Marian Hossa won't play next season due to skin disorder
Chicago Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa will not play next season because of a progressive skin disorder, the team announced Wednesday.
Hossa, 38, has been taking medication for the allergy and Hossa says that the medications that he takes won't allow him to compete,
"While I am disappointed that I will not be able to play, I have to consider the severity of my condition and how the treatments have impacted my life both on and off the ice," Hossa said in a statement.
"Because of the dramatic nature of the medications required and their decreasing effectiveness, we strongly support his decision not to play during the 2017-18 season. We feel in the most certain terms this is the appropriate approach for Marian in order to keep him functional and healthy in the short term and throughout his life," Chicago Blackhawks team physician Dr. Michael Terry said.
Hossa signed a 12-year deal worth about $63.3-million in 2009 and has four years remaining on the deal. He is coming off a season in which he scored 26 goals and 45 points.
Hossa has played 1,309 games since entering the league in the 1997-98 season at 19 years old. He has been a member of the Blackhawks for the past eight seasons and won three Stanley Cups. He has also made five NHL All-Star Game appearances.
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