Faceoff Factor

Comments

1. Justin Maffei

   Jul 2, 04:51 PM

   To me, this shows Hossa’s character. He could have stayed in Pittsburgh and worked hard with this team to win the Stanley Cup. He would rather take the easy road, however. If this is the case, I am glad that he did not sign with us. Crosby is exactly the opposite of Hossa and we don’t need that.

2. Steve

   Jul 2, 04:54 PM

   This is bitter and Crosby and his teammates will be somewhat peeved. In the end though, they’ll have to realize that this isn’t the guy they want in the room if rather than take the loss to Detroit and ask how his teammates and he could get better and breakthrough, he went for the “if you can’t beat them, join them” approach. One thing’s for sure…you know that Crosby will return to training camp more focused and determined to be better than last year. That’s what you want in that locker room: people determined to bring Detroit down rather than seek an easy out.

3. Pens1967

   Jul 2, 05:03 PM

   I agree, this is pretty insulting to Sid, the team, the fans and the city. Good thing Hossa won’t be playing in Pgh this year.

4. Ashley Gallant

   Jul 2, 05:08 PM

   I agree with you guys. The more I think about this, the more I don’t like it. This team doesn’t need that kind of attitude.

5. Pens1967

   Jul 2, 05:24 PM

   Shero just said in his press conference that there were players/agents calling him who WANT to play in Pittsburgh.

   He also said he was happy that there were players like Brooks Orpik who took less money because they wanted to be in Pgh.

   So, take that, Marian.

6. MikeM

   Jul 2, 05:26 PM

   Totally agree with all that has been said.

7. Move the Needle

   Jul 2, 05:35 PM

   There are many ways to negatively look at this. Many Pittsburgh fans are going to be pissed and now hate Hossa. He will most likely be booed more than Jagr if we face the wings next year in the regular season or in the cup finals. Disappointed is what Pens fans should be. Not violently and verbally angry.

   Sid and Geno took a hometown discount which is awesome and genuine. They have their reasons. They were both drafted by the pens and are young and comfortable in their surroundings and with their respective roommates, Mario and Gonch. We all know this is a business. Players in all sports take the money or take the chance to win a championship. Very few are like Sid and Geno. Maybe 5% of all players in sports take less money for their own reasons and loyalty. Hossa was here for 4 months. He doesn’t owe this town or the team anything. Heck, Ryan Malone who actually was born and raised and played in his hometown would not sign for less to play with the Pens. Sherro was forced to trade his rights to just get something in return. It is mostly the older players who bolt for the bucks. The young guys are still lubed up with the excitement of the town and the possibilities.

   You can’t blame this on players not wanting to play for Michael Therrien. Brooks Orpik just resigned and his dislike for Iron Mike is pretty well known. Money talks, Championships talk.

   Detroit was Better than the Pens this year and more experienced and played with more grit and toughness. Can you really blame and be mad at Hossa for thinking that maybe the pens are two years away and that the Red wings are primed for one more run next year. Without Hossa the Wings would be favored to win the cup next year. maybe the Pens would be predicted second but the Wings would still be first. The Wings are full of tradition and championships. Hossa was not born in Pittsburgh, was not drafted by Pittsburgh and did not even play a half of a season in Pittsburgh. He did what he thinks is right for him. It does not matter what we think. We do not live his life. Pens fans have to breathe and let it go. It is what it is. Support the guys who are on the team next season. Don’t hate and boo.

   Ray Sherro knew there was slim chance of signing Hossa. Sherro is a pro. He is not going to sink this team in long term high priced deals. They made their offer and Hossa passed. Hossa helped bring much joy and excitement and happiness to this town.

   I would love to have Hossa and it will hurt the team and Sid. But there is still time to deal and sign. Maybe Pittsburgh goes back to the future with signings of Naslund and Jagr. Then Mario laces them up for one more run. Ha-ha. I believe in this ownership group, Michael Therrien and in Ray Sherro.

   Just think how sweet it will be if the Pens face the Wings again and this time it is the Pens hoisting the cup. If it happens I hope that Pens fans are professional and not bitter children that boo players every time they touch the puck. Lifting the cup is action and louder than sticks and stones. Actions speak louder than boos.

   I leave you with a prediction. After next season the Pens will re-sign Hossa to a five year deal and help lead a much more ready and mature team win a few cups. The Pens fans will be in love once again with Marian Hossa just as they will be in love with Jagr if he returns.

   Peace be with you Marian Hossa. See you in two years.

8. Pens1967

   Jul 2, 05:40 PM

   I think Hossa and Winter absolutely led Shero and the Pens on and he will NEVER get any interest from them again.

   There are no guarantees. The Wings aren’t getting any younger. You could make the case they got a big break when the Stars got on a roll and knocked off higher seeded western teams.

   I don’t think anyone is hating on Hossa in this thread, but I think we recognize he did, in fact, insult his former teammates,
   coaches and fans.

9. Eric

   Jul 2, 05:54 PM

   I don’t mind the signing and I actually think Hossa made the smartest decision here.

   Good luck to him.

10. Move the Needle

    Jul 2, 05:54 PM

    Hey PENS1967. You make all great points. I guess I was getting ready for the hate on Hossa to come. I am getting ahead of the hate. So far so good and the factor is one of the more professional adult comments site unlike many sites with comments and message boards filled with loud ignorant punks. And you are right that the Pens will not have interest in Hossa in the future. they would not give him that satisfaction. i just needed something to end my post with. something to Move the Needle. Ha-ha

    Peace and Go Pens.

11. Dave W

    Jul 2, 05:56 PM

    more importantly, his “indecision” or lack of a rejection to the Pens offer before yesterday might have caused a delay in signing some of the Pens free agents or other free agents that were just waiting to hear from Shero…who knows how this really impacted the Pens decision making while we were all held captive and actually had hope that Hossa would resign here in the burgh…the key now is to get 2 players for that roughly $7 million that can plug in a play in the top 3 lines…whoever that might be…Jagr, Huselius, Naslund, etc

12. Paul Anderson

    Jul 2, 08:21 PM

    While the Pens, Sid especially, will feel betrayed by the Hossa move, as I watch guys leave the team—Roberts in particular—I have to wonder if all is right inside the room. Tampa got Hall for 600k a season; Robs just wanted to go, it appears, and you have to know the fan support meant something to him.

    If, on top of the Wings getting a hometown discount, the Pens have to pay a hometown premium, then it’s hard to see those two teams meeting in the finals again any time soon.

    If the problem is big Mike Therrien, and if they’re planning to keep him, Shero should consider showcasing Staal and trading him for a top-shelf winger for Crosby by Christmas.

    Otherwise Staal looks like a prime candidate for an RFA offer-sheet raid at the end of next season.

13. Pens1967

    Jul 2, 08:32 PM

    No players have more reason to “hate” Therrien than Orpik and Fleury. Orpik was hurt when Therrien sat him at the game against Boston where his octagenerian grandfather lived. He had the ignomy of being moved to wing and sat out a few games because Therrien was displeased with his play. Yet, Orpik took a big discount to stay.

    Marc-Andre Fleury has played most of his professional career for Therrien at WBS and then the Pens. I doubt Fleury has ever played for a coach who was so hard on him.
    Yet, MAF will very likely sign an extention in the next few weeks.

    Gary Roberts left because he’s 42 years old, breaking down and wasn’t a part of the Pens’ plans. He knew it. The other players left for their own reasons. If it was because they didn’t like the coach, well, that’s their problem.

14. Bill

    Jul 2, 08:47 PM

    “Move the needle” – Let it rest with the Peace out and “it’s all good” speeches.

    We are all accutely aware that we do not live Hossa’s life and ultimately have no real place to judge him.

    But as fans of the Pittsburgh Penguins we do have the right to be vocal about how this makes us feel.

    And “dissappointed” does not even begin to cover it. If you haven’t noticed, most males express

    All of the points you make are valid….. until you go on to predict that Hossa will be back.

    The only reason your asking Pens fans not to boo him is on the chance that he will return. C’mon, who needs to get over it?

    We have moved on and we’re letting go as you suggest. Part of letting go is anger.
    You ask Pens fans to be “proffesional”? The players get paid for playing hockey, Sid and the organization needs to be professional. We as fans PAY to see this (see in a profession, they pay you – big difference here), so let the fans scream now and boo later if they want.

    You can not move past the anger if you deny it. If you deny it you are perpetually in a state of denial.

    I’ve lost people very close to me and any grief counseler will tell you that Anger is a stage you must go through.

    Do I compare the loss of a rental hockey player to losing my parents? No, but I do reserve the right to get angry when I lose something I don’t have control over.

    As soon as PENS1967 has a rebuttal, you agree and take back the part about Hossa coming back.

    C’mon, you know that is your motivation, which is understandable. I thought that too until I realized Hossa screwed over the Penguins as royally as he possibley could have.

    Had Shero known two weeks ago that Hossa was gone, who knows who they would have kept/gone after or even traded.

    Shero said Hossa was the first priority and all decisions on other players depended on what he did. Well, when you don’t make that decision until the second day of free agency, you pretty much tie his hands. Hossa did more than tie Shero’s hands, he put him in a full S&M suit, ball gag included.

    I wish no harm on Hossa, but I do not want to see him win the cup with Detroit and hope his career is less than it would be with the Pens.

15. phil

    Jul 2, 09:26 PM

    After thinking about this all day, I still don’t think this makes sense for Hossa.

    If money was the motivation, then Edmonton and others had 9-10 year offers worth 9-10 million per year on the table. Take the money and be happy.

    If playing for a Cup winner was the issue, then let’s just look at Detroit and Pittsburgh. For roughly the same money per year he took Detroit. The catch is that Detroit has to win next year. But Pittsburgh had a seven year deal. So, he’s thinking that Detroit is more likely to win next year than Pittsburgh is to win once in the next seven years??

    Why not take Pittsburgh and the 50 million dollars and the security of a guaranteed deal in case he gets hurt or whatever next year?

    With Pittsburgh he had money and a contender for seven years. I just don’t understand it. Unless there’s something going on in the locker room or with Therrien or Crosby??

    Stumped,
    Phil

16. Bill

    Jul 2, 09:45 PM

    PHIL – The only thing that makes sense to me is he signs with the odds on favorite to win the cup gives that one year (cause lets face it, commitment is not Hossa’s MO) and then is back on the market most likely as the top FA.

    So, if he wins this year he gets his name on the cup, calls himself a champion and moves on to the hghest bidder for the rest of his career.

    If he doesn’t he’s spent a year on a great team and is back to payday next year.

    And in this light, the deal makes perfect sense from Detroit’s side.

    Yeah, they “couldn’t” sing him long term with Franzen and Zetterberg on the horizon but looking back I think Hossa turning it on in the playoffs was as much about showcasing himself for FA to begin than it was about team or winning.

    Hossa is not a team guy, ask Ottawa, ask Atlanta and ask Detroit next July.

    I start thinking the bad locker room scenario too, but I think PENS1967 is right, Orpik had more reason to hate Therrien than any one and he re-signed and so will Fluery.

    Hossa left because he cares about one thing only, Hossa.

    Hey, that’s his right, but I don’t have to like or respect him for it.

17. Pens1967

    Jul 2, 09:58 PM

    Paul Steigerwald was on with Chris Mack on 1250 on the 3PM show. Mack asked him how he’d found Hossa to be. Steigy said he was nice, quiet, professional, but sort of a hockey robot – not emotional at all. I guess I got the impression Hossa’s attitude is hockey is my job – like the way most of us other 9-5 smucks feel about our jobs.

    Personally, I’m fine with Hossa living his life however he sees fit. It was the lying I object to. I know I thought Ritch Winter was the bad guy, but maybe he and Hossa are like two peas in a pod.

18. Pens1967

    Jul 2, 11:23 PM

    From Rossi’s Chipped Ice:
    ———
    Sidney Crosby did not let the Penguins go down in the chase for right wing Marian Hossa without a fight. Crosby did what any captain would — at least, any captain that hoped to continue centering a line with Hossa; he spent this morning phoning Hossa several times, urging him to sign with the Penguins.
    ———

    Still think this wasn’t an insult to Sid?

    However, Rossi also reports that some Pens still think Hossa wanted to sign with them. It implies it was Winter who pushed
    Hossa to Detroit. This may be partly true as a story linked at KuklasKorner quotes Holland as saying he has good relations with Winter, but in the end it was Hossa who decided. His former teammates should realize they were played for fools.

19. Move the Needle

    Jul 2, 11:29 PM

    BILL – good stuff, good response. I really don’t think Hossa will be back.

    Good solid commenting is why I only post on this web site. I only post every few months. My post are usually too long and repetitive but this is a good outlet to hear other knowledgeable responses that make you sometimes re-think your positions and go back and forth with good guy talk about sports. I guess Jesse Marshall is the only one who knows me well enough to know that on a day to day basis i make stupid and sometimes outrageous predictions to either get a rise or too hope they possibly happen then I get to brag about it like a dork.

    Good stuff BILL and again a great well written response. Always good to have 2-3 sides to every story.

    Love the Factor

20. MikeM

    Jul 3, 12:08 AM

    “So, if he wins this year he gets his name on the cup, calls himself a champion and moves on to the hghest bidder for the rest of his career.”

    Another possibility is him leaving to play in Europe…..maybe Russia…after this year. Hossa had a chance to be what Kurri was to Gretzky. I do think he would have earned more points with Sid than he will with Detroit. He had a chance to be a leader here not just a face in the crowd as in Detroit. That’s fine….some people dont want to be leaders….but he should have let the Pens know about his true intentions sooner.

    Not signing Ruttu I think was a stupid move on Sheros part. HE just wanted one more year. We have four winger slots open right now…..do we plan on filling all of them with rookies?

21. Pens1967

    Jul 3, 12:09 AM

    Go ahead, vent:

    P-G Poll What word would you use to describe Marian Hossa:

    http://www.post-gazette.com/polls/default.asp?pollID=2586

22. Pens1967

    Jul 3, 11:56 AM

    There was an interesting email read this morning on 1250 from a listener in Montreal. The listener thought that Winter, who he described as a Drew Rosenhaus type, read the market, saw the cap space for the desirable teams disappearing fast and had to do some quick maneuvering, thus Winter approaching Holland about the 1 year deal.

    I’ve felt all along that Shero correctly assessed the market, what teams and how much they had to offer for Hossa and Winter did not. I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if when Winter realized he’d been out-foxed, he had to scramble. Winter sounds like the kind of guy who wouldn’t want to ever admit or have it seem he been bested by a GM.

23. spiker97

    Jul 3, 10:10 PM

    I blame this on Winter also.

    Winter did his job well – he figured that if Detroit signs Hossa to a one year deal and they win the Cup next year – he would be worth even more than what he signed for this year. The Cap will go up again, there will be a couple more years before the CBA expires, and as long as Hossa doesn’t get injured or have a bad year – he’ll go to the highest bidder next July, only this time, for a longer term. He’ll get more money and maybe a Stanley Cup ring – well, probably the first one.

    It will be interesting to see if Hossa has a no trade clause as part of this deal. If he doesn’t quite work out for Detroit, he could be traded for a lot of players and cash next trade deadline to another contender, and Detroit will get a lot more for their investment then just one UFA.

    Look at this another way – not signing Hossa took Fleury away from arbitration and also got Malkin signed, both to long term deals. And there are still more UFA’s out there to choose from. That process has already started.

    While behind every silver lining there is always a cloud…I believe Shero did good. Malkin and Fleury are done with this for a long time and will remain as Pens. Where they belong.

    So did Winter. He’ll make more commission money.

    As to Hossa and the Red Wings, not sure, but only time will tell.

    What a long strange trip its been.

24. Bobby

    Jul 4, 02:29 AM

    LOL stop being bitter and look at it with a realistic view. He’s a UFA, he got a deal worth 7.45 next year and he get’s to play with the defending champs who are bringing everyone back. He has a great chance to win a cup, and then can go cash in anywhere that he wants.

25. spiker97

    Jul 4, 05:03 PM

    That’s exactly what I was trying to say in the above.

    With what has since transpired, it should work out fine for both Hossa and the Pens.

26. Michael

    Jul 6, 08:04 AM

    I wish people would face the music .. Therrien is a lousy coach__compared to__coaches such as .. BABCOCK .. !! .. and players such as Hossa can see this very clearly.

    Hossa__saw and experienced__first-hand .. that Therrien is definitely not a good coach compared to Babcock .. and THAT made the difference here. Hossa was reported to be interested in joining the Red Wings about 10 days or more before he finally signed with them. So this was not something that just came-up out of the blue, this was in the works for awhile.

    And so Hossa had pretty much realized on his own that he is more likely to win a Cup with a very good team__and__a good coach, as opposed to his chances of winning a Cup with a very good team that has a poor coach. THAT is the difference maker, here .. and this should be fairly obvious.

    And Hossa could also see guys like Roberts, Malone, Ruutu, and Hall leaving rather quickly .. which probably raised a red flag for him. And Staal is reportedly not happy, either .. and who can blame him?

    Speaking of Staal .. I still can’t understand why Therrien has been wasting Staal as a third-line center. That’s just idiotic. {Therrien is an idiot}. How can an NHL-caliber coach watch Staal clicking so well as a rookie on Malkin’s left-wing, and then pull them apart so Staal can be frustrated on the third line? Yet a lot of Penguins fans are perfectly OK with this ..??!! You just DO NOT stick a #2 Overall draft pick on the third line after he__proves__his scoring ability as a rookie playing wing on a top-2 line. Yet I almost expect Therrien to still be forcing Staal to play third-line center this coming season .. which makes my blood boil. That’s a good way to make damn sure Staal will be gone next summer.

    And .. putting Malkin on the left-point on the powerplay? Absolute nonsense. The “stacked powerplay” was idiotic, anyway. Any coach who relies on Mike Yeo to run the powerplay is an incredible fool, too.

    Anyway .. these are things that Hossa could see .. and this is why Therrien is our biggest problem. He essentially cost us Hossa, and yet a lot of people are trying to dance around this. Therrien is just plain holding this team back. And you don’t beat a team like Detroit in the Cup Finals by dumping the puck into the corner and going to the bench, and refusing to allow your “offensively-gifted” defensemen the chance to jump-up into the play, and having everyone mucking around on the perimeter instead of looking to screen the goalie, go to the net, and look to make scoring plays.

    People try to say that “Orpik didn’t leave, and__he__didn’t like Therrien”. Well .. Orpik is NOT Marian Hossa. There’s a huge difference there. And it’s not a question of “not liking” MT, as far as Hossa is concerned. Rather, the issue for players such as Hossa is .. “what team is more likely to win a Cup or multiple Cups in the near future?”. And it’s not that the Penguins aren’t a good enough team .. it’s that Therrien is not a good enough coach!!

    And, unfortunately, apparently Penguins Ownership is going to “discuss an extension” with MT later this summer, according to Shero. And that is NOT a good sign of things to come. This is just bad news. Why doesn’t Ownership see the problem with Therrien? Like I said .. MT is our biggest problem. Ownership needs to realize this.

27. Christina

    Aug 5, 01:58 PM

    i cant believe hossa did this! it makes me mad that he would just quit on the team like that! but i also understand that hes doing what he needes to for him so yeah! but still he could have worked with his team to win the Stanley Cup!

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