NEWSLETTER
I had the chance to speak with Marian Hossa on Wednesday before his jersey is retired by the Blackhawks this weekend. We spoke about a number of topics, but there were some fun questions — some of which were provided by you guys via social media — that we discussed.
Here are some fun, quick questions and answers from my conversation with Hossa.
Best Food City in the NHL — Chicago (he said it quickly and emphatically).
Worst Food City in the NHL — Marian wouldn’t bite (pun intended), saying he found somewhere good to eat in every city. But he doubled down that Chicago is the best in the league.
Toughest Fans as a Road Player — Slovakia. Marian said they were especially tough, but that brought the best out of him.
Funniest Teammate — Andre Roy, who he played with in Ottawa. Roy won a Stanley Cup with the Lightning in 2004.
Best Friends from the NHL — Marian named Zdeno Chara, Marián Gáborík and Pavol Demitra. All four of them were from Trenčín and three of them — Chara, Gáborík and Hossa — live there now.
Hardest Player to Play Against — Zdeno Chara
Toughest Goal to Score On — Martin Brodeur and Dominik Hašek
Would He Consider Coaching — not right now. His dad was a coach, so he knows the commitment needed to do the job and doesn’t see that happening right now; he’s already running a food distribution company in his home town and managing a golf course. “But never say never” he added.
What Are His Goals in Retirement — he mentioned his food distribution company, that has 250 employees and dozens of vehicles, and the golf course. Marian’s also excited to spend more time with his three kids and enjoy everything that parenting brings.
And, finally, this question came in from Twitter:
Marian’s response was that both are a factor. He said the room in Detroit, where he learned a lot about winning, was a veteran group that was very business-focused. They were professionals and got to work when they were at the rink. But the vibe in Chicago was different. He said it was younger, more playful and fun and had more jokes and pranks happening. “It made me feel younger again,” he said. But Marian said both atmospheres led to confidence and winning on the ice, and the winnings grew the confidence and amplified the approaches in both cities.
I’ll have more from my conversation with Hossa in a longer feature later this week. I’m excited to finish reading Marian’s new book, Marián Hossa: My Journey from Trencín to the Hall of Fame, which is available now.
