Ryan Callahan joined the Tampa Bay Lightning organization at the trade deadline in the 2013-14 season. After the playoffs, General Manager Steve Yzerman struck a deal with Callahan to keep him in the fold with a six-year contract with an annual average value of $5.8 million. Even at the time, we knew there was a lot of risk with this contract. Callahan plays an all-out game that puts his body on the line and puts himself at risk for injury.
Callahan has never played a full 82-game season in the NHL. His career high is 81 games back in 2008-09, his first full-season in the NHL.