Former Blackhawks call out team in yet another controversy

The (shortened) 2013 NHL season was in the midst of the glory years for the Chicago Blackhawks, who saw their franchise resurrected from the dead and having been named not even a decade prior by ESPN as the worst franchise in all of professional sports. 

Not only did Chicago cruise through the regular season, they were able to overcome a 3-1 series deficit against the rival Red Wings and then take down the defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings before a clash of the titans matchup against the Boston Bruins. The goals 17 seconds apart in the waning moments of Game 6 in Boston by Brian Bickell and Dave Bolland will forever be one of the greatest moments in Windy City history. 

But now, things are vastly different for the Blackhawks, who are in full rebuild mode and also coming off a stunning controversy that put a permanent cloud of shame over the organization for how they handled the sexual assault of former player Kyle Beach by video coach Brad Aldrich during the 2010 postseason. Meanwhile, the Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews era is officially over, with the former having been dealt to the New York Rangers while the latter played his final game in a Blackhawks uniform last week. 

And a few additional former members of the Blackhawks who were part of the 2013 Cup winning squad are speaking out on the organization's lack of recognition for their accomplishment a decade later.

“We’re all hoping they do one,” Brandon Saad said with a shrug. “I know there’s usually a 10-year reunion, and we’re hoping they do it. Hopefully, whenever it is, we’re not playing and I have a chance to come back and enjoy it. It’s always nice to get back with guys you had success with.”

“I don’t know if it’s been delayed or something like that. But we’re all still hoping.”

Meanwhile, an additional player who spoke anonymously said that it seemed to be part of a trend. 

“It’s like they just want to move on from us completely,” the player said. “Doesn’t make much sense to me.”

Another former player said that "nobody asked" members of the 2013 team with regards for a date that would work for them all to be recognized at United Center. 

Unfortunately for the Blackhawks organization, this is just another lump of coal in the stockings of fans who were on top of the world at this point in 2013.