Blackhawks: Championship success really was remarkable

The Chicago Blackhawks won three championships in six seasons in the modern-day NHL, something that will probably never happen again.

I do not think the Blackhawks’ success can ever be matched. Look around at the NHL today, we see so much success from teams, but no championships to show for it. Take, for example, a team like the Boston Bruins. They have been to the Stanley Cup finals three times in the past ten years, and yet they only have one championship to show for it.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are another example. The Lightning have been to the conference finals four times now since 2015, they had one of the best regular seasons in NHL history last season, and yet they do not have any championships to show for it.

The Blackhawks managed to pull off something that we might never see again in the NHL. They not only played great during the regular season, but they showed up and won the highest trophy of all. Teams around the league look to what the Blackhawks did in the past and make that their standard for what they hope to do in the future.

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It is remarkable to think that a team like Tampa Bay had so much promise after the ‘Hawks beat them in the Stanley Cup Finals, and yet they almost tore through their entire championship window with no championships to show for it. Winning presidents trophies and having great regular seasons is excellent, but at the end of the day, you want to win the Stanley Cup.

I know that the Lightning have a chance to right those wrongs this season and win their championship, but with the roster they have, they should have won more than one like us. Watching hockey now might not be the same as before, but it’s important to remember just how significant those years were.

Every year it seemed like the ‘Hawks were destined to win the Stanley Cup. The regular season just seemed like an obstacle course the Blackhawks were required to go through, but they always found a way to turn it on come playoff time. Championship parades were annual traditions in the city, and everyone expected deep playoff runs in May.

Being a Blackhawks fan was fun during those years, and it still is now. There is still a lot of ways we can improve this off-season, and it is also fun watching former ‘Hawks get recognized for their success. While the Blackhawks might be proving the point that success comes with a cost, I would point out the fact that at least we did succeed. Championships are not guaranteed year in and year out.

Teams like Boston and Tampa are going to have to rebuild eventually, and they are not going to have the same resume of success that we have had when they do it. It’s going to be a few years before the ‘Hawks genuinely have a shot at winning again, and during the meantime, I hope everyone can enjoy how great the Blackhawks truly were during their dynasty.