RICHMOND, Va. -- The annual early-July opening of NHL free agency is always an exciting time, seldom more so than it was back in 2008, when the Penguins seemed primed to follow up a loss in the Stanley Cup Final by keeping the band together and signing Marian Hossa to a nice long contract, all but ensuring a thrilling season and another long playoff run.
I still recall the absolute shock of Hossa instead making the mercenary move, and signing with the Red Wings instead, with whom he assumed he'd have an easier path to a championship. As a fan, there are few players I've loathed more in the moment.
Still, that second Stanley Cup run did happen, despite Hossa playing on the oppnents' top line, and ended in spectacularly satisfying fashion for your Pittsburgh Penguins. It was a thrill to see him on the losing end of that handshake line, I have to admit... but once it was over, for me at least, most of the acrimony just kinda melted away. Man, sports are weird, aren't they?
ROB ULLMAN / DKPS
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