The NHL is studying the 12-year, $62.8 million deal right winger Marian Hossa signed with the Chicago Blackhawks. The Ottawa Sun reported late Thursday that the league is trying to determine if the deal Hossa signed on July 1 circumvents the collective bargaining agreement and salary cap. The National Hockey League wants to know whether if Chicago discussed the possibility that Hossa, 30, would retire before the contract expires, which would end the salary cap hit, The Chicago Tribune said. The deal would pay him $5.23 million each year with a corresponding cap hit. The NHL is looking to put a damper on these 10-plus-year contracts with throwaway years tacked on at the end, an NHL executive told the newspaper.

Detroit's Marian Hossa and Henrik Zetterberg each scored twice and the Red Wings ripped Chicago 6-1 Sunday for a 3-1 lead in their playoff series. The defending Stanley Cup champion Wings are a win away from returning to the cup series.

Johan Franzen and Marian Hossa scored two goals each Thursday and the Detroit Red Wings evened their conference semifinal series with a 6-3 win over Anaheim. The defending Stanley Cup champion Red Wings ended a two-game losing streak and bounced back from a controversial setback Tuesday to tie the series at 2-2.

Johan Franzen scored with 47 seconds left in the third period Thursday, sending Detroit into the second round of the playoffs with a 6-5 win over Columbus. The Red Wings recorded a four-game sweep of the Blue Jackets, who were making the first playoff appearance in franchise history. Columbus battled to stay alive in the chase for the Stanley Cup by rallying from a 5-3 deficit with a pair of goals late in the second period.

Detroit Red Wings right wing Marian Hossa hopes to return to action in time for the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Detroit News reported Friday. The report said Hossa underwent an MRI Friday for a groin injury suffered in Thursday's 4-3 shootout loss to the Nashville Predators and the exam revealed no torn muscle.