Over that stretch, one ingredient remained missing: the Blackhawks were never able to win a Stanley Cup. Denis Savard, a Blackhawks first-round draft pick who ranks fourth all time in franchise scoring, once commented that if they hadn’t had to play Edmonton in the conference finals three times, Chicago might have had a few more Stanley Cups.
One of their best chances came in 1991-92, when the Blackhawks gained a measure of revenge against Edmonton in the 1992 playoffs by sweeping the Oilers in the conference finals for their record-setting 11th consecutive postseason victory.
“That playoff run was amazing,” Chris Chelios said. “We swept a few teams, and unfortunately at the end of it, Pittsburgh was on the same run with consecutive wins and ended up breaking the record that we had by beating us in the Final, but it was the highlight of my career with the Hawks.”
Facing Pittsburgh in the Stanley Cup Final, the Penguins won four in a row, although three of the games were decided by one goal. The series was tighter than it showed.
“It was disappointing that we got swept,” Chelios said. “Losing on home ice hurt even more. But we had such a great run and great group of guys. It just hurts when you get that close and you end up losing.”
What made that postseason especially unique was that it coincided with the Chicago Bulls’ first NBA title run. The Chicago Stadium was rockin’ every night.
“I don’t know if they fed off of us but they hadn’t won a championship yet and we sure fed off of them,” Chelios said. “It just seemed like every other night, one of us was playing in the old Stadium and it was crazy. I got to go to a few games because of our schedule, we had to get our rest too, but it took a little bit of the heat off us when they won it all. That was MJ’s first and that group of guys’ first championship. It was magical.”
Needless to say, the city of Chicago was electric as it rooted for both the Blackhawks and Bulls to bring home championships.
“I always said the 90s were some of my favorite years of my career,” Chelios said. “It was my hometown, competitive teams, especially that year. Whenever you get to share a championship with a city, it’s something special about it and I just, not regret, but it’s one of those things where my career would’ve been a perfect career had I won the Cup with Chicago. But you can’t have everything.”