Wisniewski had a breakout out year last year, scoring 10 goals and adding 41 assists in 75 games in a season split between the New York Islanders and the Montreal Canadiens. Like Leino, his efforts earned him a monster contract this off-season. Like Leino, he's 27, at his prime.

Columbus' biggest need heading into the offseason was to get an offensively minded defenseman to go along with the team's plethora of defensive ones, and you have to respect the team's resolve at going out and getting one, at any price. Nevertheless, five and a half million is too much for James Wisniewski.

The contract puts the Canadian up among the top paid players in the league. He contributes well on the power-play and is a great passer, and he comes to a better environment with players like Jeff Carter and Rick Nash in Columbus, but this was the first season he put up anything near numbers like this.

You can't give a player a contract this size when you're basing it off one season's performance.

In addition, he's been suspended twice, totalling 10 games, in the past two seasons.

His last contract, spanning one year, was worth 3,250,000. A three and a half million contract here would have been more reasonable.