Will the Florida Panthers buy out the worst contract on their payroll?

The year was 2013, and the Chicago Blackhawks were in game 6 of the Stanley Cup final against the Boston Bruins. Chicago was tied with the Bruins at two goals a piece with 58.4 seconds left in the third period. One goal would give the Blackhawks the Stanley Cup, and Dave Bolland would answer the call.

Dave Bolland was selected 32nd overall in the 2004 NHL draft by the Chicago Blackhawks, who were under the management of current Florida Panthers general manager, Dale Tallon at that time. Bolland would be shipped down to Chicago’s AHL team, The Rockford Ice Hogs for his first professional season. Bolland would be called up in 2006 and play for the Blackhawks until his Stanley Cup winning goal. Just days after the 2013 season ended. Bolland was sent to the Toronto Maple Leafs for three draft picks and would play 23 games in the 2014 season, which was shortened by an ankle injury, registering only 12 points for the Leafs before his contract expired.

Enter the Florida Panthers, who made the decision to pick up the free agent, who signed along with five other players, those being Jussi Jokinen, Willie Mitchell, Derek Mackenzie, Al Montoya and Shawn Thornton on July 1st of 2014. Mitchell, Montoya and Thornton would sign two year contracts, Mackenzie would sign for three years and Jussi Jokinen would sign for four years. The five year deal offered by Dale Tallon would be the one that left everyone scratching their heads.

Bolland’s deal is one that most likely haunts Tallon to this day. Tallon would cut Dave Bolland a five-year deal that totaled 27.5 million dollars costing the Florida Panthers 5.5 million dollars per year on their cap hit. Bolland, to date, has produced a total of 7 goals in 78 games since signing with Florida and has been inactive since December, when he was sent to the Portland Pirates on a conditioning stint. During his time in Portland, he suffered a lower body injury which ended his season and possibly his NHL career.

With the 2016 season closing fast and three of the five players Bolland signed alongside in 2014 due for resigning, the Panthers are left with the option of leaving Bolland’s contract intact and keep paying the 5 million dollars per year until 2020 and letting go of a member of the Florida roster to free agency, or opt for the buyout which will cost 1.833 million dollars per season on the Panthers salary cap until 2023 and potentially keep the talent pool intact going into 2017.

With Bolland’s contract gone, the Panthers would free up 3.667 million per year to sign some of the recently acquired talent such as Jiri Hudler, or Teddy Purcell or have the option of pursuing some of the other talent that will become available once the 2016 season ends. While the Florida Panthers remain tight-lipped about what they plan to do, one has to assume they will most likely pursue a buyout option.