Marian Hossa rapidly climbing the all-time goals list

ST. LOUIS — Marian Hossa isn’t the hockey historian that Patrick Kane is. Kane is a walking hockey encyclopedia, a student of the game who’s able to spit out stats and recall events both historic and obscure off the top of his head.

For Hossa, the only goal that counts is the next goal.

So the Blackhawks’ venerable veteran never knows when he’s catching up to some legend on the goal-scoring list. He doesn’t find out until a reporter tells him, or until he reads it in the paper, or until he gets a text from Jeremy Roenick congratulating him on passing him by.

“That was nice,” Hossa said. “It was pretty funny, too.”

But even Hossa is starting to marvel at the names he’s passing during this remarkable renaissance season. With 16 goals through 31 games this season, Hossa has passed four Hall of Famers — Lanny McDonald, Joe Mullen, Jean Beliveau, and Gilbert Perreault — as well as Peter Bondra and Roenick. His goal in Brooklyn on Thursday night tied him with Pierre Turgeon for 37th place with 515 goals. Another Hall of Famer, Dale Hawerchuk, is next at 518.

If Hossa keeps up this incredible pace, he’ll score 41 goals this season. So look out Pat Verbeek, Bryan Trottier, Frank Mahovlich, Keith Tkachuck, and maybe even Stan Mikita (541) and Maurice “Rocket” Richard (544).

Last season, Hossa’s climb to No. 500 was excruciating. This season, his climb up the all-time charts has been exhilarating.

“I grew up with these names, watching these guys — big-name guys,” Hossa said. “And now you get a chance to tie them up or pass them. I never thought that could be possible. I never dreamed of it. Now here we are. It’s an awesome accomplishment. But at the end of the day, you try to focus on your game.”

His game remains one of the best in the league, at both ends of the rink. Blues coach Ken Hitchcock’s coaching career predates Hossa’s playing career by just two seasons, and he’s watched the big Slovak go from an offensive wizard to a two-way monster. And while the conventional wisdom last season was that age was catching up to Hossa, Hitchcock knew he was still a top player.

“I’m not surprised at all,” Hitchcock said. “I coached against him when he was like [Peter] Forsberg. When he could literally just go around the rink with the puck and nobody could check him. So when he was in Ottawa, he was completely dominant. Now, he’s smart-dominant. This is a perfect example of the professionalism of a player, because he has such a good mind for the game, and sense of timing, that I think until the day he hangs it up — which I hope is tomorrow or today — he’s just going to be a good player all the way. I don’t think there’s going to be a drop-off at all.”

Hitchcock said the most impressive thing is that, as he has aged, Hossa has managed to keep up in a league that has gotten faster and faster every season. Hossa said it’s a combination of “good genes” and “hard work.”

“I’m still going to play the same game, the way I played last year,” Hossa said. “I feel more recharged, and every game I feel more confident. But I try not to be just a goal-scorer. I just try to play both ways, and even if I don’t score in a bunch of games, I try to make some plays for the team.”

Yeah, but they don’t keep stats for crafty stick-lifts and sneaky backchecks and all the other little things Hossa does so well. But they do count goals. And with each legendary name Hossa passes on the all-time list, he takes one step closer to joining so many of them in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

“I don’t check it much, those big stats,” he said. “But when your name is a by a really good name, that definitely means something.”

Email: mlazerus@suntimes.com

Twitter: @marklazerus