Ranking the Top 'Coach Killers' in the NHL Today

NHL teams rely heavily on their highest-paid players, and in the cap world, it's vital to get absolute value from the top-end assets. A player who is paid big dollars but doesn't deliver hampers his coach in a major way. In extreme situations, the player might force a trade, or the team might employ a less qualified player in a feature role.

Some of these men are considered bad contracts, while others put themselves into very bad positions and become outcasts on their own team. Players like Alexander Ovechkin are often targeted as this type of player, but the Washington Capitals winger delivers astounding offensive seasons—51 goals one year ago—and can hardly be described as a coach killer because of it. Ovechkin is not a complete player but delivers exceptional results in the toughest discipline in the game—scoring goals.

Here are the top "coach killers" in the NHL so far this season.

6. Vincent Lecavalier, C, Philadelphia Flyers

Tom Mihalek/Associated Press

Worst Offense: Vincent Lecavalier does not have the complete confidence of Philadelphia Flyers coach Craig Berube, per the Philadelphia Daily News' Frank Seravalli (h/t Stu Cowan in the Montreal Gazette):

"

I think it’s a competitive thing with (Lecavalier). I just don’t see enough of it out there. I’ve got to see more. Guys that are playing in the lineup need to find urgency quicker. That’s their job. We definitely need to play with more urgency and we need to play with more structure in our game.

"

The Bigger Issue: He is playing less since arriving in Philadelphia and is trending downward. Lecavalier is 34, which isn't old for a hockey player. His playing time has been falling markedly over the last three seasons, from 18 minutes in 2012-13 to 15 minutes last season and now less than 14 minutes so far this year.

Possible Solutions: The Flyers may be wise to trade Lecavalier, even if they take a hit in the deal. It looks like the fit between player, team and coach is not working, and it's probably time to cut bait.

5. Dustin Brown, RW, Los Angeles Kings

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Worst Offense: Dustin Brown's scoring touch went away some time after the lockout season. Brown was a 50-point player leading up to the 2012-13 season and scored at a similar rate after the lockout ended. Since then, Brown's offense is down markedly, and that's a major issue for a player who counts a lot toward the cap.

The Bigger Issue: In this November article by Kevin Baxter in The Los Angeles Times, Brown talks about the frustration of not scoring:

"

When you can bring things to the game other than points, it allows you to have an impact in different ways. It definitely weighs on me when I'm not producing like I want to. But I can bring the physical edge and the leadership and have an impact from that standpoint.

"

Possible Solutions: Brown's contract is a long one, expiring in the summer of 2022. The lower scoring total for Brown is a major issue—especially considering the lack of offense overall on the team. The Kings need to figure out a way to get Brown more involved, beginning with the power play.

4. Nikita Nikitin, D, Edmonton Oilers

Bill Wippert/Getty Images

Worst Offense: Nikita Nikitin was acquired and signed by the Edmonton Oilers to play a significant role for the team on defense. The club has quality youth on the way, but Nikitin was supposed to bridge the gap until the kids were ready. Jonathan Willis from the Cult of Hockey at The Edmonton Journal tells us how things are working out:

"

Instead, Nikitin has struggled badly in Edmonton. Mobility issues have limited him, and while he and fellow vet Mark Fayne have worked well together at times he’s been absolutely wretched when paired with Justin Schultz in a soft minutes role. It’s unclear which player was acting as the anchor on that pairing, but both put in some of their very worst performances as a tandem.

"

The Bigger Issue: The article by Willis speculates that Nikitin's injury could be a back problem, a malady notorious for its vague recovery time and frequent flare-ups. Edmonton acquired Nikitin and signed him to a two-year deal, and the injury issue could have a major impact on the relationship.

Possible Solutions: There's still time to recover, but it's also possible Edmonton ponders a buyout this summer. Nikitin has been subpar and then some as an Oiler.

3. Alexander Semin, RW, Carolina Hurricanes

Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

Worst Offense: Alexander Semin is a gifted offensive winger for the Carolina Hurricanes. He is also wildly inconsistent and has the reputation for giving an indifferent effort. In a November article for The Score earlier in the season, Justin Bourne wrote about the Hurricanes sitting Semin to send a message: 

"

Sitting Alex Semin isn’t coach Bill Peters saying he thinks the guy he’s putting in Semin’s place is better, he’s saying Alex Semin is fulfilling the smallest percentage of his personal ability. If Peters let’s him carry on like this, he’s implying that if you’re talented, you don’t have to push yourself.

"

The Bigger Issue: Semin was placed on IR by Carolina on December 11 with a lower-body inury. Coach Peters also stated Semin was having soreness with his wrist, all of this via a report from Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer.

Possible Solutions: There's not a lot the Hurricanes can do with Semin. He is signed to a $7 million contract through 2017-18, and there's no way to trade that deal. The club could buy him out, but it's also possible he recovers offensively when healthy.

2. Kari Lehtonen, G, Dallas Stars

USA TODAY Sports

Worst Offense: Kari Lehtonen isn't stopping enough pucks. The Dallas Stars goalie has one of the league's worst save percentages among starters—he currently ranks No. 39 out of 46 goalies who qualify this season.

The Bigger Issue: The Stars can't find consistency this year. Lehtonen told Henri Muroke of Defending Big D about the problem.

"It feels like, when I'm having a good game, the team can't score enough. And when the team plays well, my game is not good enough. It has been a bit hard, but there's still a lot of season left," Lehtonen said. "Hopefully we can change the course of our team."

Possible Solutions: Dallas has some defensive issues, and that's impacting the team's overall success. Lehtonen is very well-paid and needs to get it together, or the Stars will forced to look elsewhere for their No. 1 goalie.

1. Marian Gaborik, RW, Los Angeles Kings

Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images

Worst Offense: Marian Gaborik has been out of the lineup with injury for a significant portion of this season. When he returned, his performance was questioned by coach Darryl Sutter, via Rich Hammond of the Orange County Register, saying, "I think his game conditioning was an issue as the game goes along, clearly."

The Bigger Issue: The Kings invested $34 million in Gaborik on a long-term deal recently—it doesn't look good when the player isn't in game shape so soon after receiving a massive deal.

Possible Solutions: Los Angeles has committed to Gaborik through the 2020-21 season, so it's going to have to figure out a way to make it work. Coach Sutter isn't in the habit of calling out players publicly. That kind of wake-up call may be enough to get Gaborik started. If that doesn't work, the Kings may have to trade him.