The All Overpaid Team

I found CapGeek.com today.  It's a wonderful site that tells you everyone's cap number for their teams.  And looking through some of the teams, I saw people who are way overpaid for their production.  So today I'm gonna list the most overpaid players to form the all-overpaid team. 

Forward:

Scott Gomez, MON:  He signed with the Rangers in 2007 with a huge 7 year, $51 million deal.  In his first year with the Rangers, he had 16 goals and 54 assists for a total of 70 points, which makes his cap number look good, but his actual salary was $10 million.  His next season, he had 58 points on an $8 million salary.  He was traded to Montreal the next year where he had 59 points on $8 million again.  This season, Scotty is doing even worse.  He has 7 points in 24 games on $8 million again.  I would buy out this contract ASAP.  He's never going to live up to it.

Chris Drury, NYR: Hey look, another guy who the Rangers signed in 07.  This signing never made sense, he never had more than 69 points in a season.  $5 million probably would have been ok for him, so I guess the extra $2 million is for leadership.  His first two years, his salary was $7.1 million and he put up 58 &56 points.  Last season his salary went up to $8,050,000 and his production dropped to 32 points in 77 games.  He's played one game this year and is making $8 million this year.  Thankfully for the Rangers, his salary drops to $5 million next year, which is (also thankfully for the Rangers) his last year.

Shawn Horcroff, EDM:  Some of you are probably asking "Who is this guy?".  Well he plays on the Edmonton Oilers, notorious for overpaying players.  Horcroff is no different.  He had one 70 point season back in the 2005.  Since then he hasn't gotten above 53.  In 2008, he signed a 6 year, $33 million extension for the 2009 season.  In that 2009 season, he had 36 points to go with his $7 million salary.  This year doesn't look to bad so far with 14 points in 20 games, making his $6.5 salary look manageable.  It's still early in this contract but you don't pay $5.5 million a year for a 50 point player.

(Dis-)Honorable Mentions:  Thomas Vanek, BUF, Ryan Smyth, LAK, Brian Rolston, NJD

Defense:

Brian Campbell, CHI: If only Sergei Gonchar was a few years younger, do you think he would have asked for this kind of money.  8 years $51 million, which winds up being #2 in the league in cap hits among defenseman.  Campbell's not even the second best defenseman on his team.  His cap number is absolutely killing the Hawks as they had to move many pieces from their cup winning team because of this ludicrous contract.  Campbell has had more than 60 points just once and that was in his contract year.  I never blame the player for taking the money but there is a reason Dave Tallon was fired as the GM and this contract was one of them.

Wade Redden, NYR:  It may seem like I'm picking on the Rangers, but I promise, they have signed all of these contracts.  This one is probably the worst because they have no return from this deal whatsoever.  Redden signed a 6 year, $39 million deal in 2008.  Redden never had more than 50 points in a season.  In his first season under this contract, he had 26 points to go with his $8 million salary.  In his second year, he had 14 points to go with his $8 million salary.  The Rangers needed to free up cap room, so they're paying him $6.5 million to play in the AHL this year.  No wonder the Rangers' fans chant "Fire Saither".

(Dis-)Honorable Mentions: Dion Phanuef, TOR, Bryan McCabe, FLA, Michal Rosival, NYR

Goaltenders:

Cristobal Huet, CHI:  You want to know why Dave Tallon is in Florida? See Brian Campbell.  Here's reason number 2.  In the summer of overspending, Chicago signed Huet to a 4 year $22 million contract.  Huet never fit Chicago's system, which I know sounds weird because I'm talking about a goalie.  But the Hawks consistently gave up the least amount of shots over those first two years of this contract.  Huet never played up to it.  His playoff statistics were terrible and he lost his job to Antti Niemi.  Huet is now playing in France just to be off Chicago's books. 

(Dis-)Honorable Mentions: Pascal Leclaire, OTT, Nikolai Khabibulin, EDM, Mike Smith, TB