5 NHL players you won't believe are still under contract

The NHL is famous for long-term contracts going horribly wrong. At one point, star players were signing between 12 and 15-year contracts. Now, max contracts are clipped at eight years for returning players and seven years for unrestricted free agents signing with new teams. That doesn't mean this doesn't go horribly wrong every now and then.

Before we get into some of the wildest contracts still on the books, first let's go through some of the funniest cap hits for players who haven't been on the books for a long, long time. Karl Alzner wasn't a good signing for the Montreal Canadiens, and they are still paying him despite buying him out right before the 2020 pandemic-shortened season. The Tampa Bay Lightning signed up to pay Vinny Lecavalier for 14 years, which is still on the books until 2027. Heck, the Devils are still paying a penalty for Ilya Kovalchuk's contract, and he retired from their team in 2013. The wildest penalty has to be the Los Angeles Kings paying a penalty for Mike Richards' contract termination until 2032.

However, we're looking at active contracts that are still in play. They have to be still on the books but on long-term injured reserve. None of these players have played a game this season, and it's likely it will never happen again.

5. Carey Price
Cap Hit: $10.5 million
Contract Ends: 2026

There are some that might not be surprised that Carey Price is still under contract. It's not long ago he was carrying the Montreal Canadiens to the Stanley Cup Final. Of course, there were no fans in the buildings for the playoffs. Price's career kind of ended in a whimper. He was carrying his body through pain over the last few years, and it was clear as his numbers mostly dipped.

It started to become clear Price's situation during the Seattle Kraken Expansion Draft when he elected to waive his no-move clause. This allowed the Canadiens to protect Jake Allen, but the Kraken decided against taking Price. The season would be a hard one for Price, starting with a stint in the Player's Assistance Program and constant rehabilitation from offseason knee surgery. He did make a few starts at the end of the season, which will likely be his last.

Price was had a small chance to return, but it would require a risky surgery that Price wasn't willing to do. It had an issue with quality of life. So, it's expected Price is done with hockey.