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Antoine Vermette on waivers, ready for buyout in weird move

Greg Wyshynski
Vermette
Vermette

So here’s one out of left field: Antoine Vermette has been placed on waivers by the Arizona Coyotes, for the purposes of giving the veteran center a buyout.

Why is this one odd? Well, consider that Vermette has a no-move clause, so he had to waive it in order for the Coyotes and GM John Chayka to place him on waivers, in order to buy out that $3.75 million left on the deal he signed with the Coyotes last summer. Or perhaps the end game for Vermette is getting claimed and making is full salary somewhere else.

(UPDATE: Craig Morgan clarifies – “Assuming Vermette clears waivers, he will become an unrestricted free agent on Tuesday. The first buyout window for the Coyotes had closed on June 30, but when a team has a player that elects salary arbitration, it opens a second buyout window that closed on Monday.”)

But the more you look at the Coyotes’ roster, the more it makes sense for both sides. As Craig Morgan notes, Arizona has a bunch of bodies clogging up the middle of their lineup at center: Martin Hanzal, Brad Richardson, Dylan Strome and Christian Dvorak are vying for ice time. Vermette, most likely, would have seen his decrease despite scoring 17 goals last season.

Why not trade him? Well, when have you ever known the Coyotes to turn down the chance to add dead cap space? Add Vermette’s salary to the pile where you find Pavel Datsyuk, Chris Pronger and Mike Ribeiro’s cap space, giving the Coyotes a $15 million step ladder to the cap floor this season.

As for Vermette, it allows him to become a free agent rather than having to go through the process of finding a suitable trade partner for an older vet with one year left on his deal and a no-move clause.

The timing is odd, but the logic behind it isn’t. Unless of course he’s claimed and all that goes out the window.

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Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.