The Florida Panthers bought the remainder of veteran defender Keith Yandel’s contract on Thursday before awarding three-season deals to forward Anthony Dockler and defender Gustav Forsling.
According to various sources, Duclerc agreed to an agreement totaling $9 million.
In his first season with the Panthers in 2021, the 25-year-old Quebec scored 32 points in 43 games, including 10 goals. He led the team’s attackers with a defensive ratio of +27, a high personal character.
In 396 games with six different NHL teams since the 2014-2015 season, Duclair has accumulated 194 points, including 89 goals.
In a press release, general manager Bill Zito said Doclair brought the team a lot of speed and skill over the past season.
As for Forsling, he put his name in the tail of a contract that will bring him 8 million, according to various sources, after a season during which he scored 17 points, including five goals, in 43 games. Achieve personal highs in goals, assists, points and defensive percentage (+17).
The 25-year-old Swede, who played his first three seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks between 2016 and 2019, scored 44 points, including 13 goals, in 165 NHL games.
Now 34, Yandle has been under contract for two more seasons, with an average annual salary of 6.35 million. The acquisition will allow the Panthers to save 4 million against the salary cap next season and just under a million in 2022-2023. Moreover, the maneuver will entail additional costs of 1.2 million in 2023-2024 and 2024-2025.
PHOTO KARL B DEBLAKER, Associated Press
Keith Yandel
With 922 consecutive games to his name, Yandle has the longest active streak of its kind in the NHL. He only needs 42 to match the record for Doug Jarvis, a former Montreal Canadiens center.
Yandel missed half of the team’s games in the first round of the past series, but the streak is limited to matches played during the regular season.
Yandle, who becomes an unrestricted free agent, will be able to sign a contract with another team from July 28.
By purchasing the Yandle contract, the Panthers will be able to protect another player for the Seattle Kraken Expansion Project. Teams must submit their protection roster on Saturday.
A native of Boston, Yandle appeared in 1,032 regular season games and 58 playoffs with the Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes, New York Rangers and Panthers.
He started his NHL career in 2006.
