Marian Hossa will sign a one-day contract during a Thursday ceremony at United Center to retire as a member of the Blackhawks.
“The Blackhawks and city of Chicago hold a special place in my heart,” the 43-year-old Hossa said in a statement. “Making the commitment to this organization in 2009 was the best decision I ever made. 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.”
OFFICIAL: Hossa will sign a one-day contract and officially retire as a Blackhawk this Thursday! ✍️ pic.twitter.com/SDLB6wQr8m
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) April 5, 2022
Hossa has not played since the 2016-17 season after a skin condition forced him to step away from the game. His played his last eight seasons in Chicago but was technically still a member of the Coyotes through the end of 2020-21 following a 2018 trade where his contract was part of the deal. He was most recently part of the team’s general manager search committee that ended with interim GM Kyle Davidson taking on the full-time role.
Hossa ended his NHL career with 525 goals, 1,134 points, three Stanley Cup titles, a Memorial Cup championship, and the reputation as one of hockey’s best two-way forwards. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2020 after a 19-year career with the Blackhawks, Senators, Thrashers, Penguins, and Red Wings.
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Sean Leahy is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @Sean_Leahy.