Chicago Blackhawks Tribute To Marian Hossa

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CHICAGO, IL – MARCH 12: Marian Hossa

Marian Hossa may be stepping out of hockey under suspicious circumstances, but much of that is out of his control. He’s also the kind of player and person that doesn’t come along every day. No matter how it came to be, today we honor Hossa for a long and successful career.

It’s been almost two weeks since the Chicago Blackhawks and Marian Hossa announced he will be sitting out the 2017-18 season due to a progressive skin disorder. As the story has unfolded, it appears Hossa’s career is over. Have you gotten used to this yet? Has the sting gone away at all? Me neither.

As of now, Hossa won’t officially retire; instead he will be placed on long-term injured reserve to start the season. Many object to this situation, saying the Hawks are circumventing the system to avoid recapture penalties against their already strapped cap.

Yeah, well, that’s pretty much what’s happening. I sat here for a while and tried to figure out a way to paint this in a different light, but finally decided against it. After all, it’s pretty hard to hide the obvious. What I can do is give a little perspective to the situation.

When the Hawks signed Hossa to this contract in 2009, they had no intention of having him play through 2021, when he would be 42-years old. It was heavily front-loaded, so Hossa could make most of his money right away. According to Mark Lazerus of the Sun Times, he’s earned almost 95% of his owed salary, even though his 12-year contract runs for four more years.

But these were the kind of things they could do back then. A contract like this one is outdated. After the 2012 lockout, the rules were changed to avoid this exact type of situation (hence the recapture penalties). At the time, the Hawks weren’t the only team doing this. Why wouldn’t they make a deal that fit within the constraints of the time?

And then there’s Hossa himself. He’s 38-years old, getting ready for the grind of yet another season. He has an uncomfortable skin condition he’s been quietly dealing with for the last few years. Doctors now tell him it’s detrimental to his health to carry on.

Here are some words of praise for Hossa from some of the people that are closest to him.

Enough of all this! Let’s move on to giving this man the credit he deserves for such an illustrious career. Here’s what some people close to him had to say.

Head Coach Joel Quenneville: “I tried to put it off, hoping it wouldn’t come to this day. All of a sudden, it’s real. You lose 17 minutes of playing the right way…His minutes were always important minutes.”

General Manager Stan Bowman: “Marian is the most incredible person to be around…he’s the biggest reason the culture around here changed. When he came here, we had a lot of young players. Here we have Marian come in and he handles every situation with the perfect amount of humility and class. He was a great role model.

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When you look at his on-ice performance, I think of his patented move where he would sprint full speed, backcheck and steal the puck. When his production might have been lagging, he would still be playing the right way defensively and still making a contribution to the team game.”

Chicago Blackhawks Captain and teammate Jonathan Toews: “Teammates in the locker room knew he (Hossa) was dealing with issues, that he was considering that [they] weren’t worth it to play through after a while. But what matters most is what he’s proven to his teammates.”

I can’t resist putting in some quotes from Sam Fels of Faxes From Uncle Dale, because he really hits the nail on the head. “Hossa was RAW POWER on ice. Had any Hawks before him, at least in recent memory, simply bowled his way through whatever was in front of him?”

“The countless backchecks where he stole the puck before the other guy ever knew he was there.”

“I’m confident in saying I’ve never seen a Hawk like Hossa. I wonder if we’ll ever see another who after every shift, the only thing you can say is, ‘That’s a grown-ass man, right there.’ Here’s to you, Hoss. It’s been an utter joy. Hope it goes just a little longer.”

This article was written towards the end of the 2016-17 regular season. Oh, the irony of the last statement!

CHICAGO, IL – FEBRUARY 09: Marian Hossa /

Let’s look at some of the highlights from Hossa’s career.

Hossa actually played in three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals with three different teams before finally winning the Cup in 2010 with the Chicago Blackhawks. He went on to win two more Cups with the Hawks, in 2013 and 2015. His best career season was with the Atlanta Thrashers in 2006-07. There he notched 43 goals and 57 assists, for 100 points. His best year with the Chicago Blackhawks was in 2012, when he scored 29 goals and 48 assists, for 77 points.

After not playing all that well in the 2015-16 season, Hossa had a resurgent year this past year. He posted 26 goals and 19 assists (45 points) in 73 games. He has to feel pretty good about that. It’s a positive way to go out.

But let’s talk a little bit about those 205 playoff games. Hossa’s scored 52 goals and 97 assists for 149 points in all his combined postseason time. That’s what I would call a few clutch performances. How about when he came out of the penalty box to win it in overtime in Game 5 against the Nashville Predators in 2010? Here’s video of the goal and the win.

Here’s a perfectly timed steal against the Minnesota Wild in 2013.

And these are only a few of the highlights. For a few more, please enjoy this “Best of Marian Hossa” video below.

In March of this past year, I was fortunate enough to attend a Chicago Blackhawks game in Tampa Bay. We had great seats, and I was able to see the team play up close and personal. I specifically remember what a treat it was to see Hossa dominate on the ice. In hindsight, I’m so glad I had that opportunity. Little did I know I was witnessing history, as none of us will be able to see the real thing again.

Next: A Tribute To Niklas Hjalmarsson

Farewell, Big Hoss! Please know that you are appreciated, respected, and loved by fans, teammates, coaches, media, anyone who was fortunate enough to cross your path during your incredible career. It’s such a shame it has to come to a close. Unfortunately, all good things must end. Thank you for the memories!

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Marian Hossa may be stepping out of hockey under suspicious circumstances, but much of that is out of his control. He’s also the kind of player and person that doesn’t come along every day. No matter how it came to be, today we honor Hossa for a long and successful career.

Here are some words of praise for Hossa from some of the people that are closest to him.

More from Blackhawk Up

Let’s look at some of the highlights from Hossa’s career.

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