The Florida Panthers have signed defenseman Keith Yandle to a seven-year contract.
Terms of the deal weren't disclosed by the club, but it's believed to be worth $44.45 million, carrying an average annual valuation of $6.35 million, according to Craig Custance of ESPN.
That makes him the Panthers' highest-paid player, for the time being at least.
"We are thrilled to have signed Keith to a multi-year contract," said general manager Tim Rowe. "He is a highly skilled and experienced defenseman who will be a tremendous asset on our blue line and in our dressing room. We look forward to Keith’s contributions to our team both on the ice and in the South Florida community."
The Panthers acquired his rights from the New York Rangers for a pair of draft picks, one of them conditional on Yandle signing with Florida. Upon signing him, the Panthers sent their fourth-round pick in 2017 to New York.
Yandle, who will turn 30 in July, has averaged 0.56 points per game over the course of his career, with an additional 31 points in 51 playoff games.
This past season, he recorded five goals and 42 assists for the Rangers, while continuing a career trend of being a positive possession defenseman.
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