OT: Hossa to Montreal at the 2008 Deadline

[Andy]

Funny how they took the worse deal and saw it as better.

We all knew at the time that they took the worse deal. It was so clear.

 

[HuGort]

I just posted about this in the trade deadline thread but thought it was interesting enough that it deserved it's own thread. There's been rumours forever about Montreal trying to acquire Hossa at the 2008 deadline. I don't remember the whole story, but there was even some lore that his gloves were spotted in Montreal. There's an article in the Athletic today where Ray Shero, who worked for the Pens at the time and acquired Hossa, shares some details on that day. Here are the excerpts:



The rest of the Athletic's article on this is great. I also have some free passes still if anyone is interesting trialing the Athletic.

It's interesting to think about what could have been if Hossa had come to Montreal that year (and maybe signed an extension, however remote those chances would have been...). Montreal finished first in the conference that season. I wonder what Montreal's offer was.

I remember that deadline

 

[Redux91]

One would have to imagine the package we sent to the Rangers for Gomez was heavily involved trying to get Hossa

What i'm glad about is the confirmation we were at least ACTUALLY in on Hossa instead of always wondering if it was all just smoke and bullshit, now we know THAT much smoke there's a bit of fire

 

[Vachon23]

Hossa probably gets us to the ECF and without Hossa, does Pittsburgh go to SCF?

Anyhow, Detroit was a monster that year.


Same. My first big deadline.

And he maybe resign with us after the season

What a game changer that would have been

 

[Mrb1p]

And he maybe resign with us after the season

What a game changer that would have been

Having him.in 2012-2014 wouldve made the Habs contenders. Him and Pacioretty wouldve been insane wing depth.

 

[Vachon23]

Having him.in 2012-2014 wouldve made the Habs contenders. Him and Pacioretty wouldve been insane wing depth.

And it would been easier to attract a #1 C with Hossa under contract

 

[the]

Thanks for sharing this OP.

Holy shit! 20 mins away from getting Hossa.

It would have changed the whole complexion of the team. This would have been huge for us and would have maybe been enough to make us go all the way to the finals.

Detroit would have destroyed us but it would still have been an amazing experience.

The 07-08 team was firing on all cylinders. Getting someone even better than Alexei Kovalev that year would have been incredible.

I think our downfall was going with two inexperienced goalies in Price/Halak. We should have kept Huet. With his presence I think we could have defeated Philly.

Stupid RJ Umberger... still have nightmares about that guy. The hell did this jabroni come from anyway?

 

[Vachon23]

A.Kostitsyn - Plekanec - Kovalev
Ryder - Koivu - Hossa
S.Kostitsyn - Lapierre - Latendresse
Begin - Smolinski - Kostopoulos

That year was already one of the best I had as a Habs fans even if I was really young. Imagine with Hossa in the lineup. Not sure I saw a top 6 as good in MTL.

 

[HuGort]

This was the year we tried to get Hossa, Sundin then Vinny.