North: Blackhawks clearly the best organization
Regardless of whether they win the Stanley Cup this year, the Blackhawks have established an aura of excellence.
Going deep into the playoffs as the Hawks have done in recent years makes for an extremely long season, and this team will be ready for the summer off. They'll deserve it because they continue to give the people their money's worth.
The pressure never seems to get to the players even though they are expected to win and play great all the time.
From top to bottom, the Blackhawks organization is a model we wish other franchises in Chicago could emulate. From owner Rocky Wirtz to president/CEO John McDonough to the famed father-and-son team of Scotty and Stan Bowman to coach Joel Quenneville to players such as Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, the Hawks are AG - all good!
There are no issues. The results speak for themselves- two Stanley Cups in the last five years and poised to win a third.
Some winning teams are dysfunctional, but that doesn't apply to the Hawks. The Bulls were in disarray and the cheap shots from the front office and allegations such as the coach not following the script didn't help a team plagued by injuries and turmoil. For the Bulls, there were too many issues.
I wonder if Wirtz and Stan Bowman have ever given minutes restrictions to Quenneville. I doubt it.
While the Bulls were inundated with frustration and the failure to win the big enchilada, the Hawks just don't have those problems.
Hockey players are also a different breed and unlike the divas in the NBA who take two weeks off during the middle of the season or the guys sitting because of a hang nail.
Watching Tampa Bay goalie Ben Bishop try to play hurt just reinforces my argument - the toughest league is the NHL, and it has the toughest players. End of story.
Now, don't get me wrong, LeBron James is playing superstar basketball and a ton of minutes in the playoffs, but the media plays it up too much. I heard ESPN anchor Lindsay Czarniak say to co-host Tim Legler, "How long is LeBron going to be able to do this?"
Isn't he the same guy who took off two weeks during the season because of nagging injuries?
The Hawks are in the hunt and the expectations are they will win, and the team and fans believe it.
When I went to Blackhawks games as a kid, there was a team called the Montréal Canadiens who were a force and won numerous Stanley Cup championships. The Hawks also were great then, but they could only win once in 1961.
What I love about this team is they deliver what they promise, and today's kids only know winning hockey in Chicago. Great fan base, great ownership, great players and winning.
If I am another team in town, I'd start taking notes.
Program notes:
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