Scott Gomez and the Top 10 Most Overrated NHL Players Right Now

Sadly, there's always going to be a handful of players who just don't live up to their contracts or who get overhyped in the NHL. This is essentially what we refer to as "overrated."

Otherwise, it's usually a term given by fans to a remarkably skilled player, such as Sidney Crosby or Alex Ovechkin, out of anger or dislike. 

Many GMs in the league reward a player after a great season with a long contract extension. However, if these players just can't repeat those same numbers again, then you're stuck with an average guy you just paid millions for. It's a gamble sometimes, and this league is a business ultimately.

Whether you agree or disagree with these top 10 overrated players, be sure to comment below!

10. Vincent Lecavalier

Vincent Lecavalier was one a 50-goal scorer (52 in 2006-07) and Rocket Richard Trophy winner. Those days are simply removed now. Since that season, Lecavalier's point totals have declined steadily to the eventual 54 points he would tally in 65 games last season. 

At 31, the Tampa Bay Lightning captain has taken on a new role with the club as more of a two-way center. However, when he's set to make around $7.7 million until 2020, that doesn't entirely add up. That's one of the largest salaries in the game today.

For a payday like that, you should be in the top-10 in league scoring consistently. It's just not going to happen anymore for the former first-overall pick. I'll be the first to say that I love the guy, and he brings a lot to the table, but that contract just isn't justified anymore. 

9. Alexander Semin

It took Alexander Semin a few years to find his scoring touch, tallying 52 points in his first 102 NHL games. Perhaps that's because Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom weren't there yet. 

In 2006-07, the 34th highest paid player in the league set career highs across the board, scoring 38 goals and 73 points in 77 games for the Caps, more than doubling his previous best. That was Semin's first season back in the NHL, and guess who he saw time with on the team? Ovechkin, who undoubtedly made Semin's game exponentially easier, being the total package who will not only score, but throw his weight around as well. 

Semin is a purely-offensive, one-dimensional player, who often can be undisciplined, much to the displeasure of head coach Bruce Boudreau.  

That's not bad for a cap hit of $6.7 million, but without all the premier talent surrounding him, Semin wouldn't be thriving so fluently. In the final year of his contract, Semin will likely be testing the free agent market next summer since the Caps probably can't afford him.

That's not a bad thing, though, since they have up-and-comers, like Marcus Johansson, developing as we speak.

Oh, and somebody please remind him to never drop the gloves again.   

8. Tim Connolly

Tim Connolly is a great, playmaking second-line center when he's healthy. But that's a key factor with Connolly. He hasn't played a full, 82-game season since 2001-02. 

Is that worth risking a two-year, $9.5 million contract to the former fourth overall pick? Hardly. It's no shocker that the Toronto Maple Leafs needed to address their deficiencies down the middle, but this isn't exactly the best solution for a top center to play with Phil Kessel.

Connolly has scored 399 points in 633 career games, yet never registered a 20-goal season surprisingly. Injuries will do that to you, though. 

7. Jay Bouwmeester

Jay Bouwmeester is developing into a positionally sound defenseman, but when you're getting paid $33 million over five years, you better be producing offensively, too.

That just hasn't been the case since arriving in Calgary. In Florida, Bouwmeester notched three seasons where he scored at least 40 points. In Calgary, he's yet to even hit 30 and has been a minus player.

Through two full seasons there, Bouwmeester has a grand total of 53 points in 164 regular season games, with zero playoff games under his belt. 

6. Zach Bogosian

For being a third-overall pick in 2008, Zach Bogosian hasn't quite lived up to expectations. 

Bogosian, who is only 21, has tallied a mere 63 points in 214 games with a minus-38 career rating, hardly sparkling numbers for such a highly touted prospect.

I'll give him the fact that he's still very young, but for being in the league for three seasons now, I don't see what warranted the use of such a high draft choice. 

5. Brian Campbell

Brace yourselves, this may come as an eye-opening surprise to some of you. Brian Campbell has the 12th highest cap hit in the entire National Hockey League, at $7.1 million. 

Looking at his last two seasons in Chicago, he certainly dropped off in production, posting 65 points in 133 games. For a guy making money like he is, you would hope he could at least score 10 goals and consistently play 82 games.

Campbell has never even topped eight goals in his career, nor has he played a full season in recent years thanks to leg injuries.  

4. James Wisniewski

The Columbus Blue Jackets tried to make a big splash in the market to help turn this struggling club around. So, they went out and signed former Philadelphia Flyers forward Jeff Carter and former New York Islanders defenseman James Wisniewski.

What has that gotten the Blue Jackets? The worst record in the NHL. To their credit, the entire team hasn't played together yet, courtesy of injuries.

However, according to CapGeek.com, Wisniewski has the 29th highest salary in the league. That's higher than players like Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Lundqvist, the Sedin twins, Ryan Miller and Anze Kopitar.

For a defender who had one solid year split between Montreal and the Isles, in which he tallied 51 points in 75 games, it doesn't justify that type of payment whatsoever. However, when your team has been in the basement this long, it's worth a shot I suppose.   

3. Ville Leino

Ville Leino had a great coming-out party during the 2010 Philadelphia Flyers Stanley Cup run, tallying 21 points in 19 games.

To follow that up, in his first full NHL season, Leino recorded 19 goals and 53 points in 81 games.

That was good enough to earn the Buffalo Sabres' stamp of approval, as the Sabres signed Leino to a six-year, $27 million deal.

Leino only has 76 points in 163 career games and has played a single, full season in the NHL. I missed the part where that warrants such a deal.

So far it seems to be backfiring dramatically, as Leino has a whooping three points through the season's first 14 games.  

2. Scott Gomez

Truth be told, since coming to Montreal two seasons ago, Scott Gomez has been abysmal. 

Last season, Gomez posted a measly 38 points in 80 games, and was a minus-15. Would you believe me if I told you he's costing the Canadiens $7.4 million in cap space this season? That contract came courtesy of Glen Sather and the New York Rangers, officially marking one of the worst signings of the last decade. 

No matter how you cut it, the salary and the numbers just don't add up together. After this season, the Habs have to live with Gomez's deal for two more seasons before he's off the books, unless they can miraculously trade him away. Best of luck. 

1. Rick DiPietro

In what has easily been the most insane contract in recent memory, the New York Islanders signed goaltender Rick DiPietro to a 15-year, $67.5 million contract in 2006, virtually making him an Islander for life. When signed, the contract was made the longest ever in NHL history.

From 2008-2010, DiPietro played in a mere 13 games, thanks to the injury cloud that forever hangs over his head. Although he finally came back for 26 games last season, but was beat out by the stellar play of the elder Dwayne Roloson.

To DiPietro's credit, the Isles were shopping Roloson, so they rolled with him until they moved him to the Tampa Bay Lightning on New Year's Day. Now back with the starting job again, DiPietro was hurt again after being knocked out in a fight against Pittsburgh Penguins' netminder Brent Johnson.

Shocker, eh? 

In 25 years, looking back, Rick DiPietro will be remembered most for signing that lucrative deal, because it will have been the biggest steal of the century... for DiPietro's wallet, that is.