What a Difference 10 Years Can Make

Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

This morning, the city of Chicago is waking up and trying to shake off the effects of last night's Stanley Cup party courtesy of their Chicago Blackhawks, who are now champions for the third time since 2010.  To appreciate just how far the Blackhawks have come since the lockout, let's go back to this time 10 years ago.

The NHL Lockout had just ended after it had wiped out the entire 2004-05 season, and there was a lottery to determine who would draft where.  The Blackhawks would draft seventh, and they would take Jack Skille that year.  However, like every Draft between that year and 2000, save for one, the pick would not pan out the way the Blackhawks had hoped.  The seeds of what would become would actually begin in December of 2005, when they would trade for Patrick Sharp, who gave the Blackhawks a legitimate threat for 30 goals a year.  However, the Blackhawks would still be gasping for air, as they would end up with the third overall pick in 2006 and the first overall pick in 2007.  These were picks the Blackhawks would actually get right, as those players are now integral to everything they do.  Jonathan Toews (2006) would become captain after his rookie season in 2008 and be their best all-around player while Patrick Kane (2007) is now their most dynamic player.  However, it is important to not overlook the contributions of the supporting cast, as Niklas Hjalmarsson, a fourth-round pick in 2005, has played a key role behind the top duo of Brent Seabrook (2003 first round pick) and this year's Conn Smythe winner Duncan Keith (2002 second-round pick).  Then, there's Corey Crawford, who may have shown his shakiness at times, such as the first round series against Nashville this year, but like every great player, showed that he can put the bad outings behind him and play great when his team needs him the most, particularly in the Conference Finals and the Stanley Cup Finals.

The challenge of maneuvering the salary cap for next season looms for the Blackhawks, as they are likely having no choice but to move key support players, but it is nothing new for the Blackhawks, as they've survived even as they were forced to say goodbye to players such as Dustin Byfuglien, Andrew Ladd, and Antti Niemi after 2010, and Michael Frolik and Dave Bolland after 2013.  These challenges are a far better welcome for a team that would have been happy just to be competitive immediately after the lockout of 2005.

Celebrate this dynasty, Chicago, and appreciate just how far your team has come in 10 years.