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

Boston Bruins – David Backes

Contract: $6 million cap hit over two years; $4 million signing bonus; modified NTC each of the last two years

I know I said I wasn’t going to care about signing bonuses, but David Backes is an exception. The only time signing bonuses matter is with buyouts. Bonuses make it more difficult to buy someone out because their bonuses are guaranteed no matter what. Backes’ signing bonuses might be the biggest reason why the Boston Bruins haven’t bought him out.

A buyout wouldn’t really give the Bruins much as far as cap relief. It would only save them $333,333 for the 2019-20 season. $6 million is a very large cap hit for someone who found himself as a healthy scratch during the postseason and regular season.

During the 2018-19 season, in 70 games, Backes put up 20 points. It was the fourth straight season he saw his point total decline. At 35 years old, Backes’ days as a productive player are done.

Luckily, Charlie McAvoy can’t sign an offer sheet because he has only accrued two NHL seasons. And nobody appears to be interested in giving one out to Brandon Carlo. So Backes deal shouldn’t hurt them directly – for now. But you could argue his contract was why they couldn’t bring back Marcus Johansson, who did very well for the Bruins in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Dishonorable mentions: On paper, John Moore’s $2.75 million cap hit doesn’t seem too bad. But then you realize he’s still under contract for the next four years.