Doug Wilson, Marian Hossa Officially Become Hockey Hall-Of-Famers After Delay Due To COVID-19
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Two Blackhawks legends had to wait a year because of COVID-19, but eight-time All-Star defenseman and 1982 Norris Trophy winner Doug Wilson and three-time Stanley Cup champion Marian Hossa are now officially Hockey Hall-of-Famers.
Hossa was one of the best two-way players of his generation.
"I'm grateful to the game I love for everything it has given me; the losses that taught me more than the wins; the players and the coaches who contributed so much to my success. To my family, who provided the support I needed to get here, because you don't get a place like Hockey Hall of Fame at all."
Hossa and Wilson were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in June 2020, but the ceremony didn't go ahead until Monday because of the pandemic.
While Hossa was voted into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, it was a 24-year wait for Wilson, a fan favorite during his long Blackhawks career.
Hossa played 19 seasons in the NHL, his last eight with the Blackhawks, helping lead them to Stanley Cup championships in 2010, 2013, and 2015. He is the only player in NHL history to play in three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals with three different teams -- the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2008, the Detroit Red Wings in 2009 and the Blackhawks in 2010, when he won for the first time.
Drafted by the Senators in 1997, Hossa was a five-time NHL All-Star, and finished his career with 525 goals and 609 assists in 1,309 regular-season games. He also had 52 goals and 97 assists in 205 playoff games.
His career came to an abrupt end after the 2016-17 season, after the team announced he would no longer be able to play, due to a progressive skin condition.
Wilson, now general manager of the San Jose Sharks, played the first 14 of his 16 seasons for Chicago. A three-time All-Star, Wilson was named the league's top defenseman in 1982, when he was awarded the Norris Trophy after netting a staggering 39 goals and 46 assists from the blue line.
In 1,024 games, he amassed 237 goals and 590 assists. His 827 career points is 15th best all-time for NHL defensemen. His 225 goals and 779 assists with the Blackhawks are both franchise records for defensemen.
He helped take the Blackhawks to five Conference Finals during his career, but never made it to the Stanley Cup Finals.
The Hall of Fame board decided not to vote in a class of 2021.
