Chicago

Shortly after the Chicago Blackhawks won their fifth Stanley Cup in franchise history, the staff of the Chicago Tribune wrote a book chronicling the 2013 Blackhawks championship season. The title was clever, but the meaning was even more significant: Hawkeytown.

For years, Blackhawks fans were both frustrated and envious of the "Hockeytown" slogan painted on the ice of Joe Louis Arena Detroit, home of their much-hated rival Detroit Red Wings. 

There was a time that Blackhawks home games weren't even televised. In fact, it's been less than a decade since the United Center ice reappeared on television screens across Chicago. That's right. An Original Six franchise in one of the greatest sports cities in the world, and the home games weren't even televised. 

That dark era seems forever ago as the Blackhawks posted the highest television ratings of any NHL team from 2013-14.

It's said of all the major sports, the NFL is the easiest league to go from worst-to-first. However, the renaissance of the Blackhawks is hard to overlook. 

Barely a year before chairman Rocky Wirtz sent a memo to his staff announcing that the Blackhawks were in talks with Comcast Sportsnet to begin airing Blackhawks home games, ESPN's George Johnson argued that the Hawks were the worst franchise in sports. 

Seven years later, the Blackhawks landed on the cover of Sports Illustrated with a silver caption simply stating "The franchise that brought hockey back."

My, how things have changed. No more are Blackhawks fans envious of the Red Wings and their slogan. Instead, many of those despised Red Wings fans will call Chicago home this weekend, as college hockey takes over Hockey City on Saturday. 

This Saturday, Soldier Field will be home to the great sport of hockey, and there will finally be something to cheer about in the home of the Chicago Bears. Western Michigan faces off against Miami (OH), followed by Michigan State versus Michigan in a frozen doubleheader in the Coyote Logistics Hockey City Classic.

That's right. Michigan fans are coming to Chicago to watch hockey. And this weekend, the rivalry will be set aside as many of the school's alumni throughout Chicagoland will be able to proudly watch their alma mater battle in an outdoor game, the way hockey was originally played.

However, arguably the best part are the festivities surrounding the doubleheader. Groups can get private time on the ice and kids can have a private clinic with Eddie Olczyk.

Most importantly, there will be a celebrity hockey game called "Unite on the Ice" on Thursday night, with the proceeds going to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Yeah, that's definitely the best part. Names like Jamal Mayers, who was with the Blackhawks Stanley Cup championship team in 2013 and Hall of Famer Denis Savard will be on the ice, as well as former players from other teams.

The St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is an organization dedicated solely to youth with cancer or devastating illnesses in which the parents never receive a bill for treatment. It's quite fitting that an organization like St. Jude's is teaming up with the Blackhawks. The Hawks have become quite well known for their philanthropy in the community and with young cancer patients.

Gone are the days of the Blackhawks being the laughingstock of hockey and professional sports. The fact that such a world-class organization like St. Jude's is employing the help of the Blackhawks is a huge sign of the impact that the the franchise has had on Chicago and the sport of hockey. 

Another sign of the growing success of hockey in Chicago is simply the fact that a college hockey game consisting of out-of-state teams is being played in the heart of downtown. Though there are no major collegiate hockey teams in the area, there will be on Saturday. It also helps that the Big Ten's headquarters are just a quick drive away.

Most Blackhawks fans will appreciate the fact that something of this magnitude with such well-respected organizations is happening in their beloved city, led by none other than Denis Savard himself. After years of futility, hockey is undoubtedly alive and well in Chicago. Names like Denis Savard are becoming a household name once again, and even college hockey is coming to the area. 

An entire generation of hockey fans are being born in Chicago, with Blackhawks alumni and special events like collegiate and charity hockey games are leading the charge.