A skin disorder will force Chicago Blackhawks winger Marian Hossa to miss the entire 2017-18 season, the team announced Wednesday.
Hossa, 38, has been privately receiving treatment for a progressive skin disorder and assessing the side effects of the medications involved to treat the disorder. According to Sportsnet, Hossa may have ultimately played his last game.
Hossa, a 19-year veteran, has only missed 46 games over the past six seasons.
“Due to the severe side effects associated with those medications, playing hockey is not possible for me during the upcoming 2017-18 season,” Hossa said in a statement. “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."
The Blackhawks’ team physician, Dr. Michael Terry, said Hossa’s skin disorder was becoming “more and more difficult to treat and control with conventional medications while he plays hockey.”
“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,” Terry said in a statement. “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.”
Hossa, who scored 26 goals and 45 points last season, has led the Blackhawks to three Stanley Cup titles.
He has four years left on a 12-year, $63.3 million deal signed in 2009. It carries a $5.275 million cap hit, though the deal is frontloaded so he is only earning $1 million in each of the four years. Hossa will likely go on long-term injured reserve, freeing the Blackhawks from that cap hit.
“This is extremely difficult for us because we all know the incredible person and player that Marian Hossa is - competitive, loyal and humble,” Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman said in a statement. “His teammates and coaches know he battled through some very tough physical difficulties but never complained or missed games despite the challenges he faced. The organization will continue to provide him every resource he needs to maintain his health.”
