The
Chicago Blackhawks joined the NHL in 1926 as part of the league's
successful foray into United States-based teams. Most of the
Hawks' original players came from the Western Canada Hockey
League or the Pacific Coast Hockey League, both of which folded
within the previous two years. The Hawks' first season was
a moderate success, with the forward line of Mickey MacKay,
Babe Dye and Dick Irvin each finishing near the top of the
league's scoring race. The Hawks lost their 1927 first-round
playoff series to the Boston Bruins, but then proceeded to
have the worst record in the league in 1927–1928.
In the late 1980s Chicago still made the playoffs on an annual
basis, but made early-round exits each time. It wasn't for
a lack of offense though: Savard and Steve Larmer each consistently
scored 30 goals a season.
In 1989,
after three straight first-round defeats, and despite a 4th-place
finish in their division in the regular season, Chicago made
it to the Conference Finals in the rookie season of both goalie
Ed Belfour and center Jeremy Roenick. Once again though, they
would fail to make the Stanley Cup finals, losing to the eventual
champion Calgary Flames.
The following
season the Hawks did prove they were late-round playoff material,
running away with the Norris Division title, but, yet again,
the third round continued to stymie them, this time against
the Edmonton Oilers. In 1991 Chicago was poised to fare even
better in the playoffs, winning the President's Trophy for
best regular-season record, but the Minnesota North Stars
stunned them in 6 games in the first round en route to an
improbable Stanley Cup Finals appearance.
In 1992
the Blackhawks, with Roenick scoring 53 goals, Chris Chelios
(acquired from Montreal two years previously) on defense,
and Belfour and future superstar Dominik Hasek splitting the
goaltending duties, finally reached the final round. They
were no match for Mario Lemieux and the Pittsburgh Penguins,
losing in 4 straight games.
Belfour
posted a 40-win season in 1993 as the Hawks looked to go deep
yet again, but the St. Louis Blues stunned Chicago with a
first round sweep.
After
a near-.500 season in 1994, the Blackhawks moved out of the
old Chicago Stadium and into the new United Center in the
lockout-shortened 1995 season. Bernie Nichols and Joe Murphy
both scored 20 goals over 48 games, and Chicago once again
made it to the third round, losing to the Detroit Red Wings.
Belfour
was later traded away to the Dallas Stars, and the Blackhawks
faltered through the late 1990s until they missed the playoffs
in 1998 for the first time in 29 years.
Eric Daze,
Alexei Zhamnov, Tony Amonte and goalie Jocelyn Thibault emerged
as three of the team's leading stars by this time. However,
Chicago missed the playoffs for 4 straight years until they
took a quick first-round exit in 2002.
Amonte
left for Phoenix in the summer of 2002, and Chicago missed
the playoffs again in 2003.
Founded:
1926
Arena: United Center (capacity 18,500)
Uniform colors: red and black,
Logo design: Indian's head in sillhouette
|
