From Puck Stops Here over at Kukla's Korner:

It is far enough into the season to begin to look at the free agent signings made this summer. One stands out as being a complete failure so far. Martin Havlat left the Chicago Blackhawks to sign with the Minnesota Wild. He signed a five year contract worth $30 million. He was intended as a replacement for NHL goal scoring leader Marian Gaborik, who had jumped to the New York Rangers, but it has not worked out that way.

They make their case with stats on the main post, so go read it. It's short, check it out. Just keep these two things in mind while reading. Martin Skoula has 3 Goals and 5 Assists in 21 games. Kurtis Foster has 3 Goals and 3 Assists in 18 games. Havlat has 2 Goals and 9 Assists in 22 games. So, Havlat is on par, production wise, with Skoula. And only slightly better than Foster.

That fact that Havlat is a candidate for worst signing would be a difficult point to argue. Havlat is clearly a disappointment here in Minnesota. Gaborik is ripping apart the East, as even the largest skeptic (me) would have predicted. Lats, Ebbett, and Kobasew have made a much larger impression on this team than Havlat has, and they have far less expectation.

Can anyone think of another free agent signing, across the entire league, that has been a bigger flop than this one thus far? For the sake of our own sanity... anyone? Please?

Mike Komisarek as KiPA suggested over at Hitting the Post (look at Montreal)? Khabibulin in Edmonton as KiPA suggests in another post? Those two are pretty bad. I don't think Brian Burke brought in Komisarek thinking he was going to save the team or be the team leader in points, as was expected for Havlat for the Wild.

Khabibulin is an interesting thought, as their entire season plan hinged on him, and he has now been hurt and completely unhelpful even when healthy. Goaltenders also take more than their fair share of the blame when a team struggles, though, so maybe the Oilers just aren't all that good (says the guy writing about the team in last place in the division).

So, anyone have any other suggestions? Worst free agent signing thus far?

-Buddha