In what many may coin as "bizarre", a newly turned 27-year-old General Manager of the Arizona Coyotes, John Chayka decided a player seven years his senior has seen his better days playing in a Coyotes' uniform.

Goodbye Antione

Today, the Arizona NHL team decided they could eat Antione Vermette's contract due to expire after this next season. The buyout will cost the team $1.25 million for the next two seasons, and that was on his $3.5 million salary cap hit. The team has $6.3 million of cap space but is still attempting to sign RFA Tobias Rieder to a contract.

This will free up $2.5 million for the upcoming season, and may indicate Chayka has something else up his sleeve, as it pertains to personnel moves.

In a Coyotes' press release, GM Chayka had this say about the move:

"In order to give our team more flexibility, we needed to make this difficult decision,” said Chayka. “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."

This is yet another move that the young GM has made to try and improve the core of a team who has not been able to qualify for the playoffs since the 2011-12 season.

The youth movement is moving

We all know that letting Vermette out to pasture is to allow the team to promote the young talent they have waiting in the wings.

Dylan Strome is ready to show his skills in the NHL. Source: Christian Petersen/Getty Images North America)
Dylan Strome is ready to show his skills in the NHL. Source: Christian Petersen/Getty Images North America)

Dylan Strome is ready.

Christian Dvorak is also ready.

The team is so rich in forward talent that it makes for tough choices as to who to keep on the team and who not to keep. They also have Laurent Dauphin, Tyler Gaudet, and Henrik Samuelsson chomping at the bit to play center in the NHL.

After all, it was decided after the horrendous 2014-15 season to "retool" this team and allow some of the younger players being developed, to get their shot at playing in the NHL.

At this point, the roster now only shows two centers, Brad Richardson, and Martin Hanzal. Hanzal has been rumored to be involved in a possible trade, but so far that has not occurred.

Strome is expected to make the starting lineup after a stellar performance in juniors staring for the Erie Otters. His statistics speak for themselves. 240 points in 124 games. If he can't make it with that talent, then it seems like nobody can. 

The same goes for Dvorak, but even more so. In three seasons with the OHL London Knights, playing in 158 games Dvorak had an amazing 244 points. He led the OHL in goals scored with 52 last season, and also finished third in scoring in the playoffs with 35 points in only 18 games leading his team to the Memorial Cup.

Anyone who follows hockey knows that you've got to go with your young talent when they are performing to the levels both Strome and Dvorak are displaying.

The line combinations tend to be open at this point, but with both Strome and Dvorak looking to be centering two lines, they have numerous options. 

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About the author
William Grigsby
I was born in Chicago, and have been following hockey my whole life. I moved to Arizona in 1974, and have been an Arizona Coyotes fan from the time they first moved here in 1996. I feel I can bring a new perspective to the team. I hope you will enjoy what I write. As of November 28, 2017 I am now the NHL Editor for VAVEL USA. If you are interested in joining me as a writer, please contact me at: [email protected] for details.