Desjardins: It feels 'awesome' to be a champion

Chicago Blackhawks forward Andrew Desjardins blogged for NHL.com periodically throughout the Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning. In this final edition, he explains his emotions on winning the Stanley Cup after a 2-0 win in Game 6 at United Center on Monday.

CHICAGO -- All I can think about is just taking everything in.

I'm thinking about the process that it took to get to this moment, the amount of hard work that I don't think people understand, the group coming together and pushing in one direction, the leadership of the core group that have done this and really understood what it takes to get through this and pushed the guys that have never done this in that direction.

They made sure we kept the highs and lows perfectly even the whole way, and I think that went a long way.

It's so hard to express in words the work and the commitment level that got us to this.

I'm so happy my family is here. The amount of texts I got, the amount of support I got from my friends, my family, my community of Lively, Ontario, was incredible. I had videos sent to me from public schools, emails sent to me from teachers saying that they're wearing red and white to school. I had signs all over the town wishing me luck.

People might not think so, but that support goes a long way and really makes you believe in yourself. It teaches you to be in the moment and not take it for granted, just leave everything out there.

I can't believe I’m going to get the privilege of taking the Stanley Cup to my hometown of Lively. I'm not going to lie, that might be the day that this really sinks in for me. To bring the Cup back to the people that have really supported me and really believed in me along the way is going to be really special to me.

Celebrating with my family on the ice with the whole building going nuts was a special feeling too. My wife Mandy, my son Ames, my mom Brenda, my stepdad Terry, my sister Gina, my grandmother Josie, Uncle Bernie and Aunt Pat were all with me, and I'm so grateful to be able to share this with them.

I still can't believe how quickly I got the Stanley Cup. These guys are awesome, I never expected to get the Cup fifth.

These guys are unreal. I know these guys have done it before, but I don't even care. To give me that opportunity, that was special.

I'll never forget the guys that allowed me to do that.