OFFICIAL: 12y, $62.4m makes Hossa a 'Hawk

[skyphoenix 153]

I, personally, cannot see why so many people are taking this personally. He didnt leave the Wings by choice, he didnt want to take a front loaded 10 year offer for a total of $40mil over a 12 year offer for a total of $62mil. That doesnt make him a bad person, he knows what he is worth. He is worth every bit of what Chicago offered and is paying him and to offer him an average of $3.75-4mil is just insulting. It was not written in the stars that we were destined to have Hossa for more than a year, so be it. Let him move on and stop bitching about it.

[titanium2 867]

I, personally, cannot see why so many people are taking this personally. He didnt leave the Wings by choice, he didnt want to take a front loaded 10 year offer for a total of $40mil over a 12 year offer for a total of $62mil. That doesnt make him a bad person, he knows what he is worth. He is worth every bit of what Chicago offered and is paying him and to offer him an average of $3.75-4mil is just insulting. It was not written in the stars that we were destined to have Hossa for more than a year, so be it. Let him move on and stop bitching about it.

But if he had integrity...

[sureWhyNot 19]

So much for all the BS about wanting to stay in Detroit. He is the new ***** of the NHL. . . just call him Money *****-sa

Wings are almost the same team that won the Cup in 2008 minus Drake. I'm sure Holland was prepared for this and he will show his hand soon. Still some good names out there.

Bro you have got to be kidding. He's not the ***** of anything, a) he is a profesional, this is his job, he is obligated to do whatever is financially best for him and b) we are not really the same team (minus Drake) at all - not to mention the fact that even if we were you fail to mention the fact the teams around us (specifically in our division) are getting a lot better then they were in the years past.

This isn't to say the Red Wings are "doomed" - they aren't, in fact, I am confident we will march along like last year and end up making yet another run at Lord Stanleys cup.

But to say Hossa is a *****, and what not is so ignorant its almost laughable.

I loved having Hossa, and am super bummed we lost him. But I am far from angry at him.

[jvxp 0]

What a ******...

That means we'll meet the Hawks in the Conference Finals and he'll sit in a heap after we beat them again. The guy is bad luck if you ask me.

Sour grapes... yes.

I agree. I don't care that he left. Goodbye I did not want him signed. He cant perform in the playoffs. We need players that will.

[Silent Hill 3]

Because I don't need three houses and five cars?

I'm sure the pigs from Enron had the same mindset you got there too.

Comparing Hossa to Enron? A bit of an overreaction, considering Enron committed fraud to rob people (leaving some destitute) while Chicago said, "Here, take this, please".

Turning down a 35% salary increase is crazy, I don't care if you're Warren Buffet, Jimmy Buffet or doing dishes at the Hometown Buffet.

You live your life to fit your income. When you make 30k/year you live at home (or in a dingy apartment) drive a beater car with a trunk that doesn't quite close right and go for a "big date" to the Olive Garden. You make 50k/year, you live in a better place, drive a better car, go to better restaurants. You make 100k, you live in a nice house, with a nice car (maybe a second car, like an old GTO or something, that you fix up for fun), and can afford to put your kids in nice schools and save for college. Life doesn't stop stretching your money thin because you make $5 mil/year, you just have more options to do the things you enjoy doing - whether it's Jay Leno owning 300 cars, Rick Neilsen owning 300 guitars, or Bill Gates starting the Bill Gates Foundation.

[rage 24]

Mlive says he's already 32. That can't be right.

[T.Low 1,011]

Hey, I don't blame the guy. How many here would jump at making 20% more per year for the rest of their careers?

Just say it's about the money. Be honest. It's not about the Cup. It's about the money.

And I will respect you more.

I guess all that stuff about loving it here in Detroit and the organization was world class was just talk.

Its about the $, and the terms, and the team's direction, and the city, and Scotty Bowman, all of the above. Lets face it, Chicago is a kick ass place to live. They too are original six and they are heading in the right direction (just ask Roberto Luongo). If Detroit, God forbid, gets knocked out in the first round next year (hey, its happenned before) then who the hell is left to stop Chicago?

So why not go to Chicago if Detroit has no room for you?

[rage 24]

He'll win a cup sooner than you all seem to think IMO.

[StevieY9802 6]

So why not go to Chicago if Detroit has no room for you?

I don't question him going there I question Chicago signing him with some guys getting big money the coming years.

[skyphoenix 153]

Chicago might regret this after this season once contracts for Kane, Teows, and Sharp are due but they have a very solid chance at the cup next season. As much as any Wings fan would hate to admit it, the Blackhawks are very close to getting to the Cup.

[pirateasaurus 0]

If Detroit, God forbid, gets knocked out in the first round next year (hey, its happenned before) then who the hell is left to stop Chicago?

Anaheim jumped to my mind immediately. But Chicago did walk through the first two rounds a bit easier than i expected.

[chrisdetroit 189]

Nobody apparently, looks like we will have 1 great line an ok 2nd line a solid but streaky D core (if they actually play this coming season) and the Griffins.

Sammy and Huds are not depth enough to get us anywhere... as seen in the finals.

Hossa, Kane, Toews, Bolland, Byfuligen, Sharp... I think the Hawks looks pretty good for Central, Wings will compete but I would give them edge at the moment.

For Christ's sake, where did you come up with this crap. We won the Cup with almost the same team last year. And Hossa did what in the finals?

You'd give Chicago the edge? Huh? Did you watch the WCF this year? We killed Chicago. They won one OT game in which the blew a 3 game lead. So now they add Hossa who is a perenial playoff underachiever. And you give them the edge?

hahhahahaha

You are being sarcastic right?

[chrisdetroit 189]

Anaheim jumped to my mind immediately. But Chicago did walk through the first two rounds a bit easier than i expected.

Aneheim

San Jose (if they get their heads straight)

Calgary

Chicago is not ready for a trip to the SCF as was evidenced by the beat down the Wings put on them in the WCF. Adding a playoff underachiever doesn't change that.

[spydrwebb 0]

congrats to hossa for landing a long-term big money deal. i appreciate his efforts in detroit and look forward to competitive match-ups in the forthcoming chi-det rivarly, as it now has even more steam behind it than before.

they can have kopecky. i understand hossa wanted him there. good for both of them.

now, kenny waits patiently as other GMs overpay and he lands another gem of an acquisition. hopeful its laperriere, even with his storied life in colorado.

[T.Low 1,011]

Different worlds indeed, and I know what you are saying.

In my world, I see a person who was offered 40 million dollars but wanted 12 more. I see it, and it makes me sick.

If you were offered $40 and $62 for nearly the same thing, you'd take the $40 and leave the other $22 on the table?

Or look at it this way; is it $12million better to play in Detroit instead of Chicago? Is it worth $12million out of your pocket to stay in Detroit and know that you are being vastly undervalued by your employers situation? Where is the integrity in turning down that sum of money?

With the benefit of hindsight being 20/20, he should have taken Pittsburgh's offer last year.

Oh well, I have my own future to to tend to; can't worry too much about Hossa or Detroit.

[AtomicPunk 296]

- whether it's Jay Leno owning 300 cars, Rick Neilsen owning 300 guitars, or Bill Gates starting the Bill Gates Foundation.

Anytime someone mentions Rick Neilsen's guitar collection is cool with me!

Chicago might regret this after this season once contracts for Kane, Teows, and Sharp are due but they have a very solid chance at the cup next season. As much as any Wings fan would hate to admit it, the Blackhawks are very close to getting to the Cup.

Not until they address their goaltending situation. Khabi is on his way down and I don't think Huet is Stanley Cup caliber. But that's me.

Sharp would be a nice pickup.

[teebo 22]

For Christ's sake, where did you come up with this crap. We won the Cup with almost the same team last year. And Hossa did what in the finals?

You'd give Chicago the edge? Huh? Did you watch the WCF this year? We killed Chicago. They won one OT game in which the blew a 3 game lead. So now they add Hossa who is a perenial playoff underachiever. And you give them the edge?

hahhahahaha

You are being sarcastic right?

playoff underachiever? guess you forgot about 2 seasons ago? also, whats that make datsyuk then? haha. everyone seems to forget how terrible he was in playoffs before..

[NKYWingsFan 4]

In (Ken) Holland we trust.

[T.Low 1,011]

Aneheim

San Jose (if they get their heads straight)

Calgary

Chicago is not ready for a trip to the SCF as was evidenced by the beat down the Wings put on them in the WCF. Adding a playoff underachiever doesn't change that.

I'm just saying...you guys know how crazy the playoffs get. Anaheim might not even make the playoffs, San Jose gets knocked out first again, Detroit s***s the bed in round one after two exhausting long years of SCF's, Chicago blasts St Louis, Vancouver, and Calgary, and voila. Stranger things have happend (like Calgary and Edmonton making it recently).

Chicago is now as capable as anyone to win the Cup.

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

WTF.

I'm not happy with this at all.

Edited July 1, 2009 by HockeyCrazy3033

[Johnny Diamonds 25]

After seeing the cap numbers and reading countless articles over the last few weeks about how Holland and Hossa were not close to a contract, reality set in. I was comfortable and felt no sour grapes that Hossa would not be back with this team. But today, %#%$, after hearing that both Hossa and Kopecky signed with the division rival Blackhawks the first thought in my head was "those f##king weasels!"

This is nothing like the Pens fans who were bitter at Hossa for leaving, because Hossa didn't go to Philly he went to an entirely different conference. This IMO is kind of a slap in the face. By their actions are Hossa and Kopecky saying the Wings are weak? That with their new team they can beat the Wings on a regular basis? Why else would they both choose to play their former team 8 times a season?

Edited July 1, 2009 by Johnny Diamonds

[betterREDthandead 58]

I guess they don't really want to keep both Kane and Toews in a few years.

[Patrick Roy 5]

By their actions are Hossa and Kopecky saying the Wings are weak? That with their new team they can beat the Wings on a regular basis? Why else would they both choose to play their former team 8 times a season?

No, they aren't saying that, the hawks just paid them more. We did want glass jaws dead weight on the roster anyway!!!

We still have Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Franzen, Cleary, Filppula, Helm, and Lidstrom, Kronwall, Ericsson on D.

I would take that over Chicago's 6 F's and top 3 D any day of the week.

[Detroitboogie 0]

I guess we know how those Pens felt when he cut on them and came to Detroit following the 2008 Finals. Maybe we'll get the last laugh on that one just like the Pens did. Hossa is a jinx.

[The Secret 304]

Ouch, Chicago already had a good young team. Now adding Hossa makes them pretty scarey! The downside for Chicago will be if Khabibulin leaves... I'm not sold on Huet.

Was nice having Hossa in the regular season anyway... too bad he took an early vacation in the play offs.