This has been a year loaded with presents for Blackhawks fans

For the Chicago sports fan frustrated by the failures of the Bears, Bulls, Cubs and White Sox, the Blackhawks are the gift that keeps giving as we celebrate the holiday season.

Chairman Rocky Wirtz, president John McDonough, coach Joel Quenneville and his players provided the city's sports fans with one present after another in 2009.

It started with the Winter Classic and has continued for 12 months with the Hawks now challenging for the best record in the NHL.

The Hawks are as popular as any time in franchise history - maybe even more so thanks to their exposure from television - all 82 games, home and away.

Thanks in part to high-profile and likable players, stores couldn't keep Hawks merchandise on the shelves approaching Christmas.

The only way the Hawks could have had a better 2009 would have been by winning the Stanley Cup. But they came close, advancing to the Western Conference finals for the first time since 1995 before losing to a Detroit team that was more experienced.

Here's a look at some of the gifts the Hawks gave the fans the past year.

1. The Winter Classic

It turned out to be one of the greatest sports spectacles in the city's history, the Hawks playing the Detroit Red Wings on New Year's Day at Wrigley Field.

This was McDonough's brainchild from the start. Not only did he sell the NHL on having the second Winter Classic in Chicago, McDonough promised to deliver historic Wrigley Field when the safe thing to do would have to been to play at Soldier Field.

If you were there to see it, or even if you watched on TV, you will never forget it.

"It was a special place to be and play," Quenneville said.

2. Playoff hockey

The Hawks had been to the playoffs only once since 1997, and fans nearly had forgotten what it was like to watch such intense hockey.

A 104-point regular season earned the Hawks the fourth seed in the Western Conference, and they proceeded to answer all questions about their toughness, grit and team makeup by knocking off Calgary in six games in the first round and Vancouver in six games in Round 2.

The West finals could have gone either way, but the Red Wings won a tough five-game series, having to go overtime in 2 of their victories.

3. Overtime thrillers

The best part of the playoffs is overtime, when sudden death means just that.

In their first two series against Calgary and Vancouver, the Hawks went to overtime twice and won them both.

Martin Havlat scored 12 seconds into OT to win Game 1 against the Flames. Then in a crucial Game 3 of the Vancouver series with the Hawks down 2-1 in games, Andrew Ladd scored 2:52 into OT for a 2-1 win and the Hawks took three in a row to advance.

In Game 3 of the West finals, Patrick Sharp scored in OT to keep the Hawks from going down 3-0 in the series.

4. Game 6

It was the greatest game the Hawks played all decade.

Leading their West semifinal series against Vancouver 3-2, the Hawks needed 1 more victory to advance to the conference finals. They got it by pulling out a wild 7-5 victory at the United Center on May 11.

The Hawks rallied from a 5-4 deficit in the third period with 3 goals in a span of 3:17 late in regulation. When Patrick Kane scored the seventh goal to complete his hat trick, the noise was so deafening you would have thought you were back in Chicago Stadium.

5. Marian Hossa

Showing the hockey world they were serious about winning a Stanley Cup, the Hawks signed the best free agent on the market July 1, giving right wing Marian Hossa a 12-year contract worth $62.8 million.

"I see a bright future in Chicago," Hossa said that day. "They haven't won a Stanley Cup in a long time. You can see the hunger. This is a young and hungry team and they want to go for it."

The contract raised eyebrows everywhere, but it was most creative on the Hawks' part because of the relatively low salary-cap hit of $5.2 million due to the length of the deal.

The NHL still is "investigating" the contract, whatever that means, but all former general manager Dale Tallon did was find a creative loophole in the collective-bargaining agreement.

6. Legends on ice

McDonough and his staff did it again at the home opener Oct. 10.

Instead of simply announcing the presence of Hall of Famers Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, Tony Esposito and Denis Savard, the legends skated onto the ice dressed in full uniform.

The 70-year-old Hull had trouble stopping, but Mikita was there to lend a helping hand. Esposito even wore his trademark mask familiar to all Hawks fans.

It was quite a sight to see Hull, Mikita, Esposito and Savard standing on the blue line with the present Hawks for the national anthem.

7. Toews, Keith and Kane

In a move made to remain an elite team for years to come, the Hawks signed Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith and Patrick Kane to contract extensions Dec. 3 for a combined $135 million.

Keith signed for $72 million over 13 years, making him the highest-paid player in franchise history, surpassing Hossa.

Toews and Kane, the faces of the franchise, got identical five-year contracts worth $31.5 million.

"We want fans to know that when they go buy a jersey, that No. 2 is going to be around a long time," Wirtz said.

"There is no place we'd rather play," Toews said.

8. The comebacks

The Hawks never feel they are out of any game, and they have rallied for multiple dramatic wins this season.

Brent Seabrook has scored twice in overtime at home to win games. And who can forget Dustin Byfuglien's dash down the ice to beat the Rangers 2-1 in OT on Dec. 9?

But the granddaddy of comebacks occurred Oct. 12 at the United Center, when the Hawks tied an NHL record by rallying from a 5-0 deficit to beat the Calgary Flames 6-5 in overtime on one of Seabrook's goals.

9. Memorable goals

Byfuglien's goal against the Rangers was just one of the highlight-reel goals the Hawks have scored this season.

There was Hossa's "drop shot" against St. Louis on Dec. 16, Kris Versteeg's double toe drag goal short-handed against Columbus on Dec. 1, and Toews going around several Nashville defenders to score on Dec. 4.

10. Welcoming back, J.R.

Jeremy Roenick Heritage Night on Nov. 15 was short but sweet.

It wasn't Roenick having his No. 27 retired, but it was a significant night in that the Hawks finally welcomed back into the family one of their best and most popular players after a 13-year separation.