Friedman: Coyotes would like to trade Vermette "sooner than later"

Elliotte Friedman was on Edmonton’s 630 CHED on Friday afternoon.

On the notion Antoine Vermette could land a six-year, $33 million deal in free agency with a $5.5 million AAV :

“The only reason I would disagree with you on your contract there is term. He’s 33 years old.

Then he’s not going to get six years, but he might get five.

“Yeah, and you know what? I think your number is right though. The AAV is right there. And I do think that one of the things Arizona tried to do was offer him shorter term and a bit more money, but I don’t think it went anywhere.

“What I’m hearing on Vermette is that I heard today that a team had asked about Vermette and were basically told for what they wanted to offer, they weren’t even in the ballpark. One thing I think Don Maloney is doing here, is he’s creating an auction – and I think a very good one. I do think he would like to make the deal sooner than later.

“Teams like Vermette. He’s a good player. I think that’s a great comparison of Bergeron-lite. He can play center, he can play the wing. He’s got a great reputation as a teammate. He does a lot of really good things. I look at him like he’s going to help somebody down the stretch. I just think teams right now are looking at what the price is going to be to get him – which I think will be a young, offensive player, plus – and I think the question is how much of a price do you want to pay to get him.”

Source: 630 CHED/ Transcript: Nichols on Hockey

Nichols on Hockey

Nichols on Hockey

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Nichols on Hockey

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