February 27, 2008.Penguins acquire Marian Hossa for Stanley Cup Run. According to ESPN.com, Hossa couldn't hide his excitement at joining the Penguins, a team that he said "has so much talent, it's almost scary."
June 4, 2008
Penguins lose to Detroit Red Wings in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Team hopeful for next year. Hossa expresses desire to stay with Pens for long-term contract.
July 2, 2008
Hossa signs with Detroit Red Wings for 1 year, 7.4 million. Pens had offered Hossa a 5 year deal worth 35 million and a 7 year deal worth 49 million. Rumors had Edmonton offering 9 million per year.
"It was a really tough decision for me to make," Hossa said. "When I compared the two teams, I felt like I would have a little better of a chance to win the Cup in Detroit."
June 15, 2009.
Red Wings fumble a 2-0 and a 3-2 series lead to lose to the Penguins 4-3 in Game 7 at home in the Joe Louis Arena. Hossa fails to score any goals during the finals. He gets to watch his old teammates hoist the Stanley Cup that he felt so confident would be his. The City of Pittsburgh rejoices.
Prior to his trade to the Penguins in 2008, Hossa had a reputation as a underachiever when it came to the playoffs. During his 2008 Stanley Cup Final run playing with Sid, Hossa finished second on the Pens with 26 points in 12 goals. There was chemistry, there was promise, there was the future.
Nearly a year later, Hossa had trouble scoring six goals in the Red Wings playoff goals totaling a measly 15 points. Hossa never looked comfortable. Deemed Public Enemy Number One in Pittsburgh the momment he signed with Detroit, Pens fans gave it to Hossa at every chance they could. Hossa, one of the only two active Game 7 Detroit players without his name on the Stanley Cup, will now be the whipping boy in Detroit for the Red Wings collapse.
Hossa took a gamble in signing with Detroit. He turned down at least 35 million dollars, and possibly as much as 63 million dollars for 7.4 million dollars in a collapsing economy. With the salary cap schedule to go down, unless some team offers Hossa a ridiculous contract, he won't make the same amount he turned down last summer.
Of course, everyone would be singing a different tune had the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup: Hossa would have his Cup and would be free to sell himself off to the highest bidder. Nobody would have faulted Hossa if he bolted the Islanders, Coyotes, Kings or Panthers in order to chase his Cup Dream. The problem was that Hossa was disingenuous. He talked the talk about wanting to be with a winner and a long term contract and the Pens off erred him both. He played the Pens, their players, their management and most importantly their fans and jumped ship to what he thought was a "better team". Hossa was flat out wrong. So rejoice Pens fan, we no longer have to worry about Hossa. He gambled on his future and he lost. We've won. We shouldn't wast another minute booing Hossa. He's tarnished his NHL career with the term "failure" for the rest of his career. Regardless of whether he latches on somewhere and eventually gets his name on Lord Stanley's Cup, we'll always remember him as a failure.
Nearly a year later, Hossa had trouble scoring six goals in the Red Wings playoff goals totaling a measly 15 points. Hossa never looked comfortable. Deemed Public Enemy Number One in Pittsburgh the momment he signed with Detroit, Pens fans gave it to Hossa at every chance they could. Hossa, one of the only two active Game 7 Detroit players without his name on the Stanley Cup, will now be the whipping boy in Detroit for the Red Wings collapse.
Hossa took a gamble in signing with Detroit. He turned down at least 35 million dollars, and possibly as much as 63 million dollars for 7.4 million dollars in a collapsing economy. With the salary cap schedule to go down, unless some team offers Hossa a ridiculous contract, he won't make the same amount he turned down last summer.
Of course, everyone would be singing a different tune had the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup: Hossa would have his Cup and would be free to sell himself off to the highest bidder. Nobody would have faulted Hossa if he bolted the Islanders, Coyotes, Kings or Panthers in order to chase his Cup Dream. The problem was that Hossa was disingenuous. He talked the talk about wanting to be with a winner and a long term contract and the Pens off erred him both. He played the Pens, their players, their management and most importantly their fans and jumped ship to what he thought was a "better team". Hossa was flat out wrong. So rejoice Pens fan, we no longer have to worry about Hossa. He gambled on his future and he lost. We've won. We shouldn't wast another minute booing Hossa. He's tarnished his NHL career with the term "failure" for the rest of his career. Regardless of whether he latches on somewhere and eventually gets his name on Lord Stanley's Cup, we'll always remember him as a failure.
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