Next Season: Hossa vs. Depth//Merged

[Probie 7]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=422899

"I'm 30 and the way I look at it, there are four or five years in your prime and my goal is to win the Stanley Cup. Coming to Detroit to a team that can go all the way, this is the kind of situation I've always hoped for. I came here for one reason. It's been a blast for me to play here. I know I get to play with great players. They give you the puck and it's a big difference when you've got the puck on your stick as opposed to playing without it."

Five years huh? Well, what if they gave him a contract as such:

7.2 / 7.2 / 7.2 / 7.2 / 7.2 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1

4.44 cap hit.

Cant do a contract like that. You can only decrease it by 50% in any one year.

What some people(not you in particular) unfortunately forget is, some hockey players peak before they are thirty. Locking up Zetterburg Datsyuk and Hossa to long term hefty contracts with no trade clauses(yes I'm aware datsyuks expires in another 3 years or so) is a problem because I mean its POSSIBLE(i said possible) both players(Z and Hossa) have already peaked, and years before their no trade clauses come up, they are already declining. How many no trade clause years years did Z have in his new contract, like 6 right? What happens if you have talented youngsters that are future stars you want to lock up but cant because these guys cant be traded and they eat up so much cap space. I would be inclined to have BOTH Hossa and Zetterburg locked up to the one Z already signed if they were younger like Mid twenties..Z already signed that deal, now Hossa who is thirty is signing his? The recipe with this team is to have a few players making lots of money, in addition to young up and comers who are producing but still locked up to lower value contracts. Now all these guys who were making less, Z+Franzen+Hudler are about to cash in. What younger players who are going to produce at a low rate are being injected into the line up? One guy Lieno. Helm and Kader are grinders for now, I'm talking scorers- first and second line guys. The are no cheap contracts like Mule, Z and Hudler etc had upcoming into next season. That recipe for success is now changed. Hossa if he was twenty six I would sign him, as you could deal him by the time his 6 no trade clause years come up(if he gets a similar contract to Z's) and hes not too old.. and then retool. Let Hossa walk this year.

Scenario: If they do sign Hossa:

Then they should be inclined to let Hudler get signed for a first rounder...the team that does this would likely be a bottom fifteen team. I would use that first rounder and a selection of our other picks to move up this year in the draft and draft someone like a Kulikov who looks like hes going to be an outstanding defensmen...Lidstrom Rafalski are old, it sounds like Nick only wants to play another year or too. Kindl will be ready to take Lidstroms roster SPOT but wont fill his shoes, and Smith might not even be ready by the time Rafalski moves on or needs to be replaced. Drafting this Kulikov kid or another premier talent defensemen to fill this void would be a very good idea IMO, like NOW. If they dont draft a premier defensemen this draft, then use the Hudler pick to move up in the draft to a high spot, and pick a premier forward like Svenson. That combo i talked about of having young productive players locked to inexpensive contracts in addition to high paid stars (Z and Dats) would be somewhat restored if we were to pull this move off. Detroit has no high scoring prospects in the ranks besides hat Trick Dick who is NOT a lock YET...he might not pan out. The older guys need to be replaced, and soon, detroit needs new blood.

Edited May 17, 2009 by Probie

[WorkingOvertime 536]

The people saying that the GR players can be called up (I agree that they should, see my roster on the last page) need to look more into the future. We will need to have money in the future to resign, and give raises to, those players when their contracts run out in the next few years. While we might be under the cap next year, is Hossa worth tying up more money until 2020 than we already have with other players?

[reggin 0]

$2 million per season vs $7.5 million, slightly less on either side if they take a discount.

Sammy has shown that he can step it up in the playoffs and he can play with BOTH Datsyuk and Zetterberg.

Hossa is a ghost, can't play with either of our top centers and mathmatically cannot fit under the cap unless we trade three of the following:

Hudler

Lilja

Sammy

Cleary (NTC)

Osgood

Kronwall

Rafalski (NTC)

Hossa and Samuelsson play nearly an identical game, obviously Hossa is more physically gifted but does that justify $5 million more per season?

[Guest Shoreline]

Who didn't see this topic coming?

I've said since the season started that Hossa is just a rental and not to think otherwise until/if he is signed.

Just wait for him to score a few goals then you'll see a new topic declaring the Wings should sign him rather than about 6 other players. People are knee-jerk like that.

Edited May 20, 2009 by Shoreline

[TheOwl 77]

Their both chuckers. Get the puck, and shoot. But Sammy has proven he can show up when it counts. Obviously for next season Hossa will be too expensive, but if Sammy will sign for 1.5-2 million, why not re-sign him? He certainly deserves it the way he's been performing.

Hossa earned his millions in the regular season, but honestly, who's earned the chance to stay? Sign Sammy over Hossa. We all know Hossa won't be back (cap issues), and unless he starts turning it up, why sign him anyways? This team doesn't need him.

[Guest Four]

Hossa sure isn't playing the team game we have here and after we win him a cup, I doubt we'll keep him.

Depth please

[Motown4013 350]

$2 million per season vs $7.5 million, slightly less on either side if they take a discount.

Sammy has shown that he can step it up in the playoffs and he can play with BOTH Datsyuk and Zetterberg.

Hossa is a ghost, can't play with either of our top centers and mathmatically cannot fit under the cap unless we trade three of the following:

Hudler

Lilja

Sammy

Cleary (NTC)

Osgood

Kronwall

Rafalski (NTC)

Hossa and Samuelsson play nearly an identical game, obviously Hossa is more physically gifted but does that justify $5 million more per season?

Umm, Hossa scores 40 goals a year...about the same amount of times Sammy coughs up the puck a game. I know that he has had a solid playoff and has played well post-season but honestly, he is brutal on the PP and PK and makes poor decisions EVERY game. Hossa- a ghost yes, but they aren't even comparable as players

[Echolalia 2,961]

Without Hossa to take the pressure off our second/third/fourth lines, Sammy sees a lot more pressure and a lot less room. Not to say that he's incapable of playing under those conditions, but one would expect his numbers to not be as flattering.

[Guest Shoreline]

Umm, Hossa scores 40 goals a year...about the same amount of times Sammy coughs up the puck a game. I know that he has had a solid playoff and has played well post-season but honestly, he is brutal on the PP and PK and makes poor decisions EVERY game. Hossa- a ghost yes, but they aren't even comparable as players

I think what he means is Sammy+others vs. Hossa.

He was a little trigger happy on posting a new topic.

[Doggy 130]

Hossa played well tonight.

[KronwallCRUNCH 5]

Don't compare Hossa to Samuelsson. Awesome goals by Sammy, but come on.

On a related note, Hossa is playing AMAZING defensively; how about a thread about that?

[Guest Shoreline]

Hossa played well tonight.

He did. Got some scoring chances, just didn't convert -- like Dats (hell, and I'd say Z too), just simply snakebitten, possibly injured. Fans and Wing players/coaches alike will have to be patient while they get their groove on. Enjoy the wins.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

Don't forget that prior to last year, Hossa was always labeled as a playoff choker.

He played hard for the Pens last year in the playoffs and looked like a beast in this regular season, but he just doesn't look like he has it anymore.

He looks like Malkin did in the Finals last year. Completely spent.

[McCartyFanForLife 17]

I'm glad Holland does not use this forum to make decisions on signings and/or trades... the "what have you done for me lately" attitude will not put a winning team on the ice year after year

[datsyukismyfriend 4]

is the wings first line one of the worst under-performing lines in playoff history? collectively the line scored .99 ppg during the regular season. during the playoffs... .44 ppg. our top line has 17 points in 13 games, total. the whole line has 1 less point than franzen has by himself!

datsyuk has scored 1 goal in the last 17 games! that averages out to fewer than 5 goals in an 82 game season.

[reggin 0]

I think what he means is Sammy+others vs. Hossa.

He was a little trigger happy on posting a new topic.

Trigger happy? I have been saying this since the end of the Columbus series...

At this point, yes it would be:

Hudler, Flip, Sammy

for

Hossa

And Hossa didn't "Playing great" hes paid to be one of the leagues best snipers. Just as Datsyuk is paid to be one of the leagues best playmakers, which he has done well, which most of you seem to be blind to see.

Hossa isn't relevant unless he scores goals.

Datsyuk's first point in multiple games came in game 7 versus the ducks because he was playing with Samuelsson and Filippula, two wingers who can actually pass the puck.

Hossa doesn't fit this team, he may be an amazing guy but he doesn't play a team game. The second he gets the puck at the blue line he chips it in. That doesn't work well when you're playing with Holmstrom, arguably the slowest player on the team and Datsyuk, a guy who relies on puck possession.

I would argue that this team would be better without Hossa on it. Obviously he fell into Holland's lap but take the money saved on Hossa, sign a young guy who will play like Drake did last season or trade for Evgeny Artyukhin and bring some sand paper to this team.

[reggin 0]

Don't compare Hossa to Samuelsson. Awesome goals by Sammy, but come on.

On a related note, Hossa is playing AMAZING defensively; how about a thread about that?

Amazing is a bit strong, hes great on the backcheck but once there is possession in his own zone, he looks lost. Thats an area of the game were both Zetterberg and Datsyuk shine.

Hossa's only goal is to score GOALS. If hes going to float around the ice ala Brett Hull waiting for passes then he needs to convert on his chances.

You don't think people would ***** if Ovechkin played the same way Hossa does but only scored 20 goals a season?

He doesn't win board battles and he rarely passes the puck.

[datsyukismyfriend 4]

I would argue that this team would be better without Hossa on it. Obviously he fell into Holland's lap but take the money saved on Hossa, sign a young guy who will play like Drake did last season or trade for Evgeny Artyukhin and bring some sand paper to this team.

as much as i loved hossa during the regular season and think his personality is perfect for this team, this paragraph makes sense to me.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

I'm glad Holland does not use this forum to make decisions on signings and/or trades... the "what have you done for me lately" attitude will not put a winning team on the ice year after year

He doesn't?

Well, that explains why we don't sign more enforcers.

[Guest Shoreline]

Trigger happy? I have been saying this since the end of the Columbus series...

Uh?

Joined: Today, 07:37 PM

Btw, what's your username say backwards?

[tommingthepuck96 1]

Samulesson is a top 5 shooter on the wings for sure, and definetly a top 5 clutch performer in the playoffs. But 95% of the rest of his game is 4th line status. Turn overs, bone headed plays, stealing pucks from pavel, still just makes him a third line player at best.. Unless samulesson scores like this the REST of the playoffs, and HOSSA is a complete no show the rest of the playoffs, hossa wont be going any where.

Edited May 20, 2009 by tommingthepuck96

[thedisappearer 291]

Hossa isn't relevant unless he scores goals.

FAIL.

[Stiffy 0]

You know when Hossa came here to win a Cup maybe he meant he just wanted a closerseat to it! I'm kidding the Hossanah. Seriously, it is a mystery to me his playoff slump, but I can't see this helping him come contract talk time.

[thedisappearer 291]

Btw, what's your username say backwards?

Good catch. Alert the mods. f*** trash.

[thedisappearer 291]

Samulesson is a top 5 shooter on the wings for sure, and definetly a top 5 clutch performer in the playoffs. But 95% of the rest of his game is 4th line status. Turn overs, bone headed plays, stealing pucks from pavel, still just makes him a third line player at best.. Unless samulesson scores like this the REST of the playoffs, and HOSSA is a complete no show the rest of the playoffs, hossa wont be going any where.

Yeah, this was the avberage post during the regular season, minus the "ZOMG Sammy only hits goalies' logos" posts. Amazing what a few goals can do. Hell, Clearly was getting beat uo here pretty hard... before Game 7...