Hossa leaves Red Wings for 12-year deal in Chicago
Just when the slowing global economy figured to put a crimp in spending for NHL free agents, Marian Hossa hit the open market again.
And instead of taking a discount on a 1-year deal to take a shot at a Stanley Cup title, Hossa cashed in a megadeal with the up-and-coming Chicago Blackhawks yesterday.
A few hours after the NHL free-agent season was open for business, the Blackhawks said goodbye to Martin Havlat and set their sights on Hossa. It didn't take long to come to terms on a 12-year, $62.8 million contract.
It was the headline move on the typically busy first day of free-agent shopping.
The NHL salary cap rose only $100,000 from last season to $56.8 million. With concerns that the financial crisis could strike the league harder this season, and force the 2010-11 cap to drop, the belief was teams would be more cautious about entering into long-term deals.
The Blackhawks didn't seem too concerned, and will absorb a cap hit on Hossa's contract of $5.23 million.
"We haven't used the [unrestricted free agent market] that often because it's when you get the most onerous contracts with the most unfavorable term," San Jose Sharks general manager Doug Wilson said. "I've used the term irrational exuberance that takes place at this time of year."
Hossa left the Eastern Conference champion Pittsburgh Penguins last summer to join the defending champion Detroit Red Wings - saying he believed that gave him the best chance to win the Stanley Cup. But the Penguins dethroned the Red Wings last month in the rematch, leaving Hossa in second place again.
"Now I don't have to worry about dealing with it year-to-year. I'm set for 12 years. That will make it easier and I can focus on hockey," Hossa said.
Hossa is joining the Blackhawks, his fourth team since 2008, and their stable of young stars headlined by Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane.
"Chicago has lots of young stars," Hossa said. "They are big and strong and fast, and that's what I like."
It ended the Chicago tenure of Havlat, who hadn't found a new home by last night.
The Blackhawks also let goalie Nikolai Khabibulin go, watching him sign a 4-year, $15 million deal with Edmonton. He'll replace 39-year-old Dwayne Roloson, who signed earlier in the day with the New York Islanders.
Khabibulin, 36, is a former Stanley Cup winner who was 25-8-7 with a 2.33 goals-against average and .919 save percentage despite missing time due to a nagging groin injury last season with Chicago.
"Nikolai is a world-class goaltender who has proven himself throughout his career as one of the best in the game," Oilers general manager Steve Tambellini said. "He has had success at many levels of hockey and we're looking forward to seeing him continue that success here in Edmonton."
Noteworthy
* After marathon negotiations in Sweden, the Vancouver Canucks finally reached matched deals to retain identical twins Henrik and Daniel Sedin - the team's leading scorers last season with 82 points. Right before the pair reached the open market, they each signed 5-year, $30.5 million contracts.
* The New York Rangers are already spending the money saved when Scott Gomez was traded to the Montreal Canadiens, handing it over to flashy forward Marian Gaborik. New York made its usual splash in the free-agent market by signing Gaborik, who scored a career-high 42 goals in the 2007-08 season with the Minnesota Wild. He was limited to 17 games last season due to injuries.
Gaborik, 27, was the only remaining player from the Wild's original team, and was the club's first draft pick 9 years ago.
The Rangers also signed former Flyers enforcer Donald Brashear, who spent the last three seasons with Washington. *
