How Brian Burke and the 1999 draft indirectly created the Blackhawks Dynasty.
As the NHL announced their newest inductions into the Hockey Hall of Fame, it should come to the surprise of no one that Henrik and Daniel Sedin were both voted into the HHOF. As many reminisce on the highlights of their careers, it is hard to forget the drama that surrounded their draft night. Both were expected to go early in the 1999 NHL draft, and wanted to continue playing together in the NHL meaning a team would have to acquire two very early picks to pull that off. Which is exactly what happened and the story can be told by no one better than Vancouver's GM at the time, Brian Burke.
Burke's wheeling and dealing secured Vancouver the Sedin twins, but Chicago was also rumored to be highly interested in drafting the Sedins. Had that happened the Chicago Blackhawks would have likely not been able to go on to accomplish their 3 cups in 6 years.
For those wondering why, the Sedins would have been entering their prime during the 2006 and 2007 seasons, which means the Blackhawks likely would not have been bad enough to go on to draft the two players that started their cup run. Fans know the exact two players I am talking about as the Blackhawks would go on to draft Jonathan Toews 3rd overall in '06 and Patrick Kane 1st overall in '07. But there is even another indirect effect on the Blackhawks from Burke's wheeling and dealing in the 1999 NHL Draft, in Patrik Stefan.
Stefan who went first overall in 1999 after Burke dealt the pick to Atlanta, would make his way to the Dallas Stars for the 2006/7 season and during that year he had one of the most infamous empty net goal misses in NHL history.
Now some may still be wondering why a missed empty net goal in a January game effects the Chicago Blackhawks. Well with Stefan missing this empty net and the Oilers forcing overtime, that extra point would become crucial come lottery time as the Oilers and Blackhawks were tied in points but the tie breaker went to Edmonton, so had Stefan not missed this empty net, the lottery odds would have favored Edmonton instead of Chicago giving the Oilers that 1st overall pick. This is the epitome of the "Butterfly Effect" theory.
So let me speak for all Blackhawks fans by thanking Brian Burke, Daniel & Henrik Sedin, and Patrik Steffan for changing the future of the Chicago Blackhawks without even knowing it!!
| POLL | ||
Who deserves the most praise for indirectly creating the Hawks Dynasty? | ||
| Brian Burke! | 26 | 18.3 % |
| The Sedins! | 22 | 15.5 % |
| Patrik Steffan! | 45 | 31.7 % |
| The Hockey Gods! | 49 | 34.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
