These five NHL free agency deals are the worst signed so far. Some of them have already caused their team much grief.
The money spent around July 1 in the NHL gets crazier every year. Each time fans think maybe general managers have learned to stop overpaying players who aren’t stars, somebody signs a contract that makes jaws drop to the floor. 2017 has been no different thus far.
To be fair, there have been some very good contracts signed so far. This exercise is much easier than it has been in the past. So far in free agency, five deals stand out as being inexcusably awful. Heck, one of them is already crippling the team. All deals signed involving players who either were free agents or were going to be free agents count.
Bad deals in free agency can haunt a team for years to come. It wouldn’t be surprising to see at least two of these deals bought out eventually. Contract info is courtesy of Cap Friendly, who will never get enough credit for the work they do. Without further ado, let’s look at the five worst NHL free agency deals.
5. Nick Bonino – Nashville Predators
The contract: Four years, $16.4 million.
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Why it’s terrible: Look, I get the fit. The Nashville Predators needed to add a center badly. Ryan Johansen’s injury in the postseason highlighted their lack of depth. Nick Bonino is a decent center. He’s won two Stanley Cups, both with the Pittsburgh Penguins. But getting four years with a $4 million cap hit is way too much.
Bonino played behind Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in Pittsburgh. Oh yeah, and he was flanked by Phil Kessel during their first Stanley Cup run. Bonino has scored over 40 points in a season only one more time than you have. For $4 million a year, more consistency is expected.
That said, I can also see how this deal could look good. The Predators don’t have Kessel, but their wings are an underrated strength of the team, even without James Neal. But even then, it doesn’t excuse overpaying Bonino.