Which contracts signed from the NHL off-season could teams come to regret in the long run?
The NHL saw several players sign big contracts during the off-season, and there's no guarantee that all of them will pay off.
Every summer there are a handful of teams that end up overpaying to land free agents or acquire big-name talent through trades, even if the numbers look reasonable in the moment. Age, injury history, and development can all play a roll in a contract eventually giving a team buyer's remorse.
With a ton of spending around the league throughout the 2026 off-season, let's take a look at a few contracts that were signed this summer that NHL GMs could come to regret:
Bowen Byram, Chicago Blackhawks (Six Years, $12.5 Million AAV)
The Chicago Blackhawks not only gave up a ton to acquire Bowen Byram from the Buffalo Sabres this summer but then immediately signed him to a six-year, $12.5 million AAV contract.
Byram has shown during his career that he can be a solid top-four defenseman. Yet, with the Blackhawks paying him $12.5 million per season for six years, they are going to need him to blossom into a legitimate top-pairing defenseman. If he does not, this contract will only look more questionable as it ages.
Yet, with Byram only being 25 and set to have a prominent role with Chicago, the possibility of him proving his doubters wrong also cannot be ruled out. There is no question that he is entering this deal with plenty of pressure to succeed, though.
Alex Tuch, Washington Capitals (Eight Years, $10.5 Million AAV)
The Washington Capitals made a big move earlier this off-season when they acquired Tuch from the Sabres in a sign-and-trade deal. The Capitals locked up the veteran winger on an eight-year, $84-million contract.
It is not difficult to understand why Washington wanted to bring in Tuch. Right now, he is a top-six power forward who is coming off a 33-goal and 66-point campaign.
Yet, signing a 30-year-old winger to an eight-year contract certainly comes with some risk. Washington will need Tuch to maintain his top form for a while for this contract to age well. However, if he shows signs of regression early on in this contract, it could end up becoming a problem quickly for the Capitals.
Leo Carlsson, Anaheim Ducks (Five Years, $18 Million AAV)
It is not difficult to understand why the Anaheim Ducks matched the Philadelphia Flyers' five-year offer sheet for Leo Carlsson earlier this summer.
Carlsson has the potential to become a star and is already a major part of Anaheim's roster. However, if he does not take that next step and become an elite center in the NHL, this deal could end up being a horrible one for the Ducks.
The 21-year-old just had a strong 2025-26 season where he posted 29 goals and 67 points in 70 games. These are very good numbers, but now that he has an $18-million cap hit, Anaheim will need more from him. If that production ends up being his ceiling, this contract is one that could lead to regret for the Ducks.
Charlie Coyle, Columbus Blue Jackets (Six Years, $6 Million AAV)
Charlie Coyle had a strong first season for the Columbus Blue Jackets, posting 20 goals and 58 points in 82 games. This led Columbus to sign him to a six-year, $36-million extension earlier this off-season.
Seeing the Blue Jackets bring back Coyle is understandable. He proved to be a strong addition to their roster and is a good veteran for their room. Yet, he is also 34 years old, meaning he could regress as this deal goes on.
Coyle's $6-million cap hit is not too outrageous with the salary cap going up, but it also isn't cheap. This contract could end up being regretted by Columbus if the Massachusetts native quickly regresses.
Jacob Trouba, San Jose Sharks (Four Years, $8.25 Million AAV)
Jacob Trouba had a nice bounce-back year for the Ducks in 2025-26. It certainly paid off for him, as he landed a four-year, $33-million contract from the San Jose Sharks this summer.
It was no secret that the Sharks desperately needed to strengthen their blueline this off-season. Trouba has the potential to benefit them in the short-term, but this both a good amount of money and term for the 32-year-old defenseman.
Trouba is a serviceable top-four blueliner, but San Jose paying him $8.25 million per season for four years is another deal that could end up aging poorly. He has also dealt with consistency issues during his career, which only makes this signing more of a red flag.
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