The madness of NHL Free Agency Frenzy is gone as the NHL Offseason has hit its dog days. Signings are slowly trickling in each day. There are still notable UFAs out there that may have to settle for PTOs once training camp starts. While notable RFAs are getting deals done before their arbitration hearings. However, there are some RFAs still waiting on deals opening them up to offer sheets.
Right after the NHL Trade Deadline, we here at NHLRumors.com looked at the most impactful moves from both the Eastern and Western Conferences. Over the past two days our new series looked at the best signings from this year’s NHL Free Agency Class.
NHL Free Agency Worst Signings From The East
But as noted, NHL Free Agency has a lot more misses than hits because GMs tend to make a lot of mistakes. Over the next two days we will dissect those mistakes in the Eastern and Western Conference.
Anyway, it is time to reveal some of our worst signings from NHL Free Agency.
Western Conference Free Agency Worst Signings
Miles Wood – F – Colorado Avalanche
The first on the list has to be Miles Wood after Colorado Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland signed him to a six year deal worth $2.5 million a season. And while the term is tied to the AAV, six years is a lot for a player who skates one direction and makes a lot of mistakes.
There are some who like Miles Wood. However, if you have watched his game over the last several years, especially last year, there was a reason he was scratched in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Wood just takes the dumb penalty in the offensive zone that costs his team momentum. It is a given every game.
Last year he had 27 points (13 goals and 14 assists) in 76 games with the Devils. He mostly played on the fourth line. That goes along with 76 penalty minutes. For his career, Wood has 148 points (78 goals and 70 assists) in 402 career regular season games.
Alex Killorn – F – Anaheim Ducks
Next on the list are the two big names the Anaheim Ducks signed. First up is Alex Killorn. Good for Killorn for getting a four-year deal at $6.25 million a season with the Ducks. At age 33 the number of years and term amount is too high for the guy on the backend of his career on a none contending team.
The two-time Stanley Cup champion did have a career high 64 points (27 goals and 37 assists) with the Lightning in 82 games last season. The season prior he put up 59 points. That means Killorn just peaked. And the talent on the Anaheim Ducks is not at the level of the Lightning. If Anaheim expects similar numbers they will be disappointed especially at that AAV.
Current Ducks general Pat Verbeek got to know Killorn when he was a member of the front office in Tampa Bay, but the Ducks are not ready to contend. And how many goals and points do we really expect Killorn to put up.
Radko Gudas – D – Anaheim Ducks
Another interesting contract on the Ducks roster is Radko Gudas. Gudas stated he did not want to go north of the border because of the Canadian media. And again the Ducks need to spend money, but three years at $4 million a season for Gudas might be too much.
Oh yeah, Gudas had a deep run with the Florida Panthers. He is dealing with lingering injuries. Yes, he will make the Ducks defense better. Give them more physicality, but another aging player that has trade protection.
Nobody expects Gudas to light up the score sheet, however, if he continues to the play the way he does, Gudas’s body will continue to breakdown. It is a risky three year deal.
Honorable Mention Move Of Free Agency
Mackenzie Blackwood – G – San Jose Sharks
This one might get some people agitated some. However, Mackenzie Blackwood is on the list with the Sharks because of his two-year deal. The Sharks acquired him from New Jersey put him on waivers and then re-signed.
The Sharks signed him to a two-year deal worth $2.35 million a season. For a goaltender that is still trying to find his game a two-year deal is a little risky for the Sharks. Most expected a one-year deal. And Blackwood could be gone after a year. It is a reasonable cap hit. Hence why he is on the list.
A once promising goaltender in New Jersey, lost his starting role because he could not stay healthy. He is a getting another shot in San Jose. Let’s see if he can raise his numbers back up because they have going the other way for years.
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We all know NHL Free Agency is hit or miss. Sometimes these contracts work out and other times teams regret it right away. The contracts on this list and there are other teams may regret after one season.
It is just not the Eastern Conference that had its fair share of bad signings. The Western Conference also had its share of bad signings during NHL Free Agency.
Salary Cap Was Big Winner of NHL Free Agency