versa—is immaterial. Broach the thought of winning the Hart Trophy with Toews and his eyes seem to glaze over with raging indifference. Shades of 2010, when the Blackhawks won the Western Conference and the captain was presented with the Clarence Campbell Bowl.Toews hasn’t touched it yet. Now, as then, he has another memento in mind. It’s shiny, silver and dearly missed.
The Verdict: 'The City That Works' pauses to salute the Blackhawks Friday, 06.28.2013 / 6:04 PM/ The VerdictBy Bob Verdi-Blackhawks Team Historian Print E-mail XShare with your Friends Friday, June 28, 2013, shall be remembered in Chicago annals as a day when the city that works, didn’t. Hundreds of thousands and thousands of hundreds flocked downtown to create yet another standing room only crowd for the Blackhawks,Marian Hossa Red Premier Jersey, Stanley Cup champions again.Admirers of the best team in hockey packed sidewalks along streets on the extended parade route, took pictures from residences, peered from offices where absolutely nothing was being accomplished, and gathered in Hutchinson Park, the final staging area of this remarkable celebration.Once upon a time, 16,666 represented not only capacity for the Stadium on game nights; it was the ceiling number, hypothesized by skeptics, of Blackhawks supporters in the entire region. Friday’s mass of smiling humanity seemed closer to or even beyond the 2 million estimate for 2010’s coronation. In any case, a guardian of the Cup volunteered that this ceremony made other galas during his experience seem like focus groups.With four choppers above, double decker bus No. 24 was the last of the caravan to depart the United Center. It carried Patrick Kane, Brandon Saad and Corey Crawford, the goalie who was the backbone for two months of grueling playoffs. No sooner had his vehicle turned onto Adams Street when he heard chants.“COR-EY!! COR-EY!! COR-EY!!”Crawford’s shades were on, and the mask was off,Stan Mikita Jersey Red, affording a view of his pale face and discernible grin. After Monday night’s clincher in Boston, management and labor rejoiced until everybody looked like they’d been through a car wash. For Friday, they cleaned up nicely, beards mostly sheared, players in shorts. But sunscreen was required, because 23-plus high-octane postseason assignments leaves no time for the beach.“How hard these guys work,Tony Esposito Black Premier Jersey,” marveled Trevor, Crawford’s dad, who sat with wife Sylvia, family and friends in from Canada. No individual on this winning roster worked harder than Corey,Keith Magnuson Black Premier Jersey, but now he loosened up, waving to the multitudes, pumping them up with the stick hand, then the glove hand. Red lights were ubiquitous, but Corey paid them no mind. He won’t have to stop another puck until September. Besides, the cavalcade had a police escort.An impromptu band gath