Chicago Blackhawks still stunned by early playoff exit
For the first time in a long time, the Blackhawks are off on an extended summer vacation.
Not that they're in the least bit happy about it.
Coach Joel Quenneville, general manager Stan Bowman, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and a host of other players met the media for the final time to close the book on a 2015-16 campaign, which fell well short of the franchise's One Goal mantra.
"Obviously it's disappointing," Bowman said. "When we get together in September every year, our goal is to win the Stanley Cup. So when you don't, it's more disappointment than frustration.
"It doesn't always go your way. Certainly proud of the effort we gave."
Troy Brouwer ended the Hawks' season when he scored the game-winning goal with 11:29 to go in the third period of St. Louis' 3-2 Game 7 victory on Monday.
Reality still hasn't sunk in for some.
"It's one of those real empty feelings," said Patrick Kane. "It still kind of feels like we have a couple days off and we're going to get back to playing again. Pretty tough feeling.
"A lot of us love showing up to the rink playing hockey and getting ready for a game, especially this time of year. So it'll be tough to watch and see someone else win the (Cup)."
Said Toews: "When it was over and we're shaking hands and realizing we're not moving on to the next round, it's something we haven't been used to the last couple years. It's disappointing."
Bowman said he wouldn't look back and second-guess himself on any of the moves he made during the season.
And there were plenty of moves, including:
• Trevor Daley sent to Pittsburgh in December, Richard Panik coming here via trade on Jan. 3, and Ryan Garbutt traded to Anaheim on Jan. 21.
• At the trade deadline, Bowman brought Andrew Ladd, Dale Weise, Tomas Fleischmann and Christian Ehrhoff aboard.
• And then there was the constant shuffling of players from Rockford to the Hawks. Among those to get a look were Marko Dano, Tanner Kero, Vincent Hinostroza, Viktor Svedberg, David Rundblad and Bryan Bickell.
On Wednesday, Toews provided a telling comment about all that movement.
"All that kind of makes it difficult for us to try and get our group as close as possible," Toews said, "and get where we need to be as far as finding that chemistry, and making sure that we're a team that can go far into the playoffs."
Toews followed that up by saying it's then up to the team leaders to make sure new players mesh well with the established group, but his point was made nonetheless.
Many players spoke about how it will be good to recharge their batteries and come back with a greater fire in their bellies as they try to bring the Stanley Cup back to Chicago in 2017.
"Let's get something positive out of this (and try to) recoup some energy going into next year, knowing that we've had three tough springs in a row," Quenneville said. "Let's take advantage of an opportunity that there should be a lot of disappointment that we're talking here today, and knowing that we feel we have all the ingredients that you need to win."
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