Tampa Bay Lightning: Top 5 Worst Contracts In Team History
The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed many players over the organizations 23 year history, but there are some that still make us shake our head.
There comes a time for every team that they take on or sign a player to a long term contract hoping that they reap the rewards for the financial investment made in that player. Sometimes these deals actually work out, but most of the time these deals are made when a player is in the prime of their career or are just exiting their prime. This comes with the risk of a player not performing up to the contract at the time of its signing, even if it is four or five years down the road.
The Tampa Bay Lightning organization has made many quality signings in its history that have created many successful teams over the years. Some may include the three-year contracts given to Tyler Johnson and Ondrej Palat or the signing of Anton Stralman to a five-year deal as a free agent, but there have been some long term deals that have not really worked out.
Some of these players were free agent signings that the respective General Manager who signed them believed would help the team. Others were players that were already on the team that had expiring contracts or extensions of a current contract that had a year or more of club control left. In this article, we will discuss the top five worst contracts in Tampa Bay Lightning history.
Next: Number 5: Matt Carle
Oct 19, 2013; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Matt Carle (25) against the Boston Bruins during the third period at Tampa Bay Times Forum. Boston Bruins defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-0. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Though Matt Carle is currently a key piece on the Tampa Bay Lightning, his contract still ranks among the worst in team history.
Defenseman Matt Carle is a player that many current Tampa Bay Lightning fans know very well. The 31-year-old Anchorage, Alaska native has been patrolling the blue line for the past three seasons, but you can say that Carle has not received much thanks from the Lightning faithful over the years due to the criticism about his play. Well, to those fans who do not wish to see number 25 on the ice anytime soon, you really don’t have any other choice.
Personally, I feel that most of the criticism aimed toward Carle is unwarranted as explained here, but that does not change the way I feel about his current contract. Currently, Carle is in the fourth year of a six-year, $33 million dollar contract signed when he was a free agent before the start of the 2012-13 season. His base salary is $5 million dollars per year, but his salary cap hit is actually $5.5 million dollars per year.
That number is the HIGHEST current cap hit of all Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman. Let me say that again; the HIGHEST cap hit among Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman. Not so good for a defenseman playing third pair minutes. In comparison, Jason Garrison currently has a cap hit of $4.6 million dollar and Anton Stralman has a cap hit of $4.5 million dollars. Ouch.
Now, as I said before, I do believe Matt Carle is a solid defender. However, the fact that he is getting paid that much money and is the highest paid defenseman on the team while playing third line minutes is the reason why his name is on this list.
All I can tell Lightning fans is, you’re stuck with the guy for the long haul because nobody is going to take on that much salary for a 30-year-old defenseman playing third pair minutes, but you still need to appreciate what he does for the team. So, for the next three seasons, Matt Carle will be playing defense for the Tampa Bay Lightning and there is nothing you can really do about it.
Next: Number 4: Vaclav Prospal
Jun 13, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning fans cheer after they scored a goal against the Chicago Blackhawks during the second period at game five of the 2015 Stanley Cup Final at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Former Tampa Bay Lightning forward Vaclav ‘Vinny’ Prospal had a few succesful seasons with the team, but his last contract was not a good one.
Who remembers ole Vinny Prospal? Well, you know he’s old when you cant even find a picture of him for this article, but that is besides the point. Anyways, Vinny Prospal probably has the all-time Lightning record for the most times entering and leaving the organization during a career. There were three different instances were Prospal was wearing a Tampa Bay Lightning uniform and each time he was here, he seemed to always find a way to put the puck in the back of the net.
The thing that makes Prospal’s situation different from the rest of the players on this list is the fact that he was bought out of his third contract with the team while he was still producing offensively. Why was this? Well, at the time, General Manager Brian Lawton felt that the streaky scorer could be replaced by a more dynamic forward that would produce more offensively. Here is his official statement:
“After fully evaluating our roster and our position in the salary cap world, we arrived at the decision to buy out Vaclav Prospal from his contract. We appreciate Vinny’s service to the Lightning, but in the best interest of the team, we believe a difficult decision needed to be made in this case and we are going to move ahead without him. We wish Vinny all the best,”
Over his six seasons with the team, Prospal scored 127 goals and 371 points including a 45 point year in 2008-09. Before the 2008-09 season, the then 33-year-old Prospal signed a four-year, $14 million dollar contract that would have kept the Czechoslovakian native with the team past the 2011-12 season.
Lawton made the move to increase production at the forward position and they felt like they could find someone better to fill Prospal’s role. Well, Mr. Lawton decided to signed Alex Tanguay instead, and we all know how THAT worked out.
The buyout caused a $1.17 million dollar cap hit until the end of the 2014-15 season. So, this season was the first in six years that Prospal’s buyout did not affect the team’s current salary cap. All of this to replace what was already a decent 40 point scorer making $3.5 million dollars per season for bust in Alex Tanguay and a hit on the salary cap for six seasons. Nice move, Mr. Lawton.
Next: Number 3: Mattias Ohlund
Apr 16, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning fans cheer after they scored a goal against the Detroit Red Wings during the third period in game one of the first round of the the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena. Detroit Red Wings defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Mattias Ohlund was at one a solid defenseman for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Even though he hasn’t stepped on the ice in five years, he is still under contract through the end of this season.
Back in the day, Swedish born defenseman Mattias Ohlund was a solid top pair defenseman that could average 24 minutes per game. Now, he doesn’t even participate with the team he is under contract with. The 39-year-old has not worn a Tampa Bay Lightning uniform for five years, but his current contract still affects the team to this day.
Ohlund signed a six-year, $26.25 million dollar contact with the Lightning as an unrestricted free agent before the start of the 2009-10 season. His role was as such; play top pair minutes effectively, be a leader in the locker room, and mentor 18-year-old rookie defenseman and fellow Swede Victor Hedman. Well, at the beginning of the deal, Ohlund performed all of those jobs well. Unfortunately for Ohlund and the Lightning, things started rolling downhill after the end of the 2010-11 season.
At the end of the 2009-10 season, Ohlund underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. After experiencing inflammation in that knee, he was held out of camp and missed time during the season. At the end of the season, he experienced more inflammation in his right knee. After being placed on injured reserve, he once again underwent arthroscopic surgery, this time on both knees. Rehab on the knees was going well until he experienced a setback in the rehab process. This seemed to be the point that Ohlund knew he would probably never play another NHL game as he told the Tampa Tribune back in 2013:
For a long period of time I’ve been trying to get better and better, but clearly the longer you don’t play, the likelihood of playing again gets smaller and smaller each day, especially at my age. I don’t know long term what my situation will be, but I’m sure it will be figured out shortly.”
As well all know now, Ohlund never did quite get to the point where he could play again and the team was able to move him to long term injured reserve. This move allows some breathing room when it comes to building the current roster, but at the same time it is not like his salary entirely comes off the books either. Well, that is until July 1st of 2016.
What happened to Mattias Ohlund was unfortunate, but his current contract still ranks among the worst in Tampa Bay Lightning history. Just like Prospal, the deal has affected many Tampa Bay Lightning teams including the 2015-16 team, but starting on July 1st, 2016 Mattias Ohlund and his contract will finally come off the books.
Next: Number 2:Ryan Malone
Feb 6, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Ryan Malone (12) shoots as Toronto Maple Leafs goalie
(45) defends during the second period at Tampa Bay Times Forum. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
From fan favorite to team liability, former Tampa Bay Lightning forward had one of the worst contracts in team history.
Ryan ‘Bugsy’ Malone was once one of the most adored players that wore a Tampa Bay Lightning uniform. His ability to score, hit, and fight made him one of the more popular players both among the fans and his teammates. Since the day the team traded for the rights of Malone and signed him, the team thought they had a player that could provide scoring and grit to the forward lines, but in the end they got a player that was once again bought out from a bad contract.
The Lightning signed Malone to a seven-year, $31.5 contact before the start of the 2008-09 season after sending a third round pick to the his hometown team Pittsburgh Penguins for the negotiating rights of both Malone and veteran forward Gary Roberts. After playing 9-years for his hometown team and winning a Stanley Cup, the organization hoped that Malone would bring that championship mentality to a team that had not been very good over the past few years.
At the beginning of Malone’s contract, it seemed like the move was going to pay off. Though he never played a full 82 game season in a Lightning uniform, Malone contributed offensively while bringing toughness and leadership to a Lightning lineup that sorely needed it. In four of his first five seasons, Malone scored more than 20 goals and in three of the five had more than 40 points. All was going well for the veteran forward until the 2012-13 season.
In a year filled with injures, the 2012-13 season saw Malone only play 24 games and score 8 points. The next season, Malone scored only 15 point in 57 games. At that time, a lot of people began to say it was time for Malone to find a job else wear.
Unfortunately, Malone’s $4.5 million dollar salary made it almost impossible for General Manager Steve Yzerman to move the veteran winger and the team decided to use their second compliance buyout on Malone’s contract. The move would save the team $4.5 million dollars of cap space for the upcoming season, but they would still have to pay Malone two-thirds of his salary (or $1.67 million dollars) over the next two seasons.
Along with his arrest in April of 2014 for DUI cocaine and diminishing play on the ice, Ryan Malone was just not a fit in Tampa anymore. His bad contract made it impossible to move the veteran forward to another NHL team and it forced Yzerman to buyout his contract.
It is unfortunate that Malone was unable to perform and finish out his contract with the Lightning, but at the end of the day this is a ‘what have you done for me lately’ business and Malone’s success early in the contract doesn’t change the fact that he was just not good anymore. His contract ranks as the second worst deal in Tampa Bay Lightning history.
Next: Number 1: Vincent Lecavalier
Nov 27, 2013; Tampa, FL, USA; Philadelphia Flyers center Vincent Lecavalier (40) reacts after he made a goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the third period at Tampa Bay Times Forum. Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Though his time in Tampa Bay was filled with much success, Vincent Lecavalier’s contracts ranks as the worst in franchise history.
We Tampa Bay Lightning fans remember all the good times that we shared with former captain Vincent Lecavalier. All of the goal celebrations, the charitable work he did for the Tampa Bay community, and of course the Stanley Cup championship he helped us win in 2004. There is no doubt that Vinny Lecavalier will be a fan favorite in the hearts on Tampa Bay Lightning fans forever, however, his contract still ranks as the worst in franchise history.
Lecavalier signed an eleven-year, $85 million dollar contract extension before the start of the 2008-09 season that would pay the Canadian forward over $7 million dollars per year. At the time, the deal seemed like a no brainer due to the fact that Lecavalier was one of the team’s best players and had scored 108 and 92 points in the previous two seasons before signing the extension. Once again, the team would later find out that the mammoth contract that they signed their once prized first overall pick to would end up being a huge mistake.
Vinny’s play began to trend downward during the 2008-09 season. Though he was still one of the team’s best players, it just seemed like his play night in and night out was not very consistent. He was not performing like he was in previous years, but he was still putting up over 60 and 70 points seasons so things remained calm in Lightning land. But, as most things do, this effect begins to catch up with you as you age. The 2011-12 season saw Vinny score less than 50 points for the first time since his third season in the league and the following season saw what was the lowest point production of his career to that point.
His offensive numbers going down was one thing, but Vinny continued to play a one-sided game and did not do much defensively for the team. Whether he was slow getting back in the defensive zone or not covering his man, he was too much of a liability in the defensive zone to keep throwing out there. With that, Steve Yzerman made the tough decision of using the team’s first compliance buyout on Lecavaliers contract that would save the team over $7 million dollars against the cap.
The buyout makes the Lightning responsible to pay Lecavalier $32.67 million dollars with $8 million of that being paid out in full. This meant that Vinny would make $24.67 million dollars from the Lightning over the next 14 years (or until the end of the 2026-27 season)
Though Vinny Lecavalier will most likely have his jersey number hung in the rafter at Amalie Arena one day honoring him for his accomplishments, there is no doubt that his contract is the worst in Tampa Bay Lightning history. When you get paid over $32 million dollars to play for another team and still be getting paid after retirement, then you know it was bad. There are still bad contracts given out in today’s NHL, but hopefully the Tampa Bay Lightning can stay away from those bad franchise altering deals that can affect future teams for many years to come.