New York Islanders Five Worst Contracts In Team History

Andrew Ladd

Contract: 7 Years, $38.5 Million  Date: July 1st, 2016
Summer 2016 was a make or break time with the New York Islanders. They were coming off their first playoff series win in nearly a quarter century, and they had three familiar faces hitting unrestricted free agency.

Frans Nielsen, Kyle Okposo and Matt Martin, all fan favorites, and long-tenured Islanders decided to look for greener pastures come July 1, 2016. It came as a surprise to many that they were unable to retain any of the three guys that year.

They did make one splash that day though. They brought in two-time Stanley Cup winner Andrew Ladd to play with John Tavares. He signed on the dotted line for a seven-year $38.5 million contract.

It’s a pretty safe bet to say that Ladd hasn’t lived up to his contract.

In year one, Ladd was quickly booted off the Tavares line for lack of production. Sure, it ended up leading to a very productive Lee – Tavares – Bailey line, but Ladd was pretty underwhelming.

He finished the year with just 31 points (23 goals, eight assists) which is not nearly enough production to justify his $5.5 million cap hit.

He’s followed that up with an even worse campaign in 2017-2018. At age 32 he has 22 points (nine goals, 13 assists) through 58 games. If he plays each of the remaining games that puts him on pace for a 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists) season. Yuck.

The buyout option on this contract is awful as well. He’d be a $4.83 million cap hit for the next five years followed by five years of $333,333 if the Islanders bought him out according to Cap Friendly.

The Islanders have no way out with a declining player at a $5.5 million cap number for the next five years.