Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Marian Hossa will sign a one-day contract with the Chicago Blackhawks and officially retire as a member of the organization.
Hossa, 43, will sign his name on the dotted line in the United Center Atrium on Thursday prior to the Blackhawks’ game against the visiting Seattle Kraken.
A first ballot Hall of Fame inductee in 2020, Hossa was part of three Stanley Cup-winning teams in Chicago (2010, 2013, 2015).
“The Blackhawks and city of Chicago hold a special place in my heart. Making the commitment to this organization in 2009 was the best decision I ever made,” Hossa said. “For all the memories my teammates and I made together, including three Stanley Cup wins, my family created just as many off the ice. The fans embraced us as one of their own, treating us so kindly wherever we went. Retiring as a Blackhawk is a dream come true and I couldn’t imagine officially ending my career in any other way. I would like to thank the Wirtz family for making this a reality and for all they have done for me since I signed with the team.”
Hossa appeared in his 1,000th NHL game with the Blackhawks on March 12, 2013. He recorded his 1,000th point in the league versus the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 30, 2014.
“To me, the greatest free agent signing in Chicago sports history, Marian was the franchise’s missing piece,” Blackhawks chief executive officer Danny Wirtz said. “Both on, and off the ice, he made an indelible mark on his teammates and our organization. My family is forever grateful for the contributions Marian made to the Blackhawks. His humble demeanor and vaunted work ethic was everything we could have asked for and more in a superstar when we signed him in 2009. We feel that it’s only fitting that Marian retire as a Blackhawk as he starts a new chapter in his life.”
Hossa recorded 1,134 points (525 goals, 609 assists) during a career that also featured stints with the Senators, Atlanta Thrashers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings.
–Field Level Media