorer and had 17 goals and 21 assists in 76 games last season. He scored the double-overtime goal against Anaheim in Game 4 of the 2015 Western Conference final while with the Chicago Blackhawks, who went on to win the Stanley Cup that season.