The Hockey News: Sam McCaig's blog: THN.com Blog: Hossa chasing Cup, not cash

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.

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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.

COMMENTS (36)

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Sean Posted
(2009-04-30 06:37:03)

She's just a girl.

hckyscreen Posted
(2009-04-30 06:32:32)

Only one question. Who's Crosby?

RedToronto Posted
(2009-04-30 06:32:17)

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.

BlackandGold Posted
(2009-04-30 06:32:16)

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.

RedToronto Posted
(2009-04-30 06:32:16)

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.

hckyscreen Posted
(2009-04-30 06:31:58)

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.

ice gator Posted
(2009-04-30 06:31:53)

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 .

ice gator Posted
(2009-04-30 06:31:53)

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

RobG Posted
(2009-04-30 06:31:53)

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.

RobG Posted
(2009-04-30 06:31:51)

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.

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