Chicago "Blackhawks" – Another "Miracle" on the Ice

This team is based in Chicago, Illinois. It is one of the oldest teams of NHL. It was founded in the year 1926, while National Hockey League was founded in 1917. It belongs to the Western Conference, Central Division. Definitely, a team from such a huge city has millions of fans in the U.S.A. and in the rest of the world. All of them have great hopes for such team. Nevertheless, the previous story of “Blackhawks” does not have too many Stanley Cup wins. The team won the main title 3 times. The last was dated in the season 1960-1961. Afterwards, Chicago did not know the pleasure of such victory.

Nevertheless, everything has changed since the year 2008, when Joel Quenneville was appointed as a new head coach of the team. He in collaboration with general manager Stan Bowmen and other coaches led the Blackhawks to an amazing record for the modern hockey. The team won 3 more Cups in the course of some 6 years!

Such achievement was not a surprise in far past. Nonetheless, in comparison to previous times now we have many teams that are quite equal. Therefore, even one title in 10 years may be referred to a real success.

When talking about Chicago before the era of Bowmen and Quenneville, the results were awful. The last time the team reached the stage of play-offs was in the season 2001-2002. However, after changes in coaching stuff, the team lived through a real rebirth.

The coach factor did a great deal. The innovations of Quenneville brought splendid results. Thanks to excellent selective work of Bowmen, the team obtained young and perspective players, as well as experienced ones. The rookies Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews turned into real world-class leaders, who lead their national teams. Nevertheless, they became real stars in Chicago.

In strong collaboration of coaching stuff and players, the team from Illinois set a novice record of the modern hockey and it can be called a real “miracle on the ice”. It can be compared with that amazing US Olympic hockey team that won golden medals in the year 1980. That was a real miracle, because a team of teenagers from different universities and colleges conquered the experienced monsters of world hockey.

Something similar was done by the Blackhawks. The first success of their “hat-trick” came in the season 2009-2010. Quenneville needed only 3 seasons to reach his first trophy. Afterwards, the team from the United Center (the main arena of the team) was taken seriously by the opponents. Notwithstanding, the opponents were not able to stop Hawks in seasons 2012-2013 and 2014-2015.

In respect of modern tendencies of North American hockey, such success is almost impossible. However, the guys from Chicago made it quite possible. How could it happen? Some would say that this is a long and hard labor of each member of the team. The others would say that this is pure luck. However, the case of “luck” would hardly work for three times in six years. Probably, both thoughts should be united.

It is fair enough that the Blackhawks reached such success. Many players of the team have already won multiple personal awards for the regular seasons and play-offs games. Stan Bowmen is probably the best general manager of the last decade. The genius of Joel Quenneville speaks for himself. Chicago regularly reaches the stage of play-offs, has already won 3 Stanley Cups and shows impressive hockey each season. It is not surprising that the he was included to the coach team for the upcoming Cup of Canada, which is the most prestigious hockey tournament of all times.

During the last season, the Blackhawks could not win the Cup. However, on the average, they win this trophy once per two years. Consequently, the new 2016-2017 season is probably another successful year for them. Thus, we may talk about novel record of 4 wins in 8 years.