Marian Hossa: A Chance Wasted

Marian Hossa had a chance to put his money where his mouth is, so to speak, and he jammed his foot into it instead. That, and he stuck his head into his five-hole too, while he was at it. Hossa, the Red Wings’ 40-goal scorer for a season, is on the move again. He’s been a rent-a-player (with Pittsburgh after being acquired at the trade deadline in 2008), and a mercenary (signing with the Red Wings for a year for a “kick at the can”, as hockey players call the pursuit of the Stanley Cup). Now he’s disingenuous. Hossa signed with the Red Wings last summer, almost one year to the day, because he was oh-so-wanting to win a Stanley Cup. He took less dough to play in Detroit, turning down more lucrative offers from the Penguins and, reportedly, the Edmonton Oilers. Fine. But now Hossa has turned down the Red Wings’ offer of $4 million a year to ply his trade for the divisional rival Chicago Blackhawks, who offered a 12-year deal at an average of a little ... (link)