Yandle Re-Signs With Coyotes

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Keith Yandle Signs Big 5-Year Contract

Coyotes Press Release 

GLENDALE, ARIZONA – Phoenix Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney announced today that the Coyotes have signed All-Star defenseman Keith Yandle to a five-year contract. As per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. "Keith is an elite player and one of the game's best young defenseman," said Maloney. "He is an important part of our future and we are thrilled to sign him to a long-term contract." Last season the 6-foot-1, 195-pound Yandle finished second on the Coyotes in scoring and ranked third among all NHL defensemen with 11-48-59 in 82 games. Yandle represented the Coyotes at the NHL All-Star Game in Raleigh, N.C. He was also named the NHL’s Second Star of the Month in January when he registered 3-14-17 in 14 games. He had a plus-9 rating in the month helping lead the Coyotes to an 8-4-2 record. Yandle finished the month of January with a nine-game point streak, recording 2-12-14 in that stretch. In addition, Yandle led the Coyotes in average time on ice (24:22) and tied for the team lead in power-play points (26). His 24 power-play assists ranked sixth best in the NHL among defensemen and his 26 power-play points were eighth best. He also finished second on the team in penalty minutes (68), third in plus/minus (+12) and third in shots (199). In five NHL seasons, the 24-year-old native of Boston, Mass., has recorded 32-112-144 and 172 penalty minutes in 283 NHL games. Yandle was originally drafted by the Phoenix Coyotes in the fourth round (105th overall) in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

PattyB Thoughts:
Much to the dismay of any fan of a team other than the Coyotes, the Yotes have locked Keith Yandle up for the next five years. Yandle is one of the best defensemen in the NHL and I know I was desperately hoping the Islanders would find a way to acquire him. The terms of the deal were pretty fair for the Coyotes as the team will be paying him $5.3 million per year which is more than reasonable. He was extremely impressive this past season and at twenty-four years old, he still has a lot of time to get even better. This guy is a stud and I really, really think he will be a perennial all-star for the next decade.