The Blackhawks announced in April that Marian Hossa's number will be retired at some point during the 2022-23 season. On Wednesday, the team officially finalized a date.
Circle your calendars, Chicago: Sunday, Nov. 20 vs. the Pittsburgh Penguins is when Hossa's No. 81 will be raised to the United Center rafters and hang there forever.
A fitting opponent, given Hossa had a brief stint with the Eastern Conference champion Penguins in 2007-08, which means former teammates like Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin will be in attendance for the ceremony. (A fun secondary storyline: Malking could also be playing in his 1,000th career NHL game that night).
Hossa is the first player in franchise history to wear the No. 81, and he will also be the last. He is set to become the eighth player in franchise history to have his number retired, joining Glenn Hall (No. 1), Keith Magnuson (No. 3), Pierre Pilote (No. 3), Bobby Hull (No. 9), Denis Savard (No. 18), Stan Mikita (No. 21) and Tony Esposito (No. 35).
Hossa spent eight of his 19 NHL seasons in Chicago, where he racked up 415 points (186 goals, 229 assists) in 534 regular-season games and added 73 points (21 goals, 52 assists) in 107 playoff contests. He helped the Blackhawks win three Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013 and 2015, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November 2021.
Single-game tickets go on sale Wednesday at 2 p.m. Here's the link: Blackhawks.com/tickets.
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