Arizona Coyotes buy out Antoine Vermette
Center Antoine Vermette’s stint with the Coyotes has come to an end after the team bought out the final year of his contract.
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After parts of five seasons with the Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes, Antoine Vermette’s tenure has officially come to an end, as the team the team announced today that they have bought out the final year of his contract to free up a roster spot for some youth as they continue their rebuild.
“In order to give our team more flexibility, we needed to make this difficult decision,” Coyote’s General Manager John Chayka said. “This move will provide an opportunity for some of our young, talented players to step up. Antoine is a class act and we thank him for all he did on and off the ice for the Arizona Coyotes organization. We wish him the best in the future.”
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Vermette was originally acquired by the Coyotes from the Columbus Blue Jackets at the 2012 trade deadline for goaltender Curtis McElhinney and second and fourth round draft picks. He played parts of four seasons in the desert before he was shipped to the Chicago Blackhawks at the 2015 deadline for defenseman Klas Dahlbeck and a first round draft pick. After winning the Stanley Cup in the Windy City, Vermette returned to the Coyotes last summer as an unrestricted free agent on a two year deal.
Vermette posted 79 goals and 149 points in 291 games with the Coyotes, including 17 goals and 38 points in 76 games in 2015-16. Given that he’s still capable of putting up points and boasts a career faceoff percentage of 56.1, the 34-year-old Vermette is likely to land another free agent contract in short order from a team looking for depth down the middle.
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