About Me
The Chicago Blackhawks were founded on September 25, 1926, when the National Hockey League awarded a franchise to Major Frederic McLaughlin, a Harvard-educated local coffee tycoon who was able to come up with the $12,000 entry fee required to join the League.On November 17, 1926, in front of 9,000 fans at the Chicago Coliseum, the Chicago Blackhawks made their debut, defeating the Toronto St. Pat's by a score of 4-1.Despite the coaching merry-go-round, the Hawks enjoyed some early successes. They moved into the Chicago Stadium, then a state-of-the-art showcase, and played their first game there – a 3-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates – on December 16, 1929, before 14,212 fans. The Hawks also had one of the best and most flamboyant goaltenders of the era in Charlie Gardiner, who joined the club in 1927.By 1933-34, Gardiner finally had a solid team in front of him. Captain of a squad that included the likes of Doc Romnes, Paul Thompson, Mush March, Tommy Cook, Johnny Gottselig, Lionel Conacher and Clarence "Taffy" Abel, Gardiner earned another Vezina Trophy while posting a 1.73 goals-against average and recording 10 shutouts. More importantly, he led the Hawks, who had finished in second place in the American Division, to their first Stanley Cup.The Hawks went on to win their second Stanley Cup four years later, in 1938.In 1960-61, the Hawks set club records for wins (29) and points (75) and climbed over the .500 mark for the first time since 1946-47. In the playoffs, Chicago surprised defending champion Montreal in six games in the semifinals and then knocked off the Red Wings in six in the finals to win the Cup.That launched an era of 14 years of consecutive sellouts at the Stadium. The Hawks were hot. And Hull, the Golden Jet, who cracked the 50-goal barrier for the first time in 1961-62, and Mikita, who netted his first Art Ross Trophy in 1963-64, became the talk of the town.The Hawks enjoyed a steady wave of talented players either developed within the organization or acquired by trades. Homegrown were Phil Esposito, Ken Hodge, Dennis Hull, Fred Stanfield, Doug Jarrett, Cliff Koroll, and Keith Magnuson Arriving through deals were Jim Pappin, Pit Martin, Pat Stapleton, Bill White, and later, Tony Esposito.The Hawks finally broke the "Curse of Muldoon" in 1966-67. They finished first overall in the six-team NHL -- the final season before the League doubled its size through its first expansion. The expansion draft cost the Hawks Hall and other key players. Chicago fell to fourth place in the East Division – which contained all six established teams in ‘67-68. The Hawks landed in the cellar the following year.In post-season play, the Hawks of the 1960s and early 1970s made the finals four times after winning the Cup in 1961, but each time they fell short. Most frustrating was a loss to the Montreal Canadiens in seven games in May 1971. Chicago had 2-0 and 3-2 leads in the series, but the Canadiens kept coming back. In Game Seven, at the Stadium, the Hawks had a 2-0 lead by 7:33 of the second period, but dropped the deciding game 3-2.There was additional vitality and excitement in 1980-81 with the addition of Denis Savard via the NHL Entry Draft, Al Secord in a trade with Boston, and a hard-working winger named Darryl Sutter, who scored 40 goals. But despite the new blood, the Hawks still hovered around the .500 mark.In 1981-82, the Blackhawks were just 30-38-12, but managed to upset the Minnesota North Stars in the opening round of the playoffs and advanced as far as the semifinals before falling to Vancouver. Even though the team wasn't putting up great numbers in the standings yet, the fans returned, packing the Stadium. Among the individual highlights that season, Doug Wilson won the Norris Trophy thanks in part to a 39-goal, 85-point season that still ranks as a team record for defensemen.As personnel changed, so the Hawks were up and down in the regular season standings in the 1980s. The Stadium, however, became louder and crazier than ever. The frenzy in the old barn during the singing of the National Anthem became legendary. And the Hawks, who never missed the playoffs during the decade, managed a few decent post-season shows. They made it to the Conference Championships, (league semifinals) five times, in 1982, '83, '85, '89 and '90."The Stadium was the best building for a hockey player to play in and opposing teams knew how lucky we were to have it." -Doug WilsonIn 1992 the Hawks, propelled by an 11-game post-season winning streak, rolled all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals before being overwhelmed by the Pittsburgh Penguins. After the run, Keenan remained GM, but gave up the coaching reins to Darryl Sutter. During games in early 1992-93, Keenan shuffled nervously around the press box. He wanted complete control and that didn't fit within the Hawks management team concept. So, in a typically Keenan-esque, tumultuous fashion, he left the Hawks in the middle of the '92-93 season and eventually landed with the New York Rangers.The Hawks, however, built on the work habits instilled by Keenan and reinforced by Sutter. Defensively, the team was especially sound, winning the Jennings Trophy for the lowest team goals-against average in 1991, '93 and '95.(Belfour, meanwhile, netted the new Vezina as the NHL's best goalie in 1991 and '93, while Graham got the Selke Trophy as the League's best defensive forward in 1991.)
