Where Oh Where Did Our Dream Team Go?

[Rachel Izydorek]

This past June, the Chicago Blackhawks made history by winning the Stanley Cup for the first time in 49 years. They also ended the longest drought in NHL history. Not only did they make hockey history, but they also saved Chicago's sports teams from further ridicule. The Cubs haven't won in 101 years, the Bulls haven't been amazing since Michael Jordan, and the Bears, lets just not talk about the Bears. The Hawks made us die-hard fans extremely happy, while their success picked up some new fans as well. All the happiness couldn't last though. Now everybody is complaining about the trading and the salary cap and BLAH BLAH BLAH.

According to Jeffery Bartl, who runs the blog, Blackhawk Up, we have nothing to worry about. I trust Bartl. He was the famous 10 year old that Mario Lemieux tossed a puck to when they lost the cup in 1992 and promised him they would win soon. He has waited 18 years for his promise to be fufilled. He knows what he's talking about.
After reading Bartl's "Comparing the Blackhawks to the Florida Marlins is downrig... , this is my opinion on the trading ordeal:
Yes, I will miss Versteeg, he was one of my favorites
Yes, I will miss Byfuglien beating up Pronger
Heck yes I will miss Burish playing pranks on Kane and Toews and acting as the "protector"
I will miss chanting the unchantable name, and hearing Eddie Olczyk and Pat Foley yelling, "and Niemi says NO"
I will even miss making fun of Sopel looking like a caveman and Eager skating in circles because he doesn't know how to play the game.
All that said, Versteeg and Byfuglien didn't really start playing until the Post Season.
Niemi was greedy when he knew that $1.5 million was plenty for one year
and I'm PROUD that Burish left. He's getting twice the salary that he did on the Hawks and he can finally be seen as the star.
Sopel and Eager... i have a feeling they won't be missed.

The point I'm trying to make is that we all need to CALM DOWN. With these trades and changes in the line-up. Seabrook and Hjalmarsson can finally play first string and be seen as front runners, and I personally think it's time to see Bryan Bickle really playing. The Hawks have acquired some great, young kids ready for the minors who can train and carry the team when Sharp or Hossa or someone else chooses to leave. Yes, it's sad to see the Dream Team break apart, but this is just the way things go. Calm yourselves, breathe, and watch the game.

Who knows?
Maybe some new kid will turn the tables and be the new Patrick Kane or Duncan Keith.

afterthought- When is Boynton leaving? He's as bad as Eager

[megan majewski]

glad to see someone posted something on them, cause rachel if you didnt, i would have. buttt my opinon here. yes its great to see new players come out and show us what they've got, like jack skille and viktor stalberg,who are by far, really showing the fans and coach Q whatthey're made of. did you know nick leddy is only 19 btw, and already playing int he NHL and doing phenominal..! but even though these kids are good, they have alot to prove. But no matter what ill always miss big buff, versteeg, burish and ladd. the problem with losing all these guys though, is that we really have no big "hitters" or "fighters" anymore. like yes, brouwer and seabrook will step up to the plate when someone picks on patrick kane, but no one sticks out anymore as a fighter. thats one of my only concerns with losing some of our boys other than the fact that ill miss them and wont get to wear half my t-shirts anymore.. :(

[Kaity Drahos]

I have to admit, I wasn't a huge follower until this past year. Yes, I'm a member of the Stanley Cup bandwagon. With that out of the way, I'd just like to completely and totally agree with you. I think we needed the dream team to get more fans. I know they made me realize how intense and fun hockey can be. Though I'll admit, I will miss Byfuglien and his fights dearly, I think we all need to sit back and watch what the new kids can do. Who says there can't be 2 dream teams? All I know is I'm on the band wagon, and I'm not getting off!

[Carly Mckay]

You got it Rachel! Any true Blackhawks fan would know that you have to ALWAYS be a fan. We all know what happens when the next season rolls around. New year equals new players which equals different team. Even though we lost a few guys, the name on front of the jersey still hasn't changed. I think everyone is a little upset just because last years team was SO great. It's hard to forget a team that started out as nothing too special, made it to the playoffs, set crazy records, swept the sharks, slayed Luongo, and made to all the way to the finals. Oh and we kind of won the little cup. You know, the hardest one in all of sports to win? Well, I say we had our fun. If we have a so so year, so be it. We ended the dry spell, and i'm just happy to say I had the privilege of watching it all go down. Not many people can say that.

GO HAWKS!! :)

[Rachel Izydorek]

*hawks update*
for anyone who needs a little catching up here's the latest

OPENING NIGHT! OCTOBER SEVENTH PUCK DROPS AT 9 PM ON VERSUS

Ok now the latest on the team-
- Campbell is out (again) for four weeks (correct me if im wrong)
- Coach Q's championship ring must have some lead poisioning or something because the man has gone a little crazy... he's letting Boynton and Brouwer play in the first and second lines, GAH the frustration. Hopefully i'm wrong and Coach Q is still a hockey genius
- Nick Leddy got some ice time the other day and is a little nervous. he kept getting rid of the puck like it was melting the tape on his stick
- Turco. Almighty Turco... Needs to stay in the net. I know he's a vet and he knows what he's doing, but he's also making me nervous by going behind the net so much. He's giving up the big leads we have. Maybe more time to get to know his teammates? a little bonding? haha
- JEREMY MORIN HAS BEEN SENT TO ROCKFORD. this is probably the biggest dissapoinment of the pre-season. I loved him. i loved how he played, and him, kane, and sharp were playing really well together. he was the "surprise of the pre-season" and they sent him off to keep the team under that darn salary cap.
hopefully he comes back


well thats about it. nothing really special happened during the pre-season except that our hot head Brouwer (i believe it was him) who has already been suspended for at least one day for disorderly conduct on the ice. real classy haha
hope everyone watches on thursday

[carla tolomeo]

I also agree with Jack. My cousin plays for the AHL and it's amazing to see how well the new guys, even ones that are brought up from the minors, can do. They deserve more credit than they are given, especially when they haven't even gotten a chance yet. Who knows..they could do even better than the dream team from last season.

[Jack Finis]

I agree with jack. I mean just because we traded all these "well-known" players doesnt mean we wont have a shot at the cup this year. Even if we dont, this is all about saving money for them and a year of rebuilding. We got this!

[Alanna Krivanek]

I agree with you, but I didn't at first. I was upset with every player we lost, espeically Versteeg, Byfuglien, and Niemi. But like you, I realized that in return we were getting good players, and some of my other favorite, and better, players will have the time to shine. Hopefully, our team will be just as good, if not better than before.
Go Blackhawks! :)

[Jack Andersen]

I totally understand where you are coming from, everybody is freaking out about losing some of our second and third line guys. Yes, they are good players, but we still have all of our first line players, and we replaced Niemi with a stud, Marty Turco who has been a league leader in save percentage a number of times. So the bottom line is that everyone needs to relax. I also encourage more fake fans to jump on the band wagon!