Imrem: Blackhawks make Chicago a hockey town again

The Blackhawks rank No. 1 in the NHL and almost as importantly are doing well among Chicago sports teams.

Wouldn't you say so after witnessing Thursday's championship parade and rally?

The Stanley Cup Final began in early June with an eye-catching headline: "Move Aside Bears, the Blackhawks Are Taking Chicago."

Wow!

The declaration didn't arrive on the website of a local news outlet or Sports Illustrated or ESPN or some other sports-media powerhouse.

The story came from The Wall Street Journal. Popular Mechanics and Cat Fancy have yet to weigh in.

Fast-forward to the Hawks' latest party, this one celebrating their third Stanley Cup championship in six seasons.

Maybe the premise of the WSJ story is the real reason the city staged the festivities in Soldier Field instead of Grant Park.

The Bears play their home games there, remember, though they don't play defense nearly as well as Duncan Keith does.

(Maybe the Bears should consider offering a contract to strong safety Corey Crawford.)

Not even Mother Nature dared to rain on the Hawks' victory parade: Players rode atop double-decker buses … fans dozens deep lined the streets … seas of red were prominent inside and outside the rally … oh yeah, the Cup!

Crawford issued one of his obligatory F-bombs; Kris Versteeg again did what sounded a little like singing; Patrick Kane warned to look out for him the next week because he isn't all that grown up yet …

Meanwhile, Versteeg had time to demonstrate some of that famous Hawks' heart by announcing he'll give a victory belt to the son of Clint Reif, the assistant equipment manager who died in midseason.

In an era of 24-hour news cycles filled with the worries of the world, this was a good, positive, classy event.

The Wall Street Journal's football-hockey conversation was astounding when you consider that not long ago a Hawks rally couldn't fill a Soldier Field restroom.

But the Hawks have been coming and winning and coming and winning and coming and winning during the last seven seasons.

A good guess is that more fathers will receive Hawks' sweaters, T-shirts and caps on Father's Day than merchandise from the Bears and all other local teams combined.

Yes, Chicago is a hockey town again - Hawkeytown in fact. Yet, club president John McDonough and vice president Jay Blunk always are quick to point out how far the franchise still has to go.

So it wasn't surprising to hear Keith roar, "Let's keep this red machine rolling!"

The Wall Street Journal story acknowledged that the Bears are in no danger of being run over but raising the subject served to elevate the Hawks.

Have the Hawks moved up to No. 2 by trying harder on the ice and being smarter off the ice?

Well, only this season has baseball awakened from several slumbering years. The Bulls are trying to move on from dysfunction and disappointment.

So a case could be made that the Hawks, not too long ago 50th among Chicago's five major sports teams, are second to the Bears right now.

The Cubs might pass them again but not even that would diminish what the Hawks have accomplished by winning three championships, building a remarkable fan base and prompting parties like Thursday's.

At either No. 2 or even No. 3, the Hawks have made Chicago a hockey mecca.

"This," McDonough told the crowd, "is your Stanley Cup."

Judging by the buzz around town, more fans are sharing the trophy than ever before.

mimrem@dailyherald.com