Coach Quenneville shares his concerns regarding Marian Hossa's absence

There's a reason why Hossa is still an invaluable asset that the Blackhawks will miss dearly this season, and nobody knows that better than head coach Joel Quenneville.

At the Blackhawks convention today, Coach Joel Quenneville took questions regarding the unfortunate absence of Marian Hossa after he announced he will likely miss the 2017-18 season for medical reasons.

Quenneville had this to say of Hossa:

"He's a tremendous person, a tremendous competitor, he's smart as can be...his consistency, we say perfectionist... is just the way he is. He's just at that level every single day and for every single game. He's at that elite level and what he's delivered for us has been very special and he'll be missed."

After almost twenty years in the NHL, it's safe to say Hossa has enough experience to make up for any lost spring in his step. The 38-year-old has proven that you don't the fastest player on the ice when you can read the game and get yourself into the right space at the right time.

And even at this late stage in his career, Hossa has a level of consistency that most players can only hope to emulate. He hit the 20-goal mark for the 15th time in 19 seasons, scoring 26 goals and 45 points in 73 games last season.

Just as much as those on-the-ice factors, it's Hossa's locker room presence and dedication will also be sorely missed. There's a reason he can still compete in a league that's getting younger and younger, at the ripe old age of 38. Hossa sets the kind of example a coach wants all of his young players to follow.

Hossa was forced to announce that he will likely miss the upcoming season due to the side effects of medications he's taking to combat a skin disorder. Many are speculating this could force the Slovakian sniper into retirement, but Blackhawks fans are still hoping he can someday return to the ice.