{I am a sports fanatic} We Blackhawks fans had to wait 39 years, before our guys could hoist Lord Stanley high above the ice (2010). I was living in Dubai, and it was an Australian friend who said, "Hey Ronnie, congratulations on your Stanley Cup!" "It was a boyhood thrill," I smiled at Lance. ~Ron Villejo | For the Love of Hockey (November 12th 2012)
Like many fans, I used to collect local newspapers, loose articles, and Sports Illustrated, following a championship run: from football and basketball, to cycling and hockey. I'd buy multiple copies of the issue for their front page.
Ah, those were the golden days. Now, virtually everything-sports I collect are of the electronic format: videos, photos, box scores and links. These are my keepsakes. These are my mementos.
So the following are screenshots from the home page of major sports sites I frequent, in the first two hours after that thrilling Game 6 victory for the Hawks.
NHL Network
ESPN
CNN Sports Illustrated
Comcast Sports Net Chicago
WGN TV
Chicago Sun Times
The following are home pages from the ensuing days, after the championship game.
8 more wins & we SURE AS HELL WILL BE BABY, YES INDEED!!!
Awesome, Keith.
u bet your azz I'm ready 4 it!!! 9 down, 7 left 2 go!!!
lol ... that's right, man! Still a long, grind-it-out series ahead with the Kings, but I think the Hawks learned their lesson after taking Game 1 against the Wings: Have to stay focused, play smart, and don't take anything for granted. June 1st 2013
Blackhawks beat the Kings!! 2-1.
Blackhawks lead the series 1-0.
Before the Wings series, I hoped it wouldn't go 7, either. But after the Hawks were in that 3 - 1 hole, we had no choice but push for a Game 7. Come on, Hawks, let's finish the Kings in 5 or 6 games!
OK, boys, Game 1 lovefest is over and done with. No more flub goals, let the Kings earn their goals! Draw on your lessons learned after the Game 1 win against the Wings: Don't take anything for granted. Game 2, on!
First, the Hawks chase away the awesomest goalie (ev.er).
Then, the Bruins chase away Vokoun, and render the most potent offense in hockey literally impotent ... anyone have any Viagra for the boys in Steel City?
I'm like, what's going on here?
The Hawks gifted the Kings with a goal in Game 1, and still beat them. They beat them again, playing just half a game, in Game 2, plus with one hand tied behind their back.
I mean, if hockey is going to be this boring, I'm going to watch the Cubs ... NOT!
If winning the Stanley Cup is going to be this easy, the boys in red-and-black might as well shave their beards off and do more lame commercials.
Alpine Rescue Dog is, like ... Hawks-Kings, tonight (yawn).
So, I'll ask: Anyone put out a notice for a missing Patrick Kane? Anyone? Did he miss the plane to LA...?
Seriously, he needs to step up. Captain Serious isn't scoring but at least he's contributing in other ways.
Big loss for the Hawks, but as Duncs himself said, It is what it is. Seabs will need to step up his veteran leadership for the defense. I heard Brookbank is coming in. Anyone know the defensive pairings tonight?
Possible pairings: Seabs-Leddy, Hjammers-Oduya, Rozsival-Brookbank. Leddy can use his up-ice speed, and Brookbank can use his fresh legs. Let's hope Hjammers' knee is fine.
What about PP and PK ... who'll be on D?
Maybe this rejuggling of the lineups will throw the Kings off their game, just enough for the Hawks to get back to Game 1 and Game 2 form.
But first they actually have to wake up. Maybe time for some nappy-nappy, so they're as fresh as possible, before puck drop!
Let's go, Hawks! Win, baby, win!
I would not consider that the "big" question. It is all about the forward support anyhow. Keith is a big-time player...no doubt. But, we can survive if everyone does their job to pitch in.
Yep, to your point, Henry, Q sat Stals most of the game, along with Brookbank.
Yup...Brookbank played like 6 minutes. Stalberg was benched most of the 3rd...?
An amazing victory for the Hawks, while missing their best all-around skater.
Votes have been pouring in all evening, ladies and gentlemen, and the Blackhawks have won 42 out of 50 states - that's 8095 out of 13,168 electoral votes. The numbers are still coming in, but SportsNation has declared the winner of the Lord Stanley Cup Finals!
Playing hockey at any level, and watching hockey your whole life, you understand how hard a sport it is. All the times your mom/dad trucked you off to a rink for practice or play. Playing cold, hurt, and tired. Wearing the Indian head sweater with pride and watching every game, you appreciate there is nothing more difficult in sports than winning a Stanley Cup. This video always puts a lump in my throat ... go Hawks.
Nice one, Sam. I played only little league hockey. For practice, we were often scheduled for the most inconvenient times. But my father would wake me up about 4 AM, and help me haul my gear to the rink, then watch our early morning session. Sometimes our practice would be late evening, after the older kids had played or practiced. Same, my father would watch and wait for me to finish, then drive us home. Hockey was, and is, definitely special.
I've played other sports, but its not the same. Winning a championship in any sport is grueling I can imagine. But when a team wins the Stanley Cup, I see written on the faces of those grown men balling there eyes out something more ... all those 4 AM trips some family member made for them. All the late nights the family put in. Mom cleaning and putting up with those stinky hockey pads. Parents shelling out gobs of money for new skates each year for growing feet. Dad rubbing the life back into numb feet between periods (goalie's that played outdoor rinks know what I'm talking about) ... yes +Ron Villejo definitely special.
That was quite a love fest at center ice last night. Kaner slid all the way cross-ice on his knees, and everyone broke out for hugs and kisses (lol).
Quote of the Night, from ESPN analyst Barry Melrose: "This one is beyond soft, this is soft ice cream right here" (lol). He was talking about Duncan Keith's seeing-eye goal, which he shot all the way from Michigan Ave., that surprisingly went five-hole on Jonathan Quick.
I'd say this man is a genius, especially in the era of the salary cap.
Well, yes and no. I think Stan has done a nice job but, let's not forget who he gets to bounce great ideas off of...some old fart named Scotty.
So...And also, let's not forget his pick-ups off the garbage heap (i.e. O'Donnell, etc.) in prior years blew up in his face.
But, I agree that Stan deserves some credit. The pick up of Zeus for the stretch run has worked out beautifully.
Lucky hockey dude to have a Dad like that, for sure. After the Stanley Cup, I've got to research this further. But anecdotally I know there aren't many teams across sports with this much depth on their roster. It's impressive!
The 2011-2012 Chicago Bulls were known to have a deep bench, so despite all the injuries they suffered, including star Derrick Rose, they raced to the top record in the NBA during the regular season. Then, the front office dismantled that bench, in order to prepare cap space for signing a big free agent after the 2013-2014 season.
We're all going to be preoccupied with an exciting but tough Stanley Cup series, but it's interesting to wonder what Bowman is going to do with this team after this and what he's planning beyond 2013-2014.
Bowman apparently got a lot of flack for the decisions he made with the roster after the 2010 Cup run. First round exits in 2011 and 2012 didn't help his cause much, of course. But I had heard that his predecessor, Dale Tallon, created a ticking-bomb of a sort with the contracts he signed with the players. It was like he mortgaged off the house, just to win a Cup, then the house had to be dismantled. Bowman had to make some tough, unpopular decisions.
The Bruins GM apparently did a better job than Tallon (and maybe Bowman, too), and that's why they're back in the Finals so soon after their Cup and they're back with many more of their players than the Hawks are from their 2010 roster.
Again, I've got to do a lot of research here. Please share more of what you know, Henry!
Anyway, whether it's mostly Scotty or not, the Bowmans make for an overall unified, if not perfect, genius.
Nicely written, +Ron Villejo. I'm not sure what the 2013-14 season looks like. But, I believe Bickell will be a Hawk for awhile barring a huge surprise. A power forward with his skillset is hard to come by but the hope is that Bicks remembers to keep whatever switch he turned on for the playoffs consistently going forward. So, more hits and traffic in front of goalies, please!
I suspect Stalberg is gone. His uneven play in the playoffs this year (I hear he is being sat in place of Bollig) indicates that. I also suspect that either Smith, Hayes, or Morin can fill that spot. I like any of the three. The biggest question mark is at center behind Serious. What's the plan for that spot?
And I suspect with the signing of the 2nd Antti, Razor is going to be let go. I will miss Emery though.
Thank you, Henry!
Oh, man, Bicksy has got to be #1 priority for Bowman. I just picked up on sidelines about Hawks' signings, but haven't read them. So Razor will be gone, eh (sigh). Hadn't heard about Stals, either, but not surprising.
It's been great to have this 4-day break between games, for us fans, too, as I've focused on catching up with other things and just doing light reading and watching of hockey stuff for a couple of days.
Anyway, keep up your great analysis and commentary, Henry. Altogether with the guys here, we make for one awesome community here!
Okay folks. Reading most of the articles out there on the Hawks/Bruins match-up, most pundits have the Bruins winning it all in 7.
I won't lie. I'm a homer and I think Chicago will do it in 6. Why? Gotta believe. But, truthfully, the Bruins are going to be the biggest test our team has faced yet. And in many ways, scarier than Philly in the 2009-2010 Cup Run.
I am banking on Chicago's overall depth, speed, and mobile D having a say in this series. I believe those will overcome Boston's insane neutral zone defense, size, and physicality.
I'm nervous. Very nervous. But, the Hawks have defied logic in coming back 3-1 against the Pink Things...They also took out the very game Kings in 5 despite many picking LA...so, we have to believe they have one last gear against Boston.
The thing about predicting that a team will win a series in seven games is that you're predicting which of two teams is going to win one game, two weeks and six games from now. If a pundit thinks it'll go seven then he/she ought to be honest and say it's a toss-up.
I haven't seen as much of the Bruins as I have the Hawks, but objectively, the Hawks' depth, skill players, pace and defense/PK all impress me more than Boston's. I don't think it'll go seven.
*
Not to mention that the west has never played the east this season. It is really hard to predict. The people that make their money doing it favor the Blackhawks at -140. I would go with them rather then some columnists who are probably east biased anyhow.
Good points, gents. Predicting is such a crapshoot, especially when we have no direct gauge this season of how Hawks vs Bruins can, or will, actually play each other.
I'm nervous about this series, too. But I've been impressed with how tough the Hawks have shown themselves to be and how well they've timed their peaking. The Bruins are 9 - 1, including the amazing Game 7 victory against the Leafs. What analysts and writers don't seem to acknowledge as much is that the Hawks are 7 - 1 themselves, since being down 3 - 1 to the Wings and going through their own Game 7. So I'd agree, Matt, it really is a toss-up going into the series.
Random fact
- 40% or 19/50 total goals from David Krejci, Nathan Horton and Milan Lucic
- 30% or 15/50 total goals from Boston defenseman
Hawks depth for the win!
Man, the Bruins dominate the stats picture at both ends of the ice! It'll be interesting to see how Quenneville works his own lines to play against this topline of Krejci & Co. Hawks 2 toplines of Bickell-Toews-Kane and Sharp-Handzus-Hossa worked out very well against the Kings. But against Bruins, let's see.
Yep, definitely, depth is the hallmark of the Hawks success: Krejci and Horton are #1 and #2 on points, but expanding the stats sheet to the top 40 players: Bruins have 6, and Hawks have 8, high point-getters.
I just haven't looked at Stalberg's game at all. Was he not forechecking well enough, or putting the puck in the right places? He probably needed the big body of Bickell to spring him loose, once in a while, as Bickell did for Toews and Kane last Saturday.
You may be right, Franklin, about him playing against the Bruins and about keeping his market value down to re-sign him. June 12th 2013
Wow, what a game 1. What fight by our #Blackhawks to come back down 2 in the 3rd against the Bruins when pretty much everyone thought at 3-1, it was game over.
And more than anything, Andrew #Shaw: the SMALLEST guy on the roster taking on Chara time and time again and deflecting in that GWG. He also set up Bollie's tally to give Chicago life.
Another due must be given to Bicks. While he is not credited, it was his hit on the Bruins D that coughed up the puck to allow Rosie to make the shot for the GWG...!
THREE MORE WINS!!!
I'm still shaking my head about how amazing that game was last night! Definitely the motto for the Hawks is: It ain't over til it's over!
You guys may be on to something about the PP ... The Hawks aren't going to make any radical improvements, if any. So let's just relax, and not force the play. Just keep the puck in the Bruins zone, as that's 2 minutes off of their attack. Protect the blueline, so no shorties: Don't have the defensemen pinch, don't put Sharp at the point. Give the 3rd and 4th liners a go at it, giving the big guns - Toews, Kane, Hossa, Sharp - 2 minutes rest. Who knows, Frolik, Krueger or Bollig may score!
Well, the last 2 Cup champs had bad PPs as well. However, it is a blown opportunity to score...and so, the key is as long as it does not come back and haunt the Hawks at the end result, I'm fine.
Still, it drives me batty watching it. I sure would've loved the Hawks connecting on their PP because maybe we wouldn't have needed the heart-attack triple OT...? Still, made for great drama and TV. :-D
Don't mind me. I like to complain. It's the nature of a Chicago sports fan.
Yeah, I don't think my sanity can take another 3OT. I was bouncing back-and-forth in front of the TV, and talking to it, like a madman (lol).
You're right, someone on the coaching staff may quietly get fired after the Cup for their terrible PP strategy.
BTW: On that 2-man advantage, the puck movement was too predictable. Hawks feet were not moving. The D pinched-in too much, and they lost proper spacing. All the Bruins did was keep that triangle solid, in front of Rask. Ergo: penalty, killed. Easily!
I don't need a goal scored on every PP...but, if the passing is predictable and players on the play are stationary, it is infuriating especially with the future HoF talent on the ice. That is all...And what makes it often dangerous is that a putrid PP is a momentum stopper.
Anyhow, I'm nitpicking. Our team is 3 wins away drinking from the grail again.
Maggie: Look... Michael... all I'm saying is, Corey can motorboot into my ample cleavage any time he wants.
Yeah... COREY!
I've been a Crawford fan since the beginning of the season, and he's made me even more grateful we've got him minding our net. While the media were singing the praises of Jonathan Quick and Tuukka Rask, Crawford has 'quietly' outdone both of them.
The fact is, he's proven himself to be a top-notch goalie in the NHL. What should be scary for opposing players is that Crawford can improve his mental focus more and cut back more on those soft goals, and it's going to be even tougher to score on him!
*
I'm sure Shawzie would like to get in on that action, Maggie! We know how he's all energy and gets under people's clea ... (er, skin) (lol).
*
Actually I get nervous about that, too. Remember that flub goal by the Kings in Game 1. The Kings rushed two attackers on opposite sides of Crawford, as he went behind the net to play the puck. Crawford was tentative with his clearing attempt, and one of Kings blocked it. They scored two seconds after that, when Bolland botched the second clearing attempt.
I can't say how relieved I am to see our team tie it. We were fortunate to win this game despite giving up TWO 2-goal leads, 2 PP goals against, and a shoddy defensive effort from Keith and Oduya.
BUT. The silver lining of all of this and the series is that our Hawks have not yet played a COMPLETE game. If they can do that? Boston's toast. So, can the Hawks give us two complete games to win us just 2 more games? Gotta believe!
Yep, a complete game for the Hawks would be scoring 3 or 4 goals and giving up just 1 or 2 goals. Plus, they're a good takeaway team, so as long as they win just 50% of the faceoffs, they should be fine. Hawks and Bruins gave the fans in both cities an exciting Game 4. I imagine they'll settle down into their respective defensive battles and pursue those hard-fought offensive chances.
Wow, if this series ends up going 7 games + OT, then Seabs will be our hero once again!
wait this BEST OF 7 series can go farther than 7 games.
You know, you're right ... with the OTs they've played so far, this is now officially the best-of-8. The math still works out, trust me (lol). Could go best-of-9, then best-of-10.
They already played over 5 games worth of hockey.
Exactly right, Franklin :) Hawks are up 3 - 2 in this best-of-8 series (lol).
We've got more than 24 more hours to kill, before another must-win game for the good guys. So, ladies and gents, which Hawk do you have the most crush on?
For the gents, we call it a "man-crush." It's Henry ... on Jonathan Toews. Franklin ... on Viktor Stalberg. Me ... you-know-who.
How about the rest of you, Hawks fans?
Which player do you imagine spooning with, when you hold your partner or that big body-pillow at night (lol)?
Besides Crawford, I'm really diggin' Shaw and Bicks. People not-in-the-know may see them simply as tough, scrappy players. But we Hawks fans know they've got a lot of heart and talent inside all that physical play. But, really, really, though, after a thrilling Game 5 victory, I'm loving all the Hawks players!
Maybe I can agree with the NHL ruling that the head was not the principal point of contact with the (initial) hit. But Boychuk fell on Toews and crushed his head to the ice. It was the vicious follow-through that should've warranted a suspension for Boychuk! Did the NHL examine the follow-through?
i agree. Ive watched it several times now and initially was irrate as thought arms straight to neck/head but he had them in and hit to shoulder. Think Toews was bent down some and arms slid up to neck/head as Toews fell and he fell on top of him but no effort to get hands out of crosscheck position and land off his head. There was a check by Chara earlier to and a swing of the arm by Chara to get an elbow to the face pf Toews too and pretty sure I recall a check in the back near the boards not called as well.
Bruins are bullies and thats all their gonna be as they go down.
Yep, definitely. The more I see those videos, the more pissed off I get. The Boston Thugs were taking potshots at the Captain in those two periods he played. I know Quenneville and the players are all focused on finishing the Cup, but maybe Bowman should approach Shanahan to do a closer review of that Boychuk follow-through.
Right now I agree with you about Boston, loads of dirty hits. Just because the refs don't call them, doesn't mean you can't hit clean. I think it's hard not to just hit however you would want to, if you're a team that hits, Boston clearly has something in their heads where they think its ok to hit dirty, hearing their coach today, it almost sounds like he is for dirty hits....
Ya know +Ron Villejo , because we only need 1 more, I REALLY & HONESTLY could give a sh#t less if 2nite goes into 4 OTs or more!!! All I care about is getting the W, that's ALL that matters 2 me!
Yep, well-said, Keith! We've got the Bruins on the ropes, so let's throw the knockout punch.
I would love to see this end in front of the wonderful, hometown faithful but now I just want to send bean town packing! GO HAWKS!!!!!
We don't care if the Hawks end up hoisting Lord Stanley on enemy ice, do we? We just want them to win tonight, and finish this thing up! There will be plenty of opportunity to celebrate right here in Chicago. Sweet Home Chicago, baby!
I don't read print newspaper anymore. I just download photos and take screenshots. Now I have the front pages of our local papers, thanks to you, tp!
Hawks were on an SCF losing streak: 1971, 1973 and 1992, if memory serves me right. But now we're on a winning streak. Let's go Hawks! Cannot wait for next season (lol).
The core group that includes Toews, Kane, Hossa, Sharp, Bolland, Bickell, Keith, Seabrook, and Hjalmarsson has given us two Cups already, and they all have quite a bit of hockey left in them.
For me, they have made hockey fun again for the past 5 years or so. The skill, speed, hard work, and the never-give-up attitude they play with has endeared them to us fans.
From USA Today:
Hockey players are tougher than you. In last night’s Stanley Cup Finals Game 6, Chicago’s Andrew Shaw took a vicious wrist shot to the face. Did he stay in the game? Of course he stayed in the game.
Shaw wasn’t the only one to play on through pain. Bruins star Patrice Bergeron played with a broken rib, torn cartilage, and a separated shoulder.
Both finished the game. Why? Because hockey players are tougher than you.
Me, man-crush on this dude :p
We've just begun to hear about all the damage to these players' bodies: Hossa, Bickell, Handzus, Toews, Bergeron, Chara. Hockey players, the toughest athletes in the world!
rose got crap for not coming back because he wasn't injured. His surgery was a success and his knee was healed. He didn't sit out because of pain or injury, he sat out because his brother or his agent talked him into not playing. He was more than capable of playing and dominated other healthy players in practice.
The greatness that is my favorite Chicago athlete since Sweetness that is Captain Serious is written here (snipped from the Sun-Times):
Toews outproduced every key player he went up against in the 2013 playoffs. The Wild’s Mikko Koivu was pointless and a minus-6 against the Blackhawks. Linemate Zach Parise scored one goal and was a minus-7; The Red Wings’ Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg were even against the Blackhawks; The Kings’ Anze Kopitar had one goal and was a minus-3 against the Blackhawks; linemate Dustin Brown — a plus-5 in the first two rounds of the playoffs, was a minus-3 against Toews and the Blackhawks.
But wait, there’s more: The Bruins’ David Krejci came into the Stanley Cup Final with nine goals and 12 assists for 21 points and a plus-14 rating. He scored no goals and had five asists with a minus-1 rating against Toews and the Hawks. Nathan Horton came in with a playoff-best plus-22 rating, but had no goals, two points and was a minus-1 against the Hawks. Milan Lucic scored four goals and had six points, but also was a minus-1. All three members of the hottest line in the playoffs (19 goals, 51 points in 16 games through the first three rounds) were a minus-3 in the final two games of the Final.
Wow, super-wow, those are staggering numbers. They tell the story that the casual fan may not even care to look into. That's definitely a must-save article, Henry!
I know I may be accused of being biased because of what I think of him...but, explain to me again how the [bleep] #toews was not a Hart Finalist again??!?
So, Captain Serious has 2 rings now and the NHL's postergirl, Sindy Crosby has only one and about 5000 paper championship trophies.
lol ... dude, you're too funny! I know Toews is like all over the ice, but you've helped me to appreciate more of what he does so well. Oh, man, I cannot wait for next season!
Was one of the most defining moments of this Cup run when #seabrook went to the penalty box and tried to encourage #toews after our Captain took 3 straight penalties?
That was Game 4 against the Wings, and the Hawks seemed to be bottoming out. By game's end, they were down 3 - 1, and things looked bleak. Yeah, I saw a shot of Seabs talking to the Captain in the box.
As much fun as the win was to watch. I have to say how much fun it was to find this community to share it with.
I am hoping this community grows bigger next season and EVERYBODY gets on the game feed. It was fun.
Thanks to all and GO Hawks. See everyone next season.
Definitely an awesome community, Sean!
The Hawks page on Facebook has thousands and thousands of fans commenting ... On Twitter, thousands and thousands of tweets ... On ESPN, same, plus a lot of haters. But fans do not respond much to each other or get into a lot of conversations on these sites.
Here, on the other hand, we post and comment, we talk to each other, we get into the game like we're sitting at the bar or in the living room watching TV together.
In other words, this is a real community ... and I love it!
After the Hawks won the cup back in 2010, I was able to pick up one of these SI commemorative Stanley Cup Champion edition publications in the Chicagoland area. Does anyone here know whether or not there will be another one published this year? After a brief web search, I was unable to find information to lead to a definite answer -- yay or nay.
Here is a live stream for those who couldn't make it but still interested in watching.
Hey gents, it was unreal! Over 2 million fans were out. It was like a sea of red out there, with waves and waves of people. It was sunshine all the way and reasonable temps. The hawkey gods couldn't have planned it any better!
Keith and I were pretty close to the stage, but unfortunately we lost each other in that crowd. Sorry, again, Keith! I rang you, like, 100 times, but calls did not go through. (Maybe, for security reasons, the city interfered with cell phone signals?)
I asked one officer, and he said there was no more room in Grant Park. Anyway, I parked myself in front of a big TV, right on Columbus and Balboa, with a bunch of great Hawks fans. We saw all the double-deckers pass by, and saw all of the rally on the big TV.
I've got a lot on video that I have to sort through and edit. So stay tuned!
Second that motion, Sean. Not for sale. Not for copying, either.
Yeah, we know, forehand-backhand compliment. It would've been interesting to see a Hawks-Pens SCF. I don't follow the Pens, so I trust your point that they weren't really as close to the SCF as it seemed. It was quite baffling to me why the top team in the East could be swept in the Conference Finals and, worse, held to just two goals!
At least Gary Bettman did not show up at the rally. I honestly feel for guys put in this place (well not really as they are asses). They know full well going into it that they are going to get booed. What to do? You cannot just blow off the event. That would make you even more unpopular. They just suck it up, say a few words, and go away. Mayor Rahm Emmanuel played it smart today. He did not allow an introduction from Pat Foley. He got on the stage and left it before anyone realized what was going on.
On a lighter note, Quinn supposedly offered Bick's dad a stay at the Governor's mansion (Lincoln Room!) if that would help sway his son's decision to stay with the Hawks. Even if he was only half-joking, it's still pretty cool. Hope Bick stays a Hawk!
Nice to hear that, Dan. The Bears front office just botched up the re-signing effort with future hall-of-famer Brian Urlacher. It was a shame! I know, we're talking about two different sports, but the Hawks front office seems to be a class act. So I trust they will handle this priority matter well. They want Bicks back. We want Bicks back. Bicks wants Bicks back (lol)! Let's work it all out.
Sorry that I missed you guys Ron. I was less than pleased.
No probs, Geof! Hope things went OK at work. It was totally unreal out there! I've got tons of video clips to sort through and edit, so I'll post as soon as I can.
Only two players in NHL history have captained their team to 2 Cups before the age of 25. Wayne Gretzky and now Jonathan Toews!
Call it two in a row or a dynasty whichever be the individual case. No other team than the Red Wings has won it twice in a three year timespan in the last 20 years. Yes we have lost a few of our key players, but we have replaced them> Rocky Wirtz, Joel Quenneville, and Dave Cruikshank have really turned the prospective of the Hawks around. Of course we also know that a ton have just hopped on the wagon for the time being. Would have been nice back in '92 when they lost the cup finals to the Penguins, but its Chicago. Prior to 2008, the Blackhawks were considered a forgotten franchise. Shit i remember when ya could pick up a nosebleed seat for 15 bucks, and shoot a flamethrower through the UC and ya wouldn't hit anyone. A lot has happened since. A new direction has been taken is the key here. Don't get me wrong, a decade with the Wolves has also been great after Chelios, Belfour, and Roenick went their own way. Okay maybe one more for the dynasty thing. But this year was a well fought out battle. The Bruins were a lot tougher than the Flyers. Next year we could see the Hawks and the Wings for the ultimate prize, ya never know?
What season it has been! From start to finish it has been one wild ride! Now that the season is officially over, I would like to thank everyone in the community for all their help and contribution. We had so many members that posted great articles, pics, and videos. This has been a great place and resource for everything Hawks.
Did you know that as of now our community is the largest and most active NHL team in google+! Before the season started we we had about 40 members, we have now grown to 776 members and I'd like to thank everyone for being part of it, especially those who contribute often. Keep it up!
I hope everyone has a great summer and we'll see you back here to watch the hawks defend the title!
Definitely an awesome community, Brett! I'm very active on social media, and this community has been the most interactive and enjoyable by far for me.
My "off-season" will be tight, as I shift my main attention to my other sports loves - cycling, then football. But I plan to bask in the Stanley Cup til next season starts, e.g., talk to fellow fans, watch videos and read articles, and in general learn more about the Hawks and hockey. So I imagine a fair number of us will keep this community going, during the dog days of a Chicago summer.
Hawks and Bruins have only two months to rest and recover, then it's training camp. (Hossa and Bergeron seem to have been the most seriously injured.) So, in a blink of eye, we'll be looking to see if "dynasty" truly belongs in our collective dictionary!
ROFL. Cansucks can't trade Louuuuuuu and now have to trade the goalie they pegged to replace Louuuuuuu to the Devils. I wonder how Louuuuuu feels from going unwanted to suddenly wanted and with him emotionally moved on from Vancouver?
I was like, huh, when I heard Schneider was now with the Devils and pegged to succeed Brodeur. What a strange development! Yeah, Vancouver could not unload Luongo's contract. But, then, what a player-relations fiasco by the Canuckers! They, and the LA Lakers, must be reading the same sports management playbook (lol).
*
Thank you for reading, and let me know what you think!
