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CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS VS. PHILADELPHIA
FLYERS
How the Cup finalists were built
by Chris Kober
Hockeytalk.biz
MAY 28, 2010 --
Four wins is all that
separates the Chicago Blackhawks and the Philadelphia Flyers from hockey
immortality.
On the surface the two
teams seem quite similar. They each have three lines that can score through
pure skill or relentless grit; each boasts a stable of stalwart defensemen
and previously untested goaltending that has come through in the clutch.
Both came into the season as huge Cup
contenders; however, the season has seen them take very different paths to
the Final.
Chicago cruised across the top of the
Western Conference all season, while Philadelphia rode a rollercoaster of
injuries, controversies and general turmoil, but their stories go back much
further than that.
 CHIGAGO
The Blackhawks renaissance in the wake of
Bill Wirtz’s passing has been nothing short of spectacular, but the new
fan-friendly philosophy of Rocky Wirtz and John McDonough was all made
possible by the slow but steady improvement of the on-ice product.
If the Hawks end their cup drought at 49
years Stan Bowman’s name will literally be etched into history, but in
reality he has had little to do with building the franchise back to
respectability.
The team has been built on eight years of
almost unparalleled draft choices and their cultivation.
Much of the current Chicago squad’s
makeup can be attributed to former GM Dale Tallon, who drafted Patrick Kane
and Jonathan Toews, oversaw the development and emergence of Duncan Keith,
Brent Seabrook, Dustin Byfuglien and Dave Bolland, traded for Patrick Sharp
and Kris Versteeg and signed Marian Hossa during his tenure.
Tallon also made the difficult decision
to replace Blackhawk legend Denis Savard with former Blues and Avalanche
Head Coach Joel Quenneville. Somewhat controversial at the time, Savard was
fired only four games into his second season behind the bench in favor of
Quenneville’s experience. How different things may have looked in Chicago
these past two years with Savard commanding the troops we will never know,
but Quennville’s success is impossible to deny.
This isn’t to say that Bowman hasn’t done
anything in his first year at the Hawks’ helm. He has locked up Kane, Toews
and Keith to long term deals; the first step in ensuring that Chicago’s
Stanley Cup window doesn’t shut tight this summer, but for now the focus is
on the ice in this final series.
 PHILADELPHIA
The Flyers roster was built almost in two
separate phases. First by Bob (formerly Bobby) Clarke’s draft picks
followed by current GM Paul Holmgren’s flurry of trades and free agent
signings.
Flyers history has always been and will
likely always be linked to Clarke. A 15-year playing career, including nine
as captain, two Stanley Cups and two stints as GM will do that.
During his second turn in the Philly
front office from 1994 to 2006 Clarke drafted, among many others, Simon
Gagne, Jeff Carter and Mike Richards or what is now known as the
Philadelphia Flyers’ first line.
Holmgren took over early in the 2006-07
season, shortly after Clarke had drafted Claude Giroux, Philly’s third
leading goal scorer in these playoffs. That season saw the Flyers drop to
rock bottom of the league.
Since then Holmgren has used almost every
tool in the General Manager’s belt to rebuild his lineup, drafting James van
Riemsdyk, trading for Braydon Coburn, Kimmo Timonen, Matt Carle and Chris
Pronger, while signing Danny Briere as a free agent and using seven
goaltenders including waiver wire pick up Michael Leighton.
The massive amount of turnover in just
three short years coupled with such high expectations made turbulence almost
inevitable, especially with a fan base as vocal as Philly’s. Briere’s
contract has been criticized for everything from the eight year term to the
cap hit of $6.3 million and its no movement clause. Rumors circulated early
this season that there was a rift between the veterans and younger players
in the locker room. Slumps and injuries only made things worse on the ice
eventually resulting in the firing of Head Coach John Stevens in favor of
Peter Laviolette, who has righted the ship.
The Flyers rocky regular season came down
to a shootout victory over the Rangers in game 82; made way for one of the
biggest comeback victories in professional sports history and now has them
on the precipice of a championship; but what else would we expect from the
heirs of the Broad Street Bullies, if not glorious chaos?
MORE:
Game 6 Audio Preview:
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Likely Conn
Smythe Trophy Candidates
by Gaby Martinez
Flyers surge, Hawks hope for home turnaround
by Charles Smith
So far, this series has had a little bit of
everything. Overtime goals, lead changes, late-period goals, rookies scoring
game-tying and game-winning goals, rookies shrinking in the face of veteran
greatness, and a goaltending battle with both netminders firing on all
cylinders.
Stanley Cup
Final Preview
by Charles Smith
Plus: Expert
Picks
Chris
Pronger's Second Act
by Charles Smith
As the Philadelphia Flyers prepare for the apex of their most unlikely run to
the Stanley Cup final, one impressive body of work in particular continues to
grow. Chris Pronger has been in the Stanley Cup final three times in the
last five seasons.
What a Difference a Generation Makes
Bill, Rocky and the trip from '92 to '10
by Josh Brewster | NHL Quick Shots
(Bill
Wirtz was a) Shakespearian figure, a stubborn old patriarch with loving children
primed to succeed the old man...Like a modern-day King Lear, the Patriarch
clings to his views and wanders alone, his empire operating at diminished
capacity over the years, unable to achieve the success he craves.
Expert Playoff
Picks
Plus expanded takes from Dennis Bernstein and Josh
Brewster
Hockeytalk's Preseason Prediction: Blackhawks for Cup
Since 1994: Want the Cup? Finish 1-4 in Conference
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