Chicago Blackhawks Parade 2015: TV Schedule Live Stream, Start Time and More

The Chicago Blackhawks outlasted the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2015 Stanley Cup Final to capture their third championship in the past six years. Now, it's time to celebrate the newly minted dynasty with a parade and rally in the Windy City.

Although the Hawks have established themselves as the top team in hockey over the past handful of seasons, these parades are special. That's mostly because no matter how dominant a group currently is, there are no guarantees about when the next title will arrive. Just ask Cubs fans.

All joking aside, let's check out all of the important information for Thursday's festivities. That's followed by a look at some things to keep an eye on as the party rolls on.

Viewing Details

Where: Parade on Monroe St. (Jefferson St. to Michigan Ave.); rally at Soldier Field

When: Thursday, June 18, at 11 a.m. ET (10 a.m. local)

Watch: WGN

Live Stream: WGNTV.com

Event Preview

While Chicago's talent level was never in doubt, its run to this year's title was far from simple. The Hawks ranked fourth in the Western Conference in points during the regular season and weren't red-hot heading into the playoffs, going 4-6-0 over their final 10 games, including four straight losses to finish.

Other concerns included how effective Patrick Kane would be after missing the latter stages of the regular season due to a fractured clavicle. Uncertainty surrounding whether the roster featured enough secondary scoring, which is key for any postseason run, also existed.

They won the Stanley Cup anyway. Kane scored 23 points in 23 games. Players such as Brad Richards, Brandon Saad and Teuvo Teravainen stepped up to help the stars. The Blackhawks' experience on the big stage helped along the way too.

The celebration should once again be memorable for players and fans alike. Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune passed along a prediction from Patrick Sharp about who might steal the spotlight:

It's an event that's particularly special for Kimmo Timonen. The 40-year-old defenseman knew this marked his last chance to raise one of the most coveted trophies in sports after announcing his plan to retire after Chicago's season ended.

Katie Strang of ESPN.com provided his comments about accomplishing a dream.

"It's been a long journey. I can tell you that," Timonen said. "Last August, I didn't know if I could play anymore, but my desire was so deep inside that I wanted to give it one more shot."

One other factor is how the players interact with one another knowing this could be a summer of change. Along with Timonen's retirement, NHL Numbers notes the team has only about $7.5 million of projected cap room with 10 free agents (six unrestricted and four restricted) to deal with.

Mike Hume of the Washington Post states trades could also be on the table in order to free up cap space. He notes Patrick Sharp, who owns a limited no-trade clause, is a popular name on that front, but Bryan Bickell, Andrew Shaw and Kris Versteeg also warrant watching.

It's worth noting the team's biggest names—Kane, Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith, Marian Hossa and Corey Crawford—are not on that list. If the front office can replace the depth, the team could make another run toward the Cup with that core.

That's far from a guarantee, however, so expect the Blackhawks to enjoy every last minute of the latest celebration with their fans.