THE STORY
In September 2006, the New York Islanders signed goaltender Rick DiPietro to a 15-year, $67.5 million contract, the longest in NHL history at that time. However, DiPietro's career was marred by injuries, leading to a buyout of the remaining eight years of his contract in July 2013. The Islanders agreed to pay him $1.5 million annually for the next 16 years, totaling $24 million.
TEAMS / PEOPLE:
NHL teams and players
WHY IT MATTERS
The contract is often cited as a cautionary tale about the risks of long-term deals in professional sports, especially for players with injury histories.