The Chicago Blackhawks last season as a NHL franchise was in 2007.
The dynasty, which had been around since the 1920's, was officially going to die. A team with a very rich history, delving back to the dawn of American hockey, was so financially crippled, that they were going down for good. However, this was not abrupt, but was planned methodically by the National Hockey League, as well as Chicago's front office.
Since the lockout in 2004, the Chicago Blackhawks knew they were going to go under, so they began working out preliminary plans to hold an "expansion draft" and set a location for a new NHL team that could blossom on the ice as well as financially.
The league had determined that, instead of a traditional expansion draft, that they would gradually build a team for the Blackhawks over the course of the next four NHL Entry Drafts. In 2004, they would gain a first and eighth round pick. In 2005, they would gain a second and seventh rounder. In 2006, a third and sixth; in 2007, a fourth and fifth. Each of the picks would determined by a random number generator.
This would change the course of NHL history forever. The Chicago Blackhawks were given the power pick and plan their team for the next four years. Their draft picks would not be allowed to debut in the NHL until the team moved, however, and would essentially be AHL stars until the team moved in 2008.
Chicago made out like bandits in their first "expansion entry draft", when they grabbed the first overall pick in the draft, as well as the second in the eighth round (#229). With those picks, they took Alexander Ovechkin and Eric Hunter. In 2005, they selected Scott Johnson at 37 in the second round and Alexander Sundstrom 218th overall in the seventh round. In 2006, they took Bud Holloway 86th and Peter Aston 155th. In 2007, finally, they took Kent Patterson at 113th and Maxim Goncharov 123rd.
With these selections, along with their regular draft choices, the Blackhawks were given some of the best young talent in the NHL. Now, all that needed to be done, was the move itself. So, NHL fans, may you all welcome..
THE GREEN BAY ICEHAWKS!
---
The dynasty, which had been around since the 1920's, was officially going to die. A team with a very rich history, delving back to the dawn of American hockey, was so financially crippled, that they were going down for good. However, this was not abrupt, but was planned methodically by the National Hockey League, as well as Chicago's front office.
Since the lockout in 2004, the Chicago Blackhawks knew they were going to go under, so they began working out preliminary plans to hold an "expansion draft" and set a location for a new NHL team that could blossom on the ice as well as financially.
The league had determined that, instead of a traditional expansion draft, that they would gradually build a team for the Blackhawks over the course of the next four NHL Entry Drafts. In 2004, they would gain a first and eighth round pick. In 2005, they would gain a second and seventh rounder. In 2006, a third and sixth; in 2007, a fourth and fifth. Each of the picks would determined by a random number generator.
This would change the course of NHL history forever. The Chicago Blackhawks were given the power pick and plan their team for the next four years. Their draft picks would not be allowed to debut in the NHL until the team moved, however, and would essentially be AHL stars until the team moved in 2008.
Chicago made out like bandits in their first "expansion entry draft", when they grabbed the first overall pick in the draft, as well as the second in the eighth round (#229). With those picks, they took Alexander Ovechkin and Eric Hunter. In 2005, they selected Scott Johnson at 37 in the second round and Alexander Sundstrom 218th overall in the seventh round. In 2006, they took Bud Holloway 86th and Peter Aston 155th. In 2007, finally, they took Kent Patterson at 113th and Maxim Goncharov 123rd.
With these selections, along with their regular draft choices, the Blackhawks were given some of the best young talent in the NHL. Now, all that needed to be done, was the move itself. So, NHL fans, may you all welcome..
THE GREEN BAY ICEHAWKS!
---
Updated roster coming up, hope you liked the what if scenario!
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