Hossa, 29, is believed to be seeking a deal for five years or more. He expects to command no less than $8 million in annual salary on the open market. However, he said after the Stanley Cup final that he would "take less to play on a good team."

The Penguins, a Cup finalist, plan to test that claim. Their offer is likely to be worth nearly $50 million over seven years — a marginal raise on his 2007-08 salary of $7 million.

— Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

As great a postseason as Hossa had, I think it's downright insane to sign him to a $50-million contract.

I've gone into the Penguins' cap crunch previously, but essentially what it comes down to, with Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Hossa and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury under contract, is roughly $30-million in salary dedicated to those four players.

Throw in Sergei Gonchar's $5-million cap hit, Ryan Whitney's $4-million and a new contract for Jordan Staal, and what remains?

About $15-million to sign another 15 players in an era where the average player earns roughly $2-million?

After an incredible playoff run, the question in Pittsburgh is who stays and who goes, and putting as much as 13 per cent of the team's salary in Hossa is a huge commitment.

Is signing him until age 36 the right move with so much burgeoning talent on the roster?
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