Here is my "short" list of the most overpaid players in the NHL  Props to them for getting the money, because they damn well don't earn it.

First and foremost, the MOST overpaid man in the Milky Way:

 

Ryan Smyth (Colorado)

'07-08: $7.5 million; '08-09: same. 

I wish Pierre McGuire would get off his nuts, and become a curling broadcaster because I cannot stand that ignoramus.  I understand Smyth "works hard." Good for him, but so do a whole bunch of other players making $1.5 million a year.  He is just not that good.

 

Chris Pronger (Anaheim)

$6.25 million last year, this year and next year.

Please do not get me started.  You can listen to everyone else and say he is great, or you can watch him play an entire game and realize he is not.

 

Mathieu Schneider (Anaheim)

'07-08: $5.5 million; '08-09: same. 

Good shot, good defenseman—just not THAT good.

 

Zdeno Chara (Boston)

'08-09: $7.5 million. 

$7.5 million?  Drop an old Buick inside your blue line and you can have the same result, for about $7.499 million dollars less.

 

Manny Fernandez (Boston)

'08-09: $4.75 million. 

Top-tier money for a second-tier goalie.

 

Robert Lang (Chicago)

'08-09: $4 million. 

Very lazy, Jagr-esque player—minus 80-plus points per season.

 

Dustin Byfuglien (Chicago)

'07-08: $675,000; '08-09: $3.0 million.

Why?

 

Mike Van Ryn (Florida)

'08-09: $3.35 million

HA!

 

Dustin Penner (Edmonton)

'08-09: $4.25 million.

Kevin Lowe, what are you doing? Aside from providing evidence that the Jofa helmets of your generation just didn't provide the necessary protection. 

 

Bill Guerin (New York Islanders)

'08-09: $4.5 million

I know he is the captain and all—but that old man can't even out skate his own stench.

 

Lubomir Visnovsky (Edmonton)

'08-09: $7.0 million.

Who is his agent?  The Godfather?  Did the Kings get an offer they couldn't refuse?

 

Michal Handzus (Los Angeles)

'07-08: $4 million

Yeaaaah, you earned that.....

 

Ed Jovonoski (Phoenix)

'08-09: $6.5 million

Here is a thought, Don Maloney:  Don't do anything like that ever again. 

 

Darryl Sydor (Pittsburgh)

'08-09: $2.5 million

He might as well have been golfing during the post season, because he sure as hell wasn't playing hockey.

 

Patrick Marleau (San Jose)

'08-09: $6.3 million

How can the captain of such a good team consistently have such a horrible plus/minus?

 

Paul Kariya (St. Louis)

'08-09: $6.0 million

What do you know, St. Louis brings in another former all star three years past his prime and pays him lots of money to help us continue to suck.

 

Eric Brewer (St. Louis)

'08-09: $4.5 million 

God, I hate this guy.

 

Jay McKee (St. Louis)

'08-09: $4.0 million

I like you, Jay, but shot blockers are only worth about half of that.