Marian Hossa

Marian Hossa is a Slovakian winger on the Chicago Blackhawks.

Hossa was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in 1997. He was a runner up for the Calder Trophy in 1998-99 with 30 points in 60 games. Over the next five seasons in Ottawa, Hossa continued to improve, setting a career high with 45 goals in 2002-03. After being traded to Atlanta in 2005, he scored 92 points in 2006, and then became the first Atlanta Thrasher to score 100 points in 2006-07.

In 2008 he was traded to Pittsburgh at the trade deadline, along with Pascal Dupuis. Hossa skated with Dupuis and superstar Sidney Crosby on Pittsburgh’s first line. Hossa had 12 goals and 14 assists, including some huge goals for Pittsburgh along the way. He scored the overtime winner to knock the New York Rangers out in the 2nd round. After the Penguins lost the Stanley Cup Finals to Detroit, Hossa signed with the Red Wings in the 2008 offseason. His reasons for signing with Detroit were that he felt that he had the best chance to win a Cup with the Red Wings. In October of 2009, he scored the 300th goal of his career. Hossa repeatedly expressed interest in signing a long-term deal with Detroit throughout the season, as he put together a very solid season. He finished the season with 40 goals and 71 points, as well as 6 goals and 15 points in 22 playoff games. However, Detroit ended up losing in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals to the Pittsburgh Penguins, the team that Hossa had spurned in favor of Detroit in the 2008 offseason. Shortly after the free agent signing period opened on July 1, 2009, Hossa signed a 12 year deal with the Chicago Blackhawks worth over $62 million.

Hossa has played for Slovakia at the World Hockey Championships 7 times, and played in the 2002 and 2006 Olympics. He has 56 career points in international play.