The Blackhawks, Dynasty or Not, Are an Impenetrable Machine | US | Translation

The Chicago Blackhawks are in the midst of yet another Stanley Cup run, and that should surprise nobody. It's their seventh consecutive season in the playoffs, five of which they've made as far as the conference finals.

A modern dynasty in the making, the Blackhawks have a chance at a third Stanley Cup title since 2010 after defeating the Anaheim Ducks in a Western Conference finals that went the distance.

It won't get any easier, as Chicago must top the Tampa Bay Lightning, who also needed seven games to advance, in order to become the first team since the Detroit Red Wings (1997–2002) to win three titles in a six-year span.

The Lightning—after finishing the regular season with a franchise-best 108 points—eliminated Detroit before beating the Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers, the top two teams in the Eastern Conference.

But the Blackhawks are a different animal, and have sustained long-term success through strong possession, a potent offense and an impenetrable defense. From 2009-10, the Hawks rank first in the NHL during the regular season (5v5) in Corsi For% (54.2) Shots For% (54.4) and Goals/60 (2.57).

Their dominance has allowed them to get by with mediocre goaltending—the club has the 21st-ranked even strength save percentage over that same time period (91.91).

Those stats have transferred over to the playoffs, where the Hawks have been just as impressive.

(Season vs playoffs (2009-present) via http://WarOnIce.com)

The Blackhawks' ascension arguably started with head coach Joel Quenneville. Hired as a pro scout after leaving the Colorado Avalanche organization, Quenneville took over the club in 2008-09, replacing Blackhawks legend Denis Savard.

The team hasn't looked back since.

Quenneville has posted a .589 winning percentage during his tenure, and an even better mark of .622 during the playoffs. Under contract until 2016-17, he could be looking at a Mike Babcock-like raise when it's time for renewal.

He's coached star-heavy teams with depth, a group largely built through the draft. The team sputtered in the early-to-mid 2000s, but capitalized in the draft en route to becoming a powerhouse. Since 2002, the Blackhawks have drafted Duncan Keith (54th, 2002), Brent Seabrook (14th, 2003), Corey Crawford (52nd, 2003), Niklas Hjalmarsson (108th, 2005), Jonathan Toews (3rd, 2006), Patrick Kane (1st, 2007) and Brandon Saad (43rd, 2011), all big contributors and part of their homegrown core.

While the Blackhawks' drafting is impressive, their ability to retain players is just as important. Chicago's core group of players have all been mainstays during the team's run.

The organization inked Marian Hossa to a 12-year deal during the summer of 2009 and later locked up Keith to a 13-year, $72-million contract—his annual $5.5 million cap hit is way below market value for a Norris Trophy winner. Last year, Toews and Kane were extended to identical eight-year deals worth $10.5 million annually.

With such high salary commitments, the Blackhawks have had a number of roster casualties. Pressed up against the cap, the team has parted ways with former key players Dustin Byfuglien, Antti Niemi, Dave Bolland, Andrew Ladd and Nick Leddy.

Chicago will face similar adversity this upcoming offseason when Toews and Kane's new contracts kick-in, but it will be nothing new for the Blackhawks, who haven't been slowed down by roster overhaul.

What keeps the Blackhawks relevant is their ability to retool. They always have depth—whether it's a Saad, Andrew Shaw or Teuvo Teravainen—waiting in the wings, ready to step in and make an impact when they face a roster squeeze. They've also benefited from keeping players in the AHL until they're ready.

Chicago remains heavy favourites over the Lightning for good reason. The mature, highly-skilled bunch is entering familiar territory, showing time and time again its the real deal, while being powered by its star players.

Whether it's Toews coming up with key goals, Keith scoring at a point-per-game clip while logging big minutes, or Kane doing what Kane does best—score—the team looks primed for another Stanley Cup title.

The Blackhawks are built for deep playoff runs, and are as dominant as you could get in the salary cap era.