Worst UFA signings of 2009

http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/27173-THNcom-Top-10-Worst-UFA-contracts.html

We only made the list once, and at # 10 to boot, Toronto made it twice, take that Burke you geniusy.

Hard to argue with that list. Apart from Gaborik, there were no 'howlers' IMO. Last year, there was Huet, Redden, and Campbell, which I thought were some of the worst signings I have ever seen.

Kotalik would have bumped Neil out of the Top 10! lol

Nice to see Montreal make the list too.

SeawaySensFan wrote:Kotalik would have bumped Neil out of the Top 10! lol

Nice to see Montreal make the list too.

Kotalik might have been bumped up a bit higher than # 10, but again, it would have erased us from the list.

That was a good article. One thing that bears mentioning refers to the opening paragraphs. Grigg mentions Niedermayer who is the 12th paid defensemen, "despite his top-five game." I think in some situations, it's the player, not the GM that facilitate a good signing like that. Neidermayer is, in my opinion, a class act. Definitely similar to Alfie in that he's not there to handcuff the GM into giving "fair market value." Just because you can get more money, doesn't mean you deserve more money. Sometimes building a team is as much in the hands of the players at the negotiating table as it is in the GM's.

Good point Spader. South Korea eh? You are definitely our first member from there. I assume you're there for work? How did you discover us anyway?

No surprise Neil is on there. We all agree he was overpaid. $1 million would have been sufficient for Neil.

Gaborik is still up in the air. If the guy can remain healthy, he can be one of the best, but that's a BIG IF!

jamvan wrote:No surprise Neil is on there. We all agree he was overpaid. $1 million would have been sufficient for Neil.

Gaborik is still up in the air. If the guy can remain healthy, he can be one of the best, but that's a BIG IF!

would have been happier with 1.5 million per, but yeah 2 million is more than we wanted to pay, but he wants to be here, so hopefully he plays his but off and earns that 2 M

I wonder if Neil's butt gets parked in front of the net a la Holmstrom in the upcoming season? Perhaps Neil's butt will score enough goals to justify his salary?

SensFan71 wrote:

jamvan wrote:No surprise Neil is on there. We all agree he was overpaid. $1 million would have been sufficient for Neil.

Gaborik is still up in the air. If the guy can remain healthy, he can be one of the best, but that's a BIG IF!

would have been happier with 1.5 million per, but yeah 2 million is more than we wanted to pay, but he wants to be here, so hopefully he plays his but off and earns that 2 M

We can only hope, because if last year is any indication e's lost a step or two. I hope so though, for his and our sake.

Neil's best season was due to his extensive PP time and I've been advocating for him to get back in front of the net on the PP ever since they took him out of that roll.

No one has really explained why that change occured.

I agree Neil got paid 500K more than he should have, but the NHL and fans are about to find out that loyalty means a lot in the upcoming years. Players will move around like we've never seen before. I heard the term 'mercenaries' used a lot, guns for hire essentially, and to lock a guy down that lives and bleeds your team's colours is never a bad thing.

Why is Havlat a bad signing? And why is Hossa -- that contract should be fairly easy to move if they wanted, unless he has a NTC.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Neil's best season was due to his extensive PP time and I've been advocating for him to get back in front of the net on the PP ever since they took him out of that roll.

No one has really explained why that change occured.

Mostly because "Fish" gots to have hims minutes!

I don't care that Orr makes only 1 million, that's a horrible signing. I really think that's a waste personally. Like getting Holweg last year, for what?

I personally don't see a problem with the Antropov signing, DEFINITELY not the Hossa signing, DEFINITELY not the Havlat signing, DEFINITELY not the Cammalleri signing, nor do I have an issue with the Gionta signing actually.

Gaborik when healthy is a top 3 winger, but the money is silly in this economy, so...I'm on the fence on that one.

Komisarek is a good singing, nothing wrong with that really.

Bulin is good and bad because of age factors and injury history.

Neil is overpaid by 500K, but I wouldn't have him on that list.

Kotalik for 3 million is STUPID. So there's one I don't like.

I basically disagree with half of that top 10. Kind of a weak article from THN. Surprising.