Every year there are a handful of NHL teams that go all-in for the opportunity to win a Stanley Cup. General managers will move substantial future pieces with the outlook that as long as they win now it is worth risking the future and then dealing with it when the time comes. The Los Angeles Kings, Chicago Blackhawks, Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings each won Stanley Cups but now they are paying the price for some of the moves they made to win those championships. Here is a look at the NHL teams most hurt by bad, old deals.
Los Angeles Kings
Players: Dustin Brown, Marian Gaborik, Matt Greene, Mike Richards
Total NHL Cap Hit: $13.225
Total Legacy Costs: $8.545 Million
The Kings loaded up for multiple Stanley Cup runs and while their championship ring make it worth the price they have paid they are still in a position where they are burdened by some of those contracts. Dustin Brown, Matt Greene and Marian Gaborik are still serviceable players but not at the more than $13 million cap hit that they will take up this season. Meanwhile, the Kings are still paying a cap recapture penalty after buying out Mike Richards a couple of seasons ago. Los Angeles has managed to stay in the Western Conference playoff picture despite mounting injuries and a severe lack of cash but they are not the same force they were a couple of years ago when they were considered prime Stanley Cup contenders.
Detroit Red Wings
Players: Henrik Zetterberg, Niklas Kronwall, Jonathan Ericsson, Jimmy Howard, Johan Franzen
Total NHL Cap Hit: $24.34 Million
Total Legacy Costs: $9.34 Million
The Red Wings will pay out upwards of $24 million for Henrik Zetterberg, Niklas Kronwall, Jonathan Ericsson and Jimmy Howard this season with at least a little relief on the Johan Franzen contract based on his long-term IR status. Howard has played well enough this season to earn the money he is making but Detroit has two quality goaltenders in place with Petr Mrazek the younger option with the stronger long-term outlook. Meanwhile, Zetterberg and Kronwall are making more than $20 million between them and that has prevented the Red Wings from adding quality free agents in their prime as they continue to lean on a blend of aging veterans in raw upcoming prospects to fill out their lineup.
Boston Bruins
Players: Zdeno Chara, David Krejci
Total NHL Cap Hit: $14.15 Million
Total Legacy Costs: $5.6 Million
The Bruins won a Stanley Cup in 2011 and managed to escape from their contending period relatively unscathed thanks in part to the fact that they didn’t commit to Milan Lucic or Tim Thomas long-term and they traded Dougie Hamilton to the Calgary Flames. Zdeno Chara and David Krejci will combine to make upwards of $14 million this season but Krejci has been a dynamic second-line center when healthy while Chara is still their top shutdown defenseman despite playing fewer minutes than he did in his prime. The Bruins have done a solid job building around their veteran players and it won’t surprise anyone if they contend for a Stanley Cup in the Eastern Conference this season.
Chicago Blackhawks
Players: Marian Hossa
Total NHL Cap Hit: $5.27 Million
Total Legacy Costs: $1.27 Million
The Blackhawks committed the bulk of their salary cap to a talented group of players led by Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Corey Crawford. The only contract that can really be labeled a bad deal is the $5.27 million they are set to pay Marian Hossa through the 2020-21 season. He’s still a good player – he has 16 goals and is on pace for about 58 points this year – but he’s soon to be 38 years old (in January) and is past his prime. He’s going to be 43 by the end of this contract and the Blackhawks would gladly have that money to shift around to other players.
The Blackhawks have leaned heavily on their star players while trying to fill out the remainder of their lineup with young players and value additions and it will be interesting to see if they have enough talent to contend for a Stanley Cup this season. With Artemi Panarin set to become a UFA next season after making just $812K this season, Chicago will have to find the cap space they need to sign him to a long-term extension or risk losing him on the free agent market.
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