A progressive skin disorder ended the former forward's hockey career after the 2016-17 season. He won the Stanley Cup three times (2010, 2013 and 2015) and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November.
"The Blackhawks and city of Chicago hold a special place in my heart," Hossa said. "Making the commitment to this organization in 2009 was the best decision I ever made.
"For all the memories my teammates and I made together, including three Stanley Cup wins, my family created just as many off the ice. The fans embraced us as one of their own, treating us so kindly wherever we went. Retiring as a Blackhawk is a dream come true and I couldn't imagine officially ending my career in any other way. I would like to thank the Wirtz family for making this a reality and for all they have done for me since I signed with the team."
The 43-year-old had 1,134 points (525 goals, 609 assists) in 1,309 games for the Ottawa Senators, Atlanta Thrashers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Detroit Red Wings and Blackhawks, including 415 points (186 goals, 229 assists) in 534 regular-season games for Chicago. He scored at least 30 goals in a season eight times and at least 40 three times.
"It's consistency, right?" Arizona Coyotes forward Andrew Ladd said Nov. 15. Ladd won the Cup with Hossa in 2010 and was his Blackhawks teammate again in 2016.
"He was such a consistent player for so many years; you'd have to be to put up the numbers that he has. It's easy to look at a guy's numbers and say, 'You put up offensive numbers as a Hall of Famer.' But to be able to have the impact defensively and offensively and do that for as many years as he did, it's something."
Hossa played the final eight of his 19 NHL seasons for the Blackhawks after signing a 12-year contract July 1, 2009. He entered the Hockey Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2020 with Jarome Iginla, Kevin Lowe, Doug Wilson and Kim St-Pierre.
"To me, the greatest free agent signing in Chicago sports history, Marian was the franchise's missing piece," Blackhawks chief executive officer Danny Wirtz said. "Both on and off the ice, he made an indelible mark on his teammates and our organization. My family is forever grateful for the contributions Marian made to the Blackhawks. His humble demeanor and vaunted work ethic was everything we could have asked for and more in a superstar when we signed him in 2009. We feel that it's only fitting that Marian retire as a Blackhawk as he starts a new chapter in his life."
Hossa had 149 points (52 goals, 97 assists) in 205 Stanley Cup Playoff games, playing in the Stanley Cup Final five times including with the Penguins in 2008 and Red Wings in 2009. He is the only player to skate in the Final in three straight seasons with three teams.
Marian Hossa Legacy Night, initially scheduled for Nov. 9, was postponed and has yet to be rescheduled. The decision was announced Nov. 8, six days after the Blackhawks were fined $2 million and Stan Bowman stepped down as president of hockey operations and general manager following an independent investigation of former forward Kyle Beach's allegations of sexual assault by then-video coach Brad Aldrich in 2010.
