Keith Yandle of the Phoenix Coyotes has been getting lots of attention since the 2012 draft. His name has been circulating all over rumor boards and with the Coyotes depth at defense, Yandle seems to be available for trade. With Shane Doan still uncertain of rejoining the Coyotes and not having much offensive fire power, it would be wise to trade Yandle for offensive depth and possibly a high draft pick. While there are certainly many teams who would be interested in Yandle’s services, the St. Louis Blues have what it takes to grab him.
Blues GM Doug Armstrong has stated before that the team is searching for another top 4 defenseman and someone to play alongside Alex Pietrangelo and who better to be his defensive partner than Keith Yandle. Pietrangelo set career highs in assists and points and at 22 years of age, he still has room to improve. With Yandle putting up similar numbers to Pietrangelo last season, the two could become the teams permanent top pairing which could propel them to a Stanley Cup in the near future. Yandle’s arrival could also help with the development of younger defenseman like Pietrangelo, Kevin Shattenkirk, Ian Cole, Brett Ponich, and Jordan Schmaltz. Adding Yandle instantly makes the former Central Division champions much better than before, but what would his price tag be?
With the Coyotes obviously needing depth on offense, there are two names that I instantly think of that could help get the deal done and they are Chris Stewart and Matt D’Agostini. Stewart had an average year compared to his 2 previous seasons with the Blues and Colorado Avalanche. At only 24 he has shown his ability to score and already has two seasons with 25+ goals. D’Agostini reached 46 points in 2010-2011, but only had 18 points in 55 games in this past season. He is another player capable of putting up 20+ goals and 40+ points per season when healthy. While those two alone would most likely not bring Yandle to St. Louis, adding a 1st round pick and/or a prospect could certainly get the deal done.
Vladimir Tarasenko, Jaden Schwartz, and Ty Rattie will be the reason that Armstrong is able to throw in 2 younger roster forwards in a deal for Yandle. Tarasenko played excellent in the KHL and is one of the top rookies coming into the 2012-2013 season. Schwartz showed signs of greatness in his NHL debut last season when he scored 2 goals in 7 games, all while he went straight from college hockey to the NHL. He will be able to get a full training camp under his belt this season. Rattie was one of the best players in the WHL and if he continues to improve, he will be very valuable to the Blues offense.
While all this is pure speculation, a trade between the Blues and Coyotes for Yandle is possible. With Armstrong wanting a partner for Pietrangelo and the Coyotes needing depth and scoring on offense, a deal could happen. If you were Doug Armstrong, what would your offer be for Yandle?
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