Chicago Blackhawks

Team Summary

The Chicago Blackhawks are an NHL team currently playing in the Central Division based in Chicago, Illinois. The Blackhawks are an Original Six franchise, joining the league alongside the Detroit Cougars in 1926. The Blackhawks have won a total of six Stanley Cups in franchise history, with their most recent win coming in 2015.

The Hawks are one of the most successful franchises of the 2010s, winning three of their six titles between 2009-2015 under the leadership of players like Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. However, recent news of the franchise covering up an assault scandal during their championship window has left the legacy somewhat tarnished.

The Blackhawks dynasty is now all but over, with the team at a crossroads with an unsure future. Both Toews and Kane will be at the end of their contracts this year, though the recent signing of defenseman Seth Jones at a massive eight-year $9.5 million contract suggests that management is reluctant to commit to a full rebuild.

Chicago Blackhawks Standings

The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. The team competes in the Central Division of the Western Conference in the NHL. The Blackhawks have a passionate fan base and have a recent history of success, having won multiple championships in the past decade.

Team History

The NHL expanded in 1926, adding two more franchises in Detroit and Chicago. By 1942, only the Original Six teams remained in the league, playing one another until the NHL expansion of 1967. The  Blackhawks (currently named the Black Hawks) had already won three Stanley Cups by the expansion era, taking home the cup in 1934, 1938, and 1961.

The Hawks would struggle to find the same success after the NHL began to expand, but a new rivalry would begin to emerge with the St. Louis Blues team located just south of Illinois. Due to the close proximity of the cities and consistently remaining in the same division, the two teams have one of the top rivalries in the Central Division and have clashed a total of 12 times in the postseason.

The Hawks would once again rise to prominence in 2009, making the playoffs for the first time in five years and making it all the way to the Conference Finals before losing 4-1 to Detroit. Chicago would go on to become a modern-day dynasty, winning the Central three times and winning three cups between 2010 and 2017.

Key Stats

The Hawks had a really tough start to the season this year, going 1-9-2 in their first 11 games. To say that the Blackhawks have figured it out would be a bit of a stretch- the team is currently 15-20-7, sitting at seventh place in the division above only the blatantly tanking Arizona Coyotes. It’s hard to diagnose the exact reason for their struggles, but a poor defensive core and an underwhelming offense not living up to expectations is a good place to start. The Hawks traded away their first-round pick in the Seth Jones acquisition with protection if it falls into the top three- with other teams like Arizona, Montreal, Ottawa, and Buffalo in the mix, it’s anyone’s guess as to whether or not Chicago will be able to keep their pick this season.

Unsurprisingly, Patrick Kane is the team leader in points so far with nine goals and 27 assists in 38 games played. Alex Debrincat leads the team in goals scored at 24, with 33 total points in 42 games. Seth Jones has 26 points, though whether or not this total justifies the massive cost given to obtain him has yet to be seen.

Marc-Andre Fleury had an abysmal start to the season after being traded from the Vegas Golden Knights for essentially nothing but has since started to heat up. He’s currently sitting at a .913 SV% with a record of 13-13-3.

Championships Won by the Team

The Blackhawks have won a total of six championships in franchise history, winning three in the Original Six era and another three after 2010. The club won their first two cups in 1934, following it up with another win four years later. The Hawks would win their final cup of the Original Six era in 1961 after a 4-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings.

Chicago would make the finals again in 1965 and 1971, losing both series in seven games to the Montreal Canadiens. They would run into Montreal in the finals again in 1972, this time losing in six. The Hawks would make the finals one last time in 1992 before being swept by the Pittsburgh Penguins- the next round of playoff success wouldn’t come until the dynasty of the 2010s.

With players like Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, and goaltender Corey Crawford, the Hawks became one of the most dominant teams in the NHL from 2009 to 2017. Chicago would win the cup in 2010 over the Flyers, 2013 over the Bruins, and 2015 over the Lightning.

Important Team Events

In 2021, details of a long-time scandal began to be made to the public regarding the cover-up of sexual assault that occurred within the organization. After years of investigating, it was revealed that the Blackhawks video coach in 2010 was abusing his position and taking advantage of young players. Though one of the players by the name of Kyle Beach came forward, it became clear that Hawks management wished to “handle the issue internally” so as to not distract the team from their playoff aspirations.

The release of information from the investigation resulted in massive organizational changes for both the Blackhawks and the league, with Hawks GM Stan Bowman and hockey operations vice president Al MacIsaac resigning almost immediately and head coach Joel Quenneville (who was coach of the Florida Panthers at the time) stepping away from the league.

The investigation and the courage of Kyle Beach coming forward have sparked a newfound discussion over the toxicity of hockey culture and what must be done to fix it moving forward.

Top Players

Stan Mikita is currently the franchise leader for total points with 1467. Mikita played with the Hawks from 1958 to 1980, setting another franchise record in games played at 1396. While Mikita holds the record for total points and assists (926), Bobby Hull holds the franchise record for most goals at 604. Hull played alongside Mikita for the majority of his career, playing with Chicago from 1957 to 1972. Interestingly enough, his son Brett Hull would go on to play for the Blackhawks’ biggest rivals, the St. Louis Blues.

While Mikita and Hull are undoubtedly two of the top players for the Hawks organization of all time, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews were the centerpieces to the dynasty of the 2010s. Both players were integral to three different championship titles and have continued to be at the top of team scoring over the last decade. In 1067 games, Kane has amassed a total of 413 goals and 711 assists while Toews has scored 833 points in 985 games.

Corey Crawford and Tony Esposito are the two top goaltenders in franchise history- while Esposito was never able to win a championship with the team, Crawford was in net for all three of the 2010 championship wins.

Top Coaches

The Blackhawks have had 39 coaches in franchise history, currently headed by Derek King. King took over after Jeremy Colliton was fired at the beginning of the 2021-2022 season and the horrendous start. Morale was considerably low at the beginning of the season, as the on-ice product was quite poor and the franchise was under serious scrutiny by the media for the Kyle Beach investigation.

The longest-tenured coach in franchise history is Billy Reay, who led the team from 1963 to 1976. Reay coached a total of 1012 regular-season games, bringing the team close to several championships but never quite able to get over the last hump. Reay led the Hawks to three different Stanley Cup finals but lost to the Canadiens each time.

Joel Quenneville is the winningest coach in the history of the Blackhawks and coached for all three of the Stanley Cup wins in 2010, 2013, and 2015, but has since had his reputation tarnished by his involvement in the cover-up of the assault case against Kyle Beach in 2010. If you love sports and want more sports betting information follow us as @InsidersBetDig on Twitter and sign up to our mailing list for free betting picks.