$4M AVV / One year

Richards, coming off a Stanley Cup victory with the Blackhawks, accepted a one-year deal with the Detroit Red Wings. The contract has a base salary of $3M (that's the cap hit) and a $1M bonus depending on the Red Wings playoff performance (as per General Fanager).

Richards doesn't hold that "top center" place in the game anymore and even in Chicago last year as their 2C, he wasn't that good either. At least the Blackhawks were paying him as a role player (last year he made $2M). Current Red Wing, Riley Sheahan, scored more goals last year than Brad Richards did, and he wasn't playing with the likes of Patrick Sharp or Patrick Kane on a regular basis like Richards was.

To be honest, I don't quite understand this signing for the Wings. It's not like they need the experience he brings. I wonder how long before we see Richards slide down the depth chart in Detroit and passed over by guys like Sheahan and even Luke Glendening for regular shifts. I guess he is good insurance for injuries but that's a lot of money for insurance.

Don't get me wrong, he's cheaper than Stephen Weiss but it's questionable if he's really any better at this stage of the game. 

For fantasy purposes, I don't expect much offense from Richards. He may get some PP2 time on the point but he's a bottom six guy on a regular shift these days.

Devan Dubnyk (MIN)

$4.33M AVV / Six years

Let me be perfectly clear here; I am a big Devan Dubnyk fan and I think re-signing in Minnesota was absolutely the right choice for him and his continued success. I even think the money and term are good, all things considered. The only reason he is even on my list of guys who may disappoint their fantasy owners is because of the gaudy numbers he put up last year.

I think he will still put up solid numbers for fantasy owners for years to come but if owners are expecting him to reproduce a goals against average below 2.00 and a save percentage above 0.935 year after year, then I think you can expect to be disappointed.  Minnesota is a well-built team and has as good of a defensive system as there is in the league today, and because of this he will still be one of the league's best fantasy goalies to own. That being said, his numbers last year are going to be almost impossible to duplicate. I hope he does, but I am also a realistic guy. 

If you go into this with a sensible head and expect top-10 goalie numbers for Dubnyk, you will be fine and he shouldn't be on this list. If you are expecting him to be a top three, Vezina Trophy candidate on an annual basis, then I think you may be slightly disappointed.

****

So there are four recently signed free agents who could end up disappointing fantasy owners. Some made the list because they got paid too much money, some because their production last year that got them their new contract, isn't realistic. If you own any of these guys, hopefully they prove me wrong.

Feel free to follow me on twitter @chrispudsey.