NHL's Worst Contracts (Top 10): #4?

[Bettman Returnz]

Who are the top 10 worst NHL contracts as of right now?
*In-before free agency 2021 starts and more bad decisions are made...

This is to determine the overall worst bang for your buck type of contract. However you personally determine what's the worst (length of contract, monetary value, players output on ice vs what they get paid, decline in play, injuries, position specific, hardest to trade, etc).

***If you feel any last players are missing please respond below (player will get added to next poll).

1) Skinner ($9M x 8yrs w/ 6yrs remaining) @ 54.7%
2) Bobrovsky ($10M x 7yrs w/ 5yrs remaining) @ 63.8%
3) E. Karlsson ($11.5M x 8yrs w/ 6yrs remaining) @ 56.7%
4) Vlasic ($7M x 8yrs w/ 5yrs remaining) @ 51.7%

Click to read more...

 

[bobholly39]

Not sure how I feel about EK at #3. He's been really bad lately - but he's such a highly skilled player and D's often age well. Out of all the players listed here - he's one of the most likely imo to be able to turn it around and still play at an elite level. If he doesn't though - yes, #3 is warranted.

#4 - I'd probably go Vlasic, or maybe OEL. Voted Vlasic

Marner, Price, Tavares don't really belong with the others imo.

Marner - elite talent, young, consistent 90+ point winger. Maybe he should have gotten less at time of signature due to being RFA - but $$ paid vs actual production, it's fine.

Tavares - he's getting a bit older and declining a bit sure - but he's still a legitimate #1C imo. I don't think that's bad value yet - it stands out a bit in Toronto with so many $$'s tied up with forwards, but overall no big issue

Price - just had 2 elite back to back playoffs. Nobody in Montreal has an issue with his contract, nor would a GM around the league if they added him. It's true goalies carry a ton more risk than forwards though. If Tavares declines, he goes from a #1C to a #2C, still valuable. If a goalie declines - he goes from starter to....not starter, and becomes essentially useless (you don't pay high $$ for a backup). So - more risk for Price long-term maybe, but he's proven he's still elite and no worry on his contract in the short to medium term.

 

[Beyonder91]

Marner on this list is silly. He is the only guy in his true prime years and just finished 4th in NHL scoring. I think most would agree he is maybe overpaid by ~$1.5M which certainly isn't terrible.

If Marner is on here so should a guy like Eichel.

 

[Bettman Returnz]

Not sure how I feel about EK at #3. He's been really bad lately - but he's such a highly skilled player and D's often age well. Out of all the players listed here - he's one of the most likely imo to be able to turn it around and still play at an elite level. If he doesn't though - yes, #3 is warranted.

#4 - I'd probably go Vlasic, or maybe OEL. Voted Vlasic

Marner, Price, Tavares don't really belong with the others imo.

Marner - elite talent, young, consistent 90+ point winger. Maybe he should have gotten less at time of signature due to being RFA - but $$ paid vs actual production, it's fine.

Tavares - he's getting a bit older and declining a bit sure - but he's still a legitimate #1C imo. I don't think that's bad value yet - it stands out a bit in Toronto with so many $$'s tied up with forwards, but overall no big issue

Price - just had 2 elite back to back playoffs. Nobody in Montreal has an issue with his contract, nor would a GM around the league if they added him. It's true goalies carry a ton more risk than forwards though. If Tavares declines, he goes from a #1C to a #2C, still valuable. If a goalie declines - he goes from starter to....not starter, and becomes essentially useless (you don't pay high $$ for a backup). So - more risk for Price long-term maybe, but he's proven he's still elite and no worry on his contract in the short to medium term.

I do agree with most of what you said… for me, and voting EK65 was more about how badly this contract is aging. It’s a lot of $ to dish out to someone who’s trending in the wrong direction.

As well, marner/tavares/price I still think (for most part) are of the elite variety and shouldn’t really be considered in top 10 worst contracts. All of them are still producing at an above average rate. However, they’ve been added as other people think they should be. I guess we will let the polls speak for themselves. Never going to please everyone.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Not sure how I feel about EK at #3. He's been really bad lately - but he's such a highly skilled player and D's often age well. Out of all the players listed here - he's one of the most likely imo to be able to turn it around and still play at an elite level. If he doesn't though - yes, #3 is warranted.

#4 - I'd probably go Vlasic, or maybe OEL. Voted Vlasic

Marner, Price, Tavares don't really belong with the others imo.

Marner - elite talent, young, consistent 90+ point winger. Maybe he should have gotten less at time of signature due to being RFA - but $$ paid vs actual production, it's fine.

Tavares - he's getting a bit older and declining a bit sure - but he's still a legitimate #1C imo. I don't think that's bad value yet - it stands out a bit in Toronto with so many $$'s tied up with forwards, but overall no big issue

Price - just had 2 elite back to back playoffs. Nobody in Montreal has an issue with his contract, nor would a GM around the league if they added him. It's true goalies carry a ton more risk than forwards though. If Tavares declines, he goes from a #1C to a #2C, still valuable. If a goalie declines - he goes from starter to....not starter, and becomes essentially useless (you don't pay high $$ for a backup). So - more risk for Price long-term maybe, but he's proven he's still elite and no worry on his contract in the short to medium term.

The problem with Tavares is he's not an $11 million player. That doesn't mean he's a *bad* player like some of the others on the list, it just means that he doesn't provide the kind of production/results you need from someone being paid like a top 5 player in hockey.

 

[snowkiddin]

I’ll go with Vlasic, but OEL, Johansen, and Hayes are up there.

 

[sigma six]

It's not really Hayes, but voted for it because I'm mad at the Flyers and their terrible luck in all things.

 

[The Moose is Loose]

Vlasic extremely easily. His + the 3 selected are the truly unmovable boat anchors.

While the rest of the guys listed are obviously overpaid, I think all of their deals could be moved if their GM felt motivated to do so

 

[ted2019]

Vlasic.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

I almost had Vlasic ahead of Karlsson, but that 4.5m aav difference and extra year really is huge.

 

[TS Quint]

Ladd’s contract was DOA. NEVER HAD A CHANCE. Not when he signed it and not at any point. He had a hernia the season before known for being a difficult injury to come back from. He was a waste to the Blackhawks for the playoffs. No idea why they thought that term or money was a good idea.

 

[5 14 6 1]

Vlasic and Duchene for me

 

[King 88]

Vlasic or OEL went with Vlasic this round.

 

[elitepete]

add toews

 

[Ivo]

I also don’t think players like Marner or Tavares really belong here. They may be 2-2.5M overpaid, but that is not so terrible in terms of individual contracts. Toronto’s problem is not any of those individual contracts as such, but the fact that they have so many of them. Overpay one forward by 2.5M, no big deal. Overpay your top three forwards by 2.5M and there goes your elite top pairing D, star goalie or a couple of important third liners.

 

[JTToilinginToronto]

Ladd’s contract was DOA. NEVER HAD A CHANCE. Not when he signed it and not at any point. He had a hernia the season before known for being a difficult injury to come back from. He was a waste to the Blackhawks for the playoffs. No idea why they thought that term or money was a good idea.

It was bad, but at this point, it's not horrible. Two years remaining at 'only' a $5.5M caphit. I know he doesn't provide a NHL impact, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. More than you can say about some of the other anchors here.

 

[Buck Naked]

I almost had Vlasic ahead of Karlsson, but that 4.5m aav difference and extra year really is huge.

I had it the other way. At least Karlsson could provide some value since we know the talent is there.

 

[jetsforever]

Marner on this list is silly. He is the only guy in his true prime years and just finished 4th in NHL scoring. I think most would agree he is maybe overpaid by ~$1.5M which certainly isn't terrible.

If Marner is on here so should a guy like Eichel.

Eichel's is better due to term but agreed otherwise

 

[Bounces R Way]

As far as most toxic wouldn't touch with a 30 ft pole it'd be Vlasic. Eriksson's has got to be next though. Provided absolutely nothing for 36 million.

 

[bobholly39]

As far as most toxic wouldn't touch with a 30 ft pole it'd be Vlasic. Eriksson's has got to be next though. Provided absolutely nothing for 36 million.

Not anymore though. Even Lucic and Neal...those were all strong contenders for #1 a while back, but Eriksson only has 1 year left now. Neal & Lucic just 2 years. I think term is the much bigger concern in this comparison

 

[TS Quint]

It was bad, but at this point, it's not horrible. Two years remaining at 'only' a $5.5M caphit. I know he doesn't provide a NHL impact, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. More than you can say about some of the other anchors here.

That's another way to look at it I guess. My point is some of these contracts either were not bad when they were signed or at least had people thinking the money would be worth it for a few years until they got a little older. Ladd's contract never had any value at any point right from the second pen hit the paper I don't think there were many who thought it was going to work out. First year he had 31 points when the 2nd worst +/- on the team and it just got worse.

 

[banks]

Vlasic here, without any hesitation.

Duchene next.

 

[Bettman Returnz]

Poll now closed, #5 up.