Hossa

[Gnredwing 10]

I always new Hossa was a good player but really never watched him play till last year in the finals. Getting to watch him this year is a treat. I think he has the best wrist shot in the game and is one of the best skaters around. I still cannot believe how fast he is for being a big guy. I love Franzen but if it came down to being able to sign either Franzen or Hossa, I would have to go with Hossa.

I think Hossa is the best offensive player in the west and I would love to see a line with Hossa, Datsyuk, and Zetterberg. Hossa was by far the best pick up in the offseason and is worth every penny!

[Guest Four]

Trade Val, let Franzen go and we could try and score Hudler and Hossa!!

Edited February 6, 2009 by Four

[LeftWinger 5,152]

...why is it Franzen or Hossa? At the current rate of point production, Hudler is going to cost more than Franzen so it should be a question of Hossa or Hudler not Franzen. The answer should and WILL be Hossa. Letting Hudler sign elsewhere makes the best business sense for the team, since losing Hossa or Franzen to UFA will get the Wings NOTHING in return, but Hudler will get them drafts picks as comepensation. It is not outrageous to believe that considering Filpulla's $3.5 million contract, Hudler can and will get AT LEAST the $2.6 million somewhere else getting the Wings a 1st and a 3rd round draft pick from the team that signs him...

...If you are looking at losing one of either Franzen or Hudler, even with Hudler producing more than Franzen, it makes better business sense to lose Hudler for picks rather than Franzen for nothing. Just an FYI, Franzen is not playing his best in this contract year (playoffs yet to be seen, and also he took off in March last year so we'll see them as well.) but, right now he is probably looking at a salary of around Filpulla's, which if that is the case then Hudler will probably get that as well, which will not allow us to even think about Hossa. Now if we let Hudler walk, resign Frnzen to $3MM and trade Filpulla for a draft pick or two, that SHOULD (without crunching actual numbers) allow the Wings to sign Franzen AND Hossa(with a contract similar to Zett's in order to have minmal effect on the cap,) then bring up Helm to replace Filpulla then Abdelkader/Leino to replace Hudler's roster spot. (this is betting that Sammy re-signs for MUCH less than he is making right now. Which is quite possible.)

That's makes the lines:

Hossa Dats Homer

Leino Zetts Franzen

Cleary Draper Sammy

Maltby Helm Abdelkader(Meech)

Kopecky (re-sign at a modest rate)

Lids Rafi

Stuart Kronner

Lilja Ericsson

Lebda (Meech)

* Team can always keep Abdelkader in GRR and place Meech up front if they decide they want to keep Lebda around...

Osgood

Howard (unless Conklin re-signs, then Howard will be lost to waivers)

...now I know there is only $9.4 million dollars availble for salary cap next season, but with the right number crunching and terms they can fit this scenario under. Of course with Hossa taking up about $6 million on the cap hit. It can be done, it must be done, but they must waive goodbye to Filpulla, Hudler and of course Chelios, McCarty.

...so my choice is Hossa over Hudler and Franzen stays no matter what...

[weGotTheCup89 41]

I would really like to see us clear up some cap room next season. As good as our system is, it seems like the Wings would still be "ok" if they were to lose even all three of Hossa, Franzen and Hudler (though I would never wish for that.. and that won't happen). You bring up Leino, Helm, Abdelkader and they're skilled enough to fill our roster for above average third and fourth lines. You can expect a player like Filpulla to increase statistically if he is given more playing time on a better line, and we don't know how many Kyle Quinceys we have until we lose them or give them a prominent role on the team. If we don't resign one or two of our Big Three FA's this year, we have a lot more space to breathe under the cap, which will allow us to move players to and from GR whenever we want, and we even have room to spend more money on a goalie if that's what we want.. Let's say we're only able to keep Hossa, or even just Hudler. The Wings are going to be fine, and their record would not even suffer from the mild complacency that seems to have settled in this year.

While it looks like we'd be best off if we could keep all three players this offseason, it might be better for management to liquidate our assets to avoid the same type of problems that our federal government has created for us with the bailouts.

[#18 the _Hoss_ 2]

[The Secret 304]

I initially was impartial when we signed Hossa thinking it was a completely unnecessary signing. I have totally changed my mind after getting to watch him play every game. He is worth every penny and if given the choice of Hossa or Franzen I would have to sign Hossa. He really is awesome to watch every single game and he has fit in like he was tailor made for this team, system, and organization. If he signs I think i may be forced to get a Hossa Jersey.... he is that good.

[HOCKEY MATTERS 167]

I think we are all going to be surprised at what KH gets done with signings this year. Especially after the Wings win the cup again. Back to back. Again. Show some folks what a dynasty really looks like.

Really.

[Hank 0]

Trade Val, let Franzen go and we could try and score Hudler and Hossa!!

I agree. Although I think we might be able to afford all 3 (Huds, Hossa and Franzen) if they all took a discounted deal and Filp was dealt.

Trading Filp wouldn't hurt this team at all.

He's going to be a good forward, but he'll always be behind Dats and Zetts and he's not as effective at LW. And Helm is better as a 3rd line centre

Plus, he'd bring a good return back. Get a scoring winger for him or some draft picks.

[MidMichSteve 1,115]

From a Pittsburgh fan on another forum:

One of "legendary" sports writer Bob Smizik's last heroic efforts to make hockey fans feel like crap about the game they love and he hates.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08202...d=penguins.xml

Quote:

In Philadelphia, it has been written and said, the fans are so nasty they boo Santa Claus.

Philadelphia has nothing on Pittsburgh.

In Pittsburgh, they regularly and vociferously boo the second-greatest hockey player to perform for the beloved home team.

In Pittsburgh, they boo the kid third baseman who had put up Roberto Clemente-type numbers until he was mysteriously traded.

When it comes to knuckleheads, Pittsburgh has it all over Philadelphia.

Jaromir Jagr, who is clearly behind Mario Lemieux and clearly ahead of everyone else on the list of Penguins' greats, won two Stanley Cup titles and five scoring titles -- four in succession -- while playing in Pittsburgh. Also while with the Penguins, he won the Hart Trophy as league MVP once, the Pearson Trophy, the players MVP award, twice and was a five-time all-star.

For this he is relentlessly booed at Mellon Arena every time he touches the puck.

Knuckleheads rule.

At least, there is a degree of twisted logic to the booing of Jagr. He often behaved like a petulant child during his time in Pittsburgh, which began when he was 18 and ended before he was 30. While such behavior is not acceptable, it's not uncommon for young people who have suddenly found themselves millionaires, and in no way should be allowed to diminish his sterling accomplishments.

There's no explanation for the booing of Aramis Ramirez. The Pirates traded him to the Chicago Cubs in 2003, at the age of 25, while he was on his way to his second 100-RBI season. To put that statistic in perspective, Clemente had two 100-RBI seasons during his entire career, the first of which came when he was 32.

For unfathomable reasons, Ramirez was regularly booed at PNC Park when he came to bat with the Cubs, where he is one of the best third basemen in the National League.

Knuckleheads rule once more.

And now these people are rubbing their hands in glee with anticipation of Feb. 8, when they can show the world the depth of the Pittsburgh knucklehead population. That's when the Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings make their only appearance at Mellon Arena in the 2008-09 regular season. The knuckleheads aren't excited about a chance for the Penguins to get some measure of revenge for their loss in the Cup final. No, what they can't wait for is the chance to rain down boos on Marian Hossa.

Hossa's crime?

He chose to play in Detroit instead of Pittsburgh.

No question, Hossa's decision on where he would play his hockey in 2008-09 was a strange one. He left tens of millions of dollars on the table in Pittsburgh and other places to play in Detroit for one year at $7.4 million.

For that, the knuckleheads want him enshrined in the Benedict Arnold Traitor's Hall of Infamy.

The knuckleheads have quickly forgotten that without Hossa the Penguins probably would not have made it to the Cup final. They forget he owes no allegiance to the Penguins since he played here for only a few months, coming over in a deal with Atlanta at the trading deadline.

Here's what the knuckleheads can't understand: How could Hossa walk away from the honor of playing with the Penguins?

How could he dismiss the opportunity to play with Sidney Crosby?

How could he turn down all that money?

Easy! Hossa wants to win a Stanley Cup and he's using this one-year window to take advantage of that opportunity. The Red Wings were the team with the best chance of winning the Cup, and by adding Hossa they increased their chances.

And, in case you missed the six games of the Cup final, Detroit has some pretty good players with whom Hossa can share the ice. Maybe not a Crosby, but close.

What about the money?

Penguins fans revere players who take less money to play for the Penguins. It shows these players are team oriented and put winning in front of the almighty dollar. But when Hossa does the same thing, he's lambasted.

Hossa will take out an insurance policy to cover himself in case of career-ending injury this season. He will then go after the big pay day next year. For one year, he wants to win a Stanley Cup.

He put winning ahead of money.

For that the knuckleheads will bask in the glory of booing Hossa Feb. 8. That's why they're knuckleheads.

[LeftWinger 5,152]

I agree. Although I think we might be able to afford all 3 (Huds, Hossa and Franzen) if they all took a discounted deal and Filp was dealt.

Trading Filp wouldn't hurt this team at all.

He's going to be a good forward, but he'll always be behind Dats and Zetts and he's not as effective at LW. And Helm is better as a 3rd line centre

Plus, he'd bring a good return back. Get a scoring winger for him or some draft picks.

...not going to be able to sign all three, but I maintain that the best business move is to Sign Hossa and Franzen and let Huds sign somewhere else. Then Trade Flip...

...Huds will get every bit of the $2.6 million needed to score a #1 AND a #3 in return as compensation. That is better than siging Huds and letting Franz or Hossa walk for nothing in return, plus the fact that Huds trade value is fairly high right now...

...you won't be able to get a player in return for Flip (not that he is not worth a player) you'll have to settle for a draft pick because of the Cap...

...to sum it up: Trade Flip for a 2nd rounder. Allow someone to sign Huds and claim your 1st rounder and 3rd rounerfrom them. Sign Hossa to a Zetterberg type deal and Franzen to a Filpulla type deal, all, of course, in that special way that Holland can in order to fit it under the Cap...

...let Sammy walk (or sign a sub-million dollar contract) and bring up Leino in Huds spot, Helm in Flips spot and Abdelkader in Sammy's. (or if you want to keep Lebda on, bring Meech up to the wing and let Lebda be the 7th defensman because Ericsson will be here next season and he'll be takig Chelios' roster spot.) That leaves Kopecky as a 13th forward splitting time with Meech or Abdelkader...

...it all makes sense!

[Hockeytown_Ryan 122]

I would sign Hossa and Trade Flip and let Huds go and see what can be done for getting a offer in to Franzen.

If Hossa likes it here then he can work with Holland a bit.....if not Bye Bye.....would suck if we lost both tho.......