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Blackhawks Fri Oct 01 2010
Hawks Wrap Up Preseason, Get Rings
As the Hawks finish up preseason play with a pair of home games against the Penguins tonight and the Blues Sunday afternoon, it's the last chance for many of the team's younger players to impress and earn a roster spot before Thursday's opener in Colorado. (Tailgate will have a full season preview leading up to that game).
The team enters tonight's game with a 1-4 record, not necessarily surprising given the turnover from last season's Cup winning team. Training camp has moreso been about evaluating the talent gained and finding players ready to take the next step and fill some of those skates. However, with final roster cuts coming and the team's title defense ready to begin, the Blackhawks are looking to end the preseason on a winning note.
Speaking of that title, there was two last bits of business to take care of from last season: the handing out of the championship rings, and the engraving of the Cup itself. Pictures and more info on that after the jump.
First off, get a look at this bling, handed out to the players Wednesday night at a private reception at Morton's Steakhouse in the Loop.
14-carat white gold, with 404 diamonds and gemstones, and valued at $30,000, and including the Hawks Indianhead logo and the Stanley Cup fashioned out of those rocks. Truly a sight to behold, provided it doesn't blind you.
The final engraving on the Cup was completed and returned last week, though as the Sun-Times pointed out, with one small mistake, transposing the "S" and the "T" in former Hawk Kris Versteeg's name (see the close-up on the bottom right of the image).
Poor Versteeg. The curse of the Maple Leafs strikes again. One other item of note is the inclusion of former GM Dale Tallon, who was an advisor to the team after his dismissal before taking the general manager job with the Florida Panthers this spring. Tallon played a key role in building the Cup champion, and it's nice to see him recognized for that fact.
