In Part 3 of my 2009-2010 Blackhawks feature, let’s take a final look at things before the season actually began. Something else with huge ramifications happened the previous year…
I remember when it happened on October 16, 2008; I was not too happy. I knew less about hockey than any other sport, and I was robbed of watching the Blackhawks for many years, but I knew who Denis Savard was. Fired?!? This young team was predicted to take that next step in the 2008-2009 season. Coming off their first winning season in five years in the 2007-2008 campaign, racking up 88 points, and finishing just 3 points from making the playoffs, the Blackhawks were predicted by some to be back in the postseason. Why would they fire their coach, who just happens to be one of the greatest Blackhawks of all time right now? Why would they do this 4 games into the season? If anything, they should have pulled the trigger after the previous season. It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to fire a coach mid-season in my opinion; this wouldn’t be the first time the Hawks did it though. And the guy they replaced him with, Joel Quenneville… who the heck is that?
Well, he was a guy with 11 years of coaching experience. He had made the playoffs with the Blues 7 out his 8 years, and with the Avalanche 2 out of 3 years; OK, not too shabby. He was also an ex-player who played over 800 games in the NHL; that has to be helpful. In retrospect, the Blackhawks fired their Doug Collins in Denis Savard, and hired their Phil Jackson in Joel Quenneville. Savard had got this team to a point where they could compete; they needed somebody to take them to the next level. Coach Q did that, immediately.
They cannot even discuss the problem with your cheapest cialis from india doctor and do not take any step further with your own sense and wish. The blood circulation is not enough in the genital viagra cialis proben area. However, it is the teacher’s job along with the parents’ full co-operation, to make each of them feel special viagra 25 mg and comfortable with their own selves and develop their abilities to grow up as individuals with their own feeling of anxiety, frustration, anger, and sadness. They supply medications at the much reasonable prices due to the absence of mediators australia viagra buy http://donssite.com/Purple-dragonfly-on-antennae-Micco-Florida.htm or wholesalers.The Blackhawks would finish with 104 points, the first time over 100 points since the 1992-1993 season. They finished in 2nd place in their division behind the Red Wings. They would play their first Winter Classic against those Red Wings this year in Wrigley Field. To me that felt like a huge indication that the Blackhawks had arrived; they were back… this time, for all to see. Of course you have to win when it counts, and they did. Winning against Calgary in the first round; beating the Canucks in the 2nd round, in a series I remember fondly. That would setup the matchup with Detroit in the Conference Finals. I remember that series too.
The Red Wings vs Blackhawks in the 2009 Western Conference Finals was like men against boys. Yes, the Blackhawks lived up to the expectations and took that next step, but we got spanked against the Wings; they dominated us. This would be that 1984 Bears 49ers moment; the Pistons beating the Bulls type event. This would serve as a reality check and a motivator heading into the following season. This would be their tough loss which would propel them to the greatness sitting at the top of that mountain. It was a fun season. To me, the 2015 Cubs Mets series had the same type feeling. Yes, it sucked to lose, but it felt like the beginning of something, not the end. Turned out, I would be right for a change.
I think we’re ready now. I think we’re ready for that season to begin. It’s October 2, 2009, and the Chicago Blackhawks and Florida Panthers are about to kick off the season about 4,000 miles away from Sweet Home Chicago in Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland. Away we go…
Leave a Reply