3 Horrible offseason NHL signings
It has been a long, but mostly subdued, offseason.
Early on, we had the big trade which sent Phil Kessel from Toronto to Pittsburgh, with speculation on him scoring 5 points per 60 minutes.
A lot of smaller moves over time and clubs, like Chicago, trying to fit up against the salary cap.
And, at least according to The Score, some of the biggest trades also were the biggest duds. Here are their worst three.
1. Ryan O’Reilly
But what makes O’Reilly a bad offseason signing is the unusual structure of his deal.
The 24-year-old’s contract will be almost entirely paid to him in signing bonuses, minus $1 million in base salary annually. That means the club essentially can’t ever buy O’Reilly out, with all but the $1 million guaranteed to him over seven years.
The deal’s structure commits Buffalo to O’Reilly for the long haul. With Eichel and Sam Reinhart as potential centers expected to eventually climb the ranks, the Sabres could face a tough decision on which one to move in the future – a decision complicated by a strange, potentially crippling contract.
2. Matt Beleskey
Belesky scored 21 goals combined in the three seasons before his breakout campaign.
The winger does fit the Bruins’ sandpaper style of play, but at $4 million for the first four years of the contract and five seasons total, Boston is really hoping Beleskey’s first 20-goal campaign isn’t his last.
3. Carl Soderberg
Soderberg is coming off just his second full season in the NHL, in which he tallied 13 goals and 44 points in 82 games. These numbers are actually slightly worse than his first NHL season, where he had four more points in nine fewer games.
Prior to the signing, reports surfaced suggesting Soderberg was seeking $5 million a season from interested clubs.
He settled for just beneath that figure, but still got longer term and more money than a second-year player with 29 goals to his name deserves.
We agree on O’Reilly and Beleskey, but believe that Soderberg will be the best signing of the three.
As always, time will tell.
