5 worst contracts signed in Florida Panthers franchise history feat. Dave Bolland 

By Nestor Quixtan

Modified Jul 25, 2024 01:58 GMT

The Florida Panthers have a long history of ups and downs in the NHL. They finally broke through last season, winning the franchise’s first Stanley Cup. But before that, there was a string of swings and misses that caused headaches for players, fans and management.

Here's a closer look at the five worst contracts in Florida Panthers history.

5 worst contracts signed in Florida Panthers franchise history

#5. Ed Jovanovski

Jovanovski was the Florida Panthers' No. 1 overall pick in 1994. He played well in Florida before being traded to the Vancouver Canucks in 1998.

After a lengthy and successful career with the Canucks and Phoenix Coyotes, the Cats brought Jovanovski back in 2012 on a four-year, $16.5 million deal.

However, he was not even close to the player the Panthers had drafted nearly two decades earlier. He played in six games in the 2012-23 season and 37 games the following year, registering five points. The Cats eventually bought out the final two years of his deal amid financial trouble.

#4. David Booth

Booth was a second-round pick for the Panthers in 2004. After a career year in 2008-09 in which he scored 31 goals and 60 points, the Panthers decided to lock him down for the next six years. However, the $25.5 million deal quickly soured.

Booth only played in 28 games the following year, registering 16 points. Then, he played a full 82-game season in 2010-11, scoring 23 goals. But inconsistency and an astronomically low minus-31 prompted the Cats to move Booth to the Vancouver Canucks after six games in 2011-12.

The Canucks subsequently bought out his contract the following season.

#3. Keith Yandle

Yandle is remembered for breaking the record for the longest consecutive game streak. In total, Yandle suited up for over 1,100 games with various clubs. In 2016, the New York Rangers dealt Yandle to the Florida Panthers for draft picks.

Initially, Yandle played well for the Cats, prompting them to sign an aging Yandle to an eye-raising seven-year extension worth $44.45 million. The contract immediately became a burden, and his defensive performance slipped considerably.

The Panthers did not scratch him until he passed Doug Jarvis as the NHL’s all-time ironman. After that, the Panthers bought out the final two years of his deal. Notably, Yandle’s contract is still on the books for this upcoming season, according to PuckPedia.

#2. Brett Connolly

Brett Connolly was a former No. 6 overall pick but never really played like one. After years of middling performances with various clubs, Connolly had his best season in 2018-19, topping 40 points for the first time in his career.

So, the Florida Panthers bet high on Connolly. The club signed him to a four-year, $14 million deal. Connolly flopped in his first season, registering just 33 points in 69 games. He was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks the next season after 21 games and four points.

Connolly never gained traction in Chicago either, notching three points in 19 games over parts of two seasons.

#1. Dave Bolland

Bolland was drafted in the second round by the Blackhawks in 2004. He had one good season in Chicago, notching 47 points in 81 games in 2008-09.

By 2014, however, he was coming off a 12-point, 23-game season with the Toronto Maple Leafs. So, the Panthers gave him a lucrative five-year, $27.5 million contract.

Bolland will always be remembered for scoring the 2013 Cup-winning goal for the Hawks. But he will be infamous for being arguably the worst contract in Florida Panthers history. He managed just 23 points in 53 games during his first year with the club. He then registered five points in 25 games the following season.

The Panthers eventually sent Bolland down to the AHL and he did not return.