In the sports world, it is not uncommon for a player to still get paid even if they are no longer playing that sport, in the league, or even on that team still. In the hockey world, some prime examples are Rick DiPietro, Vincent Lecavalier, Justin Abdelkader, and Ilya Bryzgalov.
Former Players On Payrolls
Rick DiPietro
Despite playing his last game during the 2012-13 season, DiPietro is still owed $1.5 million dollars until 2029 by the New York Islanders. His last payment in 2029 would be a whopping 23 years after DiPietro signed that lengthy contract. Injuries and poor play derailed DiPietro’s career.
Vincent Lecavalier
Vincent Lecavalier was also bought out in 2013, by the Tampa Bay Lightning. However, Lecavalier unlike DiPietro continued playing for two other teams with the Philadelphia Flyers and the Los Angeles Kings. He also had a very successful career. The Lightning owe the former Stanley Cup champion $1.76 million dollars a year until 2027.
Justin Abdelkader
Justin Abdelkader spent all 13 seasons of his career with the Detroit Red Wings. He last played in the NHL during the 2019-20 season. Currently, he is playing internationally in Switzerland. However, he is still owed $2.3 million dollars a year until 2025-26.
Ilya Bryzgalov
Similarly to DiPietro and Lecavalier, Ilya Bryzgalov was also bought out in 2013. At the time, Bryzgalov’s buyout was the largest in NHL history and considered one of the worst contracts in league history. Bryzgalov retired during the 2014-15 season but his buyout by the Flyers in 2013 still carries over to this day. He is owed $1.67 million dollars until 2027 which is more than 12 years since he last played in the NHL.
Former Penguins Still On Payroll
Not as bad as the Islanders, Lighting, Red Wings, and Flyers but the Pittsburgh Penguins are dealing with this issue as well. Despite not being on the Penguins anymore, Jeff Petry, Reilly Smith, and Jack Johnson take up 4.2% of the Penguins payroll.
Jeff Petry
Petry spent one season with the Penguins back in 2022-23 and the Penguins should have never acquired him in the first place. Mike Matheson who was a part of the trade is doing much better than Petry did. In Petry’s lone season with the Penguins, he had 31 points and a +/- of 2. However, the more frustrating part about Petry was his age (35 at the time), his contract, and the fact he had 36 giveaways. The season prior, he had 107.
The Penguins are in the last season of paying for Petry and they owe him $1.5 million dollars.
Reilly Smith
Smith is another former Penguin who is on their payroll. The Penguins acquired him before last season from the Vegas Golden Knights for a 2024 third-round pick. He was supposed to be a solid top-six winger offensively and just never panned out. Smith had just 40 points which was not enough as the Penguins hoped he would be a 20+ goal scorer, but instead ended the season and his Penguins tenure with 13 goals.
The Penguins eventually cut their losses and sent him off to the New York Rangers. In return, the Penguins received a 2025 conditional fifth-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick. However, the catch was the Penguins had to retain 25% of his contract which results in $1.2 million dollars.
Jack Johnson
Last but not least, another former Penguin still on the Penguins payroll is Jack Johnson. Johnson spent two seasons with the Penguins from 2018-2020. Johnson was one of the worst Penguins on the roster and arguably the worst defenseman they have had in the last five plus years.
Despite not playing for the Penguins in four years, the Penguins still owe him $916,666 thousand dollars annually the next two years. The Penguins already have minimal cap space to work with as they currently have $874,233 thousand dollars. However, after this season the only former Penguin they will still have to pay is Johnson. Johnson will have one more season of $916,666 thousand dollars and then the Penguins are free of paying former players.
Main Photo: Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images
