Blackhawks built through draft, smart signings

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Blackhawks long ago built the foundation for a roster capable of winning the Stanley Cup three times in six seasons.

Eight players won the Cup for a third time with the Blackhawks when they defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-0 in Game 6 of the Final at United Center on Monday. Five of those players were drafted by Chicago and six have been with the Blackhawks for at least seven seasons.

Through the roster upheavals the Blackhawks have endured, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa, Patrick Sharp, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Niklas Hjalmarsson have remained, considered the core of the closest thing the NHL has seen to a modern dynasty.

The NHL Draft has been critical to Chicago's success. Twelve of the 25 players who appeared in at least one 2015 Stanley Cup Playoff game were drafted and developed by the Blackhawks.

It has been a consistent source of talent for the Blackhawks, not just when they performed poorly and received high picks. Every draft from 2002 to 2012, save for 2008, was represented on Chicago's playoff roster with at least one player selected by the Blackhawks.

There was a contribution from the 2008 draft class: Forward Ben Smith was traded to the San Jose Sharks for center Andrew Desjardins, who was a key member of Chicago's fourth line this postseason.

Eight of the 12 picks were not among the top 40 selections in their draft, and the Blackhawks have found great value in the later rounds with Hjalmarsson, Marcus Kruger and Andrew Shaw.

Excelling at the draft has allowed the Blackhawks to avoid the need to spend in free agency. Hossa was a marquee addition with a 12-year, $62.8 million contract, but Chicago's other free agents have signed short-term, low-risk deals.

Here is a timeline of when and how each of the 25 players who saw postseason action for the Blackhawks were acquired:

June 23, 2002 -- Duncan Keith, drafted in the second round (No. 54)

June 21, 2003 -- Brent Seabrook, drafted in the first round (No. 14)

June 22, 2003 -- Corey Crawford, drafted in the second round (No. 52)

June 27, 2004 -- Bryan Bickell, drafted in the second round (No. 41)

July 30, 2005 -- Niklas Hjalmarsson, drafted in the fourth round (No. 108)

Dec. 5, 2005 -- Patrick Sharp, acquired in a trade from the Philadelphia Flyers

June 24, 2006 -- Jonathan Toews, drafted in the first round (No. 3)

June 22, 2007 -- Patrick Kane, drafted in the first round (No. 1)

June 27, 2009 -- Marcus Kruger, drafted in the fifth round (No. 149)

July 1, 2009 -- Marian Hossa, signed as an unrestricted free agent

June 26, 2010 -- Joakim Nordstrom, drafted in the third round (No. 90)

June 25, 2011 -- Brandon Saad, drafted in the second round (No. 43)

June 25, 2011 -- Andrew Shaw, drafted in the fifth round (No. 139)

Feb. 27, 2012 -- Johnny Oduya, acquired in a trade from the Winnipeg Jets

June 22, 2012 -- Teuvo Teravainen, drafted in the first round (No. 19)

Sept. 11, 2012 -- Michal Rozsival, signed as an unrestricted free agent

Nov. 15, 2013 -- Kris Versteeg, acquired in a trade from the Florida Panthers

March 4, 2014 -- David Rundblad, acquired in a trade from the Arizona Coyotes

March 24, 2014 -- Trevor van Riemsdyk, signed as an undrafted college free agent

July 1, 2014 -- Brad Richards, signed as an unrestricted free agent

July 1, 2014 -- Scott Darling, signed as an unrestricted free agent

July 2, 2014 -- Kyle Cumiskey, signed as an unrestricted free agent

Feb. 27, 2015 -- Kimmo Timonen, acquired in a trade from the Philadelphia Flyers

Feb. 28, 2015 -- Antoine Vermette, acquired in a trade from the Arizona Coyotes

March 2, 2015 -- Andrew Desjardins, acquired in a trade from the San Jose Sharks