Worst UFA signings of 2009

[Declan]

This article was in The Hockey News last week:

Dishonorable Mentions: Donald Brashear, LW, New York Rangers, two years, $2.8 million; Mikael Samuelsson, Vancouver Canucks, LW, three years, $7.5 million; Derek Morris, D, Boston, one year, $3.3 million.

5. Jaroslav Spacek, D, Montreal Canadiens, three years, $11.5 million.
Spacek was one of Buffalo’s steadiest defensemen last season, but paying a 35-year-old blueliner $3.8 million a season – more than Chicago’s Brent Seabrook ($3.5 million), Minnesota’s Brent Burns ($3.55 million), Atlanta’s Tobias Enstrom ($3.75 million) and $200,000 less than Calgary’s Robyn Regehr (!!!) – represents a perfect example of the overpayments that take place when you’ve got tons of salary cap space, but tons more roster spots to fill out.

4. Ales Kotalik, RW, New York Rangers, three years, $9 million.
It wouldn’t be an annual list of awful free agent contracts without a contribution – or two, as you’ll see below – from Rangers GM Glen “Santa” Sather, the preferred charitable contributor among all NHL agents.

One of the benefactors of Sather’s largesse this summer is Kotalik, who will get a cool, three extra-large each season to flirt with the 20-goal plateau. He was tied with Maxim Afinogenov for the second-worst plus-minus (minus-7) of any Sabres forward last season and probably could describe every inch of the inside of coach Lindy Ruff’s doghouse from memory.

Luckily he’s got a real softy of a coach in John Tortorella this year.

3. Nik Antropov, LW, Atlanta Thrashers, four years, $16 million.
Most of us who watched Antropov play in Toronto understand how streaky of a scorer he is; the evidence of that last year came in the form of a 16-game goalless skid one month before the Maple Leafs traded him to the Rangers.

But the statistic that best illustrates his lukewarm affect on a team during crunch time came during his short stay in Manhattan: in the Blueshirts’ final 13 games last year – six regular season matchups and seven playoff games against the Capitals and their less-than-elite defense corps – Antropov posted just three goals and only one game-winner.

Sather didn’t exactly beg Antropov to return – and when the optimist of all NHL optimists doubts your upside enough to not pay you $1 million more a year than Kotalik will earn, that should’ve been a massive red flag. It was not to Thrashers GM Don Waddell, however, leaving Thrashers fans a full four years to discover the truth the hard way.

2. Marian Gaborik, LW, New York Rangers, five years, $37.5 million.
Nobody doubts Gaborik’s offensive capabilities, but for a Rangers team still trying to figure out its identity, committing to a five-year term for a player who has averaged more than 19 missed games a season is a gamble that would make Charles Barkley blush. And we all know how well Sather’s bets have paid off in the past, right?

1. Nikolai Khabibulin, G, Edmonton Oilers, four years, $15 million.
Here’s how rotten the UFA market has been to goalies this off-season: other than Khabibulin’s inexplicably extended term, the only goalie to get a contract longer than two years was new Panthers backup Scott Clemmensen – and he’s only averaging $1.2 million a season over three years.

Everybody else – including potential starters Dwayne Roloson, Craig Anderson and Martin Biron – signed for one or two seasons on deals that averaged anywhere from $600,000 (Antero Niittymaki in Tampa Bay) to the $2.5 million Roloson will earn on Long Island.

If you’re telling me Khabibulin is going to give the Oilers nearly $1.25 million more a year in performance quality, especially when he’s 40 years old in the final season of his deal, I’m asking you whether Sather is consulting on the down-low for his former employer.

www.thehockeynews.com/articles/27453-Screen-Shots-Worst-UFA-signings-of-2009.html

[nyfan1982]

wow ... on that list only one player mentioned didn't have a rip on Sather in the description as to why it's a bad signing. I mean i don't like Sather as much as the next guy but this guy needs to relax.

And i hope all these guys eat crow if Gabby stays healthy this year, which he should after that surgery he had which has had an excellent track record in resolving the groin issues that have plagued him in the past.

And really, missing 19 games is not that bad .. and that number is tremendiously inflated because of how much time he missed lat year. But even if he only plays 63 games he will still probably lead the team in points.

And like he wouldn't have gotten that kind of contract somewhere else anyway! He was offered more by the Wild!

[Declan]

You are right, it certainly does appear that someone over at THN doesn't like Sather

[ryanclassic]

I touched upon this with you briefly over Twitter a few days ago but I've now taken your advice and signed up for the forums. Onwards:

Can you really blame THN? Sather's become a master of making horrible signings or trades, finding an unexpected way to rid himself of them, and repeating it again. I think it was you who pointed out yesterday that the Rangers had only four NHL defencemen signed right now. All kinds of scary.

Worth noting, there's 8 players there including the D/Ms: Brashear (signed by NYR), Morris (let go by NYR), Kotalik (signed by NYR), Antropov (let go by NYR), and Gaborik (signed by NYR). Sather had his hands on 5 of 8. Not that THN has ever been kind to him but that's still pretty bad.

Going to self-plug here at the bottom of this post (and I feel dirty doing it) since I finally finished my piece of Zherdev and the collateral damage from that trade.

It was after the THN article was published, but the Prospal signing looks really good in theory. The price is right, the talent is there, and my theory is that if Tampa Bay doesn't want someone it probably means he's a pretty good player (Richards, Boyle, Prospal, Kuba...). Tanguay might even be a good fit if the price is right.

Okay, self-serving linkage: www.ryanclassic.net/classicblog/2009/8/19/anatomy-of-a-trade-nikolai-zherdev.html

[Declan]

Ryan -

Don't feel dirty posting "self-promoting" links as long as they are hockey related and on-topic.

I'm actually going to link to this article off the main page of PuckCentral one of the next few days because I think it's an excellent breakdown of the Zherdev fiasco.

Just a few quick notes about your article: Reitz actually injured his foot while still a NYR, so the Leafs acquired him knowing that he was injured. Reitz has since signed to play in the KHL. Also, as pissed off as I am about the whole trade history - Christian Backman may have put up a few points in NY but he was not a good defenseman, in fact he was booed consistently (not that this means much because I think fans in NY do this way too quickly) - he was about to become the fan's new beating boy like Poti & Malik had previously been

[ryanclassic]

I don't understand why Burke would take damaged goods unless it was actually part of the Antropov trade. You take my damaged player as a sign of good faith and then we'll take Antropov. It's weird, but that's Sather logic... and Burke logic.

I looked around for Reitz's current status and couldn't find anything. Do you know which team he signed with? I'm assuming Backman and Fritsche are still free agents, though I expect Backman will sign with Frolunda. It sounds like he wore out his welcome in New York and Columbus, and his salary was way overpriced (thanks Larry Pleau). Tyutin is the player most people are sad to see go and are fine with losing the picks. Tyutin was drafted and developed by the Rangers and not acquired through a trade or free agency. I would say that's a decent argument for not trading away all your draft picks.

I assume Redden also gets booed? What about Roszival? At least Malik had one shining moment in the neverending shootout.

[Declan]

I wish I had a link for you (I saw a few links on Twitter last week) I'm almost positive that it was a confirmed signing. The Backman to a Swedish team was also mentioned, but not sure if confirmed.

Ranger fans definitely boo Redden (Rozsvial rarely, only really after a major error), but not as much as they had Malik or Poti. But, it's really early in his time w/ the Rangers - barring an unforeseen trade or buy out, he'll be a NYR for a while

[ryanclassic]

I mentioned on a Blueshirt Banter post that I think Redden would rather retire than play in Hartford. He's made a lot of money, is recently married, and has a place in Manhattan. A buyout might also happen. Thankfully he signed an under-35 contract, even if he plays like he's 40.

I'm from Ottawa and have seen Wade play for many, many years. He's a good guy and great in the community. He put a lot of time and money into the local children's hospital and cystic fibrosis charities, and even bought a box at Scotiabank Place for sick kids. I had a friend with cystic fibrosis who benefited greatly from Wade's work. He's had some off-ice problems that have made him a shell of his former self when playing hockey. Ottawa loves a whipping boy and he was the number one target for years. I wasn't sad to see him go.

Backman played many years in the Frolunda system over in Sweden before being drafted by St. Louis, and had another tour of duty with them during the lockout. PJ Axelsson and Joel Lundqvist both signed there this summer as well (Joel immediately was named captain). I would be shocked if he signed with anyone else.