Six years ago, Marian Hossa was just starting his career with the Chicago Blackhawks. He was an in-his-prime superstar joining a hungry team on the rise. He was trying to prove that he could be a champion after falling short many times. So when you hear the legendary 36-year-old winger talk about playing as long as 43-year-old Jaromir Jagr, it's worth considering how much can happen in six years.
Hossa's been around hockey as long as many fans can remember, and like Jagr, he's become one of the sport's active-playing elders. Few players in the NHL maintain their effectiveness well into their 30s, and as Hossa begins a 2015-16 season that will see him turn 37 in January, he's already among the oldest players still making an impact on the ice.