Written by Cody Benjamin at CBS Sports.com
At 38 years old, Marian Hossa figured to be nearing the end of a long NHL career, even if his lucrative 12-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks lasts into the 2020s.
No one, however, could have predicted that he might hang up the cleats due to an allergic reaction to hockey equipment.
That’s precisely what could happen to Hossa if a report from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman holds true.
The longtime Blackhawk and ex-Senators, Thrashers, Penguins and Red Wings forward, per Friedman, is likely to send Hossa into either retirement or long-term injured reserve.
According to several sources, there is a legitimate possibility Hossa has played his final NHL game. (He could not be reached for comment. Neither could his agent, Ritch Winter. The Blackhawks declined to comment.) Apparently, he suffers from a serious allergic reaction to the equipment he wears.
The sources who confirmed the allergy stressed not to make fun of it, with one saying, “It’s only funny to anyone who’s never had it.” Details are sketchy, because no one would give full information, but the medication necessary to combat the allergy is potent enough that doctors wanted his blood tested every few weeks to make sure there were no major side effects.
That’s very serious stuff, and word is doctors worried about Hossa taking the medicine for extended periods of time.
It’s a sensitive deal if, in fact, Hossa suffers from the allergic reaction. But it’s no doubt a curious one, too, seeing as though the former Stanley Cup champion has already been in the league for two decades and would hit Chicago hard financially if he were to step away from the game.
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