Clarkson, Lehtonen, Phaneuf headline 2016-17 bad contracts team

The worst contracts are usually handed out at this time of year.

With teams tossing money around freely as the free-agent market opened, we figured it was a good time to take a dive into some of the worst contracts in the NHL.

So without further ado, here's the 2016-17 bad contracts team:

Forwards

Notes:

• Moulson's signed for another three years at $5 million per. He scored only eight times last season, but even more alarmingly, he averaged under 12 minutes of ice time.
• To his credit, Zajac followed up a career-worst 28-point 2014-15 season with 42 points in 2015-16, but he's 31 and signed through 2021 at a cap hit of $5.75 million. It's doubtful he hits the 50-point mark in his career again.
• That the Toronto Maple Leafs were able to get out from the horrific Clarkson contract is almost unfair. They deserved it. Four more years at $5.25 million, with a full no-movement clause. Courage, Columbus.
• Gaborik and Brown are costing the Los Angeles Kings $10.75 million against the cap for the next five years. Gaborik's 34 and Brown's 31, and they scored a combined 23 goals last season.
• The Florida Panthers have made excellent decision after excellent decision and put together a quality division-winning roster. The Bolland signing, though, was a mistake. That's life. Three more years at $5 million.
• Kane makes the club because $5.25 million should get you more than 20 goals and 35 points. On top of him being seemingly unable to reach his potential on the ice, he has off-ice troubles, which are arguably more concerning. He's an unrestricted free agent in July 2018.
• Grabovski's vastly overpaid at $5 million per. Two more years.
• Lupul is the highest-paid forward on the Maple Leafs. With two more seasons at $5.25 million left on his deal, Lou Lamoriello will try to make him disappear.
• At this point, even Bickell knows his contract is terrible. Only one more year left on it, though.
• Sutter isn't worth $4.375 million. Period. While we won't blame him for being injured last season, he's hit the 40-point mark in his career only once. Sure, he's a responsible two-way player who can contribute on the penalty kill, but after what Nick Bonino did in the playoffs, Sutter's contract - he's signed through 2021 - looks even worse. Over his last four seasons, Sutter has a 45.8 percent Corsi For rating. There's more: a full no-trade clause through 2019, and a modified one (he can submit a list of 15 teams he won't accept a trade to) after that over the last two years of the deal.
• Callahan's eating $5.8 million in valuable cap space for the Tampa Bay Lightning and his production (10 goals and 28 points in 73 games) leaves much to be desired. The 31-year-old has four years left on his deal, a no-move clause, and a limited no-trade clause in the final two years.
• Foligno, Staal, and Helm round out the club for depth purposes. Foligno cashed in on a career year, and has a no-move. Staal, while serviceable, is overpaid at $6 million against the cap for another seven seasons, and the Helm contract - $3.85 million for the next five seasons for a guy with a career high of 33 points - simply doesn't make a lot of sense.

Defensemen

Notes:

• Phaneuf is the seventh-highest paid defenseman in the league, signed through 2021 at $7 million against the cap, with a no-move. Toronto moving his deal without eating any salary was a massive coup.
• Bogosian's locked up through 2020 at over $5 million against the cap. The production isn't there, and the puck's in the Sabres' end when he's on the ice. No bueno.
• Sekera costs $5.5 million against the cap through 2021, with a no-move through 2018, and a modified no-trade clause in the final two years of the deal. Good one, Edmonton.
• Girardi, 32, posted a horrific 41.7 percent Corsi For rating last season. Four more campaigns at $5.5 million against the cap with a no-move. Yikes.
• MacDonald is taking up $5 million of the Flyers' cap for another four seasons. He played more games in the AHL than the NHL last season, which says it all.
• Greene's 43.7 percent Corsi For rating in 2015-16 was, well, not good. He'll be 34 in October and has four more seasons at $5 million against the cap left on his deal.
• Orpik and Ericsson are in the press box, and paid handsomely to be there. Orpik will be 36 in September and has three seasons left on his deal with a cap hit of $5.5 million. Ericsson, 32, accounts for $4.25 million against the Red Wings' cap for the next four seasons.

Goalies

Notes:

• Lehtonen's finished the past two seasons with .906 and .903 save percentages, respectively. He'll be 33 in November and is making $5.9 million against the cap for the next two campaigns. There's a reason why Dallas Stars fans are desperate for Ben Bishop.
• Howard's a $5-million backup and signed for the next three years.
• Bobrovsky has the second-highest cap hit among all NHL goalies at $7.425 million. He had a .918 save percentage in an injury-shortened 2014-15, and played even fewer games in 2015-16, posting a ghastly .906 save percentage. He's locked up through 2019 and like seemingly everyone else with a long-term deal on the Blue Jackets, he's got a no-movement clause.

- Salary information courtesy General Fanager