The NHL has a creative salary cap system that has forced general managers to sign players to fatter and more extensive contracts.  This has led to overpaid and some ridiculous contracts.  For starters, Islanders goaltender Rick DiPietro signed a 15-year, $67.5 million deal to remain in Long Island essentially until he retires.  Bad habits aren’t easy to break apparently.  Anyone remember Alexei Yashin’s 10-year, $87.5 million signing?  I certainly do.  Maybe DiPietro is a future Hall of Fame backstopper.  Right now, Rick is an average goaltender at best.  He does not lead the league in any statistical category for goalies.  In fact, the only one he cracks is most goals allowed.  He ranks sixth.

In the Sportingnews, Jeff Gordon (the columnist) mentioned DiPietro among Thomas Vanek, Sabres, seven years $50 million, the Lightning’s Brad Richards’ five-year $39 million, and defenseman Ed Jovanovski, who signed a five-year $32.5 million pact with the Coyotes.

I just wanted to add four names to Mr. Gordon’s list.  Jason Blake, Zdeno Chara, Patrik Elias and Danius Zubrus.  Last season, Blake, an undrafted forward, scored 40 goals for the Islanders and helped carry them to the first round of the playoffs, where they lost the series to Buffalo 4-1 in the Quarterfinals.  Then came the off season and Blake’s ultimatum to the Isles.  Sign me by the NHL trading deadline, or I will test the free agent market.  While the Isles may have offered some money to Blake, Toronto offered him and his family a lot more.  The reason: one 40-goal campaign.  General Managers are so focused on the short-term, it’s painful to hear about the contracts they offer athletes.  After 35 games, Blake has five goals and 16 assists.  Fluke.

With Zdeno Chara, he is an incredibly large defenseman.  But, he is certainly not worth five years and $37.5 million.  The average salary in the NHL is estimated at $1.77 million.  With that said, Chara finished his full season in Boston with 11G, 32A and 43 points.  His rank among defensemen?  Two-way tie for 22nd.  Tampa Bay’s Dan Boyle secured fourth place while he earned $3.625 million, just less than half of the 6-foot-9 gargantuan Chara.

24-year-old Ryan Whitney netted 14 goals and 45 assists last season.  His salary?  $900,600.  His reward was a six-year contract worth $24 million, which would expire when he turns 30, unlike DiPeitro’s contract, which terminates by the time friends celebrate his 40th birthday party.

Finally, the New Jersey Devils locked up Patrik Elias on July 2, 2006 for seven years and $42 million.  Elias had played in Russia during the NHL 2004-05 lockout season, contracted hepatitis there, and was sidelined indefinitely.  After missing 39 games, he returned with vengeance.  He finished the season with 45 points in 38 games and entered free agency.  Instead of speaking to the Devils organization, working out a fair and reasonable contract, Elias wanted the maximum.  At the time, GM Lou Lamoriello’s hands were tied, but teams are faced to pay fair market value and Lou dutifully obliged.  The results?  Let us see.  He knocked in 21 goals the following season in 75 games and this year, he’s dropped to seven goals and a minus 6 in the team’s 33 games thus far. 

Elias is only 31 years of age and the scouting report is that he “Sees the ice incredibly well. Has terrific hand/eye coordination, good goal-scoring instincts and excellent puck-distribution skills,” and has incredible potential.  But, then we read the flaws.  He “can disappear at times. Appears to be in slight decline in terms of his offensive production and ability to make an impact.” 

He almost reminds me of the NHL’s version of Vince Carter.  Both athletes have tremendous capabilities, upscale.  But, for some reason, they have a mental block and cannot fulfill their duties consistently throughout the 82-game season.  Elias was even stripped of his “C” in training camp by new coach Brent Sutter, who captained Jamie Langenbrunner on Dec. 7, after he returned from offseason surgery.  Both players have continued to struggle in their new roles, well… until last night.  Elias netted the equalizer against Edmonton, before he assisted on the Devils second and decisive goal 35 seconds later.  He must return to form (03-04: 81 Points) if the Devils want to advance past the second round of the playoffs for the first time since losing Scott Neidermayer and Scott Stevens after winning the Stanley Cup in the 2002-03 season.

When you sign a player to a 6-year $20.4 million deal, someone who has never posted more than 24 goals in an NHL season, you cannot expect much production.  Okay, so maybe Dainius Zubrus was coming off two consecutive career-high campaigns with 57 and 60 points the last two seasons.  But, he’s a B level player and the Devils overpaid dearly.  He has paced the Devils with six goals thus far and is projected to finish with 14 for the year.  Wanna know how bad Zubrus is?  Guillaume Latendresse, Wojtek Wolski, and Dustin Byfuglien have each done more for their respective teams.  That’s right.  I cannot pronounce their names or locate their countries of origin on the map  (It’s Canada, Poland, and Roseau, Minnesota for those hockey fanatics).

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