NEWSLETTER
It’s been mentioned before, but Marián Hossa might not get enough credit for what he meant to the Blackhawks during his time in Chicago. After playing nearly 800 NHL games and making the Stanley Cup Final in back-to-back seasons, but coming away without lifting the Cup, Hossa came to the Blackhawks on an insane 12-year contract in the summer of 2009. The rest is history, as Hossa would go on to help the Blackhawks win three Stanley Cups. His two-way game and strength with the puck made him one of the most indispensable players on the roster. Then his health took priority over hockey. A debilitating skin condition ended his career after the 2016-17 season and not-so-coincidentally, Chicago has yet to make it back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs (Not counting the expanded 24-team postseason in 2020).
• Hossa goes into the Hockey Hall of Fame tonight with the Class of 2020, after COVID delayed the induction ceremonies. Last night, he received his Hockey Hall of Fame ring and honorary jacket.
Marian Hossa gets his #HHOF Ring and Jacket#Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/dpWY5tGXh6
— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) November 14, 2021
• Hossa and former Blackhawks defenseman Doug Wilson are both headed to the Hall as part of the Class of 2020, which also includes Jarome Iginla, Kevin Lowe, Kim St. Pierre, and Ken Holland.
https://twitter.com/HockeyHallFame/status/1460038897895985156?s=20
• You never stop being a parent, right? This is a cool moment captured here between Marián and his Dad, František.
One proud papa. Marian with his Dad at his Hall of Fame plaque @NHLBlackhawks pic.twitter.com/pggOO33ZR7
— Kelly Masse (@KellyHockeyHall) November 14, 2021
• Hossa played 534 of his 1,309 NHL regular season games with the Blackhawks, the most with one team in his career. Of his 205 career postseason games, 107 were in a Blackhawks sweater and, of course, he was part of three Stanley Cup teams while in Chicago. He played his 1,000th game, scored his 1,000th point, and netted his 500th goal all with the Blackhawks.
• Last night was also the Hockey Hall of Fame Legends Classic, an exhibition game featuring a ton of former NHL players and Hockey Hall of Fame members. Hossa was on the ice for the game last night. It had been four years since he played any sort of hockey. Due to his skin condition, which was (as I understand) an allergic reaction to the materials used in the hockey equipment and made worse by excessive sweat, Hossa had said he hadn’t even put on pads and skated in the four years since his early retirement. But last night, it was clear he had not lost a step.
As if there was any doubt that Marian Hossa still has it…#HHOF #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/fWzF0aPW4r
— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) November 14, 2021
• I said in yesterday’s bullets that I bet that Hossa could still give the Blackhawks a good 18 minutes of ice time per night. I don’t think I was that far off.
https://twitter.com/HockeyHallFame/status/1460019700591697926?s=20
• This picture is just great. A smiling Marián Hossa, back on the ice and dominating. A sight for sore eyes.
• While the Hockey Hall of Fame class of 2020 is honored tonight, a fun exercise by the staff at The Athletic went through who should make the Class of 2021.
https://twitter.com/Real_RobRossi/status/1460255291673616387?s=20
• In which, Steve Larmer gets one singular ballot vote. It’s just not right.
• One player who would probably like to have Hossa back on his wing for 18 minutes a night is Blackhawks Captain Jonathan Toews. We’ve talked about it already, but Toews’ career-long goal drought is still at the front of mind. It’s not for a lack of trying, though…
NHL forwards with most shots on goal without a goal this season (after Joel Armia's goal tonight on his 35th shot):
1. Keegan Kolesar – 33
2. Jonathan Toews – 29
3. Kyle Palmieri – 28
t4. Michael Rasmussen – 24
t4. Corey Perry – 24— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) November 15, 2021
• Everything besides scoring goals has been going well for Toews to begin the season. After missing all of the 2020-21 season, the version of Toews that has hit the ice for all 15 games to begin the season has been just about everything fans could have hoped to see from him. Once the first goal of the year comes, and the monkey can get off his back, I expect Toews to open the floodgates and become a full version of the Jonathan Toews of old.
"It doesn't bother me. But, you know, I'd like to do something about it one of these days here."
Jonathan Toews on his goal-scoring droughtDerek King's thoughts on the captain, plus a dive into some of Toews' other numbers thus far:https://t.co/AupojXJ0DO
— John Dietz (@johndietzdh) November 15, 2021
• Maybe I’m too optimistic, but getting that first goal is probably weighing on him so much so, that even Derek King’s directive to “relax and play loose” is hard for Toews.
• Someone not having trouble scoring this season is Connor McDavid. But you knew that already.
https://twitter.com/BR_OpenIce/status/1460049627416170498?s=20
• With a goal and an assist last night, McDavid surpassed the 600-point mark for his career, doing so in 421 games, the sixth-fastest in league history.
Career point No. 600 for Connor McDavid (@cmcdavid97) — the 6th fastest player in NHL history to hit the mark‼️ pic.twitter.com/PZY64oJjAb
— NHL (@NHL) November 15, 2021
• It took McDavid just 53 games to go from 500 career points to 600. What’s to say he doesn’t go from 600 to 700 this season?
Leon Draisaitl has 55 goals, 74 assists, and 129 points in his last 82 games. #LetsGoOilers
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) November 15, 2021
• He has 27 points in 14 games this season, registering a point in each game so far to begin the year. It can’t be articulated enough how insanely talented he is.
• In Ottawa last night, the Tkachuk brothers get to square-off yet again, but this time was the first meeting since younger brother Brady had been named Captain of the Ottawa Senators.
https://twitter.com/TSN_Sports/status/1460029590856994819?s=20
• Gotta love a sibling rivalry that can play-out on the ice…
Matthew Tkachuk telling us about his chat with Brady at centre ice:
"It was the first time I saw him with the C…But he knows who is captain back home. It's probably my mom actually."
— Hailey Salvian (@hailey_salvian) November 15, 2021
• Who among us, right?
• In Las Vegas last night, former Blackhawks goaltender and Golden Knights net-minder Robin Lehner was on-hand to watch the Raiders and Chiefs. At 6’4″ and 240-pounds, Lehner’s probably more suited for a linebacker, but I’m not going to be the one to tell him he can’t be an offensive lineman.
Offensive lineman ❤️ @Raiders pic.twitter.com/ChNZTlOWLz
— Robin Lehner (@RobinLehner) November 15, 2021
• Too bad the Raiders couldn’t put on a better show with him in attendance.
• That will do it for today. Hope you all enjoy your Monday!
