The New York Rangers just got a lot better.
The team added highly sought after defenseman Keith Yandle to their blue line today in exchange for prized forward prospect Anthony Duclair, defenseman John Moore, plus a first-round draft pick in 2016 and a second-rounder in 2015. The Arizona Coyotes, who drafted Yandle 105th overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, agreed to retain 50 percent of Yandle’s $5.25 million salary cap hit as well. He has one year remaining on his current contract.
In addition to Yandle, the Rangers also receive a fourth-round pick and defenseman Chris Summers.
A native of Boston, Yandle joins a deep and talented blue line on the Rangers which already features Ryan McDonagh, Dan Girardi, Marc Staal, Kevin Klein, and Dan Boyle. He leaves the Coyotes after notching 311 points in 558 career games.
The Rangers are currently third in the Eastern Conference with 84 points and have an 8-1-1 record over their last 10 games. They have been one of the hottest teams in the NHL since the start of 2015. The team is currently fifth in the NHL in goals against per game with an average of 2.41 and 10th in the league in penalty kill percentage with an 82.7 percent success rate.
UPDATE:
Looks like the Yandle deal was just a domino move for the Rangers, who also traded Lee Stempniak to the Winnipeg Jets. The team also announced that they have agreed to a 4-year, $18 million contract extension with Mats Zuccarello.
