Chicago Blackhawks Flashback: Mini Olympics

It’s Wednesday, meaning some Blackhawk Up readers are about halfway through their work week. So I’m going to provide a blast to the past each Hump Day to give you all a little extra oomph and help you get to the weekend. The Chicago Blackhawks have done a lot of funny or endearing video spots since the organization emerged from its dark days. Those spots will be the topic of these flashback posts.

We’ve hit the six spot on our flashback list (check out the previous entries below). Today, we’re going back to an oldie, but a goodie, in the Blackhawks Mini Olympics.

The Blackhawks have had a high number of Americans and Canadians on their team since the organization’s revival, so they decided to have some fun with mock Olympic events several months after the 2010 Winter Olympics.

After a hilarious opening montage that featured a moose head, burgers and Mount Rushmore, we get to the first event: popsicle eating.

Andrew Ladd (Canada) and Dustin Byfuglien (U.S.) faced off in a two-popsicle eating contest. The duo was decked out in sweatsuits with intense music playing in the background, which seems silly for a popsicle-eating contest. But you can quickly see Ladd and Byfuglien were pained by scarfing down the cold treats, possibly suffering from brain freeze.

Feel the burn! (Screenshot from YouTube)

Ladd gets Team Canada on the board with five points by finishing about half a popsicle ahead of a relieved Byfuglien (relieved that he didn’t have to eat any more popsicles).

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A very youthful Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane were next up in popsicle eating, with the captain having the chance to put Team Canada up big. Toews made a really early mistake by essentially sticking a whole popsicle in his mouth, and he realized this quickly, much to Kane’s chagrin.

This is clearly a lot more difficult than it looks. (Screenshot from YouTube)

Kane switched from a red popsicle to an orange popsicle midway through to try and change the momentum, but Toews was too far ahead to overcome, and Team Canada jumped out to a 10-0 advantage.

Next was the skate and shoot contest, in which Kris Versteeg and Brian Campbell competed for Canada and Kane and Adam Burish suited up for the U.S. And they literally suited up, wearing speedskating suits for this competition. The goal of the event was to skate from one goal to another and back, shoot a target on the end boards with a bow and arrow, and skate back to center ice. Hitting the target with the bow and arrow counted for time off the skating portion, so it wasn’t a requirement.

Versteeg led off and showed some fantastic form, flailing his arms wildly while skating. He then missed the target by a mile and finished the skating event in just over 30 seconds.

Burish then followed with a traditional hands-behind-the-back skating style, though he abandoned that for Versteeg’s wild flailing option. Burish didn’t even bother loading his bow and arrow, opting to throw the arrow at the target (he missed). It helped his time though, as Burish finished just over 26 seconds.

Campbell was next to go, and he failed miserably at the skating segment. He fell before he even got started, hit the end boards while turning around and crashed into the net at the end.

Typically not what you want to see from your defenseman. (Screenshot from YouTube)

Campbell also decided to throw the arrow, and somehow he finished about a tenth of a second ahead of Burish to take the individual lead.

Kane was the last competitor, and he showed a very relaxed skating style throughout. With some help from Burish, Kane hit the bulls-eye, though he finished last in skating time because he didn’t really seem to care. With that, Team Canada took the event and the Mini Olympics. Dang Canadians.

Next: Has Jamaal Charles Lost a Step?

Previous flashbacks

Joey the Junior Reporter

Next: NHL 16 Player Rankings

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