Powering through Arizona

When the Panthers traded for the negotiating rights for defenseman Keith Yandle 10 days before the free agency period would begin on July 1, they expected him to provide a huge boost to the team’s offense, particularly the struggling power play.

Though the Panthers’ best-laid plans have gone awry, mostly due to a series of injuries to top forwards such as Aleksander Barkov, Nick Bjugstad and Jonathan Huberdeau, Yandle has certainly held up his end of the deal, which netted him a seven-year contract for $44.45 million.

Without three of their top scorers, the Panthers’ power play has stagnated and is ranked 24th at 15.3 percent success, compared to last season’s rank of 23rd at 16.9 percent. However, after a slow start, Yandle is tied with Jon Marchessault for the team lead with 10 power-play points and leads with eight powerplay assists, while playing a team-most 160:34 with the extra skater.

He leads his Panthers’ defensemen with 23 points, including 20 assists which ties him for the team lead with Jaromir Jagr.

“He’s fit in terrific,” said Panthers general manager and interim coach Tom Rowe after practice at Gila River Arena Sunday. “He’s such a positive influence on our young guys and in our locker room in general. We targeted him as our No. 1 free agent signing [because we] thought he’d really complement our forwards.

“We had figured if he could get the puck up to them on the rush and create more offense, that’s what we’re looking for. He’s on target with what we thought he could do. He comes in here and doesn’t wear a [captain] letter, but he’s certainly one of our key leaders in the locker room.”

Yandle, 30, was a fourthround pick by the Coyotes in 2005, and he played in Arizona the first 8 1/2 seasons of his career before being traded to the Rangers at the deadline in 2015. Tonight’s game marks his second time back to Phoenix, and first with the Panthers.

“It’s weird being on this side, especially walking by this locker room for so long and not playing here all the time [being] in the East,’’ he said. “It’s a goosebumps feeling when you come back here. I don’t think anything has changed. It’s a great place to play and live and I really enjoyed my time here.’’

WILFREDO LEE/AP Panthers defenseman Keith Yandle, right, has 23 points, including 20 assists. He is tied for the team lead with 10 power-play points and leads with eight power-play assists.