#3 – Bobby Holik (2002)
The Rangers should have known better when the signed Scott Gomez because they had made exactly the same mistake five years earlier when they inked Bobby Holik. Holik was the heart and soul of the New Jersey Devils who crossed the Hudson when the Rangers dangled a five-year, $45 million contract before him.
The Rangers had missed the playoffs for five straight seasons when they signed the center, as well known for his defensive prowess as his offensive ability. Although Holik was a perennial 20+ goal scorer, there was no way he could live up to the hype his new contract brought.
In his two seasons in New York the team didn’t make the playoffs. He scored 16 and 25 goals, respectively, and topped out at 56 points, all numbers consistent with his results in New Jersey. Holik became one of the first victims of the salary cap era as he was bought out by the Rangers when the cap was established after the lockout of 2005-06.
Holik signed as a free agent with Atlanta where he played four years before a final season back with the Devils.