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Mlive
DETROIT -- Wednesday's move epitomized why the Detroit Red Wings are the organization they are, with the premier management group in the NHL, one of the best in all of professional sports.
Marian Hossa, the best forward on the free-agent market, spurned the security of a long-term deal worth upwards of $9 million a season other teams offered and inked a one-year contract for $7.4 million with the Red Wings.
He was motivated by the opportunity to win his first Stanley Cup, not cash in on the best deal he could get.
It's a credit to the winning environment this organization has cultivated -- from ownership, to the front office, to the coaching staff, to the players. People take less money to stay here, and now the most talented available forward is taking a sizable financial risk to be a part of this program for at least one year.
And keep in mind he's coming from a strong Pittsburgh team that lost to the Red Wings in the finals. He had a chance to continue playing with the likes of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, but chose Detroit.
Hossa is a complete player, a good skater with a terrific shot and an excellent finishing touch. The 29-year-old right wing has scored more than 40 goals twice and has topped the 30-goal mark six times. He has good size (6-1, 210) and is also a strong defensive player.
It's a remarkable coup for a team that didn't even need it. If the Red Wings had made no moves this summer and returned the same skilled and relatively young roster intact they still would have been the odds-on favorites in the Cup race. Now, they might have lapped the field.
"It shows Marian's commitment to wanting to play with other good players,'' Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said. "Success is about sacrifice, whether it's ice time or money. He's shown incredible sacrifice. It shows Marian's determination and character.''
As he authorized his agent, Ritch Winter, to get the deal done, Hossa said they were both shaking their heads at the money he was turning down from other clubs. Edmonton and Boston reportedly made huge offers, but Hossa said he chose Detroit's deal over a long-term pact from the Penguins.
"I never thought after the season that I would sign somewhere for one year, but situations change,'' Hossa said. "It wasn't an easy decision. I wanted to have the best chance to win the Stanley Cup and I feel Detroit is the team. I was having a great time in Pittsburgh playing with (Malkin). I feel the team in Detroit is something special. ... I know I made the right decision. It wasn't easy to throw so much money away and try to win it.''
When free agency opened Tuesday, Holland called Winter and offered Hossa a long-term deal at a much lower salary than other teams tendered because the Red Wings will be tight for salary cap space next season, when they have to re-sign Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen, among others.
Holland went to bed believing he had no chance to land Hossa. Then, while Holland was filling his gas tank Wednesday morning, Winter called him and said Hossa would be interested in a one-year deal.
"I was caught way off-guard. Shocked was my initial reaction,'' Holland said. "The two best (available) forwards were Mats Sundin and Marian Hossa, but we thought it was a dream world that either of these players would come to us.''
The final hurdle was getting Hossa to accept a shade less than captain Nicklas Lidstrom, whom Holland had promised would be the highest-paid player on the team at $7.45 million a season.
"Marian was comfortable not making more than Nick,'' Holland said. "He bought into the team salary structure.''
The Penguins are a skilled team, but Hossa said he was swayed in large part because of the Red Wings' up-tempo, puck-possession style, with their mobile, puck-moving defense.
"It's attractive hockey, lots of offense, good players,'' Hossa said. "I want to play that way.''
It's hard to keep a talented team together in the salary-cap world. Players leave for more money. Others are forced out because of rising salaries for teammates. No team has managed the cap better than the Red Wings. It's not even close.
"We're fortunate. We got great owners, great management. Ken Holland finds a way to make it work,'' Detroit center Kris Draper said. "(Hossa) left millions on the table for a chance to win the Stanley Cup.''
Holland is hoping to sign Hossa to a long-term deal before next summer. He'll first need to convince Zetterberg, Franzen and others to take less than they could get on the open market in 2009. And he hopes the salary cap, which has risen from $39 million to $56.7 million in three years, will continue to escalate.
"It gives me the opportunity to sit down with key players and hopefully we're able to find a way to keep everyone together,'' Holland said.
Is there any reason to doubt their ability to do it?
What must the league's other general managers be thinking?
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