The Blackhawks can finally move forward with their plans.

The NHL has informed the Blackhawks they’re allowed to place Marian Hossa on long-term injured reserve this season. The NHL had used an independent physician to verify Hossa’s progressive skin disorder.

“We informed the Blackhawks last night that we had received the medical report from the neutral specialist selected to examine Marian Hossa pursuant to applicable provisions of the NHL/NHLPA CBA, and that the report confirmed the diagnosis of the Chicago team physician that Mr. Hossa is currently unfit to play,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly wrote in an email on Tuesday. “As a result, the Long-Term Injury/Illness Exception is available for use by the team in connection with Mr. Hossa’s condition.”

Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said the organization planned to place Hossa on long-term injured reserve on Wednesday.

The Blackhawks and Hossa had announced his condition and that he would be sitting out this season in June, but the Blackhawks still needed the league to sign off on being permitted to place Hossa on long-term injured reserve. It’s common practice for the league to conduct a review of such medical cases, but there was additional scrutiny because of Hossa being 38 years old and having four years remaining on his contract.

With the NHL’s decision finalized, the Blackhawks are expected to build a season-opening roster close to the cap ceiling – the Blackhawks can go up to $75.650 million after putting Michal Rozsival on long-term injured reserve on Monday – and then place Hossa on long-term injured reserve. By doing so, the Blackhawks will be able to utilize Hossa’s $5.275 cap hit throughout the season.

CapFriendly.com laid out the Blackhawks’ likely plan.

With news out that Hossa is eligible for LTIR, here’s our assumption as to what the #Blackhawks might do in order to maximize the cap space. pic.twitter.com/EPP1y0BRrR — CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) October 3, 2017

(Top photo: Sergei Belski/USA TODAY Sports)