It hadn’t been as long as waiting 86 years like the Boston Red Sox and it certainly isn’t anywhere near the insane 102 years for the Chicago Cubs, but 49 years is long enough for the Chicago Blackhawks. Last night, Chicago won its 4th Stanley Cup in its history with a 4-3 overtime win over the Philadelphia Flyers on a goal by Patrick Kane. The series ended in six games.
1961 was the last triumph for Chicago. It could have been 1971 but the Montreal Canadiens came out of nowhere and siphoned the Stanley Cup away from the powerful Hawks – then known as the Black Hawks (two words).
In 1992 they reached the finals but ran into Mario Lemieux and the Pittsburgh Penguins and were summarily dismissed that year.
Everything changed in 2010 and the few years prior leading to the victory. You know, drafting stars like Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. They’ve cultivated and crafted a wicked good team with the likes of Patrick Sharp, Dustin Byfuglien, Kris Versteeg, Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith to name a few.
The scary thing is that while pundits justifiably talk up Sidney Crosby and the Penguins as well as Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals as possible perennial contenders for the cup in the next few years, the Blackhawks can easily be included in that group. Most of its roster is signed and sedentary in Chicago thus giving them the stability needed to make a run at a few Cups.
As for Jonathan Toews, has there been a better player all year in all competitions than the captain? I can’t think of one. He may not have statistically dominated the series but he more than made up for it in his overall play. A deserved Conn Smyhe winner. Sure, a case could have been made for Byfuglien or Keith, but Toews is the heart, soul and engine on a squad filled with talent and character.
Toews finished one point behind Flyers forward Daniel Briere in overall playoff scoring with 7 goals and 22 assists. Had the Flyers managed another miracle, Briere’s 12 goals and 18 assists could very well have made him the Conn Smythe winner.
Crass but...funny
It’s always difficult to put a positive spin on a loss but the Philadelphia Flyers were a model of how not to give up under any circumstances for all sports teams to emulate. Yes, they were a 7th seed and yes they did erase a 0-3/0-3 deficit against the Boston Bruins, but we shouldn’t neglect the fact that at the beginning of the year this team was slotted to reach the finals if not win the “most recognizable” trophy in all of North American pro sports.
The Flyers had depth and they had the desire to drive through their opponents. Sure, much will be made about the lack of production between Mike Richards, Jeff Carter and even Simon Gagne, however this was, all things considered, a great year for the Flyers. They should be a team to be reckoned with next season. Although it may involve no Chris “Chrissy” Pronger. Incidentally, I know many in the media have dismissed the Pronger joke in the Chicago Tribune as sexist, personally, I think we’re way too sensitive. I don’t like my sports being PC.
Since their last Stanley Cup in 1975, the Flyers have reached the finals six times losing each and every time to the Montreal Canadiens (1976) , New York Islanders (1980), Edmonton Oilers (1985 and 1987), Detroit Red Wings (1997) and now Chicago Black Hawks in 2010.
And so ends another year, off with the beards and now we turn our attention to what’s left of the NBA finals and the World Cup.
For Chicago:
For Philly. It’ll come. But gosh, would it have killed you guys to cheer your team for their effort, blood, sweat and guts?:
