Marian Hossa is the Blackhawks' best free agent signing ever

Marian Hossa was the missing piece the Chicago Blackhawks needed to be a championship squad.

The Blackhawks went on to win three Stanley Cups after Hossa signed a free-agent deal on July 1, 2009. It was $62.8 million well spent.

It makes sense that the Hawks' best general manager in franchise history made the team's best free agent signing ever.

Dale Tallon had already amassed an impressive young core of talent. It still needed that special player to put the team over the top.

Enter Hossa.

Hossa was looking for his first Stanley Cup after missing out on winning one in 2008 with the Pittsburgh Penguins and then in 2009 with the Detroit Red Wings.

Thankfully, he chose to stop signing one-year deals with contenders and signed a long-term contract with the Hawks. The 12-year deal did make the Hawks' salary cap situation tight during those runs. It also netted the Hawks three championship banners.

His No. 81 hangs from the United Center rafters after he scored 186 goals and dished out 229 assists in 534 games with the Blackhawks.

Hossa is in the Hall of Fame after scoring 525 career goals in a 19-year career that included stints with Ottawa and Atlanta.

He was already a star, but he became a legend when he signed with Chicago.

It started with his Game 5 overtime winner in the 2010 first-round playoff series against the Nashville Predators. Things were looking bleak when he committed a five-minute major with almost four minutes left in the game and the Hawks down by a goal.

Patrick Kane thankfully tied the game up at four with just 13 seconds remaining in regulation.

Hossa emerged from the penalty box in overtime and scored the game-winner to put the Hawks up 3-2 in the series.

His celebration was iconic. That goal catapulted the Hawks to their first Stanley Cup title in 49 years.

Hossa finally got to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup and did it two more times in 2013 and 2015. The number of championships won after his Windy City arrival is a huge reason he is not only the best free-agent addition in team history, but also in Chicago sports history.