1954–55 Chicago Black Hawks season

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]

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)

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
1Detroit Red Wings70421711204134+7095
2Montreal Canadiens70411811228157+7193
3Toronto Maple Leafs70242422147135+1270
4Boston Bruins70232621169188−1967
5New York Rangers70173518150210−6052
6Chicago Black Hawks70134017161235−7443

Record vs. opponents
1954–55 NHL Records [3]
Team BOS CHI DET MTL NYR TOR
Boston —7–4–33–7–44–7–35–4–54–4–6
Chicago 4–7–3—1–12–10–11–35–4–53–6–5
Detroit 7–3–412–1–1—7–79–2–37–4–3
Montreal 7–4–311–0–37–7—10–3–16–4–4
New York 4–5–54–5–52–9–33–10–1—4–6–4
Toronto 4–4–66–3–54–7–34–6–46–4–4—

Game log

Regular season
#DateVisitorScoreHomeRecordPts
1October 7Chicago Black Hawks2–4Montreal Canadiens0–1–00
2October 9Chicago Black Hawks3–3Toronto Maple Leafs0–1–11
3October 10New York Rangers2–1Chicago Black Hawks0–2–11
4October 15Montreal Canadiens3–0Chicago Black Hawks0–3–11
5October 17Detroit Red Wings5–2Chicago Black Hawks0–4–11
6October 23Chicago Black Hawks4–2Detroit Red Wings1–4–13
7October 30Chicago Black Hawks1–5Montreal Canadiens1–5–13
8October 31Chicago Black Hawks1–1New York Rangers1–5–24
9November 4New York Rangers1–3Chicago Black Hawks2–5–26
10November 6Chicago Black Hawks2–5Toronto Maple Leafs2–6–26
11November 7Toronto Maple Leafs2–1Chicago Black Hawks2–7–26
12November 10Chicago Black Hawks3–4Boston Bruins2–8–26
13November 11Chicago Black Hawks4–7Montreal Canadiens2–9–26
14November 13Chicago Black Hawks5–3New York Rangers3–9–28
15November 14New York Rangers5–0Chicago Black Hawks3–10–28
16November 18Boston Bruins5–1Chicago Black Hawks3–11–28
17November 20Chicago Black Hawks0–5Detroit Red Wings3–12–28
18November 21Detroit Red Wings1–0Chicago Black Hawks3–13–28
19November 23Montreal Canadiens4–4Chicago Black Hawks3–13–39
20November 25Montreal Canadiens3–2Chicago Black Hawks3–14–39
21November 28Toronto Maple Leafs1–1Chicago Black Hawks3–14–410
22November 30Montreal Canadiens3–3Chicago Black Hawks3–14–511
23December 2Boston Bruins3–2Chicago Black Hawks3–15–511
24December 5Chicago Black Hawks1–4Detroit Red Wings3–16–511
25December 8Chicago Black Hawks2–1New York Rangers4–16–513
26December 9Chicago Black Hawks1–2Boston Bruins4–17–513
27December 11Chicago Black Hawks2–1Toronto Maple Leafs5–17–515
28December 12Detroit Red Wings4–3Chicago Black Hawks5–18–515
29December 15Toronto Maple Leafs8–3Chicago Black Hawks5–19–515
30December 18Montreal Canadiens4–2Chicago Black Hawks5–20–515
31December 19Boston Bruins1–6Chicago Black Hawks6–20–517
32December 25Chicago Black Hawks3–3Boston Bruins6–20–618
33December 26Chicago Black Hawks4–4New York Rangers6–20–719
34December 30Chicago Black Hawks4–7Detroit Red Wings6–21–719
35January 1Chicago Black Hawks2–2Toronto Maple Leafs6–21–820
36January 2Toronto Maple Leafs2–3Chicago Black Hawks7–21–822
37January 5Chicago Black Hawks3–2New York Rangers8–21–824
38January 6Chicago Black Hawks0–6Montreal Canadiens8–22–824
39January 8Chicago Black Hawks0–1Detroit Red Wings8–23–824
40January 9Detroit Red Wings6–2Chicago Black Hawks8–24–824
41January 12Boston Bruins1–1Chicago Black Hawks8–24–925
42January 14New York Rangers6–2Chicago Black Hawks8–25–925
43January 16Toronto Maple Leafs4–2Chicago Black Hawks8–26–925
44January 19Chicago Black Hawks3–3Toronto Maple Leafs8–26–1026
45January 22Chicago Black Hawks3–5Montreal Canadiens8–27–1026
46January 23Montreal Canadiens5–3Chicago Black Hawks8–28–1026
47January 27Chicago Black Hawks2–5Boston Bruins8–29–1026
48January 29Detroit Red Wings2–2Chicago Black Hawks8–29–1127
49January 30New York Rangers2–4Chicago Black Hawks9–29–1129
50February 2Boston Bruins3–2Chicago Black Hawks9–30–1129
51February 5Chicago Black Hawks2–2Toronto Maple Leafs9–30–1230
52February 6Toronto Maple Leafs4–2Chicago Black Hawks9–31–1230
53February 9Chicago Black Hawks2–2New York Rangers9–31–1331
54February 10Chicago Black Hawks2–4Boston Bruins9–32–1331
55February 13Detroit Red Wings5–1Chicago Black Hawks9–33–1331
56February 15Chicago Black Hawks2–3Detroit Red Wings9–34–1331
57February 17Boston Bruins2–10Chicago Black Hawks10–34–1333
58February 20Toronto Maple Leafs1–4Chicago Black Hawks11–34–1335
59February 23Boston Bruins3–3Chicago Black Hawks11–34–1436
60February 25New York Rangers2–2Chicago Black Hawks11–34–1537
61February 27Detroit Red Wings3–2Chicago Black Hawks11–35–1537
62March 3Chicago Black Hawks1–6Detroit Red Wings11–36–1537
63March 5Chicago Black Hawks4–4Montreal Canadiens11–36–1638
64March 6Montreal Canadiens4–2Chicago Black Hawks11–37–1638
65March 10Chicago Black Hawks3–2Boston Bruins12–37–1640
66March 12Chicago Black Hawks2–3Detroit Red Wings12–38–1640
67March 13Chicago Black Hawks2–5New York Rangers12–39–1640
68March 16New York Rangers1–1Chicago Black Hawks12–39–1741
69March 19Chicago Black Hawks0–5Toronto Maple Leafs12–40–1741
70March 20Chicago Black Hawks4–3Boston Bruins13–40–1743

Season stats

Scoring leaders
Player GP G A Pts PIM
Red Sullivan7019426151
Ed Litzenberger4416244028
Harry Watson431416304
Jack McIntyre6516132940
Nick Mickoski5210192942

Goaltending
PlayerGPTOIWLTGASOGAA
Hank Bassen2112604986303.00
Al Rollins442640927815003.41
Ray Frederick53000412204.40

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.
  3. "All-Time NHL Results". NHL.com. Retrieved August 25, 2023.

Sources
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