The Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings added to their already stacked offensive arsenal this afternoon, signing free-agent forward Marian Hossa to a one-year, $7.4 million contract, turhing down an offer to return to the Eastern Conference Champion Pittsburgh Penguins.
"It was a really tough decision for me to make," Hossa said. "When I compared the two teams, I felt like I would have a little better of a chance to win the Cup in Detroit."
Hossa, widely considered the top available forward in this summer's free agent class, spent the first part of the 2007-08 season with the Atlanta Thrashers before being dealt to Pittsburgh at the NHL trade deadline. With the Penguins, he scored 12 goals and dished out 14 assists during the postseason, greatly enhancing his appeal as a free agent.
"There were significant offers and opportunities out there for Marian," Holland said. "I thought it was going to be difficult to make Marian a Red Wing."
But as Holland drove to work Wednesday at Joe Louis Arena, Hossa's agent, Ritch Winter, said his client was willing to accept a one-year contract.
"Without Marian wanting to be a Red Wing, this day never happens," he said.
The 29-year old from Slovakia scored three goals in the Stanley Cup Finals against the Red Wings, including a late tally in the third period of game six that drew Pittsburgh within one goal.
Hossa, a four-time all-star, will enter his tenth full season in the NHL donning the winged wheel and solidifying the Red Wings offensive attack.
WHO'S GONE?Dominik Hasek
WHO'S UNSIGNED?Chris Chelios (will return, negotiating details)
Aaron Downey
Dallas Drake (likely retirement)
Darren McCarty
WHO'S SIGNED? Dan Cleary
Ty Conklin
Pavel Datsyuk
Kris Draper
Jonathan Ericcson
Johan Franzen
Valterri Filppula (Restricted Free Agent)
Mark Hartigan
Tomas Holmstrom
Marian Hossa
Jimmy Howard
Jiri Hudler
Tomas Kopecky
Niklas Kronwall
Nicklas Lidstrom
Andrea Lilja
Kirk Maltby
Derek Meech (Restricted Free Agent)
Chris Osgood
Kyle Quincey (Restricted Free Agent)
Brian Rafalski
Mikael Samuelsson
Brad Stuart
Henrik Zetterberg
Information from the Associated Press was utilized in this report.
