Game 55- Detroit Red Wings @ Penguins

Sunday at 12:30 at Mellon Arena, ex-Penguin Marian Hossa will return to his old arena for the first time since stiffing the Penguins in free agency, leaving for the team that had just beaten him and the Pens in six games to win the Stanley Cup.

Why Hossa left such a generous offer on the table to stick with the team that had given so much for him, only to head off to the most crime-ridden, disgusting, economically downtrodden city in the nation, is clear-- He wanted to win a Stanley Cup.

Call him a traitor, an asshole, a dirtball, a d-bag, or what ever you please, because there really may be none bigger.

So, let's take a look at the chronology of events that led up to Hossa's boning of the Penguins on July 2nd, a day after the start of free agency last summer, shall we? To figure out just why Pens fans feel the way they do...

June 19th, 2008:
On the eve of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft in Ottawa, Ontario, Hossa declares that he will test unrestricted free agency, but tells GM Ray Shero that he is interested in remaining a Penguin.

July 1st, 2008:
Hossa sits idle on the first day of free agency, leaving Penguin Nation holding its collective breath. Meanwhile, the bulk of quality wingers on the trade market are signed to deals with other teams...Naslund, Ryder, Hagman, Rolston and others get contracts with new teams.

July 2nd, 2008:
The morning passes without any activity, as Shero continues to wait for word.

12:35 PM:
TSN reports that Hossa has agreed to terms with the Red Wings on a 1 year contract.

Evening:
Hossa pulls no punches in stating the Wings superiority over the Penguins, remarking that the Penguins are a "great organization with great people," but that it didn't matter. Hossa shows no remorse over his harsh departure, and leaves the Pens with few decent winger options.

July 3rd, 2008:
The Pens sign floater Miroslav Satan and grinder Ruslan Fedotenko to replace Hossa.
Satan has since been the poster-child for an absymal Penguins' season.

So, there you have it. That's the story of how Marian Hossa screwed the Penguins from every angle, and let down an entire fanbase en route to being a passenger for what may turn out to be another Detroit Stanley Cup run.

The Wings have other weapons though, and none are as dirty, selfish, and greedy as Hossa.

Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, and Nick Lidstrom are arguably the three best two way players in the business, and dilligent workers like Johan Franzen, Brad Stuart, Nik Kronwall, Brian Rafalski, Jiri Hudler, Valtteri Flippula, and now Ville Leino epitomize what good hockey is supposed to be all about.

Franzen is questionable with an injury for the Wings, and Tomas Holmstrom is not playing.

Sergei Gonchar, Ruslan Fedotenko, and Mike Zigomanis are out for the Pens.

The Pens are starting to turn things around, but this is a huge test in the midst of a pivotal stretch of games that will go a long way in determing the Pens' playoff fate.

Marc-Andre Fleury is in net for the Penguins, and diver Chris Osgood likely for the Wings.

Penguins-

Kennedy-Crosby-Dupuis
Cooke-Malkin-Sykora
Caputi-Staal-Satan
Godard-Talbot-Thomas

Orpik-Whitney
Eaton-Letang
Gill-Scuderi

Fleury

Red Wings-

Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Cleary
Franzen-Flippula-Hossa
Hudler-Helm-Samuelsson
Kopecky-Draper-Maltby

Lidstrom-Rafalski
Kronwall-Lilja
Lebda-Chelios

Ogsood

GO PENS!