Roenick: I don't understand Bolland contract

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NHL analyst Jeremy Roenick was on Team 1040 Monday night, discussing the beginning of the free agent frenzy.

He was asked about some of the craziest contracts handed out Monday. Roenick mentioned several players overall, but began with a rant on Dave Bolland. The Florida Panthers inked him to a five-year, $27.5 million pact.

“Dave Bolland. I mean, if Dave Bolland can make $5.5 million, I’m going back to the gym for a couple of months cuz I can score more points than Dave Bolland with two months of working out at 44 years old than Dave Bolland will score in a year. Yeah, I know he’s won a Cup. I know he’s a great leader. I know he’s a battler. He’s a hard worker. But shit, I can go – I can go do that too. I can work hard and do what he’s doing and make what, $5.5 million? I can make 3.5-4 for sure. I don’t get it. I don’t understand it. Those are the contracts that send everything for a loop. You know, it’s ... amazing what a Stanley Cup will get you. It really is.”

Also: “Dave Bolland on Chicago Blackhawks is a third line player. Dave Bolland on the L.A. Kings is a third line player. Dave Bolland on the New York Rangers is a third line player. Dave Bolland on Buffalo is probably a first line player right now. Dave Bolland on Florida might be a first line player. Maybe. On the New York Islanders, he’s probably a third line player. You know, when you have your third line players making $5.5 million, there’s going to be a chink in the armor somewhere and it’s usually the real third lines and the real fourth liners that should be making 1.4 or 1.2 or 1.5 and they’re making 700 now because, you know, the teams can’t afford to pay some of the other grinders and some of the other core players that you need in order to win championships. That one just totally threw me for a loop today.”

His take on the Vancouver Canucks trading Ryan Kesler:

"I'm never going to be in agreement that Ryan Kesler should have been traded. I think he's a great player. I don't know what the deal was with him in the locker room. He's a gamer. He's going to work hard for you. He's going to score goals for you. You know, just to get Bonino and Sbisa, yeah, they're good players, but I would have held onto Kesler."