Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Hossa..Hossa...Hossa...
First, the good news: Marian Hossa is locked up for the next 3 years.
Now, the bad news, courtesy of the zero-sum game environment of the new NHL: It cost 18 mil over three years to get him signed. Someone's going to have to go. With both Redden and Chara up for UFA next year, not everyone's going to fit under the cap (assuming league revenues are down this year and the cap doesn't go up). One last shot at the Cup with the full crew (assuming Muckler doesn't trade one before to get something in return). Carpe Diem, boys.
This is also a deal based partly on expectations and potential rather than simply past production. The Senators expect Hossa to continue improving and growing into an even great impact player.
The onus is now on Hossa to prove it was a good deal.
Update: removed link to the signing story since it now links to the trade story.
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In other news, the great Mardi Gras experiment of 2005 has officially come to an end. I was not a big fan of the promotion, but I was even less of a fan of the endless talk about it. Now city councillors can move on to the task of squeezing the last remaining ounce of fun from the pre-game environment by cracking down on tailgating. Sheeesh. And people wonder why Ottawa is seen as the town fun forgot.
Now, the bad news, courtesy of the zero-sum game environment of the new NHL: It cost 18 mil over three years to get him signed. Someone's going to have to go. With both Redden and Chara up for UFA next year, not everyone's going to fit under the cap (assuming league revenues are down this year and the cap doesn't go up). One last shot at the Cup with the full crew (assuming Muckler doesn't trade one before to get something in return). Carpe Diem, boys.
This is also a deal based partly on expectations and potential rather than simply past production. The Senators expect Hossa to continue improving and growing into an even great impact player.
The onus is now on Hossa to prove it was a good deal.
Update: removed link to the signing story since it now links to the trade story.
---
In other news, the great Mardi Gras experiment of 2005 has officially come to an end. I was not a big fan of the promotion, but I was even less of a fan of the endless talk about it. Now city councillors can move on to the task of squeezing the last remaining ounce of fun from the pre-game environment by cracking down on tailgating. Sheeesh. And people wonder why Ottawa is seen as the town fun forgot.
