...Hossa said today the Penguins are at the top of his list come July 1.

Uh huh, sure they are.  Maybe I’m just too dumb to understand all this free agent stuff, but does anyone really believe that a player who just turned down his current team’s offer in favor of testing free agency is nonetheless keeping his current team at the top of his list???

Also from the article Shero said:

From Marian’s standpoint, he wants to be sure. He knows the risks involved (in testing free agency), and so do we.”

Again, maybe I’m too dumb… It seems to me that all the risk here is on the Pen’s side… Hossa risks virtually nothing.

Posted by BobTheZee on 06/21/08 at 11:57 PM ET

The only risk on Hossa’s side is that other teams won’t think he is worth all that much - which is clearly not true.  The other possibility is that he might get more money from a pretty bad team, so the “risk” would be getting stuck long-term on a loser.  With a few exceptions, though, a team that is a loser in 2008-2009 is not destined to also be a loser five or six or seven years later.

Actually, I’d like to see him on Boston just because I’d like to see another Original Six team improve. 

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 06/22/08 at 07:41 AM ET

Ouch!  That is going to leave a mark.  The TSN.ca article regarding Hossa “testing free agency” reminded the readers what PIT gave up to “rent” Hossa:

The Penguins paid a steep price for Hossa at the February trade deadline, sending forwards Colby Armstrong and Eric Christensen, prospect Angelo Esposito and a first-round draft pick (Daultan Leveille) to the Atlanta Thrashers.

If PIT does in fact lose Hossa—OUCH!!!!

Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Hockey Netherworld on 06/22/08 at 08:52 AM ET

I don’t know how bad it really is, though.  It’s easy to look at the number of things given up and see it as a four-things-for-one-thing deal, but it was intended to get the Penguins to the Finals and it did just that.  They wouldn’t have been much better off in the playoffs without Hossa and with Armstrong and Christensen, and Esposito and a draft pick wouldn’t have been any help.

It would have looked a lot worse if the Penguins loaded up for a long playoff run and then went out in the first round anyway, followed by losing Hossa.  Kind of like the Thrashers did, actually. 

If Esposito and Leveille develop into incredible players over the next several years, and the prospect depth of Pittsburgh is affected negatively by the trade, then it will be a lot worse for the Penguins.

They had to do something to go for it this year, and it worked pretty well for Pittsburgh.  The next few years will show the true cost of their moves, and it might not be that bad in the long run.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 06/22/08 at 09:08 AM ET

Baroque makes a solid point,as usual, but remember; PIT is upagainst the wall with cap and signing issues.  Armstrong is a really good player and has only a 1.25 cap hitnext season. 

What was it that Malkin was offered to play in Russia, something north of 12 I think.  I also read that Hossa turned down 7 from PIT.  PIT has only 7 forwards signed for next season, and Sid pulls 9 mil alone. 9 of their remaining F are UFA.

PIT pulled out all the stops to make a run,and that is really admirable.  But sooner or later you have to pay the piper. And for PIT it is looking like sooner.

Oh, and as an interesting aside; SPECTOR notes that the Winged Wheel may be in the market for Hossa—irony isn’t it?

Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Hockey Netherworld on 06/22/08 at 09:50 AM ET

Armstrong is a really good player and has only a 1.25 cap hitnext season.

That is one of the most idiotic statements I have EVER read

Really good player????????? REALLY

he was a healthy scratch for a time last season & MT had in in the Minors with the Baby Pens in WB/S

And here we go again for all you Hockey IDIOTS

Colby Armstrong is a 3rd liner at best
EC is a soft as POOP Center who was never going to play Center for the Pens
Angelo Esposito is a BUST~ Started his draft year as far & away the best player & had a season so bad the Pens took him with the 21st Pick & this last season was even worse than that season

And Detroit is in the running Conn Symthe trophy winner Zetterberg is up for a new contract after this coming season
How are they going to be able to afford 7+ million dollars to Hossa ^& sign Zetterberg & have Lidstrom & Datsyuk

THINKING WHAT A CONCEPT !!!!

Posted by Evilpens on 06/22/08 at 10:15 AM ET

What was it that Malkin was offered to play in Russia, something north of 12 I think.

I think it was $12.5 tax-free annually - which is pretty tempting even if you aren’t a young Russian hockey player, but I’ve read that Malkin isn’t interested in playing in Russia.  He wants to sign long-term with Pittsburgh.  The last estimate I heard was $8.5 million a year (from ESPN, so take it for what’s it worth) which is high, but below market and depending on what the cap does the next few years could be manageable.  At least they know what to espect from him on the ice.  Pittsburgh will have a lot of salary juggling to do the next couple of seasons, because everyone is up for raises at the same time, but I think if they manage to stagger the contract terms a bit they might be okay.  I don’t see them being horrible and dropping right out of the playoff picture, although they might have their fair share of early disappointments like any other team that makes the playoffs repeatedly.

(That makes me laugh when I think about Montreal looking toward winning the Cup next season because it’s their centennial - if it was that easy to schedule winning a Stanley Cup, then Toronto would have had one years ago!)

I can’t see Hossa coming to Detroit any more than Sundin, either - at least not for more than one year, and at the point Hossa is in his career if he isn’t looking for a contract a lot longer than a single season he should be committed.  Sundin might be more do-able because of his age and the proximity of retirement, but I still don’t see it as that likely (despite what Andrew wants.)

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 06/22/08 at 10:47 AM ET