There's no such thing as moving Abdelkader's contract, I think. Well, okay, I'll put it this way, if you are so creative that you can move Abdelkader or his contract then I think you should be working for an NHL team. You should really go down to Little Caesars and apply immediately. You have my blessing.
However, regarding disappointment in him it's his play since he took that contract and his play in general: We've got a 32 year-old guy with an "A" on his sweater who is performing at about the level of Rasmussen, Rasmussen who would be in the AHL this season if possible and who came straight to the NHL from juniors. One measly multi-point night in like two seasons as of last night from an assistant captain, and not even a hint of the physical play that we used to get from him either.
He used to be a ball of fire. I mean, when they gave him the contract, the NTC was mostly what I read complaints about. People who complained still knew that he was all over the ice throwing big checks. There was a bit of dispute over how much checking was really worth but given his propensity at the time to literally fight for his teammates, and given that he was providing some decent offense, nobody quite predicted such a downfall. But both of those important dimensions to his game are already all but gone.
He has no coming contract to play for the rest of his NHL career, and I really think this is a guy who is of no use on the ice whatsoever at the NHL level a season or two from now at his current pace of degradation. But thanks to that contract and the "A" on his sweater, he can hang out and take up space rather than to retire early like he should.