Marian Hossa: Traitor, Opportunist, or Idealist?

In the aftermath of Marian Hossa, signing with Detroit, I'd like to take a look at the three gut reactions I've seen from people. Some are calling him a flat-out traitor for abandoning the Penguins and signing with the very team that beat them for the Stanley Cup. Others are more sympathetic (and reasonable) but still think Hossa is going with the "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em" approach. They see Hossa as being mercenary in his decision. Then there are a few (not many) who instead think of Hossa as being the kind of hockey player we all want on our teams. They think of Hossa as a guy who, instead of riches or fame, is determined to win the Cup.

Those who are calling Hossa a traitor are largely made up of Penguins fans who see his signing with Detroit as an insult. "Why doesn't he want to play with Crosby," they ask. They say all sorts of untrue and ridiculous things like, he's trying to stick it to Pittsburgh for not giving him a good contract, or that he's a cold-blooded snake who's going to the highest bidder. Let me set the record straight. Johnny Damon is a traitorous mercenary who not only went to the highest bidder, he went to his former club's age-old rival. He left thousands of fans who has paid good money for Damon jerseys, and a cult following that embraced him and his crazy hairdo, all while playfully kidding about his less-than-stellar arm. And he stabbed those people in the back.

If anyone bought a Penguins Hossa jersey, they're a fool. He was with Pittsburgh for less than half a season. He was traded there, and everyone knew he might not stay. He had not built up a fanbase or a cult following of any kind. He got on the plane like he was told and flew to Pittsburgh to finish his contract. True, going all the way to the finals makes a team into a very tight group, and it's hard to leave that behind. But Hossa was a rental, and everyone knew it. Detroit is not a hated rival of the Penguins. If Hossa had gone to the Flyers, those Penguins fans might have a point. But Detroit is in a different conference, and there is NO history between these two clubs beyond these most recent finals.

Which brings us to those who are calling Hossa an opportunist. They see his motivation as being selfish. Some think he is going to the highest bidder (which is false), while others are actually faulting him for going where he thinks he can win. The simple fact is, Hossa signed a one-year deal at 7.45 million dollars. That may seem like a lot, but when Mats Sundin is getting offers at 20 million for two seasons, and Daniel Briere made 10 million last year, it's actually below his market value. Even more surprising is the one-year deal. Players typically never want one-year contracts. It puts pressure on them to perform, and puts their future in question. If he's hurt next year his value will quickly plummet. Players usually seek out multi-year deals that will provide a guranteed income for a long time. Hossa instead has opted for a short-term, below market value deal. His reason, of course, is obvious in that he wants to play for a winner.

Some people are actually faulting him for that decision. They are usually the same people who rant and rave about stars who care only about money, players who line their own pockets at the expense of both their teams and their own playoff success. Apologies to Bruins fans, but Zdeno Chara is an example. He is grossly overpaid, went to the highest bidder (a team that had little precedent of success), and his salary is eating up cap space that could instead be used to provide quality teammates. I would classify Nikolai Khabibulin the same way, though his contract now seems much more affordable given the rapid inflation in salaries.

Marian Hossa should instead be compared to Ray Bourque. Bourque wanted, more than anything else, to win the Cup with the Bruins. When that dream was dashed, he reluctantly opted for simply winning the Cup (every good Canadian's dream).
Here we come to it. Every hockey player has a favorite team growing up, and a dream of winning the Stanley Cup. When the dream of playing in the NHL becomes reality, it is time to put aside the naive loyalty to one's hometown or the team he grew up cheering for. Ray Bourque was born in/near Montreal, but his loyalty was to the team that made him an NHL player. We fans are allowed the luxury of cheering for whoever we want, regardless of how bad their organization or management is. (Blackhawks fans, back me up here.) NHL players have to see beyond that and play for organizations they believe in. For some NHLers, they have to simply find employment where they can find it. And so, the only real dream a hockey player has left is to win the Stanley Cup. But many Europeans are criticized for their indifference to the Cup. They are largely accused of lacking the determination to win the Cup that most North Americans have.

Marian Hossa, a Slovakian, has one obvious purpose. He wants to win the Stanley Cup. He has sacrificed money and long-term security in order to play for a winner. He will make Detroit a better team, and Detroit will give him the opportunity win. We cannot fault him for his decision. We should instead praise his determination. When we say that players should not be so concerned with money, that the Cup is all that should matter, we'd better mean it.