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Chicago Blackhawks, Marian Hossa Dodge Bullet With Injury

By Sean Fitzgerald
Apr 21, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; Chicago Blackhawks right wing Marian Hossa (81) in action during game five of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the St. Louis Blues at Scottrade Center. The Blackhawks won the game 4-3 in double overtime. Mandatory Credit: Billy Hurst-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 21, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; Chicago Blackhawks right wing Marian Hossa (81) in action during game five of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the St. Louis Blues at Scottrade Center. The Blackhawks won the game 4-3 in double overtime. Mandatory Credit: Billy Hurst-USA TODAY Sports /
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Chicago Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa will be OK despite an injury yesterday

The NHL season hasn’t even started yet, and last night Chicago Blackhawks fans were holding their collective breath. Reports had surfaced following the World Cup of Hockey exhibition game between Team North America and Team Europe that Marian Hossa had been taken to the hospital for X-rays. Hossa did not play in the third period of the game due to an undisclosed injury.

Luckily the injury is not serious

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The Blackhawks dodged a big bullet with Hossa coming out his first exhibition virtually unscathed. His injury that had everyone in a panic about was only a bruised foot.

Let’s hope their luck continues with Hossa and other members of the Blackhawks playing in the World Cup of Hockey.

Blackhawks faithful can let out a sigh of relief for now.

Injury history

With Hossa’s age and his injury history, the report caused some major concerns with the Blackhawks and their fans.

People remember Hossa only appeared in 64 games last season due to a lower-body injury. In his tenure with Chicago, he has been injured three of his seven years since joining in 2009-10. Sixty-four games was the lowest number he’s played with the Blackhawks in a season.

Despite his advanced age and declining play, the team still desperately needs his two-way game, especially his 20-plus-goal potential. Hossa did have a down year last season and only scored 13 NHL goals, but that is 13 more goals than Tyler Motte, or any other unproven youngster, scored at the NHL level.

The ’Hawks still need him to play 60 games because there is no current replacement for him on the roster and many unknowns on offense. The youth movement that is taking place will also put more pressure on veteran players to carry the load if younger players struggle out of the gate.

The Blackhawks also know that coach Joel Quenneville will lean more heavily on guys like Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Hossa this season because of so many younger players on the roster.

Next: Dale Weise Needs To Let It Go

If Hossa’s injury had been more serious, and perhaps leaked into the start of the NHL’s regular season, the Blackhawks would have been put in a tough spot. But it appears that’s not an issue.

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