When the Blackhawks had group practices at Johnny's IceHouse West during the 2012-13 lockout while they waited for the season to start, there was a purpose and intensity that carried into official team practices, training camp, the regular season and hoisting the Stanley Cup after the 2013 playoffs concluded.
This isn't that.
For one, during the lockout there weren't as many challenging restrictions. Now, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, players can only work in groups of six and have to cover their face entering and leaving Fifth Third Arena, as well as when they're together and not able to socially distance.
But, with the NHL's 24-team playoff format that has the Hawks taking on the Oilers in a best-of-5 play-in round, they were handed an opportunity to play for the Stanley Cup that they won't want to waste.
Related: What a Blackhawks vs. Oilers play-in series would look like
On NBC Sports Chicago's Blackhawks: The Return special on Wednesday, former three-time Stanley Cup champ with the Hawks turned analyst Patrick Sharp made some interesting comparisons with Chicago coming out of the NHL pause — which began on March 12 due to the COVID-19 pandemic — to 2012-13's late start due to the lockout.
"The only experience I can draw on is back to the lockout of 2012-13. We were off from September until January the 15th with a lot of uncertainty," Sharp said. "We didn't know when we were going to start. A lot of false starts, 'Hey, we're going in two weeks, let's get ready.
"I look back at that Blackhawks team, we started that season 24 games without a loss. That tells me, that our core group, our younger players, guys playing overseas were prepared, ready to start that season. Trust me, we didn't know we were going to start so well that year.
"We didn't really know what we had in our locker room, but crazy things happen when there's uncertainty across the league. That's what we got now. Either way, it's going to be some exciting hockey when we return."
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The 2019-20 Blackhawks didn't get off to a hot start and continue to dominate the regular season until they snagged the President's trophy like the 2013 Hawks did. In fact, Chicago was most likely going to miss out on the playoffs all together this year in being six points out of a wild card spot with four teams to jump and 12 games remaining at the time of the pause.
But, players who were on that team and have multiple Stanley Cups on their trophy cases definitely know what it takes to prepare during mass uncertainty.
There's a difference in starting a shortened season like the lockout year versus coming back after a long lay off to finish it. There will be group workouts then hopefully practices and camps before the postseason, but players won't be anywhere near their usual performance levels.
Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith may not have been able to skate much due to restrictions, but judging by their social media, aren't just sitting around eating potato chips to their credit. Having been in unique situations and on big stages before, you can bet leaders like them and Jonathan Toews will do everything in their power to get this Hawks team ready. And like Sharp said, "crazy things happen when there's uncertainty across the league."
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