Flyers place Andrew MacDonald and his terrible contract on waivers

In April 2014, the Philadelphia Flyers looked upon the 19 games defenseman Andrew MacDonald had played for them since he was acquired from the New York Islanders and thought, yes, this man is worthy of a 6-year, $30-million contract extension.

The first season of that contract? Hideous.

He stumbled out of the gate with a knee injury, was a turnover machine, and by season’s end was a healthy scratch by former coach Craig Berube. The Flyers were a better team with MacDonald off the ice. And for a team that’s been crouched down under the salary cap for two years, his $5 million hit was an albatross.

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(To say nothing of the fact that the Flyers took him from a $550,000 base salary to $6.25 million in his first season of the deal. CEOs don’t get percentage raises that elephantine.)

On Monday, a day of many waivers, the Flyers dropped MacDonald, 29, on the waiver wire, with four years and $23.75 million left on his contract.

MacDonald said before the season that he wanted 2015-16 to be a “clean slate,” and it appears it will be … for the Flyers, who clean MacDonald from the blue line like gristle from a plate of overcooked steak.

"He's an NHL player, but we're in a jam here with a roster spot and a cap issue. We also have to put our best team on the ice," said GM Ron Hextall. "It was a tough decision. We know Mac's a good NHL player. Is it what we wanted to do? No."

The Flyers will save $950,000 against the cap if he clears waivers and goes to the AHL.

There are teams with cap space and blue line needs – looking at you, Buffalo – but five more years at $5 million annually is a toxic contract for a player that hasn’t come close to earning that dedication of assets.

(We'd say Arizona was an option, but they've already acquired one high-salaried Flyers defenseman who gives you nothing on the ice.)

Which was basically our point when he signed the deal: Even if you liked Andrew MacDonald at $5 million against the cap, you couldn’t possibly have liked him at six years for a player whose calling card is blocking pucks with his body.

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