The SBP Archives - Your less than frequent dose of SBP!

Atlanta Thrashers' GM Don Wadell says he wants to keep Marian Hossa and sign him to a new contract, but the word is Hossa will be looking at unrestricted free agency. No team wants to see one of their players walk away for nothing, so there is an excellent chance Hossa will be traded. And I relish the thought of the Ottawa Senators acquiring Hossa for a Stanley Cup run this spring.

A lot of people say, "He doesn't it bring it in the playoffs." Hmmm. Well, stats don't tell the whole story, but they are a pretty good indicator. When he started off in Ottawa, the first three NHL playoffs he was a part of were pretty abysmal: 14 games and only 4 points. But, things got better: three more seasons with Ottawa and he racked up 30 points in 37 games. Not too shabby. I think the problem is a lot of the people are clouded by the horrible Toronto-Ottawa series of the past and can't think beyond them. Yes, there was actually a time when Ottawa DIDN'T play the Leafs before the lockout year in the playoffs and had some success.

Is he the kind of player you want to build your team around? No. I don't think he can carry the load on his own, but with Ottawa he wouldn't have to. I'd rank him 4th behind Alfredsson, Heatley, Spezza on the ice. And that's the idea: he'd be a perfect addition to the 2nd line. If he played with Alfie with Fisher as centre on the second line, I don't think most teams would like to figure out how to contain Spezza & Heatley then Alfie & Hossa on the same night.

It could just be a lot of nostalgia for me clouding my judgment as well, envisioning Hossa don #18 again in the red sweater. But Ottawa won't be the only team interested, and the price may be too high for a player that's just a rental. But GM Bryan Murray would be stupid not to look into it, and I'm sure he will.