Chicago Blackhawks Are Keeping the Windy City Relevant

Professional sports teams in Chicago have struggled to reach excellence in the 21st century. The Chicago Blackhawks’ consistent success has allowed the city to remember what it feels like to be a champion.

Aside from the White Sox‘s World Series win in 2005, all of Chicago’s recent championship parades have honored the Blackhawks. They have turned into an NHL powerhouse after winning the Stanley Cup three of the last six years. But this success means a lot for Chicago because the other teams in the city have continued to underperform. If you look at the last five years of the Blackhawks’ ascension, Chicago sports fans have dealt with two stumbling baseball organizations, the failing knees of Derrick Rose and the stone-faced mediocrity of Jay Cutler. Without the Blackhawks, Chicago would have lost the taste of a championship.

The Blackhawks have become an elite organization built around the type of superstar duo that Chicago has not seen since Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane have been key to each run in the last six years, and they are a model for the other Chicago teams to follow. Unfortunately, Chicago fans are still waiting for their other dynamic duos to take their teams to a championship level.

Toews and Kane are not the only reason for the success of the Blackhawks. Management has continued to make moves to surround the stars with capable role players. Fans have been knocking Corey Crawford all year, but he made some key saves throughout the playoffs. Other Chicago organizations are struggling to find those key surrounding pieces.

It would be easy to understand why Chicago fans might start to lose faith in their teams, but the Blackhawks have reassured the city that success is still existent. The taste of the Stanley Cup will never get old, but hopefully the Blackhawks can inspire other Chicago teams to bring home some different championship flavors to the Windy City.

Reed Hunnicutt is an ACC Basketball Beat Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on twitter @rd_hunnicutt04, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.