We often witness the exhilaration that accompanies victory. Over the past couple of weeks during the Olympics, celebratory footage has reignited our love for sports. Watching athletes savor their success truly embodies the essence of competition. However, there is another side to this story—losers exist in sports as well. Unfortunately, we seldom get a glimpse into the aftermath of a profoundly disappointing event. Recently, footage emerged from the Edmonton Oilers’ locker room right after the Florida Panthers secured the Stanley Cup title. In the background, you can hear NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman addressing those on the ice. The raw emotions captured in these moments are striking.
Fortunately, we haven’t witnessed footage documenting a disappointing loss in a Stanley Cup Final involving the Blackhawks for over three decades (and I hope/assume no such recordings exist from 1992). However, I can only imagine that there were certain locker rooms during Chicago’s postseason efforts in the 2010s that also felt emotionally shattered.