A blood pump having a housing including an inlet element. The inlet element has a proximal portion sized to be received within at least a portion of a heart of a patient and defines a major longitudinal axis. A rotor is configured to rotate within the housing about the major longitudinal axis and impel blood from heart. At least one stator is disposed within the housing and positioned within the housing at least one from the group consisting of upstream and downstream from the rotor. During operation of the blood pump the rotor is maintained at an oblique angle with respect to the major longitudinal axis.
