Each NHL team’s worst contract heading into the 2019-20 season

Winnipeg Jets – Bryan Little

Contract: $5.921666 million cap hit over the next five years; no-movement clause for the next season, modified no-trade clause (14-team no-trade list) for the last four

The Winnipeg Jets have been pretty good at avoiding bad deals. However, the Bryan Little contract sticks out like a sore thumb. You could argue Dmitry Kulikov’s deal is a worse value (and you might be right for the 2019-20 season). But here’s the thing – Little’s contract has four years left after this season.

Winnipeg is paying nearly $6 million a year for someone who hasn’t reached the 50 point plateau since the 2014-15 season. Granted, Little has hit the 40 point plateau in his last eight season and was on pace to pass it during the 2013 lockout-shortened season.

But still, that’s a lot of money to pay someone who has struggled to stay healthy. It’s worth pointing out Little has played all 82 games in each of the last two seasons. But other than those two years, the only time he’s done that was in 2013-14.

Little used to be a decent possession driver, but has gotten worse over the last two seasons. For now, his deal is fine, but it’s not hard to see how this deal could go wrong.

Dishonorable mention: If Neal Pionk gets a deal longer than two years, it’s a bad deal. He’s done nothing to warrant a long-term deal.