Penguins/NHL
After playing in Columbus last night, Phoenix Coyotes GM Don Maloney is expected to be attendance for the Penguins – Bruins game this afternoon.
The Coyotes currently 9th in the Western Conference with 30 points, have been linked to Pittsburgh and Boston in the past.
The Penguins made a play for puck moving defenseman Keith Yandle in the summer but the two were never a match as the Coyotes sought a young top-6 forward. Talks never got “anywhere”, according to a source.
The Bruins have also been linked to Yandle over the past several months and unlike the Penguins have been viewed as a match for Yandle. After signing Oliver-Ekman-Larsson to a six year deal, speculation has picked up of the Coyotes looking to move Yandle’s salary. The Flyers have also been said to be very interested in Yandle and the Coyotes are said to still want offense for Yandle were they to move him. It’s believed the Coyotes would have to take some salary back in a trade for Yandle as they would be under the cap floor.
Yandle, 26, has 5 goals and 15 points on the season. He has three years remaining on his deal with a $5.250 million cap hit. The Penguins have been concerned about adding a long-term salary due to the uncertainty of what it’s going to take to resign Kris Letang, in addition to Evgeni Malkin’s cap hit likely being in the $10 million range on his next deal.
