#4 Roman Hamrlik
Roman Hamrlik was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 1992 NHL Draft. He played a season and a half with the Capitals from 2011-12 to 2013’s lockout-shortened season. His best season came in the 2000-01 campaign with the New York Islanders when he scored 16 goals and had 30 assists for 46 points.
During his first season with the Caps, Hamrlik scored two goals and had 11 assists for 13 points. In the lockout-shortened year, he only suited up for four games with the Caps before being placed on waivers.
Once there he was claimed by the New York Rangers, where he finished out the season and eliminated the Caps in the playoffs in seven games in the first round.
Roman Hamrlik was signed to a two-year, $7 million dollar contract which was a waste considering it was on a veteran who later went to waivers only to be claimed by a rival team. What on earth were they thinking? Both signing the guy and putting him on waivers? Again, what a waste.
That’s just the point though of this post, to show the worst of the worst when it comes to free-agent signings. It was another defenseman to an already weak blue line. Thankfully our defense is much better now.