On this day in 2008, the Atlanta Thrashers traded Marian Hossa and Pascal Dupuis to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Colby Armstrong, Erik Christensen, Angelo Esposito and a 2008 1st round pick.
The Thrashers acquired Marian Hossa from the Ottawa Senators in August of 2005 along with Greg de Vries for Dany Heatley. The trade would be described as a shock to Hossa, who had signed a $18 million / 3-year deal with the Senators earlier that day.
In 2005-06, Hossa would set a new career-high with 92 points. In 2006-07, he would set a new high with 100 points (40 goals, 57 assists) to lead the Thrashers. That spring, Hossa would play in the first, and as it turned out only, playoff series in Atlanta Thrashers history.
Things were moving along swimmingly for the Thrashers and Hossa, but as it tends to do, the business of the sport complicated things. Hossa was entering the final season of the 3-year deal he took with him from Ottawa.
During the 2007-08 season, Thrashers’ general manger Don Waddell offered Hossa a $28 million / 4-year deal, but to no avail. Despite being tied for the lead in the weak Southeast Division on February 15th, there was a growing sense that Hossa would be moved prior to the upcoming trade deadline.
Speculation picked up on February 23, when Waddell announced that no contract extension was coming for Hossa: “We’re going to look at all our options at this point, look at what the market will pay.”
The team that came up in Hossa trade rumors the most consistently was the Montreal Canadiens. Igniting the flames of hysteria, red, white and blue gloves sporting the name Hossa were delivered to the Canadiens. As it turned out the gloves were intended for Marian’s brother Marcel, whose New York Rangers were playing in Montreal. Forwards Mikhail Grabovski, Michael Ryder and Maxim Lapierre were among those rumored to be in a potential swap for Hossa.
The clock would tick down to the final minutes before the trade deadline before it was finally announced that Hossa was traded was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins along with Pascal Dupuis for Colby Armstrong, Erik Christensen, Angelo Esposito and a 2008 1st round pick.
Montreal GM Bob Gainey defended his lack of closing on Hossa: “At a point we spoke to Atlanta and they asked for four elements, three who were skating in our game. When you add it up, minus what was leaving, what was staying and in view of our objective to get into the playoffs, we wouldn’t give them what they asked us for. We made them an offer with less elements involved and they made their decision.”
Colby Armstrong would put of 41 goals and 39 assists in 179 games over three seasons with the Thrashers. Erik Christensen would play only 57 games before Atlanta traded him to Anaheim for their 2008 second-round pick Eric O’Dell. Angelo Esposito, the Penguins 20th overall pick in 2007, couldn’t turn a promising junior career into a successful pro career. Esposito had 3 goals and 14 assists in 69 games with Atlanta’s AHL affiliate.
Pascal Dupuis would go on to play in 9 seasons with the Penguins, including winning the Stanley Cup in 2009. He would find his spot on Sidney Crosby’s right wing and play there regularly until his retirement in 2015 due to a medical condition related to blood clots. He would set career-highs with the Penguins in 2011-12 with 25 goals, 34 assists and 59 points.
Marian Hossa would put up 26 points in 20 playoff games, helping propel the young core of the Penguins to the Stanley Cup Final. Hossa’s fate in the Finals would grow to become somewhat famous. He and the Penguins would lose to the Detroit Red Wings in the Final in 2008. That summer, he would turn down a 7-year contract worth about $50 million from the Penguins to sign a 1-year deal with the Red Wings. Hossa and the Red Wings would lose in the 2009 Final to the Penguins. Things would finally take a turn for Hossa, who would sign a long-term deal with the Chicago Blackhawks the following summer. The following season, Hossa would play in his third straight Cup Final, this time winning. Hossa and the Blackhawks would win the Cup in 2013 and 2015 as well.
