Lidstrom, Byfuglien among stars to suit up in Hossa's 'goodbye game'
A deep group of superstars took the ice in Slovakia on Friday as a farewell to Marian Hossa, whose career ended suddenly following the 2016-17 season due to a rare skin condition.
The roster features prominent Slovakian compatriots and some of the biggest names Hossa played with throughout a 19-year NHL career that included stints with the Ottawa Senators, Atlanta Thrashers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Detroit Red Wings, and Chicago Blackhawks.
Good bye game for Marian Hossa will be played in Trencin,Slovakia tonight. What a impressive lineup..! I have heard that 41 Stanley cup rings could be on the ice..great! pic.twitter.com/RTMBQM4DuQ
- Miroslav atan (@miro81s) August 18, 2023
Hossa's career ended at 38 years old with three seasons remaining on the 12-year, $63-million megadeal he signed with Chicago in 2009. The Blackhawks traded Hossa to the Arizona Coyotes in 2018 for salary-cap purposes, but he never played a game with the franchise.
He received a hero's ovation from a sold-out crowd when he took the ice.
What an ovation for Marian Hossa at his Goodbye Game in Slovakia today!
- Ottawa Senators (@Senators) August 18, 2023
(: IG/doxxbet.sk) pic.twitter.com/RJIGYQojWO
The Senators drafted Hossa 12th overall in 1997, and he accumulated 1,134 points over 1,309 career games. Hossa won three Stanley Cups with the Blackhawks and the organization retired his number this past season. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as part of the 2020 class.
Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.