THN.com Blog: Hossa chasing Cup, not cash
Marian Hossa surprised a lot of people when he signed a one-year deal to go for glory in Detroit. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Sam McCaig
2008-07-02 15:46:50
If you can’t beat ’em - sign a one-year, $7.4-million contract and - join ’em.
That appears to be Marian Hossa’s logic as the unrestricted free agent sniper agreed to a surprising one-year deal with the Detroit Red Wings. Despite being a resident of the Eastern Conference for his entire NHL career, Hossa is familiar with the Wings, having faced them in the Stanley Cup final as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
At first blush, it looks like Hossa decided to postpone signing a massive, multi-year offer (sorry, Edmonton fans) in favor of a short (and still very rich) deal that comes with the added bonus of a legitimate chance at winning the Stanley Cup.
If that’s the case, it’s hard to knock Hossa for his choice. He came close to glory this season and figures he’ll get another crack in 2008-09 as part of the vaunted Red Wings. No NHL team has won back-to-back championships since the Wings did it in 1997 and ’98, but Detroit is as close as it gets to a sure thing in today’s NHL.
At the same time, the whole situation does seem a bit odd. When a player jumps from the losing Cup finalist over to the team that won the Cup…well, it just doesn’t sit right. Especially when it looked like the Penguins might convince Hossa to stick around for another year; if he was going to sign a short-term deal with anyone, you’d think it would have been Pittsburgh.
Surely playing with Sidney Crosby for a whole year and Evgeni Malkin, too, would only help Hossa’s case a year from now. It’s not too difficult to envision Hossa closing in on 60 goals with Crosby or Malkin as his centers/power play partners-in-crime. Then again, it’s not too difficult to envision Hossa doing the same thing while playing with Pavel Datsyuk and/or Henrik Zetterberg.
Meanwhile, the rich get richer as Detroit adds another bona fide star. The Wings are even a couple million dollars under the salary cap, although they do need to re-sign restricted free agent Valtteri Filppula.
Bigger decisions loom in the summer of 2009, when Hossa, Zetterberg and supporting forwards Johan Franzen, Mikael Samuelsson and Tomas Kopecky will all be unrestricted.
Sam McCaig is The Hockey News' senior copy editor and a regular contributor to THN.com. His blog appears Tuesdays and his column, From The Point, every second Friday.
For more great profiles, news and views from the world of hockey, Subscribe to The Hockey News magazine.
Sean (Posted 2008-07-17 21:08:02)
She's just a girl.
hckyscreen (Posted 2008-07-04 17:59:46)
Only one question. Who's Crosby?
RedToronto (Posted 2008-07-04 02:50:36)
By the way, and I say this as a Wings fan, can we end all this nonsense about Crosby being whiny, a crybaby, etc.
He cares deeply about his team and about winning! He is the captain, it is responsibility to speak up for his team. Everything with Crosby gets magnified because he is Crosby and so we might see it more often. In my opinion, he does not complain excessively. And seeing as he Crosby, he gets targeted quite often and surely could complain even more than he does. For a guy who played through two straight playoffs with a hidden injury, I would more than gladly take him on my team/the Wings!
Howcome Sundin does not have a reputation as whiner? Howcome Sundin is not called immature? Sundin quite often b*tches and complains to the referees, every single time he gets a penalty, yap, yap, yap. Even the most blatant-shut-your-mouth-you-screwed-up-you-know-you-screwed-up penalties he complains. If Sundin crosschecked a guy across the mouth, bust both lips open and knock out three teeth, Sundin would still b*tch and complain to the referee about his innocence.
RedToronto (Posted 2008-07-04 02:37:12)
Unreal some of the stuff people say...Zetterberg (not Zetterburg and its Staal, supposed Penguins fan, not Staahl ), command at least 10? That is your opinion only not fact.
First, Red Wings policy...nobody makes more than Lidstrom (currently makes 7.45 million)
Second, Datsyuk is signed for 6 more years at 6.7 million per year...Do you really think his good buddy Hank would demand $10 million?
Third, in my opinion, Zetterberg is a team player and is smart enough to know he is in a very special situation with the Red Wings and to sign for $10 million would hurt the Wings chances of competing at a high level.
Fourth Franzen command 5 or 6 millon, seeing as Datsyuk who scores about 90 points a season makes 6.7 million, Franzen is not going to get 5 or 6, unless he produces at a 70-80 point level, unlikely.
Free agent pain...Datsyuk as mentioned is locked up for 6 more years, Zetterberg will not be painful and will be dealth with efficiently. Hossa, he probably signed for one year to win the Cup and the Wings know that, no pain there.
Detroit will be in the finals but no they will not be seeing Pittsburgh. Sweep Detroit LOLOLOLOLOLOL...Detroit has only gotten stronger than the team that already won the Cup, Pittsburgh has gotten weaker (minus Malone, Roberts, Hossa, Ruutu, Laraque) And no, Satan and Fedotenko will not make up for those losses, they are not 100 point players, leaders or players who will protect Crosby and Malkin.
BlackandGold (Posted 2008-07-04 00:57:09)
Crosby is 20, Malkin 21, Fleury 23, Staahl 19, the core group is intact. Zetterburg will command at least 10 next, Franzen 5 or 6. Hossa will up the ante to 8m or 9m. Our core is intact for the next 6 years. The upside in losing Hossa is the Pens powerplay will be better with Malkin up front. It was in the regular season dispite losing Sid to injury. Our pain in losing free agents is over. Detroit YOURS IS BEGINNING in 09. See you at the Cup Finals next year. And if Malkin shows up, the Cup will be swept from you. Go auto industry in D-town.
hckyscreen (Posted 2008-07-03 15:51:30)
Rob G - I know they're big on Ericsson - Just now finding out about Axelsson. The thing that's nice about Ville Leino is that is coming in completely under the radar, but was the MVP of the Finnish Super League this season and broke the record for most points in a season for Jokiert...which also had the fomer likes of Selanne, Ruttu, and yes Esa Tikinnan (sp) who also happens to be his coach. Where Hans Andersson is finding these players is just mind-boggling. Andersson is the key to the success of the Wings. Best European scout in the business.
RobG (Posted 2008-07-03 14:24:51)
Hey hckyscreen,
Keep an eye out for another kid as well.....from you guessed it....Sweden. A left-winger named Dick Axelsson (spelling ?) They say there's not a prospect in Europe that they'd trade him for. Another D-man.....from Sweden....Jonathon Ericsson who some already compare to Larry Robinson. BTW....they hold the rights to the top goalie in the Swedish Elite League as well.
ice gator (Posted 2008-07-03 14:24:07)
by the way yes they have paul and hoisted it along with their conf. mates in tampa go south east div. season tickets $$$$$$$$ play off package $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ SEEING ADNREYCHUCK KISS THE CUP pricelessssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ice gator (Posted 2008-07-03 14:15:04)
as a solid east coast guy it kills me to say for now detroit does it again and i dont blame hossa for jumping there hm what did he notice. ill tell you what while sid is a star he does not have the offensive talent that the great 8 does but hes a canada boy . he is far from the two way player lecavalier is and hossa saw what a whinny kid he really is sorry nhl and pens fans the truth hurts. you have every thing wraped up in him and if he doesent mature you will end up with the all time scoring leader and no cups .
RobG (Posted 2008-07-03 13:47:35)
Some interesting comments. A few here have noticed the obvious......many Pen players have chosen to move on.....character and grit players. If you're gonna be pizzed at Hossa, add a few others to your list. Crosby's a whining baby whose act gets old quickly.....even to his teammates.
hckyscreen (Posted 2008-07-03 13:32:54)
I'm not going to argue about petty things like who has the best city or who is the best player. All I know is the Detroit hockey team is a great organization. From what I've read - Hossa spoke with Holland before the trade deadline last year and Hossa indicated he wanted to become a Red Wing, however Holland didn't want to give Atlanta anything significant. I smell collusion to some extent. I do think the RW will sign Zetterberg and Hossa to long term contracts (and I suspect they will both take less then Market)...as for the next "that came out of nowhere" players...I would watch out for Valterri Fillpula and Ville Leino, both of whom Mike Babcock predicted would be the breakthrough players on the Wings next season. That goal that Fillpula scored in the finals looked like Bobby Orr!
Cindy Crosby (Posted 2008-07-03 13:28:54)
Thank you Blizz! Thank You, Thank YOU! I'm glad that somebody here understands that I'm the greatest player that ever played and that this league wouldn't even exist without me! They all hate me because I'm so good, but YOU understand. Gary does too, that's why he's rebuilt the entire league around me. Let that Hossa guy go, I don't need him, everyone will want to play with me anyway so that I can tell them how to play hockey and they can learn from me. I taught Mark Recchi so much that he went and won another Stanley cup on a team that I WASN'T EVEN ON! (How good a teacher I must be!). I bet Hossa will win his cup too now that's he's played with me and learned what hockey is all about. Next year, to save time, I've made a video for all the referees to watch, so that I won't have to spend so much time explaining to them how they've blown calls. Gary told me it would help the league out alot, so I agreed, since I am such a good hockey citizen. Thanks again, Gar-eeerrrr, Blizz!
The Blizz (Posted 2008-07-03 13:05:05)
Being the best player doesn't mean that if you go down, your team is done. That simply means you play on an awful, sparsely-talented team. The '92 Penguins lost Mario Lemieux for most of the Rangers series and part of the Boston series in the playoffs to a broken hand, and they still won both series and the Cup that year. There was no question that Lemieux was the best player in the league, but the Pens had depth that could compensate for that loss.
learn your stuff paul (Posted 2008-07-03 12:04:57)
Dearest Paul, the Canes have made the playoffs since 2002, and danced with Lord Stanley. Nice command of hockey history you have there.
Paul (Posted 2008-07-03 11:51:32)
I want to make something clear. IF, and when the Wings win the cup next year, it WASN'T bought. Hossa wanted to play on the wings because they have been the best since 1997. Although many of you would disagree, the Wings are no fluke. I've known since I was a minimite that the wings were the best, from Stevie Y, to Z, and (maybe) Hossa too. Honestly, I could take or leave Hossa, the Wings didn't need him... He needs the Wings.
PS - The Canes were the better team in 2002? Dumbest comment I've seen in a while, have they made the playoffs since then?
Mike (Posted 2008-07-03 11:25:55)
Chasing the Cup, not cash? What are you smoking. He signed a one year deal as a stepping stone to more cash, idiot! Detroit will win nothing next year, they will be eliminated in the first round like their are most of the time.
Detroit is a joke, keep buying Cups (2002 was a great example, the better team (Canes) lost).
By the way, noone moves to Detroit (see all those empty seats during the regular season last year (there will be more empty seats in the next 5-10 years, noone that is young would stay in that city)
Andrew (Posted 2008-07-03 10:49:39)
Next year at this time if Hossa has his cup we'll see how much of a discount he gives anybody. That cap number goes up again next year and he waits to cash a fat check. Or even better I wanna see what he does if Detroit doesn't win the cup. Hossa= Rent a player
Sean Miller (Posted 2008-07-03 10:38:35)
If being the best player means that as you go, so goes your team, the top two players (in my mind) are not the ones mentioned. Playoffs aside, the best one is wearing Teal and the second (amazing playoff performer) is wearing a Lightning bolt. Nary a Penguin in sight.
Andy Middleton (Posted 2008-07-03 08:49:04)
What a farce!! All Hossa did was give the Wings some draft picks and/or young less expensive players at the trading deadline. If the Wings repeat, he won't be with them to hoist the Cup. Smart move supergenius.
daniel (Posted 2008-07-03 08:36:33)
hossa is a punk. pens sign Jagr!! rock on
Billwinkle (Posted 2008-07-03 08:27:55)
Hundreds of years ago, the Swedish Vikings would celebrate a victory by robbing the treasure and raping the women. Those days are gone now, but this is just about the next best thing.
The Blizz (Posted 2008-07-03 06:47:51)
If there was a complete re-draft, is there any question that every single GM in the NHL wouldn't take Sidney Crosby 1st overall?
Sid is actually pretty good defensively (an underrated part of his game)... but "complete" player doesn't mean "best" player. Unless there is anyone who wants to argue that Gretzky and Lemieux weren't the best players of their era because I can name 20 or 30 players at least who were more complete players than them.
I really like Zetterberg as a player... I also think very highly of Mike Richards (who was the only Flyer who by my eyes showed up and played with incredible skill and heart against the Penguins in the Conference Finals)... but if everyone could remove all of their bias, there is no doubt that Sid is in a class by himself. The scary thing is that gap is only going to widen.
As for Ovechkin... there is a very simple rule, if you score more goals than assists, you can't seriously be considered for the best player in the league. Is a super talented sniper? Yes. Would every team love to have him? Well... maybe not at the price, but otherwise, yes. But he's Brett Hull to Crosby's Gretzky/Lemieux. Personally I would much rather have an Yzerman or Zetterberg to a Hull or Ovechkin.
Steve (Posted 2008-07-03 04:49:15)
Sorry Church, Ovechkin's "arguably" the best player in the NHL--not hands-down "best by far." Of course, one could also "argue" that he's the third best left-winger in the game. For all he does right, he cherry-picks, doesn't backcheck, frequently turns the puck over by missing the net on ill-advised shots, overstays his shifts, can't make a backhand pass to save his life and never knows where his linemates are when the puck is on his own stick. Jarome Iginla doesn't have any of those weaknesses and still tops fifty every time he's healthy, despite never having played with even a half-way decent center (Conroy and Langkow have never been the players that Backstrom already is). And Ilya Kovalchuk does everything Ovechkin does, but he's a step faster, cherry-picks less, backchecks less badly, hardly ever misses the net wide and, overall, makes less turnovers. My point is: nothing is certain (except that Mike Richards is already the player he's going to be: an awesome two-way player who, nonetheless, isn't going to be in the same class as Crosby, Iginla, Zetterberg or Ovechkin "in a few years") and time will tell.
Church (Posted 2008-07-03 02:29:54)
What is with all of this talk about "the best player in hockey..." Ill give ya that crosby is good, probably top 5, but its close even at that. Currently he is not even the best center, as i think that title goes to Malkin. Staying on the Russian train, no one in this subjective discussion has mentioned that Ovechkin is BY FAR the best player in the NHL, hands down. That guy scores from the locker room.
Despite the fact that Detroit is clearly a stronger team and more concrete organization, i dont understand how pens fans can bash Hossa for leaving. the pens couldnt afford hossa, crosby, AND sign malkin to an extension without selling off the rest of the team......ask the bolts how that works out.
Hossa in a pens uniform was only a push for the cup, and he was never going to get signed to a long term deal there. With the pens getting stripped for parts during this off-season, its no surprise Hossa went to a proven winner who is the stand alone cup favorite in 09.
PuckMucker (Posted 2008-07-03 00:48:32)
The Hossa signing has another angle, in regards to who one chooses to play with. The Red Wings are first rate people, first and foremost a Class-A organization. Their superstars are their most humble ambassadors. The best offensive players are the best defensive players and the best defensive players are their best offensive players. The greatest player in the game today, yes - Niclas Lidstrom - agreed to a "hometown discount" and the ownership held true to their commitments and respect the balance of team chemistry. These are things perhaps the Penguins cannot offer. The mass exodus and selfish behavior of their "superstars" is obvious by anyone not blinded by the media hype surrounding Cindy Cry-Baby.
Nick D (Posted 2008-07-02 23:36:58)
Well I've read alot of interesting comments hear, apperently Crosby is the best player in the world. No he really isn't. I'm A Flyers fan, I'm loving the dismantled Pens right now, and I really honestly can say Crosby is the best offensive player in the leage, and the best whiner and/or diver. As for his overall skill, I would say theres guys that have a more complete game, like Zetterburg for example, he plays the offense really well, but he is also plays defense better than most if not all forwards. He kills penlty's, leads and is a more complete player. In a few years, Mike Richards will be in that kind of class. As for Hossa, surprised he didn't take the big pay day in Edmonton, but hey he went to the defending champs, he wants to win ... Can you blame him? No, but the best thing that I can see is sense the Hossa trade the Pens have lost all the support cast which includes Colby Armstrong (powerforward) Erik Christiensen (Shootout master) Angelio Esposito (good offense prospect) a 1st rounder, Ryan Malone, Gary Roberts, Marian Hossa, Jarko Ruutu(I hate this guy) Ty Conklin(guy who helped the Pens make the playoffs, also went to Detroit) Adam Hall,
Man From a Flyers fan persepctive, it doesn't get any better then this with the exception of Orpick re-signing.
GO FLYERS GO
John (Posted 2008-07-02 23:08:06)
mike - the team that gets the calls never does complain, do they? "Hey, you can't NOT call us everytime we interfere with their players!" Huh. This is the lowest of the low by Hossa. I used to listen to Sens fans talk about how this guy had nothing inside him and now I see it.
mike (Posted 2008-07-02 22:39:34)
Guys, I don't care if you blast me or not because I think what I said has a lot of truth in it. Sorry blizz, but there is a basis for my opinion, and forgiving The Kid for failing to acknowledge an opponents ability and/or complaining about the refs by saying he was just being competitive just doesn't add up. Every analysis of the game I saw raved about Zetterburg in the 5 on 3 situation, with none of them saying it was anything ordinary about it. Then, right after the series a Canadian hockey writer brought up some of the quetionable calls on both teams, and he said he and other writers were in agreement that most of them went against the Wings. That's their opinion of course, but point is you didn't hear the Wings complaining about any calls made against them. Maybe it's more a maturity issue then anything else, but my point was that some people aren't going to want to follow a leader that acts that way and can't see anyone arguing that point.
Chris (Posted 2008-07-02 22:06:58)
It would be hilarious if next season the Wings and Pens met up again in the final and the Pens spanked the Wings. That would serve Hossa right for jumping ship to go to the Wings. I understand wanting to win the Cup but I think it would be much more meaningful to win the Cup by starting the season on a team that isn't already the favorite to win it.
The Blizz (Posted 2008-07-02 21:59:46)
Mike --
The only reason that you would be blasted is because you have NO basis for your opinion. Your complaint seems to be that Crosby was a competitor during the playoffs/series. If that is somehow acting classless, then how do you defend Osgood's histrionics during the Stars and Pens' series?
I do think the Red Wings are a class organization. Hossa is a great player and the Red Wings are lucky to get him.
We'll see what happens next year. One thing I know is that the core of Pittsburgh are all under 21 (MAF is 23, which is like being under 21 for a goalie... and Whitney is 24), and they are only going to get better. I love Zetterberg and Datsyuk -- but they are just going to be as great next year as they were this year (not an awful problem to have). Whereas the best player in hockey is going to get better and arguably the 2nd best player in hockey is only going to get better.
Boonta420 (Posted 2008-07-02 21:14:55)
Guys, Holland is figuring everything into account. They nearly had him with a multi-year deal, but they figured that a one year deal would work better for both sides. Remember, the salary cap was raised about 6mil this past year and Holland expects it to go up again, so this is all groundwork to sign Z to an extension, get the Mule signed and than offer a contract, if they feel inclined to do so, to Hossa. Holland understands the make-up of Cap hockey because he uses a team of hockey minds including a capologist. They are not going to overextend, the only down side is if an injury occurs, than there could be an issue. But, "we are hockeytown, GRRRRRR!" - Mike Illitch
Sean (Posted 2008-07-02 20:06:24)
Jimmy Boy, I understand your point, but it sounds like you're taking a snapshot of how Detroit's payroll is now, and assuming they will handle it like most other teams - "throw money at our best players and fill in the gaps." I think Holland will handle it better than that, frankly. He signed Hossa under the value he would have commanded from other teams (cough cough Edmonton), and he will do the same for Z and Franzen, possibly for less than you specified in your example.
Besides, who says we don't have another elite defenseman in Ericsson, Meech, Quincey, or anyone else? Just because Lidstrom will likely retire in 2-4 years doesn't mean we HAVE to throw money to an UFA to replace him. Sorry Jimmy, I think this is one tower that'll last longer than you think! And nothing can take away the awesome memories of these 4 Cups in 11 years. Woot!
Bruce (Posted 2008-07-02 19:43:23)
Mike, who cares if they blast you? There has been an endless exodus out of Cindyville of virtually every respected veteran player that they've ever brought in to play with kid wonderful. Nobody in the media ever asks why they don't stick around...but it's not too hard to figure it out.
Mike (Posted 2008-07-02 19:18:20)
I know I am going to be blasted by the Pens fans, but I wonder if Hossa declined to sign with the Pens for reasons other then he thought the Wings had the better chance to win the cup? From what I've read throughout his career, Hossa is a class act and good person which fits in with what the Detroit media continually says about the Wing's players from Lidstrom down. That they're a collection of very classy professionals and good people as well. Yet, from at least this Wings fans perspective you can't say that for some of the Pens, and we all know who I am talking about. "The Face" of the NHL came across during the playoffs as being pretty petty in continually complaining about the refs and refussing to give the Wing's players their due, such as saying Zetterburg's play on that one 5 on 3 as being "ordinary". Seems to me if your Captain has that kind of attitude that it would turn off teams mates having the opposit attitude and maybe get them to look elsewhere, no matter how many goals they might score from playing with the guy. Which is just another way of a player showing he's a class act, right?
Jimmy Boy 7000 (Posted 2008-07-02 18:47:29)
I respect that Hossa is more interested in winning the Stanley Cup than the ultimate payday. But let us be honest he will not make next year even what he made this year, because Zetterberg is a UFA and wouldn't you rather pay the Conn Smythe winner rather than the guy who scored on the losing team? Lidstrom could possibly retire which would mean that Detroit would be in the market for a premier defenseman. Could they pay Zetterberg, say seven million and Hossa seven as well? Throw in 6.7 million for Datsyuk, 6 million for Rafalski and you have 28 million tied up in 4 players. Detroit management can not keep up the magic act forever. Even the sturdiest of towers will eventually rust and collapse.
Bruce (Posted 2008-07-02 16:20:18)
Gee, so much for the Ray Shero's "we're on the top of his list" theory...like that ever made any sense on the other sides of those three rivers...
Advertisement
Should the Canadiens be retiring Patrick Roy's No. 33?
"The big thing with Carlo — and I tell him that every day — is that 'You're not in very good shape.'"
- Leafs coach Ron Wilson on the conditioning of Carlo Colaiacovo, which Wilson believes is one of the reason's the defensman is oft-injuried.
Our Partners
The Hockey News Corporation. All Rights Reserved © 2008 Transcontinental
Standards: XHTML 1.0 STRICT + CSS 2. V 1.5 17.09.2008
