Prize UFA signing makes controversial health decision

​How was this not an issue when he was signed for over $16 million!?

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 6 years ago
Prize UFA signing makes controversial health decision
Keystone Press

Nick Bonino has been the prize acquisition of the offseason so far for the Nashville Predators. The 29 year-old centerman, fresh off a Stanley Cup championship over his new team, signed a four-year, $16.4 million contract on the opening day of free-agency, in the hopes that he’ll play a pivotal role for a team that hopes to contend for the Stanley Cup once again in 2017-18. But, given Bonino’s questionable health for next season, the commitment made by the franchise to the player is being questioned by fans and analysts.

After suffering a broken leg as a result of a PK Subban point shot blast, Bonino has been spending weeks on crutches to get around. Surprisingly, he has elected not to have surgery to speed up the recovery process. Given that his new team just handed him a check for over $16 million, you figure he’d be keen to get back to health as quickly as possible. Not the case, apparently:

“We kind of wanted to get to July 1 and see where I’d end up. I think it’s good to get out here right away. It’s coming along. We’ll see in a couple weeks; I think we’ve got to revisit it and see how it’s healing, but for now it’s doing all right.”

All right? How does that inspire confidence, Preds fans? Is this cause for concern? Bonino’s cap hit at $4.1 million annually was already going to be a lot of Preds fans to swallow, now imagine if he can’t even play or, worse yet, he can’t play the the capabilities that earned him such a hefty contract. Lot of unknowns when it comes to Nick Bonino and the Nashville Predators these days…

Source: Cam Tucker