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Much has been made of the relative dysfunction of the Blackhawk front office for really decades now. Whether the late Bill Wirtz was driving the organization, or his son Rocky, there has always seemed to be a tendency toward boardrooms crowded with egos and overlapping responsibilities.
And certainly, some of the personnel moves (and non-moves) over the last 3 years, now minutely analyzed and robustly debated in the blogosphere, deserve questioning. After pretty much cruising to the Cup in 2010, the Hawks have suffered two first round defeats. Skepticism is warranted and healthy.
But this year has been different. The Hawks clinched the Western Conference last night with a Columbus win over Anaheim, and they appear poised to snag the President's Trophy for the best regular season record in the league. A long playoff run looks, well, likely. Though getting out of the West much less winning the Cup is far from guaranteed.
And this is why, regardless of whether Stan Bowman, or his father Scotty, or some co-dependent cabal is really steering all the moving parts at 1901 W. Madison Street, you have to tip your cap to an organization that—for all its infighting and politics—appears to have the makings of a true culture of winning.
When I say 'culture of winning,' I'm referring to an organization that has to be in the Stanley Cup conversation at the outset of every year for a decade or so.
I think the Hawks are and will remain that kind of team for at least another 5-6 years. Maybe longer.
Why?
Most obviously, because with the exception of all-everything winger Marian Hossa, its best players (Kane, Toews, Keith, Seabrook) are young—and it has emerging stars (Leddy, Hjalmarsson, Saad) that are even younger.
But wait, that's not all. There is a handful of very, very good players on the way—Finnish C/W Teuvo Teravainen has drawn comparisons to Kane and Pavel Datsyuk. Two-way C Philip Danault has all the earmarks of a special NHL player, albeit likely as a second/third line player. C/W Mark McNeill looks like the kind of all-terrain forward the Hawks have really not had since the departure of Andrew Ladd.
With their boatload of picks from the 2010 talent sell-off, and under the direction of now Assistant GM Norm MacIver, the Hawks appear to have scouted and drafted well, producing Saad, Andrew Shaw and the aforementioned prospects.
At the pro level, there were rumblings last summer that Joel Quenneville wanted to follow former assistant GM Marc Bergevin to Montreal. It's my understanding, none other than Scotty Bowman interceded to keep Quenneville in Chicago. Let's bear in mind, although it is highly plausible that there have been disagreements between Quenneville and Bowman's son Stan, the elder Bowman was the executve responsible for hiring Quenneville as an "adviser" and then ultimately driving his replacing then head coach Denis Savard.
Because after 5 decades in pro hockey, you know Scotty Bowman recognizes the value of a strong head coach.
Sure, there's a valid debate about Quenneville's choice of assistants. But the results speak for themselves. The Hawks, for a number of other reasons as well, are a better team after the departure of the popular Mike Haviland from the staff, and his replacement with Quenneville cronie Jamie Kompon—even though the personnel has not really changed.
And in the dressing room, it appears that leadership and professionalism has carried the day over immaturity. Those who are ready to see Marian Hossa bought out for cap reasons, might want to consider, in addition to his still formidable hockey skill, the stoic, yet positive presence he brings to the Hawk dressing room. A quality that draws raves from coaches and fellow players alike.
You don't just "replace" something like that with a 21 year old because it looks good on a balance sheet. And it's why I have maintained, the Hawks are really unlikely, barring injury, to buy Hossa out over the next two summers.
Some eyebrows were raised when the Hawks pre-emptively extended Ray Emery's contract last Spring. But when you hear about the leadership, and intense game day preparation Emery brings to the room, you can understand why the organization wants him around.
And there are more examples.
You see, it's my belief, borne out both by what I see and hear privately, that Scotty Bowman has in fact had a profound influence on this organization and in building the culture. And he has been in enough winning dressing rooms to know what is required.
Bowman also installed longtime assistant, and proven teacher Barry Smith as the Hawks Director Player Development—to mold all those draft picks into the kind of players the Hawks want: fast, smart, defensively sound.
So from scouting to developing to coaching to player leadership, all the pieces of a culture of winning are really there.
And it should pay dividends for years to come.
All for now,
JJ
Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • 
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