Penguins trade for Marian Hossa

Discussion in 'EAST: Metropolitan Division' started by cpawfan, Feb 26, 2008.

  1. cpawfan

    cpawfan Monsters do exist

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    Wow just wow. The Pens made a huge move in trading for Marian Hossa. I can't wait to see how this pays off in the playoffs.

    http://sportstwo.com/NHL/Story/NHL/1756221

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>As if the Pittsburgh Penguins weren't talented enough, they acquired the crown jewel of the crop of available forwards at the NHL trade deadline.

    The Penguins added to their impressive stable of forwards Tuesday, obtaining All-Star Marian Hossa from the Atlanta Thrashers for right wing Colby Armstrong, center Erik Christensen and prospect Angelo Esposito.

    The Penguins also acquired left wing Pascal Dupuis, while the Thrashers received a 2008 first-round pick in the deal.

    Hossa, who was unable to come to terms on a new contract agreement with Atlanta, joins a potent offensive attack that already includes young superstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, who currently is tied for the league lead in scoring with 82 points.

    "I'm really looking forward to joining this group," Hossa said. "You look at the centermen and you have Sid, Malkin and (Jordan) Staal. They are some really strong, great young players. They have good goaltending and good moving defensemen. They create lots of offense. I am really looking forward to playing with these guys."

    Hossa was not going to get ahead of himself when the topic of possibly playing with Crosby - when he returns from his high ankle sprain - was broached.

    "I don't know who I will play with. If I play with Sid, that'd be great," Hossa said. "He is the best centerman in the league and it'd be a pleasure to play with him."

    Pittsburgh general manager Ray Shero admits he was surprised he was able to acquire the talented 29-year-old.

    "This is a deal that was made more or less at the last minute," Shero said. "The chances a month ago for us to get Marian Hossa was about five percent. I think he is a world-class player. He's going to be a huge asset for our team."

    Drafted 12th overall by Ottawa in 1997, Hossa - who can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 - made his fourth All-Star Game appearance this season. In 60 games with the Thrashers, he recorded 26 goals and 30 assists.

    A native of Slovakia, Hossa is four shy of reaching the 30-goal plateau for the seventh consecutive season. The high-scoring 29-year-old posted a career-high 100 points in 2006-07 and has registered 169 multi-point performances during his career.

    While Hossa's production will be missed, Atlanta general manager Don Waddell feels it was in the best interest of his team.

    "Obviously, we are very pleased with the deal we were able to make with Pittsburgh today," Waddell said. "It's a bittersweet day when you trade Marian Hossa - probably one of our best players, one of the most respected players in your locker room - but the nature of the business is what it is.

    "With our franchise, how we looked last year and the athletes we gave up to make our push to the playoffs, we didn't want to take the chance of Marian leaving us at the end of the year. So we thought we got the best deal we could."

    Acquired by Atlanta for Dany Heatley in August 2005, Hossa has notched 296 goals and 342 assists in 689 NHL games with the Senators and Thrashers.

    Dupuis, who also was dealt at last season's trade deadline, joins the fourth organization of his career. The 28-year-old Quebec native recorded 10 goals and five assists in 62 games with the Thrashers this season.

    "He's a guy with really good speed and is a good penalty-killer," Shero said. "I think he will bring speed and do a good job on the PK for us."

    In 419 career contests with the Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers and Thrashers, Dupuis has amassed 81 goals and 81 assists. He enjoyed his best season in 2002-03, when he scored a career-high 20 goals with the Wild.

    Selected 21st overall in the 2001 draft, Armstrong recorded nine goals and 15 assists in 54 games with the Penguins this campaign. The 25-year-old has collected 37 tallies and 98 points in 181 career contests.

    Christensen, 24, scored nine goals and 20 points in 49 games with Pittsburgh in 2007-08. A third-round pick in 2002, the Edmonton native has notched 33 tallies and 66 points in 143 career contests.

    Esposito was drafted 20th overall this past June after being projected as the top overall pick at the midway point last season. In 48 games with the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League this campaign, the 19-year-old has recorded 26 goals and 29 assists.

    "We have young assets, so the cupboards aren't bare," Shero said. "We still can be a long-term contender and happy about it. The bigger picture is, there is risk in anything you do. I feel very confident in our team right now and I want to give it every opportunity to win. At the same time, I do think we're still set up long-term very well. Hopefully, we'll get the best of both worlds."</div>
     
  2. cpawfan

    cpawfan Monsters do exist

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    http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news;_ylt=Amns...p&type=lgns

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Every time Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Ray Shero analyzed his team, he came to the same conclusion. A huge missing piece was a forward talented enough to play on Sidney Crosby’s line.

    Shero took a major gamble to add that player, acquiring All-Star forward Marian Hossa from Atlanta in a deadline deal Tuesday that cost Pittsburgh forwards Colby Armstrong and Eric Christensen, a top prospect and a first-round draft pick.

    With Toronto’s Mats Sundin off the market after refusing to waive his no-trade clause, Hossa was the biggest name available. A five-time All-Star right wing, Hossa has 26 goals and 30 assists in 60 games after tying for sixth in the NHL with 100 points last season.

    “We’ve always had a hard time finding that fit for Sid, and I believe Marian is a guy who can think at that level, skate at that level and, obviously, he can score goals and kill penalties and raise everybody else’s game,” Shero said.

    Hossa couldn’t hide his excitement at joining the Penguins, a team that he said “has so much talent, it’s almost scary.”

    Still, Pittsburgh paid a big price for a a possible rent-a-player who becomes a free agent on July 1, dealing two promising young forwards, 2007 first-round draft pick Angelo Esposito and this year’s top pick. Pittsburgh also gets forward Pascal Dupuis, a right wing with speed who has 10 goals and five assists in 62 games.

    “There’s a risk any time you acquire players,” said Shero, who has not discussed a long-term contract with Hossa that might strain Pittsburgh’s salary cap. “There’s also a risk in standing pat. … This gives us a better chance to win (the Stanley Cup). I wanted to give this team every opportunity to win.”

    Hossa is making $6 million this season. The Thrashers couldn’t risk losing him and getting nothing in the return for a player who cost them All-Star Dany Heatley three years ago.

    “I had six pretty darned good options,” Atlanta GM Don Waddell said. “If the deadline would have been (two hours later) at 5 o’clock, I don’t know what I could have done by that time.”

    In a separate trade, the Penguins acquired 6-foot-7 defenseman Hal Gill from Toronto for second- and fifth-round draft picks. The 32-year-old Gill provides another physical presence to go with enforcer Georges Laraque, but is not an exceptional skater or scorer and has only two goals in 63 games.

    “He’s one of the best penalty killers in the league,” Shero said, pointing to Pittsburgh’s No. 25 penalty-kill ranking.

    The 29-year-old Hossa is expected to go onto Crosby’s line once the 2007 NHL scoring champion and MVP returns from a high ankle sprain that has sidelined him since Jan. 18.

    Crosby is not on the Penguins’ three-game road trip that began Tuesday night against the Islanders—he skated on his own earlier in the day—and probably won’t return until next week at the earliest.

    “You look at their centers, they have (Evgeni) Malkin, Crosby, (Jordan) Staal, it doesn’t really matter who you play with, it’s an excellent opportunity,” Hossa said. “If I play with Sid, it’s great, he’s one of the best centermen in the league and would be a pleasure to play with, but I leave that up to the coach (Michel Therrien).”

    Compounding the Penguins’ need for another forward, Gary Roberts—last year’s major trading deadline day pickup—has a high ankle sprain to go with his broken right leg and is uncertain when he will play again. Roberts has been out since Dec. 29.

    Considering Hossa may spend only a month or two with them, the Penguins—in the running for both the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference titles—made a bold but risky move to win the Stanley Cup only two years after finishing a conference-worst 22-46-14.

    Crosby, Malkin and Hossa give the Penguins three of the league’s premier scorers, and all are in their 20s. Malkin went into Tuesday night’s games tied with Washington’s Alex Ovechkin for the scoring lead with 82 points.

    “Pittsburgh kind of snuck in the back door there. I’m not sure anyone even thought they were an option,” Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren said. “All along we kept hearing it was between Montreal and Ottawa. That was a surprising one to me. They did have some assets to give up. It was a very bold move by Ray Shero.”

    The trade deprives Pittsburgh of two of the younger players it was building around in the 25-year-old-Armstrong and the 24-year-old Christensen.

    “Chemistry is very important, and this team has to come together very quickly,” Shero said. “But I still think we have the young assets to be a longterm contender.”

    Christensen has nine goals and 11 assists in 49 games and is 5-for-8 on shootout attempts. The 25-year-old Armstrong, Crosby’s road roommate and one of the Penguins’ most popular players, has nine goals and 15 assists in 54 games.

    The 19-year-old Esposito was originally expected to be one of the top five picks in last year’s draft, only to unexpectedly slide to Pittsburgh with the No. 20 pick. He has 26 goals and 29 assists in 48 games with the Quebec Remparts during his third season in juniors.

    While the Penguins probably didn’t need Hossa to get into the playoffs, they must be wondering what he will do once he gets there. He has 35 points in 55 career playoff games, well off his nearly point-per-game career pace.

    “I know my production wasn’t the best, but that’s behind me and I’ve got a new challenge now,” Hossa said.

    AP Sports Writer Dan Gelston in Philadelphia and AP stringer Sean Farrell in Ottawa contributed to this story.</div>
     
  3. cpawfan

    cpawfan Monsters do exist

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    LMAO, ESPN just compared this to the Lakers acquiring Gasol. Not in terms of what the Pens gave up, but in terms of the talent coming in to join Sid.
     
  4. ghoti

    ghoti A PhD in Horribleness

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    I'd be more upset about this if the Pens had a playoff-caliber goaltender.
     
  5. Universe

    Universe Hall of Fame

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    Yeah, with no goalie = nothing.

    I personally think they gave up too much especailly if Hossa walks which will be most likely.
     
  6. Chutney

    Chutney MON-STRAWRRR!!1!

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    This is a moronic deal if they can't re-sign Hossa. The Pens gave a lot of youth away in this deal.

    I personally thought they should've just sent a 2nd rounder to the Habs for Huet. That would've filled a much more pressing need for them.
     
  7. Universe

    Universe Hall of Fame

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Chutney @ Feb 27 2008, 12:59 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>This is a moronic deal if they can't re-sign Hossa. The Pens gave a lot of youth away in this deal.

    I personally thought they should've just sent a 2nd rounder to the Habs for Huet. That would've filled a much more pressing need for them.</div>
    Agreed or even one of the young guys from the AHL.

    Huet would be a rental too but it seems like this is the year. I think they fired too soon.
     
  8. ghoti

    ghoti A PhD in Horribleness

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Chutney @ Feb 27 2008, 12:59 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>This is a moronic deal if they can't re-sign Hossa. The Pens gave a lot of youth away in this deal.

    I personally thought they should've just sent a 2nd rounder to the Habs for Huet. That would've filled a much more pressing need for them.</div>

    How are they going to pay Crosby, Malkin, Staal and Hossa?
     
  9. cpawfan

    cpawfan Monsters do exist

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    Sure the Pens gave away a lot of youth, but they didn't give away their best young players. Overlooked in this is by acquiring Hossa, they kept him away from Ottawa and Montreal as they fight for playoff positioning.

    For that same reason, I doubt Huet was an option for the Pens. Sure a stud goaltender would be nice, but the penalty killing just got better on paper for the Pens as Gill, Dupuis and Hossa are all good on PK units and Hossa is a damn good at scoring short handed goals.

    It is a risk, but I like it.
     
  10. knicksfan3

    knicksfan3 Nets Season Ticket Holder - Section 225

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    This deal was ok for the Penguins, though its more or less a 2-3 month rental cause as stated by others Hossa be a free agent and the Penguins can't possibly sign him and be able to keep the rest of the core together.

    But in the meantime they are now a legit contender in the East (nobody has really made a move to be the lead team in the conference), but they are not as good as West teams like Detroit, Anaheim or San Jose.

    Personally I do believe the Huet deal and the Brian Campbell deal(provided he re-signs w/ SJ, though they could win the Cup this year so short-term its better than Hossa deal) were bigger than this one though because of the impact they'll make.
     
  11. meltz1

    meltz1 Viva La Revolución

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ghoti @ Feb 27 2008, 12:25 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I'd be more upset about this if the Pens had a playoff-caliber goaltender.</div>
    Conklin was dirty last night against the islanders. He must of had 50 saves!
     
  12. knicksfan3

    knicksfan3 Nets Season Ticket Holder - Section 225

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    Sucks for the Penguins...one game into the Hossa campaign and he sprains his knee and some say he might have slightly torn his MCL. I doubt the slight tear story, but still a sprained knee is not what you want to see right off the bat.
     
  13. cpawfan

    cpawfan Monsters do exist

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (knicksfan3 @ Feb 29 2008, 11:50 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Sucks for the Penguins...one game into the Hossa campaign and he sprains his knee and some say he might have slightly torn his MCL. I doubt the slight tear story, but still a sprained knee is not what you want to see right off the bat.</div>

    This sucks. The Pens were already down some firepower without Sid and Roberts and now this.

    Hossa told the media it was a knee on knee hit, so he shouldn't be out for too long.
     
  14. Universe

    Universe Hall of Fame

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    The Pens were playing better without Sidney so it just showed how he wasn't MVP material but this sucks for them especailly when you traded many of the starters for him.

    Their AHL team must be hurting too.
     
  15. cpawfan

    cpawfan Monsters do exist

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    http://sportstwo.com/NHL/Story/NHL/2191151

    When the Pittsburgh Penguins acquired Marian Hossa from the Atlanta Thrashers at the trade deadline, they hoped he would be the final piece in their Stanley Cup puzzle.

    But the move did not come without a risk. The Penguins added an immensely talented yet enigmatic player who had a reputation for fading in the playoffs.

    Pittsburgh also gave up a lot to get Hossa, sending Colby Armstrong, Erik Christensen and prospect Angelo Esposito to the Thrashers.

    The 29-year-old Slovakian finally delivered in a big spot Sunday, scoring 7:10 into overtime in the Penguins' 3-2 series-clinching victory over the New York Rangers. It was his second goal of the contest.

    Coveted by Penguins owner Mario Lemieux to play alongside center Sidney Crosby, Hossa led all players in the Eastern Conference semifinal series with four goals and 20 shots. Crosby was held goalless in the series.

    The win sent the Penguins into the conference finals for the first time since 2001. They will face the Philadelphia Flyers in an all-Pennsylvania battle for a spot in the Stanley Cup Finals.

    "I have had bad playoffs and I have good playoffs, so I cannot control what other people say about my playoff performance," Hossa said.

    Sunday's triumph was extra satisfying for Hossa. Last season, he was a member of the Atlanta team that was embarrassed by the Rangers in the conference quarterfinals.

    Like most of the Thrashers, Hossa was a virtual no-show in the series, managing just one assist.

    "They (Rangers) swept us last year," Hossa said. "I am here again but on a different team, and it feels good to shake their hand and be on the winning side."

    Hossa, who spent the first six years of his career in Ottawa, entered this year's postseason with only 13 goals and 22 assists in 55 career playoff games.

    This spring, he has registered five goals and five assists for the Penguins, who needed only nine games to reach the conference finals.

    "I am on a great team right now, so it's always easier," Hossa said. "I am just enjoying the ride."

    On Sunday, Crosby set up Hossa's game-winner. Hossa gathered a loose puck in the slot and snapped a quick wrist shot that beat New York goaltender Henrik Lundqvist between the pads.

    The Penguins hope Hossa has shed his tag as a playoff underachiever. They will need more production from him against the Flyers, who figure to play Pittsburgh much more physically than the Rangers.

    "He was part of a more balanced attack (in Pittsburgh)", Rangers coach Tom Renney told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "He was able to be a part of plays from a number of different people, as opposed to a couple (in Atlanta). Pittsburgh has a little bit more versatility. He fits really nicely with this group."
     
  16. cpawfan

    cpawfan Monsters do exist

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    Is making the ECF enough to justify the trade for Hossa or do the Pens need to make the Cup Finals?
     
  17. Chutney

    Chutney MON-STRAWRRR!!1!

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    Pretty much. The way this team's come together and the emergence of Fleury has made most of us eat our words for criticizing the Pens on that deal.
     

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