History of Chicago Blackhawks in Timeline
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois, competing in the NHL's Central Division. Founded in 1926, they are one of the NHL's "Original Six" teams and have won six Stanley Cup championships. Since 1995, the Blackhawks have played their home games at the United Center, which they share with the Chicago Bulls.
May 1, 1926: NHL Expansion Franchise Awarded to Chicago
On May 1, 1926, the NHL awarded an expansion franchise for Chicago to a syndicate headed by Huntington Hardwick.
November 17, 1926: First Game
On November 17, 1926, the Black Hawks played their first game against the Toronto St. Patricks, winning 4-1.
1926: Black Hawks Inaugural Season
In 1926, the Black Hawks began play in the NHL, facing competition from the Chicago Cardinals. Frederic McLaughlin directed the team and promoted American players.
1926: Chicago Blackhawks Founding
In 1926, the Chicago Blackhawks were founded as a professional ice hockey team.
1927: Pete Muldoon Fired
In 1927, head coach Pete Muldoon was fired by McLaughlin, leading to the alleged "Curse of Muldoon."
1927: First Playoff Appearance
In 1927, the Hawks finished their first season in third place and made the playoffs, losing to the Boston Bruins in the first round.
1928: Stadium Dispute
In 1928, the Black Hawks had a dispute with arena promoter Paddy Harmon, resulting in them playing at multiple locations.
1931: First Stanley Cup Finals Appearance
In 1931, the Hawks reached their first Stanley Cup Finals but lost to the Montreal Canadiens.
1932: Wirtz-Norris Partnership
In 1932, Arthur Wirtz became a minority partner in the syndicate led by James E. Norris to buy the Detroit Red Wings, starting a long-lasting partnership.
1932: Stellar Season
In 1932, the Chicago Black Hawks had another stellar season, but it did not translate into playoff success.
1934: Stanley Cup Title
In 1934, the Chicago Black Hawks won a Stanley Cup title.
1936: Norris Purchase of Chicago Stadium
In 1936, James E. Norris purchased the Chicago Stadium, becoming the Black Hawks' landlord.
1938: Stanley Cup Win with Poor Record
In 1938, despite having a poor regular season record, the Black Hawks won the Stanley Cup.
1938: Stanley Cup Title
In 1938, the Chicago Black Hawks won a Stanley Cup title.
1943: Curse of Muldoon Origin
In 1943, the story of the "Curse of Muldoon" was first printed by Jim Coleman.
December 1944: McLaughlin's Death and Team Sale
In December 1944, after the death of Frederic McLaughlin, his estate sold the team to a syndicate headed by Bill Tobin.
1944: Death of Frederic McLaughlin
In 1944, Frederic McLaughlin, the original owner of the Black Hawks, passed away, leading to a change in team ownership.
1944: Return to Stanley Cup Finals
In 1944, the Black Hawks, led by Doug Bentley, returned to the Stanley Cup Finals but were defeated by the Montreal Canadiens.
1945: Start of Futility Era
Beginning in 1945, the Black Hawks entered a period of futility due to the Norris-Tobin ownership's focus on the Detroit Red Wings.
1950: Norris and Wirtz Take Over
In 1950, James D. Norris and Arthur Wirtz took over the Chicago Blackhawks, aiming to rebuild the team.
1952: James D. Norris Ownership
In 1952, after the death of James E. Norris, James D. Norris became the owner of the Blackhawks.
1958: End of Playoff Drought
By 1958, the Black Hawks had only made the playoffs twice since 1945, highlighting their prolonged period of struggles.
1958: Playoff Appearance
In 1958, the Black Hawks made it to the playoffs.
1959: First Round Exit
In 1959, The Hawks had a first-round exit from playoffs.
1960: First Round Exit
In 1960, The Hawks had a first-round exit from playoffs.
1961: Stanley Cup Title
In 1961, the Chicago Black Hawks won a Stanley Cup title under the ownership of James D. Norris.
1962: Stanley Cup Finals Loss
In 1962, the Hawks made the Stanley Cup Finals but lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
1963: Death of Bill Tobin
In 1963, Bill Tobin, a vice president of the team, passed away.
1965: Stanley Cup Finals Loss
In 1965, the Hawks reached the Stanley Cup Finals again but lost to the Montreal Canadiens.
1966: James D. Norris' Last Move
Before his death in 1966, James D. Norris arranged an expansion franchise in St. Louis.
1966: Death of James D. Norris
In 1966, James D. Norris passed away, leading to the Wirtz family becoming the owners of the franchise.
1966: First Place Finish and End of Curse
In the 1966-67 season, the Black Hawks finished first, breaking the supposed "Curse of Muldoon".
1967: Hall Drafted by St. Louis
In 1967, goaltender Glenn Hall was drafted by the St. Louis Blues expansion team.
1967: Trade with Boston Bruins
In 1967, the Black Hawks traded Phil Esposito, Ken Hodge, and Fred Stanfield to the Boston Bruins for Pit Martin, Jack Norris, and Gilles Marotte, a trade that heavily favored Boston.
1968: Pilote Traded to Toronto
In 1968, Pierre Pilote was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Jim Pappin.
1970: Division Realignment
In the 1970-71 season, the Black Hawks moved to the West Division, becoming the dominant team and finishing first with a 46-17-15 record.
1972: Start of WHA and Player Departures
In 1972, with the start of the World Hockey Association (WHA), Bobby Hull jumped to the Winnipeg Jets, and Andre Lacroix joined him, weakening the Black Hawks.
1976: Acquisition of Bobby Orr
In 1976, the Chicago Blackhawks acquired legendary defenseman Bobby Orr from the Boston Bruins.
1979: Bobby Orr's Retirement
In 1979, Bobby Orr retired from the Chicago Blackhawks due to ill health, having played only 26 games with the team.
1982: Playoff Run
In 1982, the Chicago Blackhawks made a surprising playoff run, defeating the Minnesota North Stars and St. Louis Blues before losing to the Vancouver Canucks in the conference finals.
1983: Arthur Wirtz's Death
In 1983, Arthur Wirtz died, and his son Bill Wirtz took sole control of the Chicago Blackhawks.
1985: Playoff Loss to Edmonton Oilers
In 1985, the Chicago Blackhawks faced the Edmonton Oilers in the playoffs and lost in the third round.
1986: Official Name Change to "Blackhawks"
In 1986, the club officially became the "Blackhawks", based on the spelling found in the original franchise documents.
1986: Name Change to "Chicago Blackhawks"
Prior to the 1986-87 season, the team's name officially became "Chicago Blackhawks" after the team's original NHL contract was discovered.
1988: Conference Finals Appearance
In 1988-89, the Chicago Blackhawks made it to the conference finals but lost to the Calgary Flames.
1992: Stanley Cup Finals Appearance and Loss
In 1991-92, the Chicago Blackhawks reached the Stanley Cup Finals after 19 years but were swept by the Pittsburgh Penguins.
1994: Mike Keenan Coaches Rangers to Stanley Cup
In 1994, former Blackhawks head coach Mike Keenan coached the New York Rangers to their first Stanley Cup in 54 years.
1994: Playoff Elimination by Toronto and Last Season at Chicago Stadium
In 1994, the Chicago Blackhawks qualified for the playoffs but were eliminated by Toronto, and it was their last season at Chicago Stadium.
1995: Move to United Center
In 1995, the Blackhawks moved to the United Center for their home games, sharing the arena with the Chicago Bulls.
1998: Playoff Drought Begins
In 1998, the Chicago Blackhawks missed the playoffs for the first time in 29 years.
1999: Second Consecutive Season Missing Playoffs
In 1999, Chicago missed the playoffs for a second consecutive season.
2002: First-Round Playoff Exit
In 2002, the Chicago Blackhawks made a quick first-round exit in the playoffs, losing to the St. Louis Blues.
February 2004: Worst Franchise Ranking by ESPN
In February 2004, ESPN ranked the Chicago Blackhawks as the worst franchise in professional sports.
May 16, 2006: Pat Foley's Departure
On May 16, 2006, the Chicago Blackhawks announced that Pat Foley would not be brought back after 25 years with the team, a move unpopular amongst most fans.
November 26, 2006: Denis Savard Appointed Head Coach
On November 26, 2006, the Chicago Blackhawks fired head coach Trent Yawney and appointed assistant coach Denis Savard as the head coach.
September 26, 2007: Death of Bill Wirtz and Succession of Rocky Wirtz
On September 26, 2007, longtime Chicago Blackhawks owner Bill Wirtz died, and was succeeded by his son Rocky Wirtz.
2007: Rocky Wirtz Takes Control
In 2007, Rocky Wirtz took control of the Chicago Blackhawks, initiating a turnaround for the organization.
February 13, 2008: Blackhawks announce first fan convention
On February 13, 2008, the Blackhawks announced that they would hold their first fan convention.
February 26, 2008: Blackhawks trade Ruutu and Lapointe
On February 26, 2008, the Blackhawks traded Tuomo Ruutu to the Carolina Hurricanes for Andrew Ladd and Martin Lapointe to the Ottawa Senators for a draft pick.
April 30, 2008: Blackhawks sign deal with WGN Radio
On April 30, 2008, the Chicago Blackhawks signed a three-year deal with WGN Radio (720 AM), a 50,000-watt station, to broadcast their games.
July 16, 2008: Blackhawks to host 2009 Winter Classic
On July 16, 2008, the Blackhawks announced they would host the 2009 Winter Classic at Wrigley Field against the Detroit Red Wings.
October 16, 2008: Quenneville replaces Savard as head coach
On October 16, 2008, the Blackhawks relieved Denis Savard of his head coaching duties and replaced him with Joel Quenneville.
July 14, 2009: Tallon demoted, Bowman promoted to GM
On July 14, 2009, Dale Tallon was demoted to senior advisor and Stan Bowman was promoted to general manager of the Blackhawks.
December 1, 2009: Kane, Toews, and Keith sign contract extensions
On December 1, 2009, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews signed contract extensions worth $31.5 million over five years, and Duncan Keith signed a 13-year extension worth $72 million.
April 6, 2010: Blackhawks set franchise record for wins
On April 6, 2010, the Blackhawks won their 50th game against the Dallas Stars, setting a new franchise record for wins in a season.
2010: Cubs allow Blackhawks on WGN during Stanley Cup Finals
During the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals, the Chicago Cubs allowed the Blackhawks games to be broadcast on WGN to provide a larger listening area, with Cubs games reverting to WIND when there was a scheduling conflict.
2010: Core members of 2010 Stanley Cup
In 2010, Hjalmarsson and Hossa were core members of the Blackhawks roster that won Stanley Cup.
2010: Stanley Cup Title
In 2010, the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup.
April 10, 2011: Blackhawks clinch playoff berth
On April 10, 2011, the Blackhawks lost to the Detroit Red Wings but clinched the eighth seed in the Western Conference playoffs due to the Minnesota Wild's win over the Dallas Stars.
2012: Playoff exit
The 2016 loss marked the Blackhawks' earliest playoff exit since 2012.
2013: Saad's pivotal role in Stanley Cup Championship
In 2013, Brandon Saad played a pivotal role in the Chicago Blackhawks' Stanley Cup Championship victory.
2013: Core members of 2013 Stanley Cup
In 2013, Hjalmarsson and Hossa were core members of the Blackhawks roster that won Stanley Cup.
2013: Stanley Cup Title
In 2013, the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup.
2014: Games moved to WGWG-LP
In 2014, Chicago Blackhawks games that conflicted with Cubs broadcasts moved to WGWG-LP (Channel 6/87.7 FM) when Tribune began a local marketing agreement with that station's owner.
2014: Pat Foley Awarded Foster Hewitt Memorial Award
In 2014, Pat Foley, a Blackhawks broadcaster, was awarded the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award from the Hockey Hall of Fame.
2015: Core members of 2015 Stanley Cup
In 2015, Hjalmarsson and Hossa were core members of the Blackhawks roster that won Stanley Cup.
2015: Patrick Kane's NHL-best season
In 2015, Patrick Kane led the NHL with 106 points and won the Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP.
2015: Trade of Brandon Saad
In 2015, the Blackhawks traded Brandon Saad's negotiation rights, along with prospects Alex Broadhurst and Michael Paliotta, to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Artem Anisimov, Marko Dano, Corey Tropp, Jeremy Morin and a fourth-round draft pick.
2015: Stanley Cup Championship
In 2015, the Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup Finals, securing their third Stanley Cup in six seasons.
2016: NHL Entry Draft
During the 2016 NHL entry draft, the Chicago Blackhawks utilized the fourth-round draft pick, Anatoly Golyshev, obtained from the Columbus Blue Jackets in the Brandon Saad trade.
2016: Artemi Panarin wins Calder Memorial Trophy
In 2016, Artemi Panarin won the Calder Memorial Trophy, awarded to the NHL's best first-year player.
2016: Bob Verdi Awarded Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award
In 2016, Bob Verdi, the Chicago Blackhawks team historian, was awarded the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award.
2016: Trades for Cap Space
In 2016, the Blackhawks traded Andrew Shaw and Bryan Bickell/Teuvo Teravainen to create salary cap space and brought back Brian Campbell.
2016: Early Playoff Exit
In 2016, the defending Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks were defeated by the St. Louis Blues in a seven-game series in the first round of the playoffs.
January 1, 2017: NHL Centennial Anniversary Logo Debut
On January 1, 2017, the NHL introduced a special anniversary logo for all teams to honor the league's centennial year. The logo featured a banner wrapped around the number 100 with the current NHL shield.
January 5, 2017: Blackhawks Debut Centennial Patch on Home Jerseys
On January 5, 2017, the Chicago Blackhawks debuted the NHL centennial anniversary logo patch on their home jerseys. The patch was placed underneath the numbering on the right sleeve.
January 13, 2017: Blackhawks Debut Centennial Patch on Away Jerseys
On January 13, 2017, the Chicago Blackhawks debuted the NHL centennial anniversary logo patch on their away jerseys. The patch was located underneath the numbering on the right sleeve.
December 2017: Blackhawks Above .500
At the end of December 2017, the Blackhawks were four games above .500 with an 18–14–6 record.
December 16, 2017: NHL 100 Classic
Up to the NHL 100 Classic played on December 16, 2017, all teams continued to have patches of the NHL's centennial emblem located above or below the numbers on their right sleeves.
2017: Adidas Becomes Official Uniform Outfitter
In 2017, Adidas replaced Reebok as the official outfitter of uniforms and licensed apparel for all NHL teams. The new uniforms featured the Adidas ADIZERO template, with slight modifications to the collar and waist stripes.
2017: Hjalmarsson and Panarin Trades
In 2017, Niklas Hjalmarsson was traded to the Arizona Coyotes and Artemi Panarin was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
2017: Playoff Upset
In the 2017 playoffs, the Blackhawks were swept in the first round by the Nashville Predators, marking a significant upset.
2017: Hossa to miss the season
Prior to the 2017-18 season, Marian Hossa would miss the entire 2017–18 season due to a progressive skin disorder.
March 20, 2018: Playoff Elimination
On March 20, 2018, the Blackhawks were eliminated from playoff contention, marking the first time in nine years that the team failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs.
August 7, 2018: Death of Stan Mikita
Stan Mikita died on August 7, 2018. The Blackhawks wore memorial patches on their uniforms for the entire 2018-19 season to honor him.
November 6, 2018: Quenneville Fired
On November 6, 2018, head coach Joel Quenneville was fired and replaced by Jeremy Colliton.
2018: Trade Phillip Danault
In 2016, The team traded Phillip Danault and their 2018 second-round pick to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for forwards Dale Weise and Tomas Fleischmann.
2019: Draft Lottery Win
After missing the playoffs, the Blackhawks won the third-overall pick in the 2019 NHL entry draft and selected Kirby Dach.
2019: Andrew Shaw rejoined the Blackhawks.
Andrew Shaw, who previously rejoined the Blackhawks in 2019, also announced he would retire from playing due to concussions suffered throughout his career.
2019: Record Reference
As of 2019, the 1938 Black Hawks still hold the distinction of having the poorest regular season record of any Stanley Cup champion.
2019: Blackhawks Wear Throwback Uniforms for 2019 Winter Classic
For the 2019 Winter Classic, the Blackhawks wore uniforms similar to those from the 1926-27 to 1934-35 seasons. These uniforms would later be worn for three home games during the 2018-19 season.
2019: New Collar Designs for 2019-20 Season
For the 2019-20 season, the home and away uniforms remained nearly identical to the 2017-18 season uniforms, except for the new collar designs. The home uniform collar transitioned from white to red, while the away uniform collar transitioned from red to white.
2019: Hossa's contract traded.
In 2019, the Blackhawks offloaded Hossa's contract onto the Arizona Coyotes by trading Vinnie Hinostroza, Jordan Oesterle and third-round draft pick in the 2019 draft in exchange for Marcus Kruger, MacKenzie Entwistle, Jordan Maletta, Andrew Campbell and a fifth-round draft pick in the 2019 NHL Draft.
2019: Free Agency and Trades
Prior to the 2019–20 season, the Blackhawks signed Ryan Carpenter and Robin Lehner and made trades to acquire Olli Maatta, Calvin de Haan, Alex Nylander, and Andrew Shaw.
December 16, 2020: Danny Wirtz Named CEO
On December 16, 2020, Danny Wirtz was named the new chief executive officer of the Blackhawks.
2020: NHL Allows Advertising on Uniforms
Beginning with the 2020-21 season, the NHL allowed advertising on gameday uniforms for the first time, starting with helmet ads. The Blackhawks' first helmet ad sponsor was United Airlines.
2020: Blackhawks Wear Reverse Retro Uniforms
For the 2020-21 NHL season, the Blackhawks wore "Reverse Retro" alternate uniforms, largely inspired by the team's 1940s uniforms.
2020: Season Cancelled and Playoffs
In 2020, Blackhawks finished last in their division before the remainder of the regular season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Blackhawks obtained a spot in the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs and lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games.
2020: John McDonough Fired
In 2020, The team fired John McDonough, who served as the Blackhawks' president for 13 years.
January 2021: Delayed and Condensed Season
The 2020–21 season was delayed to January 2021 and condensed to 56 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Forwards Mattias Janmark, Lucas Wallmark and Carl Soderberg were signed to one-year deals.
August 10, 2021: Death of Tony Esposito
Tony Esposito died on August 10, 2021. During the entire 2021-22 season, the Blackhawks wore memorial patches in remembrance of Tony Esposito.
October 26, 2021: Report Release and Resignations
On October 26, 2021, the report regarding the Kyle Beach sexual assault allegations was released, leading to the resignations of Stan Bowman and Al MacIsaac from the Blackhawks organization. Kyle Davidson was named interim general manager. The NHL fined the Blackhawks $2 million for their inadequate handling of the situation.
2021: Adidas Introduces Primegreen Uniforms
Starting with the 2021-22 NHL regular season, Adidas introduced new environmentally-friendly uniforms for all teams with its Adidas ADIZERO Primegreen Authentic template.
March 1, 2022: Davidson Named General Manager
On March 1, 2022, Kyle Davidson was formally named the Chicago Blackhawks' general manager.
June 27, 2022: Luke Richardson Named Head Coach
On June 27, 2022, Luke Richardson was named the 40th head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks. The Blackhawks committed to rebuilding their roster.
2022: Second Reverse Retro Uniform Released
In the 2022-23 season, a second "Reverse Retro" uniform was released, based on their 1938 uniform.
July 2023: Danny Wirtz Named Chairman
In July 2023, Danny Wirtz was named chairman of the Blackhawks following the death of his father, Rocky Wirtz.
June 5, 2024: Blackhawks Join Chicago Sports Network
On June 5, 2024, the Blackhawks, Bulls, and White Sox announced they would join the newly established Chicago Sports Network.
June 2024: Circa Sports Becomes Official Jersey Patch Sponsor
In June 2024, the Blackhawks announced a multi-year partnership with Circa Sports, making them the official jersey patch sponsor for the team's home red uniforms.
2024: New Broadcasters
As of the 2024–25 season, Rick Ball and John Wiedeman call play-by-play on television and radio, respectively. Darren Pang and Troy Murray serve as the TV and radio color commentator respectively, with Caley Chelios providing occasional game analysis and other content on various media.
March 4, 2025: Information Update
On March 4, 2025, some of the information regarding Chicago Blackhawks was updated.
