ESPN

It seems that we can't go one game without a scary, controversial hit in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Marian Hossa was the recipient of one such hit from Marian Hossa on Tuesday night -- a hit so painful that it sent him to the hospital, although he was released Wednesday. Hitting has been a part of hockey for ages, but with the recent spate of crushing hits in high-profile games, might there be a change in the sport's future?

What do you make of Raffi Torres' hit on Marian Hossa in Tuesday night's game?

•  
  26%
  Clean
•  
  74%
  Dirty

(Total votes: 132,436)

What do you make of the level of hitting in the NHL playoffs this year?

•  
  66%
  Improves the game
•  
  34%
  Detracts from the game

(Total votes: 51,161)

What's your take on the NHL's approach to player safety?

•  
  13%
  Overly sufficient
•  
  50%
  Sufficient
•  
  37%
  Insufficient

(Total votes: 10,524)

• Rankings: Who are the most successful European imports in sports?

Ricky Rubio is just one of many. No, not potential point guards for the Timberwolves, although that's also true, come to think of it. Rubio, whenever he gets to the United States on a full-time basis, will be just one of many European athletes starring in North American professional sports leagues.

Everywhere you look, there's a guy with good taste in food, a certain worldly "je ne sais quoi" and jeans that are just a little too tight. Heck, Kobe Bryant makes more sense in Italian these days than Delonte West does in English most of the time.

Where once there was the occasional Swede on skates, there are now Europeans everywhere you look (not applicable to residents of Arkansas). Well, almost everywhere. Scotland's Lawrence Tynes isn't exactly leading an EU assault on the NFL.

• Voters think Russia's KHL unlikely to rival NHL even it expands to Central Europe.
• 'Nation believes young American soccer prospects are better off in Europe.
• Only 11 percent of voters like idea of Super Bowl in London.

“

This was such an incredibly stupid draft pick by Minnesota, just horrific. Did they not do their homework at all? This kid is locked into Europe for two more years, because of that buyout. Moreover, the adjustment period of going from Spanish ball to the NBA will probably take another three years. So this horrible team that cannot sell tickets, drafts a guy that will not really pay off at all (if he even does) for five years. Stupid organization!

” -- TorreroX

“

Rubio should take a lesson from American athletes. He should go play for Joventut, complain about a nagging injury, put out an embarrassing Youtube video, become a locker-room cancer, and generally become a pain in the ####. Next thing you know they be paying him to leave!

” -- karltkoch

How big a move did the Blackhawks make in signing Marian Hossa? If Chicago lands the 2016 Olympics, Hossa will still have five more seasons to play for the team when the closing ceremonies wrap up in the Windy City.

After serving as a high-profile rental the last two seasons for the Penguins and Red Wings, Hossa is the proud, and wealthy, owner of a 12-year deal with a team on the rise. He's also the biggest impact player to change teams so far this summer, according to SportsNation voters.

But Hossa's deal was only one move on a busy day that also saw Marian Gaborik go to the Rangers, Nikolai Khabibulin go to the Oilers and Dany Heatley not go anywhere, despite the Senators working out a trade as he requested. No wonder SportsNation isn't sure it would want one of the game's most talented players.

• Cast your vote on some of the NHL open market's biggest questions.

“

No need to hate on Hossa. He left the Pens for a cup. Didn't work out for him. Now he's left for security and a steady pay check. Lets not beat the guy up too bad.

” -- GoWings2008

“

Rangers shed themselves of one bloated contract, only to replace it with a bigger one. Gaborik has serious skills, no doubt, but his injury history would keep me from throwing that kind of money at him for 5 years. Typical Sather move, though.

” -- rog247

“

Not quite sure what Edmonton is thinking not offering Roloson more than one year, and signing Khabibulan. Fans thinking he's going to be some kind of savior for the Oilers is kind of making me chuckle a bit. It doesn't help Edmonton. They have other glaring issues. Goaltending wasn't the problem.

” -- kk1244

“

I'll say it again: Heatley deserves no slack. If a player requests a trade, he should automatically HAVE to waive any no-trade clause in his contract. The fact that Heatley can string up his team for a $4 million signing bonus and still get his way is ludicrous. But if Murray doesn't trade him, Heatley will just turn his petulant child act on the ice. A lose-lose situation for the Senators, and Heatley comes out of it grinning like a Cheshire cat.

” -- jenniejenniewho

The NHL offseason lasts about as long as it takes the teams that played for the Stanley Cup to get home and do their laundry for training camp (although after eight months of hockey, it takes a few rinses), so we've got to move quickly. Free agency, Hall of Fame, NHL draft; let's show some hustle here, people.

The new Hockey Hall of Fame class includes Steve Yzerman, Luc Robitaille, Brian Leetch and Brett Hull. It doesn't include Alexander Mogilny or Dave Andreychuk.

Early results suggest SportsNation thinks Andreychuk will eventually find his way to Toronto, as will Mogilny, the high-scoring Russian who rocked on the NHL '94 on Sega.

Meanwhile, teams will soon be able to lure future Hall of Famers -- or Scott Gomez and Chris Drury, if you're the Rangers -- when free agency gets underway July 1.

• Are two Sedins better than one? Rank the best free agents.

It's been 25 years since a team that lost in the Finals the year before managed to win the Stanley Cup the next year. That makes it even more impressive that some of you predicted the Penguins would win -- in seven games.

Before the final series began, we asked you who you thought would lift Lord Stanley's Cup. 4everDetroit thought we'd all be wearing ice skates before the Penguins would defeat the Red Wings at home. But some of you brilliantly foresaw a Game 7 victory: sirdidymus01, Chucksracing, Fred Rice, Hcokeydude, John-Flores, Beldar1718, Bqthaman, Sportsperson107, fastwillie1212, Lone_wolf2006, Garwin7, Dragonswizdom, Aries.1994 and Perdegro.

See their original picks on the CommunityEds blog, where we, ahem, picked the Pens in seven, too.

Hmmm. Maybe if Marian Hossa had asked all of us ...