Chicago Blackhawks Dynasty Explained

Chicago Blackhawks Dynasty Explained

Chicago Blackhawks: Modern Dynasty

It’s not easy to build a dynasty in the modern NHL. The sheer number of teams makes it statistically unlikely, and the level of talent available league-wide is staggering. Even with the willingness of some stars to take hometown discounts or sign for less money for a chance to win a Stanley Cup, cap restrictions make it hard for a team to stay competitive in the long term. In any given year, it’s truly anybody’s game. Despite this, the Chicago Blackhawks have won three Stanley Cups in only six seasons, fueling talk of a Chicago Blackhawks dynasty unlike anything seen since the Edmonton Oilers of the 1980s.

A Decade of Struggle Before the Rise

Any team that’s been around as long as the Blackhawks will have its ups and downs, and the decade before their historic run, from the 1997-98 season to the 2007-08 season, was one of the worst in team history. They played in only a single postseason series during that entire span, a drought the franchise hadn’t experienced since the 1950s. Before their 2010 Stanley Cup win, you have to go back to 1992 for the last time they made the Cup Finals (when they were swept by the Pittsburgh Penguins) and all the way to the early 1960s for the last time they won the Cup. Though they’ve been perennial postseason contenders for most of their history, prior to 2010 the Blackhawks had won the Stanley Cup only three times, in 1934, 1938, and 1961, matching the total they would go on to win in just the six seasons between 2009-10 and 2014-15. Interestingly, their Stanley Cup victory in 1961 also immediately followed a disappointing stretch: the 15 years prior to that win saw the Blackhawks make the postseason only four times, never getting past the first round.

Building a Champion Through the Draft and Free Agency

Part of what’s made the modern Blackhawks so dominant is their management. General Manager Stan Bowman has a remarkable ability to construct a team with both star players and plenty of depth, despite the limitations placed on teams in the salary-cap era. The organization used the high draft picks earned during the lean years to great effect, selecting franchise players Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane in consecutive drafts (Toews third overall in 2006, Kane first overall in 2007). Other notable players drafted by Chicago include Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, and Corey Crawford, all of whom played major roles in all three Stanley Cup victories. The Blackhawks have also made excellent free-agent signings, not only landing major players like Marian Hossa and Patrick Sharp but managing to hang on to them for the long term. It takes more than a couple of good players to achieve sustained success in the NHL, and Blackhawks management has shown incredible care and patience in putting together a team built for the current season and for many years to come. Chicago also has the coaching necessary to make these high-level players as good on the ice as they are on paper. High-end skill, strong leadership from the top players, and a culture of winning mean Chicago has what it takes to stay on top for a long time.

Do the Blackhawks Belong Among the NHL’s Official Dynasties?

The NHL and the Hockey Hall of Fame recognize nine official dynasties in the league’s history. Every one of those teams won at least four championships in a span of no more than eight years. If the Blackhawks win another Stanley Cup with this same core group, no one will argue against their inclusion on this selective list, but their achievements already make a strong case for the Chicago Blackhawks dynasty to be discussed alongside the NHL’s other legendary teams. Chicago is the first team in any of the North American “big four” sports to win three championships under a hard salary cap. Even the most recent officially recognized NHL dynasty, the Edmonton Oilers from 1983 to 1990, could spend as much as they wanted and didn’t have to think about free agency.

Thriving in an Era of Parity

The NHL is more competitive overall than it has ever been. In the most recent year included in an NHL-recognized dynasty, the Oilers’ 1989-90 season, there was a 28-point difference between first and sixteenth place. In 2014-15, only 16 points separated the President’s Trophy winner from the last team to squeak into the playoffs. Even in that competitive environment, the Chicago Blackhawks dynasty has found a way to stay on top, earning its place in NHL history.