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Under Pressure: Keith Yandle

Washington Capitals v New York Rangers - Game One

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 30: Keith Yandle #93 of the New York Rangers skates against the Washington Capitals in Game One of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2015 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on April 30, 2015 in New York City. Capitals defeated the Rangers 2-1. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

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This is part of Florida Panthers day at PHT...

After a 2015-16 season that saw the Panthers take a huge step in their development and surprisingly win the regular season Atlantic Division crown, they spent the summer loading up their roster in an effort to become a Stanley Cup contender. The centerpiece of that roster movement was the seven-year, $44.45 million contract they gave defenseman Keith Yandle after acquiring his free agent negotiating rights from the New York Rangers.

Yandle can be a bit of a polarizing player because of his style of play.

Statistically, he is one of the most productive defenders in the NHL and is pretty much a lock for at least 45 points every season.

But he also isn’t a player that is viewed as a true shutdown defender, and instead is looked at as one that needs to be in more of a sheltered role to really excel. That can lead to scrutiny and criticism when he isn’t putting points on the board. That always seemed to be the case during his 103 regular season games with the Rangers, a team that never fully seemed to embrace the positives he brings to the ice.

If he is going to face any pressure in Florida it is probably going to be the result of that reputation, as well as the $44 million price tag he carries.

That type of salary brings a lot of high expectations. It is going to be especially true in Florida because the Panthers lost perhaps their most reliable defenseman over the summer when Brian Campbell left in free agency to return to the Chicago Blackhawks. Campbell played a ton of big minutes and was a rock alongside Aaron Ekblad on the team’s top pairing over the past two seasons. That is a big hole to replace in the lineup, and with Yandle’s salary there is going to be an expectation for him to be one of the top guys on the blue line.

The problem with that is Yandle is the type of player that tends to stand out no matter what he does, and that isn’t always a positive for defensemen.

When he is at his best, he is making an impact with the puck and creating offense. A lot of offense.

But when he makes a mistake, whether it is a turnover or simply getting beat in the defensive zone, as defenders that play his style of hockey do from time to time, it will stand out like a sore thumb. And even though the positive play usually outweigh the mistakes, the mistakes are usually the ones that get most of the attention.

Yandle is a very good player and the Panthers are a better team with him on the roster. He is the type of mobile, puck-moving defensemen that is starting to reshape the way teams think about and build their defense. But as he experienced in New York after the Rangers gave up a huge return to acquire him in a trade from the Arizona Coyotes, the cost to acquire him might create level of expectation that will be difficult, if not impossible, to reach.