A marginal increase in the NHL's salary cap for 2015-16 and limited talent in the free-agent market resulted in more reasonable contract signings this summer compared to recent years. However, there are several players entering next season carrying bad contracts signed in previous years.
Some, such as Columbus Blue Jackets winger David Clarkson, failed to play up to expectations after signing expensive deals via free agency. Others, like Dallas Stars center Jason Spezza, are aging veterans who were signed more for their previous exploits than their current abilities.
The following slideshow ranks the 10 worst NHL contracts for 2015-16.