BLACKHAWKS FREE AGENT PRIZE HOSSA MAY NEED SHOULDER SURGERY

It’s been a rough off season for the Chicago Blackhawks.  First, it was a public dustup over some late paperwork that incurred the wrath of the NHL Players Association and cost GM Dale Tallon his job.  The latest bad break has potentially more severe implications as the team’s prize free agent acquisition Marian Hossa has reportedly injured his shoulder and is considering surgery.

A team spokesman confirmed that Hossa is dealing with a shoulder injury, possibly related to the rotator cuff.  According to the team, he injured the shoulder during the Stanley Cup playoffs while a member of the Detroit Red Wings.  Currently, he’s rehabilitating the injury on his own under the guidance of his personal physician.  While the team was vague about the severity of the injury, they indicated that surgery was an option under consideration though added ‘that’s between him and his doctor’.

Additional reports indicate that the team was aware of Hossa’s injury when they signed the 30 year old forward to a 12 year, $62 million dollar contract.  Ironically, Hossa was prized as a free agent not only due to his skills but his durability—he’s not missed for than 10 games in a season since 1998-99 when he was with the Ottawa Senators.  Hossa scored 40 goals and dished out 31 assists as a member of the Stanley Cup runner up Detroit Red Wings this season.

The Blackhawks were a surprise Western Conference Finalist this season, their first taste of playoff hockey in a number of years.  While the off season started well for the team with the acquisition of Hossa and the signing of center Tomas Kopecky, it has quickly unraveled in the wake of the sacking of GM Tallon.  Tallon was well liked around the league, and the Blackhawks’ move has been met with derision from those within the NHL and the media.
 
Tallon was on hand to announce Hossa’s signing in very optimistic tones:

"To add Marian, an elite and world-class player, and Tomas, a Stanley Cup champion, to our exciting young core reinforces our commitment to try to win the Stanley Cup."

After a one year run in Detroit, Hossa indicated that he was happy to have some long term stability in his professional life:

"Now I don't have to worry about dealing with it year-to-year. I'm set for 12 years. That will make it easier and I can focus on hockey.  I had a great time in Detroit. ... But with today's economy and the salary cap, it's really hard to sign star players. Somebody just couldn't be able to sign and I guess that was me. That was basically a great year. It didn't finish how I would like. Now it is time to move on. I was hoping to sign a long-term deal and Chicago made a great offer."

The Blackhawks indicated that they would update the Hossa injury situation as events unfold, though they provided no timetable for a decision on surgery.  Should Hossa opt for surgery, he would almost certainly miss the start of the NHL season.