Dec 31, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Chris Kunitz (14) reacts after scoring a goal against the Carolina Hurricanes during the first period at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Penguins won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
2. Chris Kunitz
My opinion of Chris Kunitz has already been expressed at length and it has not changed.
During the 2014-2015 regular season, Kunitz scored 17 goals and 23 assists for a total of 40 points across his 74 games. This marked his lowest total since his injury-shortened 2009-2010 season. He even managed less points than during the 48 game season in 2012-2013, when he managed 52 points.
This is made even more distressing when you examine the final three months of Kunitz’s season. From February 1 until the final game on April 11, a timespan that covered 33 games, the 35-year-old winger scored nine points. Three of those points came during a contest against the Carolina Hurricanes on February 6. From March 7 until the season’s close, he managed one assist and had a streak of 11 games without a point.
Poised to make $4 million during the upcoming season and $3.550 million the season after, that level of production is unacceptable from a player making first-line money. If the Penguins could find a suitor for his contract, they would be fools not to make the move. Unfortunately, it appears that the team will be saddled with the aging, declining Kunitz for at least two more seasons as he continues to hold the team back.