Good morning and welcome to “Cats & Coffee,” a weekly segment in which we get you caffeinated with an exciting look at the week ahead for the Florida Panthers.
SUNRISE, Fla. -- When the Florida Panthers acquired the negotiating rights of impending unrestricted free agent Keith Yandle from the New York Rangers early last week, the team essentially skipped to the head of a long line of suitors that would surely covet the puck-moving defensemen when the league’s free agency period opened on July 1.
In the end, this extra negotiating time proved to be invaluable, as the Panthers’ steadfast commitment to winning absolutely captivated Yandle’s imagination, persuading the talented blueliner to forgo free agency and sign a seven-year contract to remain in South Florida.