The NHL's 5 Most Untradable Contracts, according to the Hockey News

[centipede2233]

Huberdeau is a 12-15 goal, 50-55 point 30 year old player making $10.5 m/yr for the next 7 years. As bad as the Nurse and Jones contracts are, and they're really bad, Huberdeau wins this contest quite comfortably.

Agreed. Huberdeau is a soft winger who isn’t a high volume shooter. These types of players general trade value is not very high. When you staple the 10.5 mil caphit to him, it’s the heaviest anchor a ship could ever need. Jones and nurse are overpaid but both are top 4 d men, position wise they are more valued and lesser caphit then Huberdeau.

 

[brentashton]

With one year left and very little actual salary, if Tavares agreed to a move, he would be very easy to trade.

He only has one pair of pyjamas though…

He did unquestionably suck in the playoffs, but he’s been a top pairing dman for 6 years now. I’m not ready to write him off because of a bad 25 game stretch.

Not top pairing.

Not even on his own team now to with the emergence of Broberg and Bouchard . C’mon friend…

 

[DingDongCharlie]

I don't agree with Huberdeau being the #1 on that list. It's a tougher deal to move, sure, but above those others? No.

Vlastic is old and not that good anymore. Nurse NEVER deserved that albatross. Jones NEVER deserved that albatross. Couturier is getting older and has suffered injuries.

Huberdeau went from a top-notch situation with a top 5 center to...Calgary (no offense). He's not injured, he didn't magically forget how to play hockey, and his historic performance earned him the long deal. I think if another team with a good center takes the risk, they would see the reward. It's the team, not the player. Everyone else on the list, it's the player.

Huberdeau mostly played with Bennett not Barkov.

Edit: I see someone already pointed this out.

I would put decent money that Tom Wilson’s contract ages poorly given his physical play, age, and injury history. He’s 30 years old and is getting paid $6.5 mill for the next 8 years.

There’s GMs that would still jump to add Tom Wilson

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

I don't think he would get 4 years at 9.5M with a NMC and 5M per season in signing bonuses.

I think he would be more coveted than people here expect, but the reason his contract is a bad contract isn't just the AAV. I would have answered this question more directly two months ago, but with Capfriendly dead it's too annoying to deep dive into cap hits because the other sites aren't as intuitive. My gut says someone might sign him to a 6 5M-6M type contract without signing bonuses and with a much smaller limited NTC.

With that in mind, I don't think there is an efficient way for Chicago to trade him. Even if they retained will retain money on him, his NMC is going to get in the way of most trades. Additionally, I don't think there is an equilibrium where there is an amount that makes sense to retain, where assets actually come back to Chicago. It's almost like the Karlsson trade to Pittsburgh, where it was so much work just to figure out a way to do that where it worked for all sides, and it took so many different moving parts. Also keep in mind, Karlsson had a major bounce back season.

I don't think he is as bad as people make him out to be. Same with Nurse. It's just contract and role that exaggerates their short comings. Still, that doesn't change that they are untradeable because the terms of their contract make it so difficult.



The article isn't "these are the worst contracts", it is what are the most untradeable contracts.

I think contracts like Nurse, Huberdeau, Jones, they all fit that. The only way those contracts are getting moved is for each other, or in a very convoluted deal where everything goes right to make it happen, like the Karlsson to PIT deal was.

So you think that Jones is significantly less valuable than Hronek who just got 7.25M or Montour who got 7M? I do get the NMC impacts the trade likelihood, but the vast majority of UFA contracts, especially elite ones, have significant trade protection.

 

[dgibb10]

I don't agree with Huberdeau being the #1 on that list. It's a tougher deal to move, sure, but above those others? No.

Vlastic is old and not that good anymore. Nurse NEVER deserved that albatross. Jones NEVER deserved that albatross. Couturier is getting older and has suffered injuries.

Huberdeau went from a top-notch situation with a top 5 center to...Calgary (no offense). He's not injured, he didn't magically forget how to play hockey, and his historic performance earned him the long deal. I think if another team with a good center takes the risk, they would see the reward. It's the team, not the player. Everyone else on the list, it's the player.

Huberdeau makes 1 mill more than Jones and Nurse, with more term. He's also 1-2 years older than them, with his contract taking him until he's 37, not 35 for Jones and Nurse

Jones is a top pairing RD still and honestly one of the most underrated players in hockey because of his contract. Much more valuable than a 50 point winger.

If someone offered me Jones at 3 mill retained (that would be 18 mill retained total) for FC I'd take it in a heartbeat.

18 mill in retention on huberdeau is still a large cap dump on an 8 mill winger who's barely cracking 10 goals and 50 points while getting PP1 time.

 

[madmike77]

I don't agree with Huberdeau being the #1 on that list. It's a tougher deal to move, sure, but above those others? No.

Vlastic is old and not that good anymore. Nurse NEVER deserved that albatross. Jones NEVER deserved that albatross. Couturier is getting older and has suffered injuries.

Huberdeau went from a top-notch situation with a top 5 center to...Calgary (no offense). He's not injured, he didn't magically forget how to play hockey, and his historic performance earned him the long deal. I think if another team with a good center takes the risk, they would see the reward. It's the team, not the player. Everyone else on the list, it's the player.

At this point, part of the reason he’s untradeable is the Flames need that salary to stay near the cap floor. They really have zero incentive to try and move him.

 

[Breakers]

It would be scary to think how good edmonton would be without Nurse and his AAV. on the books.

Dude sucks
And that pairing was an embarrassement during Edmonton’s playoff run always getting caved in.
$24 million in back loaded SB’s makes the contract even that more of an anchor

 

[ToDavid]

I don't agree with Huberdeau being the #1 on that list. It's a tougher deal to move, sure, but above those others? No.

Vlastic is old and not that good anymore. Nurse NEVER deserved that albatross. Jones NEVER deserved that albatross. Couturier is getting older and has suffered injuries.

Huberdeau went from a top-notch situation with a top 5 center to...Calgary (no offense). He's not injured, he didn't magically forget how to play hockey, and his historic performance earned him the long deal. I think if another team with a good center takes the risk, they would see the reward. It's the team, not the player. Everyone else on the list, it's the player.

Vlasic is old but his term and cap hit is nowhere close to the others. IMO he really shouldn’t be on this list at this point.

Huberdeau, Nurse, and Jones are basically a toss up but Huberdeau has the highest cap hit and longest term remaining.

 

[DingDongCharlie]

At this point, part of the reason he’s untradeable is the Flames need that salary to stay near the cap floor. They really have zero incentive to try and move him.

Any deal would have to see near equal cap moving out for the acquisition team to afford him so I highly doubt this is the reason he can’t be moved.

End of day any contract can be moved.

 

[madmike77]

Any deal would have to see near equal cap moving out for the acquisition team to afford him so I highly doubt this is the reason he can’t be moved.

End of day any contract can be moved.

Put another way, the Flames aren’t contending any time soon with or without Huberdeau. Moving his contract would require the Flames to trade away prospects and/or picks and given their situation, they have no reason to make that kind of move. He’s untradeable partly because of the assets it would take to move him, but also partly because the Flames have no incentive to do a deal.

 

[banks]

I defended Nurse for a long time on HF and in-person. But there was no case to be made for him after that playoff performance. He looked like he had never played in the NHL before. He's now the most overpaid, and the most "untradeable" at this point.

I know Jones makes some bonehead plays, but he shouldn't be mentioned in the same context as the others here. Jones plays so many minutes on such a bad team, there's no way he can end up smelling like a rose. But if you consider the job he's asked to perform, he's actually still a benefit to his team. Chicago leans on him so hard. If you put him in Nurse's place for Edmonton, McDavid would be having his day with the Cup right about now.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

Vlasic is old but his term and cap hit is nowhere close to the others. IMO he really shouldn’t be on this list at this point.

Huberdeau, Nurse, and Jones are basically a toss up but Huberdeau has the highest cap hit and longest term remaining.

Strongly disagree on Jones. He's still a legit top pair RHD who eats minutes on a train-wreck of a team. I definitely agree he's overpaid by $1.5M'ish, but comparing him to Huberdeau or Nurse who are actively bad in their roles is not accurate. I can see though how Jones could make the "most untradeable" list (vs. worst contract) when you factor in the NMC and consider the market the players are play in (CHI vs. CAL/EDM).

 

[Seanaconda]

If you make 11.5 million you should be able to drive a line.

He was never on barkovs line anyways

 

[PaulD]

Nurse is #1 for me. Being paid like not just a true #1 d-man but one of the absolute best d-men in the league and he's a #3 on his best day.

he's bottom pair on several teams

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

I feel silly saying this but i forgot Vlasic was even in the league. For some reason I thought he retired a couple seasons ago

 

[ottawah]

Nurse was not very good this last year, and epically bad in the playoffs. Coming into the finals, people may not realize just how bad he was. Copied from a post I made going into the finals (first 3 rounds):

5v5 GA/60 in the playoffs:
Nurse/Ceci pairing 4.3. Ceci without Nurse 1.1
Nurse/Dehairnais pairing 5.1. Dehairnais without Nurse 2.3
Nurse/Kulak Pairing 3.5. Kulak without Nurse 1.7


And he was providing no offense. How do you severely hold back Ceci, Kulak and Dehairnais? Nurse ended up on the third pairing by the latter parts of the finals for a reason.

Yes he may have been injured (although who is not this time of year), but those playoff numbers are indicative of his playoffs three years in a row. He is one of those players who look pretty good at weaker competition, but really has trouble with better players (defensively), which largely explains his one "breakout" year, when he scored the contract.

I just cannot imagine anyone trading for this contract. He may very well be a third pairing D man this year.

 

[Statto]

The PLD trade shows that any contract can be moved. In June it was probably #1 on the list.

 

[dgibb10]

Strongly disagree on Jones. He's still a legit top pair RHD who eats minutes on a train-wreck of a team. I definitely agree he's overpaid by $1.5M'ish, but comparing him to Huberdeau or Nurse who are actively bad in their roles is not accurate. I can see though how Jones could make the "most untradeable" list (vs. worst contract) when you factor in the NMC and consider the market the players are play in (CHI vs. CAL/EDM).

Yup, Seth Jones is 100% still a legit top pairing RHD.

I'd expect him to get between 7-8 mill AAV if he was a free agent this past year

 

[Albatros]

Strongly disagree on Jones. He's still a legit top pair RHD who eats minutes on a train-wreck of a team.

Though a lot of PP and under Vlasic's wing on ES. Shooting right is indeed his saving grace when it comes to being top pair.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

Though a lot of PP and under Vlasic's wing on ES. Shooting right is indeed his saving grace when it comes to being top pair.

Don't get me wrong - he drives me crazy and definitely still has warts. On a good team he's not getting PP time.

 

[Cas]

I feel silly saying this but i forgot Vlasic was even in the league. For some reason I thought he retired a couple seasons ago

He did, but that hasn't stopped his coaches from playing him.

 

[TheOrangeDesk]

Nurse just had the worst playoff run of his career. I'd like to see him a year without ceci (worst dman in the league) before I judge him too harshly

 

[WetcoastOrca]

There’s really not a lot of difference in bad contracts with Huberdeau and Nurse. Long term albatross contracts that will only get worse. You could go in any order as both are equally unmoveable. Vlasic at least only has 2 more years to run.
Jones and Couturier are not nearly as bad.

 

[Marlowe Syn]

I feel silly saying this but i forgot Vlasic was even in the league. For some reason I thought he retired a couple seasons ago

According to some of the Shark fans here, he did. The moment he signed that contract.

Nurse just had the worst playoff run of his career. I'd like to see him a year without ceci (worst dman in the league) before I judge him too harshly

Now granted the the playoffs this year was really the only time I have had an extended viewing of Nurse. I do take into account that I got a real poor showing of him. Still the general consensus I have gotten over the years from Oiler fans is he as all the tools to be a #1 defenseman, or at least top pairing, but can just never seem to put it all together.
The words Ceci, overpaid & sucked all seems to be the most common descriptors of him throughout his career. So I agree, give Nurse a fresh set of optics with a true top4 quality line mate and see if he can at least recoup some value out of his contract.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*
After Washington traded for DuBois, not with the intention of a 1/3 buyout, I seriously questioned whether any contract is untradeable. There are definitely player/contracts I wouldn't touch. His, Tom Wilson's and Huberdeau's do top that list though. But as PT Barnum said, "There is a GM born every minute."

 

[StreetHawk]

I don't agree with Huberdeau being the #1 on that list. It's a tougher deal to move, sure, but above those others? No.

I just don't see it getting any better for Hub. 2011 draftee with a late birthday, thus turns 32 in the final quarter of the calendar year. And with 7 years left on the deal, only have like 2 possibly 3 good years left on it. Jones is 2 years younger and an extra year into the contract, so 6 years left. So, if you peg Hub for 2-3 good years, that would give Jones 4-5 left of the 6, just based on age. But, each player will age differently.

Not sure what team would have that much faith in Hub or take the risk of the final 3-4 years of that contract, with the full NMC and big SB structure.