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Why Hossa Will Stay
by IwoCPO on 06/18/09 at 02:54 PM ET
Comments (119)
Marian Hossa, from what we’ve seen and read, is a quality guy. He’s also one of the top ten most talented players in the NHL.
Good people who also happen to possess huge amounts of skill don’t leave the Detroit Red Wings. They stay until they win a Cup, then they stay for another and maybe two more after that. They take less money and they sacrifice their personal statistics. They keep their mouths shut in the media (unless…nevermind…I’ll let you off the hook on this one Pens fans) and they buy into the system.
And in Hossa’s case, there are things to be proven.
He wants to show the hockey world that he’s not a mercenary, despite the fact that his signing with the Wings was his first real chance to actually choose the team he’d play for.
He wants to settle down in an area, establish roots and become a part of a community. He’s said as much and I believe him.
And if it were up to him it would be July 1st today, then Game 1 tomorrow. Marian Hossa wants to get it on again, and soon. He wants to get to the regular season so that he can get back to the playoffs so that he can get back to the Finals so that he can prove to himself that the last month of his life was the exception, not the rule.
If Ken Holland tells Hossa he can only sign him for five million per year, Hossa will take five. If Holland says a four million dollar deal would keep Hudler here too, Hossa will sign for four. If Holland tells Hossa that he can give him 1 million this year, then 8 in the final year of a five year deal? Hossa will take it.
Holland is going everything he can to keep Hossa in the fold because you don’t give up the chance to keep Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Franzen and Hossa together. If it means you have to let a Samuelsson and a Hudler go, you do…because you have Helm and Leino and Abdelkader, if necessary.
Hossa’s going nowhere because he likes being a Red Wing. He’ll take what’s good for the team because he’s learned that’s how you fit in with the Wings.
He’s gonna re-sign in Detroit because that’s what a character guy who wants to win would do. It’s what a guy would do if he wants to prove to a bunch of doubters that he’s not a playoff failure.
I don’t know the money. I’m not even gonna look. I’m telling you right now, he’s gonna take less to stay because Detroit is where he wants to be.
Pittsburgh fans will tell you that’s what he said to them last year. Well, I’ll tell them that there’s a difference. Pittsburgh has two guys making 8 million/year and stressing the Cap. Detroit has no one close to that greedy. They have the opposite. Hossa will remain a Wing because he knows that character wins. He wants to prove that he’s got that kind of character.
Money isn’t an issue. As idiotic as that sounds in the Cap era. It isn’t and it won’t be. He’ll take what he’s offered and it will be 5 million or less, and maybe not even close to that for the first few years.
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Comments
Eh. I’ll believe it when I see it.
Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 06/18/09 at 03:52 PM ET
Hm…im on the fence with Hossa, I think we need to shore up some defensive issues too instead of having a superstar forward lineup, see 2004 lakers for how well that worked, defense wins championships
Posted by FranzensMouthguard from Chicago, IL on 06/18/09 at 03:55 PM ET
Either way we win, I suppose. If we lose Hossa, we go back to the roster that won the Cup. If we keep Hossa…we keep Hossa. Might justify me buying my little sister a Hossa Wings jersey to wear while she’s living in Pittsburgh.
Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 06/18/09 at 03:55 PM ET
We’ll know by the 1st of July, won’t we? I hope he does stay. You’re right, chief. He’s bought into the Red Wings’ system and he likes it in Detroit.
Posted by TEMO from LANSING, MICHIGAN, U.S.A. on 06/18/09 at 03:57 PM ET
I don’t want Jay Bo, Oduya will most likely re-ink with the Devils….
If Hoss opts to stay, he’s got more to prove to the world now than he did at the start of the season we just put to bed. Honestly, right now… I don’t care one way or another. Ink, paper & sign… or not. It’s about the team, plain and simple. If Hoss wants to be one of the guys & chooses to stick around.. I’d like to have him. He chooses to go, thanks for the year & a pretty damned good one in general (bit of a bust in the playoffs, but his 70 or so regular season games aren’t totally erased by 23 games of playoffs in my linear mind).
To quote Uncle Mike from early this year “In my time here, we’ve never gotten rid of anyone we didn’t want to be rid of”. Given Uncle Mike doesn’t get the final say, but he’s not one to speak out of line.
Posted by MOWingsfan19 on 06/18/09 at 04:02 PM ET
I care and I agree with every word of this post. I mentioned in another post awhile back that I think Kenny is going to do something absolutely magical to get him to stay, and now that Hoss hasn’t won his cup, after he had a finals series like he did? I think it is a thousand times more likely.
Posted by stayouttamalibu from Temporarily in Tempe, AZ on 06/18/09 at 04:15 PM ET
What does the 19 think about Ohlund on the Red Wings Blue Line?
Posted by CaptNorris5 from The Winged Wheel, stuck in Chicago on 06/18/09 at 04:21 PM ET
I agree Chief, I think he stays a Wing…
Posted by Tony F from Virginia Beach, VA on 06/18/09 at 04:24 PM ET
My biggest worry involves Rich Winter, Hossa’s agent. Winter tends to like to stick it to Holland if he allows KH to get a player on a discount for one season. When Hasek signed a one-year deal for $750K, it was assumed that he’d take similar money to free up cap space the following season, and that re-signing him was a slam dunk. It ended up taking almost eight weeks and $2.5 million for Holland to negotiate a pact with Winter because he wanted to drive a much harder bargain…And I don’t know if Winter’s gonna drop his demands from $6 million on average down to $5 or $4 million.
Posted by George Malik from South Lyon, MI on 06/18/09 at 04:27 PM ET
“Pittsburgh has two guys making 8 million/year and stressing the Cap. Detroit has no one close to that greedy”
2 of the 4 best players in the world are greedy at 8 mill per year? What a dumb comment. Still bitter?
Hoss is going to take 5 mill or less? sure, whatever you say.
Posted by Roboshow from Calgary on 06/18/09 at 04:30 PM ET
I don’t know how the numbers can possibly work out without trading one of our core guys along with losing Sammy and Oompa. But if it does work out, that means he’ll be taking a huge pay cut. It’ll be another test of his priorities, certainly.
But what can I say? I hope he stays. The bastard seduced me with his wrist shot sometime in November, and that and his 40 goals haven’t been erased from my memory. I’ve been impressed with his attitude, Uncle Mike and the rest of the team have nothing but great things to say about him, and I’m still convinced there was something physically hampering him in the playoffs. (Delusional, perhaps, but one thing I’ve rarely been accused of is rational thought.)
Still, after crunching the numbers I have no idea how the hell Kenny thinks he can make it happen.
Posted by Bella on 06/18/09 at 04:30 PM ET
I can see him getting closer to $5.5M-$6M.
As for Ohlund - no. 2 reasons:
1) I live in Vancouver, see him play all the time, and he’s slowing down.
2) We’ve already committed over $20M to our top 4 and have Ericsson on the 3rd pairing. Bringing in another defenceman just seems like overkill. Our money is best spent elsewhere.
Posted by DetCapC19 from Vancouver, BC on 06/18/09 at 04:35 PM ET
And I don’t know if Winter’s gonna drop his demands from $6 million on average down to $5 or $4 million.
Posted by George James Malik from South Lyon, MI on 06/18/09 at 05:27 PM ET
Didn’t Hoss agree to the one year deal without telling the twit of an agent?
Posted by MOWingsfan19 on 06/18/09 at 04:38 PM ET
Not sure defense needs to be shored up. There were some injuries, and I think Lidstrom, Rafalski, Stuart, Kronwall, Lilja, Ericsson, Lebda is a solid defensive core when they’re healthy. We have kindl in the wings to. If Detroit can get Hossa for a discount, take it, we’ll be good.
Posted by Nick on 06/18/09 at 04:38 PM ET
I’m not sure Lilja is going to play another NHL game. I hate to say that but his symptoms from his concussion sounded pretty serious to me. I’d love to be proven wrong.
I don’t see Ohlund on the blue line. He is slowing down and while I have always liked him, I don’t think the Wings have the $$ for him.
Posted by hockeychic from Denver, CO on 06/18/09 at 04:41 PM ET
I think with the giant chip on his shoulder hoss will be a finalist for the hart next year, i just hope he does in a winged wheel jersey and not along side Ales Hemsky.
hows this:
homer-dats-zetts
franzen-fil-hoss
cleary- helm- kopecky
leino- draper- abdelkader
lids-raf
kronner-stuart
lilja-bigE
*lebda
ozzie
howard
Posted by Itrusteddrrahmani from Nyc by way of A2 on 06/18/09 at 04:54 PM ET
“Pittsburgh has two guys making 8 million/year and stressing the Cap. Detroit has no one close to that greedy”
Right, because Lidstroms, 7.4 is soooo far away from from Malkin/Crosby’s 8 million. And good luck with Rafalski’s 6 mil.
Posted by george from San Diego on 06/18/09 at 05:10 PM ET
One correction, chief. They have two guys making 9 million a year, with a cap hit of 8.7 million. I didn’t read all the comments, so I’m sorry if this has already been said.
Posted by MrsOtW from Wyoming, Mi on 06/18/09 at 05:10 PM ET
I’ll be happy either way. We can go back to last year’s team (plus Helm and Yabadabadu) or keep one of the most talented players in the world, with an incredibly rare set of skill and size.
But I have to say: I’m affraid he’s a choker. He disappeared in Atlanta’s playoffs and did it again this year, plus he’s like a no-show on Slovakia national team (50 pts in 70 games, no medals at all).
I hope he proves me wrong, but as I said, I’ll be happy either way.
Posted by Guilherme from Brazsil on 06/18/09 at 05:11 PM ET
I too worry about the numbers. If the salary cap goes down by even $500K - $1 million for next season, I don’t know how they can get this done.
But I do want to see a little bit of shake up. I’d like to see Maltby move on. Love him. Respect him for all he’s done. He deserves to still play if he wants, but somewhere hopefully in the East. Maybe Ottawa wants him or Montreal for a little leadership? But we need some new blood in here.
Holmstrom I’m torn on. He’s so effective screening goalies, but he’s so beat up. And Franzen and Cleary are ready to take over there. Not much drop off if he goes.
Gotta think its gonna look like this:
homer-dats-zetts
franzen-fil-hoss
cleary- hudler - leino
helm - draper- abdelkader
lids-raf
kronner-stuart
Lebda-bigE
Meetch
ozzie
howard
Posted by CJBear71 on 06/18/09 at 05:16 PM ET
Hey George,
Yeah Lidstrom has a cap hit of $7.4 million but its his last year on the contract, while the salary cap is flat. The next year is when its supposed to go down, and if he still wants to play, watch him give a big discount.
Posted by CJBear71 on 06/18/09 at 05:19 PM ET
cleary- hudler - leino
helm - draper- abdelkader
Posted by CJBear71 on 06/18/09 at 06:16 PM ET
I hope you mis-switched Helm and Hudler
Not because I’m a fan, but Helm has potential to be waaay mor effective than Huds
Posted by Guilherme from Brazsil on 06/18/09 at 05:19 PM ET
Posted by CJBear71 on 06/18/09 at 06:19 PM ET
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Lidstrom sign for under $5 million. Way under. That’s assuming, of course, that he doesn’t decide to go to Sweden (please no, please no, please no).
Posted by MrsOtW from Wyoming, Mi on 06/18/09 at 05:25 PM ET
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Lidstrom sign for under $5 million. Way under. That’s assuming, of course, that he doesn’t decide to go to Sweden (please no, please no, please no).
Posted by The Other Saler from Wyoming, Mi on 06/18/09 at 06:25 PM ET
I don’t think he’d go away. Detroit (and Brazil) appreciate him too much for him to abandon us while still capable of playing
Posted by Guilherme from Brazsil on 06/18/09 at 05:27 PM ET
defense wins championships
As I recall, defense wasn’t our problem in the SCF. It was scoring, most definitely.
And there’s no way Hossa stays unless one (and maybe two) of the following depart: Homer, Drapes, Maltby. Even if we lose Sammy and Hudler, Kopecky, etc., there’s just no way the math works without sending at least one or two more core guys packing.
(security word : “almost 82.” So long Tomas, we hardly knew ye)
Posted by mudshark from a secure, undisclosed location where no NHL in Veg on 06/18/09 at 05:29 PM ET
If Hossa and the Detroit Red Wings are serious about finding a solution, it can be done, whether it’s an additional longterm cap friendly deal, or even another one-year deal until a Lidström extension/retirement can be resolved along with salary cap projections.
Whether he’ll be worth it or not is a different question. He’s a great player that has taken some undeserved flak among Penguins fans, I’ll admit that, but will he make the team better? I’m not so sure.
Posted by Moq from Denmark on 06/18/09 at 05:29 PM ET
don’t think he’d go away. Detroit (and Brazil) appreciate him too much for him to abandon us while still capable of playing
The only reason I even mention it is because recently he has voiced a desire to play in Sweden again before he’s completely done.
Posted by MrsOtW from Wyoming, Mi on 06/18/09 at 05:33 PM ET
CJBear,
The first part of my comment was directed more towards the ““Pittsburgh has two guys making 8 million/year and stressing the Cap” statement. The Rafalsky reference is directly towards the greedy remark.
Posted by george from San Diego on 06/18/09 at 05:34 PM ET
Posted by The Other Saler from Wyoming, Mi on 06/18/09 at 06:33 PM ET
Didn’t know that. Now I’m scared
Posted by Guilherme from Brazsil on 06/18/09 at 05:34 PM ET
Didn’t know that. Now I’m scared
I didn’t mean to scare you! I’m sorry! Let’s just pretend I didn’t say it, and maybe it will just go away.
Posted by MrsOtW from Wyoming, Mi on 06/18/09 at 05:40 PM ET
The first part of my comment was directed more towards the ““Pittsburgh has two guys making 8 million/year and stressing the Cap” statement. The Rafalsky reference is directly towards the greedy remark.
You’re right George. They’re not greedy and they’re not making 8. They’re both making 9, in a salary cap world. Nope, that’s not greedy. It’s absolutely captain like isn’t it?
Posted by IwoCPO from Sunny San Diego, bitches on 06/18/09 at 05:40 PM ET
If Ken Holland tells Hossa he can only sign him for five million per year, Hossa will take five. If Holland says a four million dollar deal would keep Hudler here too, Hossa will sign for four.
Even if Hossa signs for $4M, they couldn’t keep Happy. Read on…
I don’t know the money. I’m not even gonna look.
I know you hate dealing with the numbers part of signing Hossa, Chief, so here’s a scenario for you that almost works. It starts with saying goodbye to Sammy and Cheli, and includes trading Happy, Fil and Lilja (or Lilja simply missing next year for health reasons).
FORWARDS:
Pavel Datsyuk: 6,700,000
Henrik Zetterberg: 6,083,333
Marian Hossa: 5,000,000
Johan Franzen: 3,954,545
Daniel Cleary: 2,800,000
Tomas Holmstrom: 2,250,000
Kris Draper: 1,583,333
Ville Leino: 1,000,000
Kirk Maltby: 883,333
Justin Abdelkader: 850,000
Darren Helm: 599,444
Tomas Kopecky: 575,000
DEFENSEMEN
Nicklas Lidstrom: 7,450,000
Brian Rafalaski: 6,000,000
Brad Stuart: 3,750,000
Niklas Kronwall: 3,000,000
Jonathan Ericsson: 900,000
Brett Lebda: 650,000
Derek Meech: 483,333
GOALTENDERS
Chris Osgood: 1,416,666
Jimmy Howard: 716,666
ROSTER SIZE: 21
BONUS MONEY OWED: 165,000
SALARY CAP: 56,700,000
PAYROLL: 56,645,653
CAP ROOM: 54,347
Here are your possible forward lines:
Hossa - Datsyuk - Homer
Franzen - Zetterberg - Cleary
Abbi - Helm - Leino
Maltby - Draper - Kopecky
The defense stays the same as it was during the playoffs, and Howard is Ozzie’s back-up.
However, please note the following:
1.) You’re still one player short of the 22 men the Wings carried this year, and you have a whopping $54,347 to fill that spot, so…
2.) Pick someone else besides Fil to trade, or buy out Draper and add two minimum-salary guys with the $1,166,667 you save.
3.) Be prepared to play with your opening-game roster for the entire season because the only way you’ll be able to call anyone up from G.R. is if a player goes on IR. That really hurt the Wings this year, and I’m not sure Tick Tock will allow that to happen again.
4.) Keep in mind that the figures above are based on a salary cap that stays the same as this year. It may well go down. If that’s the case, you have even bigger problems.
Those are the real-world numbers that Tick Tock has to work with, Chief. And just because reality sucks in this instance doesn’t mean you can ignore them. 
Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 06/18/09 at 05:49 PM ET
You’re right George. They’re not greedy and they’re not making 8. They’re both making 9, in a salary cap world. Nope, that’s not greedy. It’s absolutely captain like isn’t it?
It’s still less than Ovechkin, but a million less for both would have been nice under the current conditions. But age, talent, performance and a supposedly rising cap gave room for the generous salary. Fortunately, they’re only going to get better despite a varying supporting cast for the forseeable future.
When their current contracts expire they’ll be closer to the age of Datsyuk and Zetterberg and therefore better suited for a career ending and cap friendly extension.
Posted by Moq from Denmark on 06/18/09 at 05:52 PM ET
And just because reality sucks in this instance doesn’t mean you can ignore them
OTC, I sure can ignore them and I have every intention of doing just that…especially when you guys are around to counterpoint with numbers, etc.
Good stuff.
Posted by IwoCPO from Sunny San Diego, bitches on 06/18/09 at 05:53 PM ET
They’re not greedy and they’re not making 8. They’re both making 9, in a salary cap world.
Interesting. The reality of the cap world makes sense when applied to the Pens. Applied to the Wings? Not so much.
But, seriously. I appreciate your enthusiasm for Hossa, Chief, and I was 110% with you (and many others) until we got to the playoffs. At one point, Marian said something like: “There’s just not as much space in the playoffs as there is in the regular season.”
Well, boo hoo. That’s why guys like Hank and Pavel and Ozzie have learned to play at a different level in the playoffs. Marian hasn’t. Why gamble that his “humiliation” in this year’s Finals will make him a different player in the future than he has been in past playoffs (except for last year against the Wings).
Give me Fil and Happy and Ville and some extra cap space. Let Marian move on to some other team that gives him big money and a shot at the playoffs. All I ask is that he goes to some Eastern Conference team that the Wings won’t face more than twice a season…because in the regular season, this guy is a fricking beast.
Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 06/18/09 at 06:00 PM ET
OTC, I sure can ignore them and I have every intention of doing just that…
I just spit out some Pinot Grigio on that one. You must be a joy around the house.
Wife: Honey, please take out the trash.
Chief: I choose not to acknowledge that there is any trash there to be taken out.
God bless Paul for bringing you onboard. You just can’t make up folks like you and the rest of the acknowledged 19. Baroque’s tirades about Crosby alone are worth every penny that I sent Paul earlier this month.
Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 06/18/09 at 06:06 PM ET
Right, because Lidstroms, 7.4 is soooo far away from from Malkin/Crosby’s 8 million. And good luck with Rafalski’s 6 mil.
Zetterberg is a 6 million dollar cap hit. Crosby is a 9 million dollar cap hit.
We win.
Posted by Red Winger from Sault Ste Marie on 06/18/09 at 06:10 PM ET
Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 06/18/09 at 07:06 PM ET
I was thinking more like college…
Teacher: You got a C-
Chief: I prefer to think of it as an A+
Posted by Guilherme from Brazsil on 06/18/09 at 06:19 PM ET
IwoCPO,
First, the $8mil figure was yours. Second, I’m not sure by what you’re measuring their greed. Is an additional 1.3 mil over Lidstroms 7.4 greedy? Or is it the additional 2.7mil over Rafalsky’s?
And I’m not sure that Lidstroms 7.4 is any more “captain like” than Crosby’s/Malkin’s 8.7, not that a players salary is any indication of their “captain like"ness.
Posted by george from San Diego on 06/18/09 at 06:19 PM ET
RedWinger,
I wasn’t referring to Zetterberg.
Posted by george from San Diego on 06/18/09 at 06:20 PM ET
RedWinger,
I wasn’t referring to Zetterberg.Posted by george from San Diego on 06/18/09 at 07:20 PM ET
Are you going to cry again?
Posted by lilja4ever on 06/18/09 at 06:33 PM ET
http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=282253
Cue meltdown.
Posted by Moq from Denmark on 06/18/09 at 06:33 PM ET
Crosby’s shy? Shy? Really, shy? Shy?
Mr Hockey, you’re great. But you’re old
Posted by Guilherme from Brazsil on 06/18/09 at 06:36 PM ET
I was thinking more like college…
Hey, if getting through college only required the optimism the Chief has, we’d all have PhDs.
Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 06/18/09 at 06:37 PM ET
IMHO, the interesting part of the Hossa discussion is “what makes him tick”?
Could his weak playoff performance be related to the injury to his friend Kopecky?
Or could it be related to the fact that Franzen got signed first by the Wings, potentially leaving him out in the cold?
Or was he just fatigued, like everyone else who played in the finals last year?
(That brings up another point…Did Pittburgh win because they had more guys who did not play through the finals last year…less fatigue?)
Back to Hossa…..I gather that he has always wanted to be loyal to a good team which is loyal back to him. He did not get this in Ottawa or Atlanta, but he could have had it in Pittsburgh. ( But I think he did not like the old coach.)
Anyway, IwoCPO is on to something, that Hossa really wants to settle down and play for a team that is reliable and trustworthy and good.
I don’t know whether Kenny can pull this out of his (hat), but….
I predict that if he does sign with the Wings, Hossa will have a career year next season.
Posted by w2j2 on 06/18/09 at 06:38 PM ET
And I’m not sure that Lidstroms 7.4 is any more “captain like” than Crosby’s/Malkin’s 8.7
At least Nick knew where the post-Finals handshake line was…win or lose.
Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 06/18/09 at 06:40 PM ET
Posted by w2j2 on 06/18/09 at 07:38 PM ET
The fatigue for our players have other sources than last year.
On 2005-06 we had the Olympics, with lots of our players on it.
Since then we reached at least the West Final each year, with two straight Cup Finals.
Our players are pleying on a really long stretch, and while it may seem long, the off-season may not be enough time for our guys to recover. Hope to see another long season in 2009-10, of course
Posted by Guilherme from Brazsil on 06/18/09 at 06:48 PM ET
So when do we send out a missing persons report on RWBill? Can’t say I’ve read every single comment due to the extreme trollage, but I’m thinking he’s been missing (and missed) for a couple of weeks.
Posted by dougie on 06/18/09 at 06:49 PM ET
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I dunno… he seems like a luxury. We need the defense. I really did not like what I saw for a lot of this season on that front. I’d rather spend that money on a Bouwmeester, Oduya, Komisarek, etc. Love what i see from Big E and can only hope Kindl will be just as good if not better, but lets shore up the blue line sooner rather than later.
Posted by CaptNorris5 from Chicago via Detroit on 06/18/09 at 03:49 PM ET