Tale of the Final – Hossa’s Rematch

One year ago, Marian Hossa sat slumped on the ice realizing his dream was over. He looked up, seeing the men in red and white, the storied Detroit Red Wings, celebrating once again. He wondered if his chance would ever come to feel that jubilation; to put his hands on the Stanley Cup.

A rematch in any sport produces drama and many riveting storylines. In the 2009 NHL Stanley Cup Final there are many: will Sydney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have matured enough to win this year? Can Nik Lidstrom lead the Detroit Red Wings to glory once again? With so much hype going into the series, the most compelling story is not of a team, but of one player and his quest to win.

The bad blood caused by memories of last year’s battles will not be shared by Hossa, as he looks across at the Pittsburg Penguins’ bench to see the familiar faces of friends and ex-teammates with whom he made the trip to the Final last year. While his decision to switch allegiances for the more proven team may reek of selfishness, when examined closely, his intentions are noble. Upon becoming a free agent in the summer of 2008, Hossa, the premier unrestricted free agent of the summer, received many hefty contract offers and multi-year deals, including a rumoured $9M over several years from the Edmonton Oilers. The Penguins also offered a multi-year contract, and job security in the world of sports is always sought after. Hossa went the unconventional way, agreeing to a one year deal at $7.4M with the Detroit Red Wings – leaving both money and term on the table so that he could play with the team that gave him the best shot at a championship.


In an age where most professional athletes will chase the almighty dollar wherever it leads them regardless of the quality of the destination – see Ed Jovanovski to Phoenix, Nikolai Khabibulin to Chicago, or countless other examples – it is very refreshing to see a legitimate superstar take a paycut and be willing to share the spotlight in order to win. If his gamble doesn’t pay off, Hossa may look much more dejected than he did last year, as he watches the team he could have signed with, hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup.



Note: This Saturday posting is in lieu of Monday's.