Ehh... we were MORE respected than we are now, sure, but let's not forget context:
1) Hasek was 40 years old when he signed with us.
2) he was coming off a major groin surgery, and there was a lot of doubt both about how a 40 year old body would respond to that surgery, as well as how lingering effects might affect his unique style (hmm... I wonder how that worked out...)
3) we were the only cup contender who offered him an opportunity to start. All other contenders at the time already had a starting goalie. He was chasing a cup. We were the only game in town if Hasek wanted to chase one more cup.
4) we didn't pay him the league minimum, we paid him $2 mil with a $4mil bonus if we won the cup that year, plus we held a $2.5 (ish)mil option on a 2nd year... but if we won the Cup the previous year, it became a mandatory $7mil option that Hasek could hold us to. Both parties agreed that we were Cup-or-Bust that year, and the contract reflected it.
So... I mean, yay Hasek? But also: context matters.
Also Ottawa would have a Cup by now if they had taken up Hasek's offer to play for 500k in 2006-07 instead of being sulky and petty about the Olympics injury
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