Gone are the days of blacked-out local games, drafting unheard Russians and slotting in of career AHLers on the 2nd line. There has been a gust of refreshing/successful air sweep throughout the Windy City. The 2013 Stanley Cup Champions are coming off a shortened season and shortened summer with a repeat in mind.
The Chicago Blackhawks have come a long ways since those dark and miserable events of old. Just like the Cyrus’ being household names again, those Achy Breaky Heart days have passed. Keep your clothes on though please, there’s a more important question at hand. Will there be any longevity to this newfound success? It’s refreshing that THAT is a real question Blackhawks fans face with their friends and water cooler foes these days.
I’m here to take you through how the Blackhawks can and will sustain this momentum in the new and improved NHL and go on to win another Stanley Cup. Here is a table of contents for you: Bowman Fever, Salary Cap, Draft Tables, Detroit and Winning Culture.
The Blackhawks didn’t make a lot of friends by telling Dale Tallon where to go. Especially after Dale’s team won them a Stanley Cup in 2010. However, hard feelings were swept under the rug after that beautiful day in Chicago Blackhawks history when Patrick Kane snuck one under Michael Leighton (another forgetful Hawk to dawn the Indianhead) going on to win their first Championship since 1961.
The Hawks faithful trend of short term memory loss continued, unfortunately for Stan Bowman however, as his “rebuild” wasn’t the most successful with 2 first round exits the following years. The good news throughout this time is that Bowman fever has swept Blackhawks nation in full force. With their own Stanley Cup in 2013, Stan, along with Papa Bear, Scotty have been able to restore the faith. Those closely following the Blackhawks will tell you that Stan is merely a puppet in the grand show. There are a lot of cooks in the corporate kitchen that is the Blackhawks front office these days. It doesn’t take a long conversation with a fan of any team to tell you that they don’t care who’s the captain of the ship, just as long as they end up at the promise-land.
The salary cap was a thorn in the Blackhawks side after the 2010 Stanley Cup. Before the cops were called and alcohol free blood was running through the Hawks system, the players found themselves saying good bye to team favourites like Andrew Ladd, Dustin Byfuglien, Kris Versteeg and Antti Niemi. It didn’t seem fair as the Hawks struggled for years and grew their talent from the backyard garden, just to see it stripped before their eyes. The sobering dismantle was needed, but it only made the 2013 win that much more impressive after bleaching the dressing room from that kind of talent. A dismantle of that nature wasn’t even in the conversation this year and Stan has managed the poker chips wisely since the last ultimate victory.
Another off-season event that has been managed well in recent history has been the entry draft. My goal one day is to find myself at an NHL draft table. Well considering my credentials, I’ll be hiding under the table. Reason for this being, I find it so intriguing from round #3 onward. At that point, it’s nothing but a stab in the dark and you’ll only be judged on your “expertise” 3+ years down the road if you’re a scout. The Blackhawks, with the help of Scotty Bowman and Co. have been able to beef up their scouting overseas and in other areas to help find some gems in those later rounds. This added focus has seen them draft impact players like Marcus Kruger (5th round), Andrew Shaw (5th round) and Brandon Saad (2nd round) as well as 2013-14 hopefuls Joakim Nordstrom (3rd round) and Brandon Pirri (2nd round). The Blackhawks have had great success of late and if they continue to stay away from the Mikhail Yakubov’s and Pavel Vorobiev’s then many more Championships should be on the horizon.
The Detroit Red Wings have departed from the Western Conference. This is a win/lose for the Chicago Blackhawks and their fans. The rivalry has been one of the most documented in league history. They will lose out on a great competitor in which they have been able to match themselves against to make this next step. The good news Hawks fans? They have used and abused the Red Wings as that monumental stepping stone to actually making that stride towards supremacy. Plus, the Hawks have stolen the Scotty Bowman factor to help them thwart their kryptonite on an annual basis now. In the end, the Western Conference just got a little easier for the Hawks.
The most important topic has been saved for the grand finale – their winning culture. The days of overpaying free agents and trading for soon-to-be disgruntled players are gone. The Chicago Blackhawks have made homemade meals for “their own”. Look no further than the first hometown discount I have witnessed in years in Niklas Hjalmarsson. Add in a more than content playoff hero in Bryan Bickell, you can expect that trend to continue.
What’s that? You’re sick of listening to how the Hawks will continue this long-term success and you have a fantasy pool in an hour and want to know about this year? Well relax, here’s what I can tell you. The Blackhawks have paid their #1 goalie and brought in some insurance plans in Nikolai Khabibulin and Finnish sensation Antti Raanta if need to be utilized. They have retained their top 7 defenceman that led them to the Cup this past year, as well as adding depth in Mike Kostka and Theo Peckham. Up front they have lost a line’s worth in Dave Bolland, Victor Stalberg and Michal Frolik. The “X” factor is how they replace internally as that appears to be the strategy.
Ben Smith is on a one-way deal and is having a great pre-season, so you can pencil him in. The remainder is up for grabs but it appears that Jimmy Hayes, Jeremy Morin, Brandon Pirri and the dark horse Joakim Nordstrom are staring down jobs on this roster. These players are ready to add to an NHL roster and they all have their own niche. The best part is they will not be slotted in the lineup over their head and should be able to grow through the pains with little impact on overall team success.
The 2013-14 success relies on the continued steadiness of Crawford and the stable defence from last year which you can expect. That alone leads not only this writer but also the fine people in Las Vegas to see the Chicago Blackhawks to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions.
There. I’ve provided you with reasons of why the Blackhawks will repeat as Stanley Cup Champions and potentially, dare I are becoming a dynasty in the making. But hey, that’s why they play the games. Now, get out there, keep your head up and brace yourself for a proper 82 game season of NHL hockey.
CAN THE
CHICAGO
BLACKHAWKS
STAY ON TOP?
BY TYLER CAMERON