Keith Yandle News

The Panthers have bought out the final two years of Keith Yandle's contract.

Yandle had two years left on a seven-year contract that carried a $6.35M AAV cap-hit. Buying out his contract will save the Panthers just over $4.0M in cap-space in 2021-22, $958.3K in 2022-23 and cost them $1.242M in 2024 and 2025 (per PuckPedia). The 34-year-old defenseman has not missed a regular-season game since 2009 and sits second on the all-time Consecutive Games Played in NHL History list at 922 games.

Keith Yandle
Yandle is expected to be a healthy scratch to start the season.

Yandle began to fall out of favour as training camp progressed, ultimately leading to him practicing with the second group for the last few days. Yandle currently has the longest active "Iron Man" streak in the NHL at 866 games, which will come to an end if he sits on Sunday. With Yandle expected to sit, Gustav Forsling and Radko Gudas are expected to skate on the third pair and Aaron Ekblad will QB the top PP unit.

Keith Yandle
Yandle (lower-body) is expected to miss an extended period of time.

Yandle left Monday’s game after playing just 4:51 and did not return. After the game, Panthers’ head coach Tom Rowe said that Yandle will be out for “a while.” Yandle has appeared in 577 consecutive games, a streak that will come to an end on Tuesday. Look for Dylan McIlrath to draw back into the lineup for Florida.

Keith Yandle
The Panthers have signed Keith Yandle to a seven year deal worth $44.45 million ($6.35M AAV).

Florida acquired Yandle’s rights from the Rangers a few days back and wasted no time inking the 29-year-old defenseman to a seven year contract. Handle has not missed a game in the last seven seasons and has averaged 10 goals and 40 assists (50 points) per 82 games over that stretch. He becomes the highest paid player in the Panthers organization.

Keith Yandle
The Panthers have acquired the rights to Keith Yandle for a sixth round pick and a conditional 4th round pick in 2017 if Yandle signs with Florida.

Yandle is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st. He is coming off of a 47-point season (5G / 42A) in 82 games with the Rangers and now the Panthers will get 11 days to try and lock up the 29-year-old blueliner before the rest of the league starts throwing money at him.

Keith Yandle
Yandle is expected to make his Rangers debut on Monday.

After being acquired from the Coyotes last night, he will make his Rangers debut tonight vs. the Predators. He is expected to start his Rangers career with Kevin Klein, but head coach Alain Vigneault is expected to mix those two up with Marc Staal and Dan Boyle until he finds a combination that works. Yandle has 41 points (4G / 37A) and a league-worst minus-32 rating in 63 games with the Coyotes.

Keith Yandle