The rise of NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks in the past decade to become the defending Stanley Cup winner was the result of serious agent acquisitions and changes that only highlighted the deficiencies of the team since the start of the millennium. Previously an NHL letdown by all definitions of the word, the changes that have occurred inside the team since 2007 have only bolstered their standing in the league, culminating in this year’s Stanley Cup win. The road to winning the Stanley Cup this year It is arguable that the start of the team’s resurgence occurred during the 2007 to 2008 season. The acquisition of young players, such as Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, has provided the team with a renewed sense of purpose. The Chicago Blackhawks’ management initiated a top-to-bottom reorganization that is still ongoing up to this day. It is important for the team to constantly observe and assess the player market for any trades or acquisitions that will further complement the team’s existing roster. The subsequent purchase of free agents before the start of the 2009-10 season, Marian Hossa and several other players, made them a force to be reckoned with. The roster was so effective that the Blackhawks set several franchise records, winning 50 games and scoring their 109th point during this season. Their run to the Stanley Cup was relatively uneventful. Most of their playoff matches reached Game 6 before they claimed victory. Looking back at the 2009-10 season, it is quite impressive that despite the depth of talents available to all the teams during the playoffs, the Blackhawks were already showing then that they could go all the way. Their Game 6 win against the Philadelphia Flyers during the finals wasn’t memorable because of the drama during the game, but it was because of the trials the team has gone through since their last Cup win in 1961, and the efforts they have made to reach this point. Basking in their recent win The team is understandably still basking in their recent accomplishments. It is quite safe to say that they are not satisfied with just winning this year’s Cup. The team has just signed Russian Igor Makarov to a contract. It capped a post-season buying spree that also included defenseman Jassen Cullimore and goaltender Hannu Toivonen, among others. Some are assuming that the team is still looking at other prospects that will make them one of the strongest teams in the league, if this year’s Stanley Cup win isn’t an indicator of that already. The question now is: can the team make another serious run this 2010 to 2011 season? The answer is yes–perhaps the Chicago Blackhawks won’t be an outright winner, but they will definitely be a serious contender in the NHL, trying to defend their crown.
