With the NHL in Las Vegas and then heading to Chicago for the Entry Draft, serious news concerning Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa has emerged.
From Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet:
According to several sources, there is a legitimate possibility Hossa has played his final NHL game. (He could not be reached for comment. Neither could his agent, Ritch Winter. The Blackhawks declined to comment.) Apparently, he suffers from a serious allergic reaction to the equipment he wears.
The sources who confirmed the allergy stressed not to make fun of it, with one saying, “It’s only funny to anyone who’s never had it.” Details are sketchy, because no one would give full information, but the medication necessary to combat the allergy is potent enough that doctors wanted his blood tested every few weeks to make sure there were no major side effects.
That’s very serious stuff, and word is doctors worried about Hossa taking the medicine for extended periods of time.
Marian Hossa was hopeful to continue playing with the Blackhawks when he spoke a few weeks ago to @Lewysko https://t.co/PG2mSfotef
— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) June 21, 2017
Hossa is now 38 years old, and has played 1,309 regular season games in the NHL.
Despite pushing close to 40, Hossa has remained a consistent offensive threat for the Blackhawks. Last season, he scored 26 goals and 45 points.
He still has four years remaining on his current 12-year, $63.3 million contract that has an annual cap hit of $5.275 million.