While they’ve managed to demonstrate a bit of competence lately, going (technically) over .500 in their last ten games, the Arizona Coyotes have had a rough go of things this season. With the calendar having just turned over to 2015, don’t expect those struggles to come to an end anytime soon. In fact, as the weeks begin to wear on, the news coming out of the desert could relate more to the players finding their way out of town than anything else.
There are a number that could be mentioned. Shane Doan could be on his way out in order to chase a Stanley Cup in the twilight of his career. Antoine Vermette could be a top six center option on a contending team. There are a number of other players that could serve complimentary roles with teams looking to upgrade their depth. But the one player that could finally be on his way out is defenseman Keith Yandle.
Yandle has been no stranger to trade rumors over the course of the last several years. At one point, he was going to Philadelphia and another he was on his way to Detroit. One team, however, that has been rather persistent in these rumors throughout the last few years is that of the Boston Bruins. With the Bruins scuffling in a mediocre Eastern Conference, there are a number of rumors swirling that they’re gearing up to make at least one large impact move. Acquiring Yandle, a local product, could be on the agenda for them.
Yandle has had something of a love-hate relationship with the fans in the desert. He’s often been lauded for what he does an offensive defenseman, providing a weapon on the power play and possessing a howitzer of a shot from the point. At the same time, his play in his own end has garnered plenty of criticism over the last couple years, especially after he signed a big money contract. There have been proponents of a Yandle trade for quite some time, mostly due to the fact that the Coyotes could have moved him in order to upgrade on offense when they were still a playoff contender.
The days that the Coyotes were a playoff contender have come and gone, though it’s difficult to write them off in the short-term, with Dave Tippett behind the bench, a solid core beginning to take shape, and the likes of Max Domi and other high upside youngsters on their way. A trade of Yandle could help to replenish them a bit for the future, while moving a player who has already been surpassed as the best defenseman on the roster by Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
There is a case for keeping Yandle, as there has been all along. However, at this point, it seems much more logical for the Coyotes to move him and build their roster for the future. Heck, a combination of Vermette and Yandle both going to Boston could pay major dividends for the Coyotes. Given their current state, both in terms of the standings and in their roster as it’s currently conceived, it looks as if this may finally be the year that Keith Yandle finds himself a new home.
