NHL Free Agency: 7 Players Who Will Be Ridiculously Overpaid in the Offseason

Salaries for NHL players are crazy right now, and already this season we have seen players get ridiculous contracts that they didn't reserve, such as Tuomo Ruutu of the Carolina Hurricanes and Ales Hemsky of the Edmonton Oilers.

With the uncertainty of the new CBA, teams cannot afford to overpay for players when the salary cap could go down next season.

Ultimately, teams will make foolish decisions and overpay for guys in positions they need.

Let's look at seven players who will be overpaid in free agency.

Alexander Semin

Alexander Semin is a quality offensive player, but he scored just 21 goals this season, his lowest total since his rookie year.

He also amassed just 54 points, which was the same as his total last year.

Semin has good speed and a great shot, which will make him one of the most valuable forwards in an unrestricted free-agent class with little depth.

If he's put in the right situation, he could thrive. Expect Semin to get close to $6 million per year in free agency.

Chris Kelly

Chris Kelly was known as a leader and a strong defensive forward when he came to the Boston Bruins last season via trade, but he has turned into a quality offensive player during his time in Boston, too.

Kelly scored a career-high 20 goals this season and has proven that he can be a very reliable player in the NHL playoffs.

With his ability to play well in all three zones and contribute in the postseason, Kelly could be in for a big payday this summer.

Dustin Penner

Dustin Penner's tenure with the Los Angeles Kings has been filled with struggle, but a good playoffs could help fans forgive him.

Even though Penner scored only seven goals and dished out 17 assists this season in 65 games played, his offensive skills and physical presence will help him receive a contract richer than he deserves this offseason.

Josh Harding

Josh Harding is a good young netminder and will be targeted by several teams looking to upgrade between the pipes.

As a talented goalie with his best days ahead of him, Harding could get a rich contract in the summer from a team desperate for goaltending.

Harding was 13-12-4 this season for the Wild, who missed the playoffs again.

Andrei Kostitsyn

Andrei Kostitsyn is a talented forward, but his inconsistency is a bit frustrating, since his production should be higher given his goalscoring skills. 

With so many teams needing a top-six forward this summer, there's no question that Kostitsyn will be overpaid with his new contract.

With the Predators having to re-sign defensive stars Shea Weber and Ryan Suter in the offseason, Kostitsyn will likely leave through free agency.

Ray Whitney

The Phoenix Coyotes' financial problems because of their ownership situation will likely result in the offseason departure of star forward Ray Whitney.

Even though Whitney is still a talented goalscorer and reliable offensive player, he is 39 years old and won't be an elite player for much longer.

However, a team desperate for goalscoring and veteran leadership will likely overpay for Whitney's playmaking skills.

Brad Stuart

Brad Stuart is a solid veteran defenseman who will be a sought-after free agent if he hits the open market.

Stuart has already won a Stanley Cup and might leave the Detroit Red Wings if another team offers him a lot more money.

However, if Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom retires, Stuart will have a lot more value to Detroit.