Thursday, October 18, 2007

Dear Dougie...What about Hossa?

"Dear Dougie" will be a post where Mike or I will have a trade suggestion to share with Doug Wilson, aka Dougie. Feel free to agree, blast or add to the trade suggestion. These are only musing, thoughts of players that might look good on the Sharks.

I am making my pitch for the Sharks to consider getting Marian Hossa from the Atlanta Thrashers. Atlanta is terrible and a fire sale is coming soon. There is no future in Georgia and they have to start rebuilding with young players. With Hossa as a UFA at the end of the season, he is sure to bolt the South for greener pastures. After looking at cap room and young assets, I find three potential playoff teams that I think could make a pitch for Hossa's services via trade. Pittsburgh could dangle Jordan Staal. Washington could offer Backstrom or Semin for the chance to pair Hossa with Alexander O. And then, there's our Sharks. We have one of the deepest young cores in the NHL and a logjam of players at the forward/center position. With Devon Setoguchi waiting in the wings, could Cheechoo be the chip that gets Hossa in Teal and White? We have all read how much Atlanta loves Steve Bernier, atleast according to Eklund. Could a package of Cheechoo and Bernier make it happen? I like Cheech, don't get me wrong. I just think Setoguchi is waiting in the wings and they are similar players. If you can replace Cheech with the Gooch and Bernier with Hossa - isn't this a major upgrade to this team that occasionally struggles to put the puck in the net?

Just a thought.....

5 comments:

Mike said...

I like this series... I'll be adding my own Dear Dougie very soon. Hossa has got all-world skills, and a nose for the net. Two big problems with him:

1. He's a big puss. Do we really want to invest in a player that thinks D is optional? I know he's psychologically scarred by making Bryan Berard into Cyclops, but one's of these days he's gotta shake it off. I can't name a team that's won the Cup in the last 10 years that had a defense-averse star like that.

2. His contract is up. This kind of trade should only be contemplated if Hossa agrees to sign an extension immediately.

Anonymous said...

After watching the boys get spanked tonight by the Wings, I say we strip the entire team down to Joe, Patty, Mike, Ryan and Craig and start over. Nobody else seems to want and/or be able to pass/accept a pass. Detroit won tonight because of their superior passing and their overall experience, and showed exactly why a team MUST have a solid veteran core to win consistently.

DW needs to dangle Bernier, Pavelski, Goc, Rissmiller, and yes, Cheech (and this KILLS me to say) in order to get a #1 d-man and/or a game-proven goal scorer (the Ryan Smyth type.) Maybe someone who has, say, hoisted the Cup once or twice in their lives?

The Sharks should be ashamed of themselves at how they have started this season.

Ok, knee-jerk is complete.

Anonymous said...

Defense-averse stars used to be all the rage (see Penguins circa 1990). You could even make an argument that the current champs carried a defense-timid star in Teemu.
Hossa could help you win now. Sure he won't add to your biggest weakness - toughness - but that can be addressed in your next Dear Dougie.
I'd be after Nash if I were you.

Anonymous said...

Atlanta is terrible and a fire sale is coming soon?

Anonymous said...

when are they go up for sale?