Marian Hossa is three seasons removed from his most recent 30-goal season – and his only one with the Chicago Blackhawks, at that.
Now 17 games into this season, Hossa has scored 10 goals already. He’s on pace for 48 goals – something that probably isn’t going to happen, if not because of his abnormally high 23.8 shooting percentage that’s probably to fall at some point, then because setting a new career high at the age of 37 seems somewhat unlikely.
But hey – this hot start is the best he’s ever had with the Blackhawks. Via the Elias Sports Bureau:
He reached double-figures in goals in his 17th game, the fastest he’s done that since the 2008-09 season when he was playing for the Red Wings and scored his 10th goal in his 16th game. Hossa’s hot start this season is a big change from the past two seasons, when it took him 47 games (2014-15) and 51 games (2015-16) to reach the 10-goal mark.
Back in 2008-09, Hossa was a fresh 30 years old who had a 40-goal season.
Forty goals is probably out of the question this year, if we’re being really honest with ourselves. When Hossa has over 300 shots in a season, the lowest he’s scored in 39; he’s currently on pace for 200 this year.
But by getting out to such a good start, he has made it all the more likelier he hits 30 once again. And even as his shooting percentage inevitably drops off, it’s not too difficult to see Hossa scoring another 20 goals over the course of the remaining 64 games this season, is it?
In the meantime, each and every single one of Hossa’s goals are appreciated – especially when they’re winning games. (As a matter of fact, the Hawks have only lost one game in which Hossa has scored this season, and it was in overtime – so yeah, Hossa continuing to score is the best.)