Some notable news out of Florida on Wednesday, as it is being reported by Elliotte Friedman that Florida Panthers management did not ask defenceman Keith Yandle to waive his no movement clause for the upcoming expansion draft. The deadline to do so was yesterday meaning either Yandle will be bought out or simply left exposed by the team.
Yandle, 34, has had a rocky relationship with the Panthers since nearly being healthy scratched on opening night of the 2020-21 season. Had this happened, it would have ruined his iron man game streak which currently ranks second all time in NHL history. Ultimately, that didn’t happen, but they did healthy scratch him three times in their six game series versus the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Yandle currently has two seasons remaining on a seven-year, $44.45 million contract that carries a cap hit of $6.35 million. Given the fact he has clearly fallen out of favor with Panthers coaching staff, it is likely that the reason they didn’t ask him to waive his no movement clause is because they plan to buy him out, which would end his five year tenure with them.
There is buzz Yandle has sold his home in Ft. Lauderdale, which could signify that he’s planning on leaving the Florida area.
Offensive Weapon
Assuming Yandle does get bought out, there should be some interest for him on the free agent market. While he struggles defensively, his offensive game is still very impressive, proven by his 27 points in 56 games this year. Prior to this past season, he had recorded north of 40 points in seven straight campaigns.
Prior to playing for the Panthers, Yandle spent the majority of his career with the Arizona Coyotes and also had a short stretch with the New York Rangers. With the Coyotes he was an offensive catalyst on the back end, which included a career best 59 points in the 2010-11 season. Overall, he has played in 1032 career games and has registered 600 points.
At this point in his career, Yandle is regarded as a power play specialist who has to be sheltered at even strength. Given his age, it is likely he prefers going to a playoff caliber team in hopes of winning a Stanley Cup. A few teams that could potentially work would be the Nashville Predators, Minnesota Wild, or his hometown Boston Bruins.
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