Every few years the Chicago Blackhawks have a promotion to honor former players and educate current fans on their careers. From about 2009 to 2012 they were heritage nights and now this celebration of alumni has taken the form of One More Shift. The concept is simple, a former player suits up and skates onto the ice to join the starting lineup for the national anthem. The Hawks have done a good job getting a variety of different players to participate from Bryan Bickell to Ed Belfour to the recently announced Esposito brothers. I am a supporter of the campaign as I think that it is a great way for players like Eric Daze, who played some great hockey on bad teams, or the aforementioned Bickell, who fans were very harsh on, to get some closure and be recognized by the fanbase for all their contributions to the franchise. Next season will be an interesting one for the One More Shift as many of the obvious candidates have participated, but there are still some former Hawks deserving of this honor.
Martin Havlat 2006-2009
I should start with a disclaimer and let it be known that Havlat is one of my favorite hockey players of all time so I may be a little biased here and will probably write about him the most, you’ve been warned. Martin Havlat was arguably one of the first major pieces of the Blackhawks dynasty when he was acquired in 2006. In the 2006-07 season he scored 25 goals and represented the team at the NHL All Star game. When he was healthy, Havlat was an impact player for the Blackhawks with his speed and passing vision that is some of the best I have ever seen. When Havlat had the puck he was thinking a step ahead of everyone else and good things normally followed. While his time with the Hawks was brief, his contributions were lasting. In his first season with the team there was no Patrick Kane or Jonathan Toews so it was Havlat and Patrick Sharp who were relied upon to carry the offense and they set the foundation for the success the young players would have the next season in 2007-08(I wrote an article about that season titled “parallels” you should give that a look too) In 2008-09 Havlat scored 29 goals in the regular season playing in a variety of different roles while carrying a 58 CF% and come playoff time settled into a line with Dave Bolland and Andrew Ladd which was a solid depth scoring line. Havlat was responsible for the game winning goal in overtime of game one of the 2009 playoffs against Calgary, the first playoff game for the Blackhawks in seven year.
Unfortunately things in Chicago didn’t end smoothly for Havlat. In game three of the western conference finals Havlat was on the receiving end of a dirty hit from Niklas Kronwall and was knocked unconscious. In emails that resurfaced in 2017 it was revealed Havlat was diagnosed with a concussion but was still allowed to continue playing, putting him in risk of dangerous repercussions. Havlat would become a free agent in 2009 and wanted to return to Chicago but they opted to sign Marian Hossa which was clearly a good move but left Havlat feeling bitter. What better way to smooth things over than to have him back in uniform at the United Center skating out to a standing ovation?
Steve Sullivan 1999-2004
Before there was Alex DeBrincat there was Steve Sullivan. Standing at just 5 foot 9, Sullivan was able to put up impressive numbers in a time where it was hard to make it as an undersized winger. Sullivan was a fierce competitor and wasn’t afraid to go into the dirty areas despite his size and was loved by fans for that. He played in an era where the Blackhawks were an afterthought in the city but still represented the franchise with pride. His 75 points in the 2000-01 campaign were a team high on a roster that included the likes of Daze and Tony Amonte. After leaving the Blackhawks, he would continue to play professionally until 2013 and was able to adapt to the post lockout rules to become a productive third ling winger for some underrated Nashville Predators teams and was a thorn in the side of the Blackhawks in that 2010 playoff series. Sullivan should be welcomed back for playing his heart out on some bad Blackhawks teams.
Dirk Graham 1988-1995
For an Original Six franchise that has had legends like Stan Mikita and Jonathan Toews wear the “C” on their sweaters it’s a shame a great captain like Dirk Graham gets forgotten. Graham played for some talented Blackhawks teams that just couldn’t get over the hump in the playoffs. Graham was a veteran when young superstars like Jeremy Roenick and Chris Chelios were getting their start with the team and led by example. There are many stories of Graham’s leadership from his time in Chicago but perhaps the most legendary is from game four of the 1992 Stanley Cup Final. The Blackhawks were down three games to none to Pittsburgh and in the locker room before game four Graham stood before the team and put everything on the line and proclaimed that he would play the best game of his life and challanged everyone else to as well. Graham would go on to do just that and scored a hat trick but unfortunately that wasn’t enough as the Blackhawks would lose both the game and the series. Despite the outcome, Graham was respected for being able to put everything on the line and back it up and now lives on in Blackhawk lore for that. Graham was also a great two way player and was awarded the Selke trophy in 1991. Graham would go on to coach the Blackhawks but that was less than glamorous as he only lasted 59 games and had a record of 16-35-8 and has had a frayed relationship with the franchise since. Welcoming him back for one more shift would be a great way to make things better with a player that put so much into the team.
(Just wanted to let it be known that Doug Wilson and Bob Murray are also very deserving and long overdue for a reunion with the Blackhawks but seeing how they are both involved with other NHL teams it seems unlikely at the moment)
While the current outlook for the Blackhawks may seem bleak the best way to get by may just be to look into the past. Next season will likely be filled with lots of reflecting on the past as it is the tenth anniversary of the 2010 Stanley Cup championship team so it’s possible Havlat, Sullivan, and Graham will have to wait for their welcome back… which makes this whole article pointless I guess. The only thing I can guarantee is the we here at UTL will bring you the best coverage of whatever direction the Hawks future goes in.
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