1954–55 Chicago Black Hawks season

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1954–55 Chicago Black Hawks
Division6th NHL
1954–55 record13–40–17
Home record6–21–8
Road record7–19–9
Goals for161
Goals against235
Team information
General managerTommy Ivan
CoachFrank Eddolls
CaptainGus Mortson
Alternate captainsLee Fogolin
John McCormack
Metro Prystai
ArenaChicago Stadium
Team leaders
GoalsRed Sullivan (19)
AssistsRed Sullivan (42)
PointsRed Sullivan (61)
Penalty minutesGord Hollingworth (135)
WinsAl Rollins (9)
Goals against averageHank Bassen (3.00)

The 1954–55 Chicago Black Hawks season was the team's 29th season in the NHL, and the team was coming off a season in 1953–54 when they set the NHL record for losses in a season with 51, finishing in last place in the NHL, and missing the playoffs for the seventh time in eight seasons. Due to poor attendances at home games, the Blackhawks played eight scheduled games at neutral venues. Six games were played at St Louis, Missouri, one at Omaha, Nebraska, and one game at Saint Paul, Minnesota.[1]

It was a busy off-season for Chicago, as Bill Tobin was replaced by Tommy Ivan as general manager of the club. Ivan had previously been the head coach of the Detroit Red Wings from 1947 to 1954, winning three Stanley Cups with the team. He hired Frank Eddolls to be his head coach, as player-coach Sid Abel was let go after the 1953–54 season. Eddolls had previously been a player-coach of the Buffalo Bisons of the AHL. One of Ivan's first moves as the general manager of the team was to build a farm system, as the Black Hawks were the only team in the NHL without one.

During the season, the Hawks were involved in a number of trades, including acquiring Ed Litzenberger from the Montreal Canadiens, and getting Allan Stanley and Nick Mickoski in a trade with the New York Rangers. The Litzenberger trade paid off immediately, as he was awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy for the best rookie in the league.

It would be another long season in Chicago, with wins few and far between. The team only won consecutive games twice throughout the season, and had numerous losing streaks. The Hawks finished the year with a 13–40–17 record, earning 43 points, which represented a 12-point increase over the previous season; however, the club finished in last place in the league for the second year in a row.

Offensively, Chicago was led by Red Sullivan, whom the team acquired in the off-season. Sullivan scored a team-high 19 goals and 42 assists for 61 points, which ranked him sixth in the NHL. Rookie Ed Litzenberger contributed with 16 goals and 40 points in 44 games with Chicago, while Harry Watson scored 14 goals and 30 points in 43 games before being dealt to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jack McIntyre led the Hawks blueline with 16 goals and 29 points, while fellow defenceman Allan Stanley scored 10 goals and 25 points in 52 games after being acquired from the New York Rangers. Gord Hollingworth led the Hawks with 135 penalty minutes, while team captain Gus Mortson was right behind him, getting 133.

In goal, Al Rollins played in 44 games, winning a club-high 9 of them, while posting a GAA of 3.39. Backup goaltender Hank Bassen posted a record of 4–9–8, leading the club with a 3.00 GAA.

Season standings[]

National Hockey League[2]
GP W L T GF GA DIFF Pts
1 Detroit Red Wings 70 42 17 11 204 134 +70 95
2 Montreal Canadiens 70 41 18 11 228 157 +71 93
3 Toronto Maple Leafs 70 24 24 22 147 135 +12 70
4 Boston Bruins 70 23 26 21 169 188 −19 67
5 New York Rangers 70 17 35 18 150 210 −60 52
6 Chicago Black Hawks 70 13 40 17 161 235 −74 43


Record vs. opponents[]

1954–55 NHL Records
Team BOS CHI DET MON NYR TOR
Boston — 7–4–3 3–7–4 4–7–3 5–4–5 4–4–6
Chicago 4–7–3 — 1–12–1 0–11–3 5–4–5 3–6–5
Detroit 7–3–4 12–1–1 — 7–7 9–2–3 7–4–3
Montreal 7–4–3 11–0–3 7–7 — 10–3–1 6–4–4
New York 4–5–5 4–5–5 2–9–3 3–10–1 — 4–6–4
Toronto 4–4–6 6–3–5 4–7–3 4–6–4 6–4–4 —

Game log[]

Regular season[]

# Date Visitor Score Home Record Pts
1 October 7 Chicago Black Hawks 2–4 Montreal Canadiens 0–1–0 0
2 October 9 Chicago Black Hawks 3–3 Toronto Maple Leafs 0–1–1 1
3 October 10 New York Rangers 2–1 Chicago Black Hawks 0–2–1 1
4 October 15 Montreal Canadiens 3–0 Chicago Black Hawks 0–3–1 1
5 October 17 Detroit Red Wings 5–2 Chicago Black Hawks 0–4–1 1
6 October 23 Chicago Black Hawks 4–2 Detroit Red Wings 1–4–1 3
7 October 30 Chicago Black Hawks 1–5 Montreal Canadiens 1–5–1 3
8 October 31 Chicago Black Hawks 1–1 New York Rangers 1–5–2 4
9 November 4 New York Rangers 1–3 Chicago Black Hawks 2–5–2 6
10 November 6 Chicago Black Hawks 2–5 Toronto Maple Leafs 2–6–2 6
11 November 7 Toronto Maple Leafs 2–1 Chicago Black Hawks 2–7–2 6
12 November 10 Chicago Black Hawks 3–4 Boston Bruins 2–8–2 6
13 November 11 Chicago Black Hawks 4–7 Montreal Canadiens 2–9–2 6
14 November 13 Chicago Black Hawks 5–3 New York Rangers 3–9–2 8
15 November 14 New York Rangers 5–0 Chicago Black Hawks 3–10–2 8
16 November 18 Boston Bruins 5–1 Chicago Black Hawks 3–11–2 8
17 November 20 Chicago Black Hawks 0–5 Detroit Red Wings 3–12–2 8
18 November 21 Detroit Red Wings 1–0 Chicago Black Hawks 3–13–2 8
19 November 23 Montreal Canadiens 4–4 Chicago Black Hawks 3–13–3 9
20 November 25 Montreal Canadiens 3–2 Chicago Black Hawks 3–14–3 9
21 November 28 Toronto Maple Leafs 1–1 Chicago Black Hawks 3–14–4 10
22 November 30 Montreal Canadiens 3–3 Chicago Black Hawks 3–14–5 11
23 December 2 Boston Bruins 3–2 Chicago Black Hawks 3–15–5 11
24 December 5 Chicago Black Hawks 1–4 Detroit Red Wings 3–16–5 11
25 December 8 Chicago Black Hawks 2–1 New York Rangers 4–16–5 13
26 December 9 Chicago Black Hawks 1–2 Boston Bruins 4–17–5 13
27 December 11 Chicago Black Hawks 2–1 Toronto Maple Leafs 5–17–5 15
28 December 12 Detroit Red Wings 4–3 Chicago Black Hawks 5–18–5 15
29 December 15 Toronto Maple Leafs 8–3 Chicago Black Hawks 5–19–5 15
30 December 18 Montreal Canadiens 4–2 Chicago Black Hawks 5–20–5 15
31 December 19 Boston Bruins 1–6 Chicago Black Hawks 6–20–5 17
32 December 25 Chicago Black Hawks 3–3 Boston Bruins 6–20–6 18
33 December 26 Chicago Black Hawks 4–4 New York Rangers 6–20–7 19
34 December 30 Chicago Black Hawks 4–7 Detroit Red Wings 6–21–7 19
35 January 1 Chicago Black Hawks 2–2 Toronto Maple Leafs 6–21–8 20
36 January 2 Toronto Maple Leafs 2–3 Chicago Black Hawks 7–21–8 22
37 January 5 Chicago Black Hawks 3–2 New York Rangers 8–21–8 24
38 January 6 Chicago Black Hawks 0–6 Montreal Canadiens 8–22–8 24
39 January 8 Chicago Black Hawks 0–1 Detroit Red Wings 8–23–8 24
40 January 9 Detroit Red Wings 6–2 Chicago Black Hawks 8–24–8 24
41 January 12 Boston Bruins 1–1 Chicago Black Hawks 8–24–9 25
42 January 14 New York Rangers 6–2 Chicago Black Hawks 8–25–9 25
43 January 16 Toronto Maple Leafs 4–2 Chicago Black Hawks 8–26–9 25
44 January 19 Chicago Black Hawks 3–3 Toronto Maple Leafs 8–26–10 26
45 January 22 Chicago Black Hawks 3–5 Montreal Canadiens 8–27–10 26
46 January 23 Montreal Canadiens 5–3 Chicago Black Hawks 8–28–10 26
47 January 27 Chicago Black Hawks 2–5 Boston Bruins 8–29–10 26
48 January 29 Detroit Red Wings 2–2 Chicago Black Hawks 8–29–11 27
49 January 30 New York Rangers 2–4 Chicago Black Hawks 9–29–11 29
50 February 2 Boston Bruins 3–2 Chicago Black Hawks 9–30–11 29
51 February 5 Chicago Black Hawks 2–2 Toronto Maple Leafs 9–30–12 30
52 February 6 Toronto Maple Leafs 4–2 Chicago Black Hawks 9–31–12 30
53 February 9 Chicago Black Hawks 2–2 New York Rangers 9–31–13 31
54 February 10 Chicago Black Hawks 2–4 Boston Bruins 9–32–13 31
55 February 13 Detroit Red Wings 5–1 Chicago Black Hawks 9–33–13 31
56 February 15 Chicago Black Hawks 2–3 Detroit Red Wings 9–34–13 31
57 February 17 Boston Bruins 2–10 Chicago Black Hawks 10–34–13 33
58 February 20 Toronto Maple Leafs 1–4 Chicago Black Hawks 11–34–13 35
59 February 23 Boston Bruins 3–3 Chicago Black Hawks 11–34–14 36
60 February 25 New York Rangers 2–2 Chicago Black Hawks 11–34–15 37
61 February 27 Detroit Red Wings 3–2 Chicago Black Hawks 11–35–15 37
62 March 3 Chicago Black Hawks 1–6 Detroit Red Wings 11–36–15 37
63 March 5 Chicago Black Hawks 4–4 Montreal Canadiens 11–36–16 38
64 March 6 Montreal Canadiens 4–2 Chicago Black Hawks 11–37–16 38
65 March 10 Chicago Black Hawks 3–2 Boston Bruins 12–37–16 40
66 March 12 Chicago Black Hawks 2–3 Detroit Red Wings 12–38–16 40
67 March 13 Chicago Black Hawks 2–5 New York Rangers 12–39–16 40
68 March 16 New York Rangers 1–1 Chicago Black Hawks 12–39–17 41
69 March 19 Chicago Black Hawks 0–5 Toronto Maple Leafs 12–40–17 41
70 March 20 Chicago Black Hawks 4–3 Boston Bruins 13–40–17 43

Season stats[]

Scoring leaders[]

Player GP G A Pts PIM
Red Sullivan 70 19 42 61 51
Ed Litzenberger 44 16 24 40 28
Harry Watson 43 14 16 30 4
Jack McIntyre 65 16 13 29 40
Nick Mickoski 52 10 19 29 42

Goaltending[]

Player GP TOI W L T GA SO GAA
Hank Bassen 21 1260 4 9 8 63 0 3.00
Al Rollins 44 2640 9 27 8 150 0 3.41
Ray Frederick 5 300 0 4 1 22 0 4.40

Roster[]

1954–55 Chicago Black Hawks
Goaltenders

Defensemen

Wingers

Centers

References[]

  1. ^ Weekes, Don (2003). The Best and Worst of Hockey's Firsts: The Unofficial Guide. Canada: Greystone Books. pp. 240. ISBN 9781550548600.
  2. ^ "1954–1955 Division Standings Standings - NHL.com - Standings". National Hockey League.

Sources[]

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