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Are the Blackhawks Similar to the Ravens?
I was reading this article about the 2013 Stanley Cup winning Chicago Blackhawks and it struck me how similar their situation is to the Ravens. The Blackhawks won the Cup 3 years ago but due to their cap situation had to make some difficult choices and change up their roster. Last night proved that it didn't stop them. They kept their core intact and built on the rest on their way to another Championship. Could we see the same thing here? With Ozzie in charge it's very possible.
http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/2013/6/2...-cup-2013-2010
Of the four past Stanley Cup champions who ended up in the Conference Finals this season, Chicago had undergone the biggest transformation. The Kings were still largely intact from last year's club that was able to capture the trophy. Boston had a very similar core from the one in 2011, the biggest difference being in goal. And the Penguins were perhaps better than the team that won in 2009, having added Jarome Iginla and loaded up themselves at the trade deadline.
But Chicago was the one that had the most dramatic turnover, as while the core of Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Sharp remained intact, the supporting cast largely changed. And despite the changes, the Blackhawks didn't fade from contention despite being squarely up against the salary cap, they were able to remain competitive, and Monday night, captured just the fifth Stanley Cup in team history three years after its last.
"I think there's something about our core," Patrick Kane said about 2010 and this year's team. "Hopefully we can stay together a long time, because that's two Cups in four years, and we seem to only be getting better and better as players as time goes on here.
"It's unbelievable to be in this situation. There's role players on the 2010 team that meant a lot to us that couldn't stay for us for the next year. I think nine or ten or 11 guys got moved, and the Blackhawks did a great job of drafting and filling in those holes. You look at guys they drafted: [Brandon] Saad, [Andrew] Shaw, a big trade for [Nick] Leddy who's going to be a big player in the future. And then just little signings like Rozsival, picking up Stalberg who's got great speed. We can go up and down the line and name off guys and how they contributed to this team and this game. It's just a great group, and it's going to be fun to celebrate with them."
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06-25-2013, 04:48 PM #2Pro Bowl Poster
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Re: Are the Blackhawks Similar to the Ravens?
Not really, IMO. They really only changed their peripheral players. They kept they're 4 best forwards in Toews, Kane, Hossa, and Sharp and their top defensive pairing in Seabrook and Keith. They lost some peripheral players, but no one major, and no one that comes close to Ray or Ed.
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06-25-2013, 05:42 PM #3
Re: Are the Blackhawks Similar to the Ravens?
But the Ravens didn't lose their best players when they lost Lewis and Reed. They lost great players past their prime. You could easily make the argument that the Ravens kept their best offensive and defensive players, and have replaced the periphery and upgraded the weaker positions. That's pretty much what the Blackhawks did - kept key players and built around them.
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Re: Are the Blackhawks Similar to the Ravens?
I don't know a thing about hockey but I heard an ex-NFLer on Sirius today say "I'd much rather play with great leaders who are mediocre talents". That's what the team lost and to me that's the question mark. No doubt they got faster and younger but will the loss of the great leadership outweigh it?
World Domination 3 Points at a Time!
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06-25-2013, 06:34 PM #5Pro Bowl Poster
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Re: Are the Blackhawks Similar to the Ravens?
No one will convince me that Ed Reed wasn't one of the Ravens two best defensive players last year. Ray and Ed were also the unquestioned leaders of the team. Chicago kept their leadership. If Ray and Ed weren't integral parts of the team in terms on on-field and locker room contribution, no one would be making a big deal about their loss.
Trust me, no one in Chicago was regretting the losses of Dustin Byfuglien and Kris Versteeg like we are with 52 & 20.Last edited by Mizerooskie; 06-25-2013 at 06:41 PM.
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Re: Are the Blackhawks Similar to the Ravens?
That's how I see it too. Ray even missed a good chunk of the season. Ed Reed had some flashes but he wasn't near the Ed Reed we've seen over the past decade. Flacco, Rice, Yanda, Sugg, Webb and Ngata are the core of the Ravens and they made sure that all those guys are still here for 2013. We also have a lot of young players like Torrey Smith and KO who could end up becoming part of that core. The future looks bright despite all the starters who aren't coming back.
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This whole "they lost their identity" mantra is bologna.
Suggs, Ngata, Rice, Torrey, Joe, Oher, Dumerville, Webb, and even guys like Art, Pitta, and Jameel are the new locker room leaders.
Those who say this team doesn't or won't have leaders on and off the field haven't been paying attention.
Sent from my DROID X2 using Forum RunnerDisclaimer: The content posted is of my own opinion.
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06-27-2013, 08:02 AM #10
Re: Are the Blackhawks Similar to the Ravens?
Having established 'long term' leaders hides the leadership of those that come along later - until the established leaders move on. The Ravens will have leadership this year - just not from Lewis and Reed.
Real leaders step in when they see there is a void of leadership, they don't make waves when they see there is previously established leadership.
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06-27-2013, 09:30 AM #11Pro Bowl Poster
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Re: Are the Blackhawks Similar to the Ravens?
GOTA--
I think the important question is, "How will the Ravens twitter staff handle the celebration?" ;)
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