Vegas Golden Knights 5 Worst Contracts (2005-2022)

The Vegas Golden Knights have not been in existence long enough to amass 15 contracts worthy of a worst contract designation. Not only that, but my rule is Stanley Cup champions are excluded from these lists unless they only play a fraction of the playoff games. Between their short existence and the Stanley Cup victory, I have very little to work with here. Only 2 survived their championship. I'll add a few more to up this to 5 later in the summer.
 
 
1. Nate Schmidt
 

Signed By:	George McPhee		Position:	D
Date:	2018-10-25		Age July 1st:	27
Term:	6 years		Playoff GP:	17
Total Money:	$35.7M		Playoff PTS:	6
Cap Hit:	$5.9M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	35.9	190	78	305
Per 82 GP	6.0	82	34	132	20.6

 
Nate Schmidt’s first two years in Vegas were on a cheap 2-year deal where he produced at more than double his pay grade (at a $6M level when prorated per 82 GP). They locked the 27-year-old into a 6-year deal, and year one was a success. But he fell victim to the cap crunch in Vegas and was shipped out to Vancouver for a 3rd round pick.
 
Once in Vancouver, his usage and offense dropped considerably and suddenly became overpaid. After just one season in Van City, he was shipped off to Winnipeg in another cap crunch, once again for a 3rd round pick. There was a small rebound in his offensive output, but the bottom fell out in year four after his 31st birthday. Though it was Winnipeg that would be forced to eat the remainder, not Vegas. From their perspective, they got a draft pick instead of being forced to give one up for someone else to bear the burden.
 
  
2. Paul Stastny
 

Signed By:	George McPhee		Position:	F
Date:	2018-07-01		Age July 1st:	32
Term:	3 years		Playoff GP:	28
Total Money:	$19.5M		Playoff PTS:	19
Cap Hit:	$6.5M		Stanley Cups:	0

 

	Adj Cap Hit	GP	PTS	SOG	ATOI
Total	19.9	177	109	340
Per 82 GP	6.6	82	50	158	17.5

 
Paul Stastny played for the Winnipeg Jets as a rental when they were eliminated from the playoffs by Vegas, scoring 15 PTS in 17 playoff games. He produced like a $5M player that season, and Vegas paid a premium to pluck him from a rival. Add this to the category of overpriced but not terrible. On a per game basis, Stastny produced at a similar as level as the campaign that earned him the contract, albeit with a slightly smaller average time on ice.
 
An injury cost him 22 games in year one, where otherwise he scored at nearly a 70-point pace. Paul stayed healthy in year two, but his PTS per 82 GP dropped from 69 to 44. After the season he was traded back to the Winnipeg Jets for a 4th round draft pick. Honestly, the Jets probably should have asked for a pick to eat the last year. He signed a 1-year deal to stay in Winnipeg when this ended.