When Patrick Kane's seeing-eye shot somehow squeezed through the legs of Michael Leighton, the Philadelphia Flyers goalie, in overtime of Game 6, it ended the longest cup drought in the league.
When the puck drops on the 2010/11 season tomorrow, the Blackhawks will be trying to defend the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1961. The celebration in Chicago was somewhat short-lived as they were forced to dismantle their roster due to salary-cap constraints. But the Hawks kept most of their core players and are talented enough to repeat.
Some other compelling storylines heading into the season: Ilya Kovalchuk in New Jersey: Unrestricted free agency, that crazy first week of July when NHL teams spend money like Paris Hilton in a purse store, hit a new level of insanity when Kovalchuk went on the open market.
The long-time Atlanta Thrasher, who was sent to the New Jersey Devils, is a pure goalscorer with few equals in the game. It makes sense, then, that his free agency foray was a one-of-a-kind experience.
He chose New Jersey and after wrangling with the league over the contract terms, Kovalchuk and the Devils reached deal for 15 years and US$100 million (Dh367m). Now the question is, can the free-wheeling Kovalchuk thrive in the Devils' traditionally tight style of play?
Sidney Crosby versus Alex Ovechkin: This is the superstar-on-superstar rivalry that drives the NHL - Pittsburgh's Crosby, a determined talent who says all the right things, and Washington's Ovechkin, an over-the-top goal-scorer with a gap-toothed smile and ripped jeans.
Their skill unites them, but they have little else in common other than a burning desire to outdo the other. It might be too much to say that they saved hockey after the lockout, but there is little doubt that they are two of the most superlative young talents to come along in decades.
The Edmonton Oilers' rookies: Not much went right for the Oilers last season as injuries and a lack of talent dropped them to the league basement.
The silver lining was the chance to select Taylor Hall, the left winger, No 1 overall at last June's draft. Hall is joined by fellow rookie hopefuls Jordan Eberle, a key cog on Canada's last two world junior teams, and Magnus Paajarvi, a smooth Swede with an abundance of offensive upside.
The kiddie corps hat-trick has reinvigorated a franchise that has struggled to remain competitive since the 1980s. Oh, Canada: A Canadian-based team has not claimed the Stanley Cup since the Montreal Canadiens in 1993.
Considering the Habs' Cinderella run to the Eastern Conference final last year, it would seem logical to pick Montreal as the Great White North's great puck hope. But it is more likely to be Vancouver who bring that national shame to an end.
The Canucks have the Sedin twins, with reigning NHL MVP Henrik, leading a deep group up front. They have a bolstered blueline and, of course, there is Roberto Luongo in net.
Division favourites
Atlantic
• Pittsburgh Penguins. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and their teammates are motivated to make up for last season's bumpy up-and-down ride.
Northeast
• Boston Bruins. The Bruins have all-stars at every position, led by Zdeno Chara on defence, and are poised for a bounce-back year.
Southeast
• Washington Capitals. Simply too explosive for anyone in the division to compete with them, the Capitals are the cream of an otherwise mediocre group.
Central
• Chicago Blackhawks. It will not come easy to the defending champions, but they have enough star power to overcome the off-season fire sale.
Northwest
• Vancouver Canucks. The Canucks added defencemen Keith Ballard and Dan Hamhuis and are determined to get past the disappointment of being bounced from the play-offs by the Blackhawks.
Pacific
• San Jose Sharks. There has never been any question about the Sharks in the regular season – they are dynamite.
Predictions
• Eastern Conference regular season: Washington Capitals
• Western Conference regular season: San Jose Sharks
• Stanley Cup finalists: Pittsburgh and San Jose
• Stanley Cup champions: Pittsburgh
• Hart Trophy (MVP): Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh
• Vezina Trophy (top goaltender): Robert Luongo, Vancouver
