12 Hates of Christmas: Day 5

Mike Wilson | National Hockey League

Dec 17, 02:30 AM | Hype this story!

On the fifth day of Christmas, Ryan Malone tested free agency…and signed with Tampa for way too much money.

The eighth biggest hate of 2008: Ryan Malone trades in a second shot at the Stanley Cup for a big paycheck from Tampa Bay.

Ryan Malone hates his decision

Let’s face it, Malone made a big mistake. Now I’m not saying he didn’t deserve a pay raise, because his play in the Stanley Cup finals certainly showed that he did…but a 7-year, $31.5 million contract? His contract makes him the third-highest paid player on the team, third only to Vincent Lacavalier and Marty St. Louis.

He also got a little added bonus from Scott Hartnell as well who offered him a free glove and a free penalty shot. But we’ll get to that later in the series.

Now had he signed with someone who had potential, I could understand. I think it’s safe to say Tampa Bay doesn’t have a positive outlook for the next couple years unless coaching can come through.

Speaking of Tampa Bay, they ended up with a little egg on their face because of this deal as well. Malone has only produced 12 points this season. Granted he only scored 14 points by this time last season, but he was being paid significantly less. Ruslan Fedotenko, who is currently in Malone’s previous position on Malkin’s left wing, has scored 15 points on the season for only $2.25 million.

Ryan Malone has put himself in a very bad spot. If Tampa Bay doesn’t get any better, Malone has three options. One, he starts playing exceptionally better and lives up to his contract so maybe he can get a trade during his contract agreement (provided he doesn’t have a no-trade clause). Two, he plays well in Tampa Bay regardless of whether or not he’s traded and preserves his dignity for whatever future he has in seven years.

Three, he continues his sub-par performance for the remainder of his contract and lets Tampa Bay pay him $4.5 million a year for the next seven years for virtually nothing. Some might argue that he had no reason to believe his decision would come back to haunt him like it has. True, but it has happened regardless and now Ryan Malone is stuck in Tampa, Florida for a long time. And I’m sure if you asked him how he feels right now…he probably wouldn’t be very jolly.

Tomorrow, the sixth day of Christmas, Sidney Crosby has a secret Santa in the nation’s capital with a bag full of insults.

Comments

  1. DaBich

    Dec 17, 08:03 AM

    Everyone knows Malone was my fav player last season, I made no secret of it. He took the money and ran, now he’s paying for it…so is Tampa Bay.

  2. Shlim

    Dec 17, 12:18 PM

    Bugsy shoulda stayed for Fedotenko cash… =x
    A player who scored 51 points in his best year, a year he played with arguably one of the top 3 forwards in hockey… isn’t worth no 31.5mil deal, ESPECIALLY the 7mil he gets the first 2 seasons.

    Maybe in the third year the Pens can afford to have him back? Not sure how the pay exactly works out.

  3. Matt Bodenschatz

    Dec 17, 01:08 PM

    Shlim, his salary cap is the average of his contract, so he’ll likely always be too pricey for the Pens with a $4.5 million cap hit.

  4. DaBich

    Dec 18, 06:20 AM

    Tom, my new Fav is Cooke :)

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