We all knew this time would come, but not this quickly.
It appears that the time frame for winning Stanley Cups has closed for our Chicago Blackhawks with this group of guys. In the years leading up to this resurgence, I didn’t have a prayer in the world for this franchise. Granted, I was young and dumb. But if anybody else thought differently, they’re lying.
Last year, the Blackhawks had the best record in the Western Conference. As we all know, that didn’t mean shit come playoff time when they were quickly swept by the Predators. After, changes were made.
This year, the first two games of the season were like “old times” with this team by beating the crap out of the defending champion Penguins and the Blue Jackets two nights later. After those two games, I felt like they were back and better than ever. After that, it’s been inconsistent. They are fighting just to try to get into the playoffs. And worst, all of the teams around them keep winning while they are up and down. Stars not playing like stars for whatever reason. Hossa had to retire. Just a bunch of stuff.
Now, with the news of Corey Crawford’s season-ending injury (vertigo), the only reason why they had a chance makes this close to impossible to overcome.
Really, I was happy just getting the one Stanley Cup back in 2010. But then, there are two more that I probably considered a “bonus”. Then, the spoiled little shit in me got out and wanted even more. It’s not easy just being happy with what I had.
I just don’t want the Blackhawks in obscurity like they were growing up.
Sure, they had a playoff run in 2002, but they were swept in that year too (by no other, than the Joel Quenneville-lead St. Louis Blues). The mid-2000’s just really sucked. The thoughts of Brian Sutter and Trent Yawney coaching this team makes me want throw my TV out the window. Note: If any of you remember that 2006 season with Yawney coaching, that was the pinnacle of bad.
Who knows. I could be entirely wrong and all of you can come back in June when the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup to tell me I’m a moron. Of course, I want that to be the case. I am still praying they turn it around this year or come back next year healthy and re-vamped.
If not, remember that we were given three more Stanley Cups than any of us thought we would ever see in our lives.
Fire Ryan Poles | Fire Matt Eberflus 
January 18, 2018 at 5:59 am
As of this morning, the Black Hawks are in 12th in the Western Conference, three points out of the eighth spot. A lot can happen between now and April, hopefully most of it good. The ‘Hawks don’t need the President’s Trophy at this point, the eighth seed will do just nicely, thanks. Something about the Stanley Cup Playoffs and that eighth seed, tho’.
Ideally, if this is the end of the run, i hope the remaining players from those three Cups can get it together to win the Cup as the eighth seed. That would truly be the testament to how great this core was.
Realistically, here’s hoping that the Black Hawks’ brain trust is starting to look towards the future, looking at their farm system and the upcoming draft and thinking “Okay, where’s our next group of Stanley Cup Champs coming from?” Also hoping that Joel Quenneville is around for the rebuild/reload. he’s arguably the best coach in Black hawks history, I don’t want to see him unceremoniously fired after a couple of years’ missing the playoffs (or making them and coming up short).
January 21, 2018 at 1:58 pm
It was another bad loss by the Blackhawks last night. It is just crazy how they got so bad so quickly. It’s very concerning.
March 6, 2018 at 7:56 am
The window closed suddenly! Can we get Dale Tallon back to rebuild?
March 31, 2018 at 6:49 pm
Kirk! I thought you were deceased…. š