1955–56 Chicago Black Hawks season

1955–56 Chicago Black Hawks
Division 6th NHL
1955–56 record 19–39–12
Home record 9–19–7
Road record 10–20–5
Goals for 155
Goals against 216
Team information
General Manager Tommy Ivan
Coach Dick Irvin
Captain Gus Mortson
Arena Chicago Stadium
Team leaders
Goals Johnny Wilson (24)
Assists Ed Litzenberger (29)
Points Red Sullivan (40)
Penalties in minutes Lee Fogolin (88)
Wins Al Rollins (17)
Goals against average Al Rollins (2.95)
<1954–55 1956–57>

The 1955–56 Chicago Black Hawks season was the team's 30th season in the NHL, and the club was coming off their second straight last place finish in 1954–55, when they had a record of 13–40–17, earning 43 points. The struggling franchise had finished in the NHL cellar for seven times in the past nine seasons.

The Black Hawks would not bring back head coach Frank Eddolls, as they hired Dick Irvin, who had previously coached the Black Hawks in 1928–29 and 1930–31. After leaving Chicago in 1931, Irvin would coach the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1931–40, winning the 1932 Stanley Cup, then he went on to coach the Montreal Canadiens from 1940–55, winning three Stanley Cups with the team in 1944, 1946 and 1953. Also, in the off-season, the Hawks acquired Johnny Wilson and Glen Skov from the Detroit Red Wings.

The team would get off to their best start in a few seasons, as they played .500 hockey in their opening 10 games, as Chicago had a record of 4–4–2. The team would hover around the .500 mark through the first 23 games before falling into a slump, in which they would go 11–30–6 in their remaining 47 games to finish the season in last place for the eighth time in ten seasons. Despite the last place finish, Chicago improved their win total to 19 games and their point total to 50, which represented their highest totals since the 1952–53 season.

Offensively, Chicago was led by Red Sullivan, who had a team high 40 points, as he scored 14 goals and added 26 assists. Newly acquired Johnny Wilson scored a team high 24 goals, becoming the first Black Hawk since 1953 to score over 20 goals, while Ed Litzenberger had a club best 29 assists, en route to a 39-point season. Allan Stanley led the defense with 14 assists and 18 points, while fellow blueliner Jack McIntyre scored a defense leading 10 goals, while adding 5 assists for 15 points. Team captain Gus Mortson also had 15 points from the blueline, along with 87 penalty minutes. Lee Fogolin led the team in that category though, accumulating 88 penalty minutes.

In goal, Al Rollins played the majority of games, leading the team in wins at 17, and GAA at 2.95. He also earned 3 shutouts.

Season standings

National Hockey League[1]
GP W L T GF GA DIFF Pts
1 Montreal Canadiens 70 45 15 10 222 131 +91 100
2 Detroit Red Wings 70 30 24 16 183 148 +35 76
3 New York Rangers 70 32 28 10 204 203 +1 74
4 Toronto Maple Leafs 70 24 33 13 153 181 −28 61
5 Boston Bruins 70 23 34 13 147 185 −38 59
6 Chicago Black Hawks 70 19 39 12 155 216 −61 50

Game log

Regular season

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

Season stats

Scoring leaders

Player GP G A Pts PIM
Red Sullivan 63 14 26 40 58
Nick Mickoski 70 19 20 39 52
Ed Litzenberger 70 10 29 39 36
Johnny Wilson 70 24 9 33 12
Hank Ciesla 70 8 23 31 22

Goaltending

Player GP TOI W L T GA SO GAA
Al Rollins 58 3480 17 30 11 171 3 2.95
Hank Bassen 12 720 2 9 1 40 1 3.33

Roster

1955–56 Chicago Black Hawks
Goaltenders

Defensemen

Wingers

Centers

References

Sources

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