Summer Assignment: Marian Hossa

Season Stats

Games-81

Goals-29

Assists-48

Points-77

+/- +18

Penalty Minutes-20

Power Play Goals-9

Season Review-

2011-2012 Chicago Blackhawks season was the third season Marian Hossa has worn the Indian Head sweater.  Hossa had by far his healthiest season to date with the Blackhawks playing in 81 games.  The previous two seasons Hossa had only played in 65 and 57 games due to injuries.  Hossa is a model of consistency from goals, assists, and +/-.   It was also a milestone year too for Hossa as he collected his 900th point.  There’s nothing Hossa can’t do.. Score, pass, special teams, kill penalties.  He led the Hawks poor power play outfit with 9 power play goals, and he led the Blackhawks in points and assists.  His best attribute by far is that he’s such a strong two-way player which contributed to his +18 this season.  For a player to get to 900 points in a career and to have only one season with a minus rating and a total career +/- of a +163 tells you that he’s great on the fore check and back check. Hossa can change the momentum of a game on one shift by dominating the puck and setting up himself or a teammate for a game changing goal.

There are three big things that most Hawks fans will remember about the 2011-2012 season.

1. Nine game losing streak after the All-Star Game- Even though this was a very successful season for Marian Hossa he got lost along with the entire Hawks team during this stretch. During the 0-9-1 stretch Hossa collected 3 goals (2 in the first of the 9 straight losses) and 1 assist.  A player of Hossa caliber has to raise his game during bad stretches of the season and put a struggling team on his back.  During the losing streak Hossa disappeared instead of led.  One of my biggest  points is that Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane along with Hossa have tons of experience,and that the Hawks don’t need to keep bringing in “veteran presence” guys that don’t fit the system, but Managment can always look back at this stretch of games and say that the PRESENCE will always be needed.

2. Toews out with concussion for last 22 games. The Hawks went 13-5-4 and Hossa was a key reason that the Hawks were able to clinch the #6 seed without their Captain on the ice.  Hossa scored 2 of the game winning goals during the season ending stretch, while collecting 6 goals and 13 assists along the way.  Hossa along with Patrick Sharp, Brent Seabrook, and Duncan Keith could point to this stretch and tell managment that they are the Veteran presence and stop signing the Andrew Brunette’s and Sean O’Donnell’s all they do is make their jobs harder.

3. Sadly when we think about the 2011-2012 season the only really thing that will be remembered is THE HIT Phoenix Coyote Raffi Torres put on Hossa at the beginning of Game 3 of the playoffs.. if for some reason you haven’t scene it here is a link to the Brendan Shanahan suspension video http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=60&id=173753.  This hit ended Hossa season immediatley and he still is feeling huge effects from the hit.  The Hawks tried their best without him to overcome the Coyotes, but instead of having Hossa out their finishing off great scoring chances the Hawks had Brendan Morrison out there burying pucks into Mike Smith’s pads.  The series could have had a different outcome with Hossa scoring ability on the ice instead of a veteran presence guy!!

Contract- Hossa is signed through 2020-2021 with a yearly cap hit of $5,275,000

Future- First Hossa has to recover from the head shot courtesy from Mr. Torres, then he will resume what has been a very consistent and productive career probable anchoring the 2nd line of the Hawks.  Hossa at 33 may be at his peak before a decline due to age starts to set in, so it is huge for management to get the right mix of players on the roster next year to make a serious run for the Cup.  No more old slow veterans!! Make sure every piece fits correctly and solve the power play puzzle, that Hossa was one of only 2 bright spots!!

Grade-A Most consistent player on the ice for 81 games.

Lastly and most importantly…..GET WELL SOON HOSSA!!!!!!!