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Blackhawks fans remember the heartbreakersCNNSI.com looked at a few of the transactions that made Blackhawks fans shout, "Say It Ain't So." Then we opened the mailbag and let users vent on those and other dirty deals from over the years. Here is a sampling of your reactions:
Dave Weth, Bloomington, Ill.
The Blackhawks pay for half of Gilmour's paycheck and give up young talent in Dumont who was leading the Sabres in scoring for Grosek, who is no longer a Blackhawk.
I think one of the reasons the 'Hawks haven't been doing so well is because they moved out of the Chicago Stadium. Chicago Stadium was the best place to watch a hockey game. The Hawks had the biggest advantage in the league because the fans were right on top of the ice. Every fan was breathing down the neck of the enemy. Another advantage was that the rink was smaller than at the United Center. The Hawks used to skate circles around just about everybody because they were faster and stronger. The United Center is the one of the worst things to happen to the 'Hawks.
How about when the Blackhawks told Steve Larmer not to let the door hit him in the ass on the way on out town? And what did we get for him? The worst owner in all of major pro sports ... wait, I guess we had that going for us even before we sent him packing. "Dollar Bill" scores again.
Well, it was tough when the Blackhawks traded Eddie, real tough for me because he was my favorite player. It wasn't any easier before when they lost Roenick. But when they traded Chris Chelios, who is from Chicago and wanted to stay -- go down with the ship, if you will -- I was upset to the point of yelling out loud in a quiet library when I read the news on the Net. I didn't even mind the weird looks, my heavy heart was preoccupied with the realization that the man who personified not only the team, but the tradition, was given away.
You list several of the "memorable" roster moves of the Chicago Blackhawks as historical blunders, but I'm sure there are other 'Hawk fans out there who, like me, recall the spring of 1971 as the defining moment of extreme optimism punctuated by undeniable grief at the hands of our favourite team. After 10 years of disappointment, the Blackhawks were poised to take the Stanley Cup back to their deserving faithful. Game 7 in Chicago Stadium, with each of the previous six games going to the home team, and the young Tony Esposito playing like the Calder Trophy winner he was ... how could we lose? After jumping to a 2-0 lead I was thoroughly enjoying the verbal thumping I gave my younger, 'Habs-loving, brother. My joy was quickly tempered by a 50-foot floater over Tony O's shoulder, followed by two goals from Henri Richard. Although only 15 at the time, and the witness to much misery and dollar driven blunders from my beloved 'Hawks since (endless it seems), I can't forget the numbing pain that day as my brother and other less deserving fans of the hated Montreal Canadiens celebrated yet another Stanley Cup.
Not only did the 'Hawks leave me heartbroken that day, and have failed to come that close since, but my younger brother grew six inches that summer and I haven't been able to give a thumping of any kind since.
Geographically (and since this trade) I'm a Leafs fan but, for my the rest of my life I've been with the Blackhawks. Anyway, the trade that sent the hardest working (then 50 goal man), Jeremy Roenick to Phoenix (or Winnipeg, whatever) and brought that heartless Russian Zhamnov to Chicago. Zhamnov is here for a paycheck only, and if he had half of JR's heart he'd be the All-Star he was supposed to be.
The loss of Belfour, JR & Denny Savard there's have brought some times to my life, but nothing that a Leaf's cup couldn't change.
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With 20 goals this season for Buffalo, J.P. Dumont is emerging as the player many 'Hawks fans thought he was.