A message of thanks from one Chicago Blackhawks fan

Every time I write an article, I still feel like I am having a conversation with you. Whether it be a game preview, game recap, a breaking news story, or even just a fun piece detailing something I want to see happen everything I write has been for you.

Life comes and goes quickly, and if it is alright with you all, I want to take you on a trip away from the Chicago Blackhawks and towards something else instead. You can turn away if you want and exit out of this article, or you can allow me to tell you a story.

My first hockey game was a memory I will never forget. Like most diehard Blackhawks fans, I was sitting in the 300 level in what felt like to me the last row. The fun, beautiful, amazing, extravagant thing about sports to me was that I do not remember who the Blackhawks were playing that night. All I remember was the fun I had with my Dad.

My father was a die-hard Blackhawks fan who got to witness his favorite team win the Stanley Cup 3 times. Dad owned season tickets for the Blackhawks back in what I would call the dinosaur years aka I don’t know, 1985? He had season tickets until the Blackhawks were swept by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991, that was the last time he swore he would watch a hockey game.

The funny thing about hockey is you always find yourself going back to the sport, and eventually, he got back in on season tickets in 2012 with a close friend. I went to countless hockey games with my Dad and every time I left with a million different things to talk about, whether it be the power play not producing, or that Patrick Sharp can’t buy a goal anymore, and even how every player on the Blackhawks deserved to have a statue in front of the United Center. It was honestly dumb sports talk, nothing worth writing or talking about.

Then the unthinkable happened. The same year the Blackhawks dynasty really came to an end with a sweep to the Nashville Predators in 2017, my father lost his battle to cancer. That was three years ago today.

Three years ago I lost my best friend, I lost my person to talk sports with, and for a little while, I questioned whether or not I would ever watch a game again.

The good thing is I did start watching again, and I started sharing my ideas again. Sports are a beautiful thing. We all have our biggest rival and our favorite moments in franchise history, but at the end of the day, we all just love watching a game. During a time where the world seems to be falling apart, I can not wait for the day where we can all be united by a game like hockey.

I joined Blackhawk Up a year ago last month, and every time I write a new article it excites me to the core. Thank you for reading this today, and for following along throughout the last year. And Dad I don’t know if you can look down on me and read this, but every one of these articles is for you.