1955–56 Chicago Black Hawks season

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.

1955–56 Chicago Black Hawks
Division6th NHL
1955–56 record19–39–12
Home record9–19–7
Road record10–20–5
Goals for155
Goals against216
Team information
General managerTommy Ivan
CoachDick Irvin
CaptainGus Mortson
ArenaChicago Stadium
Team leaders
GoalsJohnny Wilson (24)
AssistsEd Litzenberger (29)
PointsRed Sullivan (40)
Penalty minutesLee Fogolin Sr. (88)
WinsAl Rollins (17)
Goals against averageAl Rollins (2.95)

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 Sr. 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
1Montreal Canadiens70451510222131+91100
2Detroit Red Wings70302416183148+3576
3New York Rangers70322810204203+174
4Toronto Maple Leafs70243313153181−2861
5Boston Bruins70233413147185−3859
6Chicago Black Hawks70193912155216−6150

Record vs. opponents
1955–56 NHL Records
Team BOS CHI DET MON NYR TOR
Boston —3–8–33–8–35–8–17–5–25–5–4
Chicago 8–3–3—2–8–41–12–13–10–15–6–3
Detroit 8–3–38–2–4—4–8–25–6–35–5–4
Montreal 8–5–112–1–18–4–2—8–2–49–3–2
New York 5–7–210–3–16–5–32–8–4—9–5
Toronto 5–5–46–5–35–5–43–9–25–9—

Game log

Regular season
#DateVisitorScoreHomeRecordPts
1October 6Chicago Black Hawks3–2Detroit Red Wings1–0–02
2October 7New York Rangers7–4Chicago Black Hawks1–1–02
3October 9Toronto Maple Leafs1–3Chicago Black Hawks2–1–04
4October 15Detroit Red Wings4–1Chicago Black Hawks2–2–04
5October 16Montreal Canadiens2–2Chicago Black Hawks2–2–15
6October 20Chicago Black Hawks2–2Detroit Red Wings2–2–26
7October 22Chicago Black Hawks0–6Montreal Canadiens2–3–26
8October 23Chicago Black Hawks4–5New York Rangers2–4–26
9October 25Boston Bruins0–2Chicago Black Hawks3–4–28
10October 27Chicago Black Hawks4–1Montreal Canadiens4–4–210
11October 29Chicago Black Hawks0–2Toronto Maple Leafs4–5–210
12November 3Chicago Black Hawks3–3Boston Bruins4–5–311
13November 5Detroit Red Wings3–3Chicago Black Hawks4–5–412
14November 6New York Rangers4–2Chicago Black Hawks4–6–412
15November 10Chicago Black Hawks2–2Detroit Red Wings4–6–513
16November 11Toronto Maple Leafs0–2Chicago Black Hawks5–6–515
17November 13Montreal Canadiens2–0Chicago Black Hawks5–7–515
18November 18Boston Bruins1–6Chicago Black Hawks6–7–517
19November 19Chicago Black Hawks1–4Detroit Red Wings6–8–517
20November 20Detroit Red Wings1–1Chicago Black Hawks6–8–618
21November 24Toronto Maple Leafs2–3Chicago Black Hawks7–8–620
22November 26Chicago Black Hawks4–7Toronto Maple Leafs7–9–620
23November 27Chicago Black Hawks6–0Boston Bruins8–9–622
24November 30Chicago Black Hawks1–6New York Rangers8–10–622
25December 2New York Rangers2–1Chicago Black Hawks8–11–622
26December 4Montreal Canadiens5–1Chicago Black Hawks8–12–622
27December 9Boston Bruins1–1Chicago Black Hawks8–12–723
28December 11Toronto Maple Leafs3–3Chicago Black Hawks8–12–824
29December 14Chicago Black Hawks4–1New York Rangers9–12–826
30December 15Chicago Black Hawks1–4Boston Bruins9–13–826
31December 17Chicago Black Hawks0–5Montreal Canadiens9–14–826
32December 18Boston Bruins1–7Chicago Black Hawks10–14–828
33December 20Montreal Canadiens7–1Chicago Black Hawks10–15–828
34December 24Chicago Black Hawks2–5Toronto Maple Leafs10–16–828
35December 25Chicago Black Hawks4–2Boston Bruins11–16–830
36December 29Chicago Black Hawks4–2New York Rangers12–16–832
37December 31Chicago Black Hawks3–7Montreal Canadiens12–17–832
38January 1Chicago Black Hawks1–5Detroit Red Wings12–18–832
39January 4Chicago Black Hawks2–4Toronto Maple Leafs12–19–832
40January 7Chicago Black Hawks1–3Montreal Canadiens12–20–832
41January 8Chicago Black Hawks5–3New York Rangers13–20–834
42January 12Chicago Black Hawks5–0Boston Bruins14–20–836
43January 14Detroit Red Wings3–1Chicago Black Hawks14–21–836
44January 15New York Rangers2–0Chicago Black Hawks14–22–836
45January 17New York Rangers2–2Chicago Black Hawks14–22–937
46January 20Boston Bruins3–0Chicago Black Hawks14–23–937
47January 22Montreal Canadiens6–2Chicago Black Hawks14–24–937
48January 25Chicago Black Hawks1–3Toronto Maple Leafs14–25–937
49January 27Detroit Red Wings7–0Chicago Black Hawks14–26–937
50January 29New York Rangers6–2Chicago Black Hawks14–27–937
51February 2Chicago Black Hawks2–2Boston Bruins14–27–1038
52February 4Chicago Black Hawks4–2Toronto Maple Leafs15–27–1040
53February 5Toronto Maple Leafs2–3Chicago Black Hawks16–27–1042
54February 7Chicago Black Hawks2–3Detroit Red Wings16–28–1042
55February 10Montreal Canadiens3–1Chicago Black Hawks16–29–1042
56February 12Toronto Maple Leafs1–1Chicago Black Hawks16–29–1143
57February 15Chicago Black Hawks1–6New York Rangers16–30–1143
58February 17Boston Bruins4–2Chicago Black Hawks16–31–1143
59February 19Detroit Red Wings3–5Chicago Black Hawks17–31–1145
60February 24Toronto Maple Leafs2–1Chicago Black Hawks17–32–1145
61February 26Boston Bruins1–4Chicago Black Hawks18–32–1147
62March 2Montreal Canadiens3–1Chicago Black Hawks18–33–1147
63March 3Chicago Black Hawks1–3Montreal Canadiens18–34–1147
64March 4Chicago Black Hawks2–3New York Rangers18–35–1147
65March 8New York Rangers6–4Chicago Black Hawks18–36–1147
66March 10Chicago Black Hawks0–2Detroit Red Wings18–37–1147
67March 11Detroit Red Wings3–2Chicago Black Hawks18–38–1147
68March 15Chicago Black Hawks2–5Montreal Canadiens18–39–1147
69March 17Chicago Black Hawks1–1Toronto Maple Leafs18–39–1248
70March 18Chicago Black Hawks3–2Boston Bruins19–39–1250

Season stats

Scoring leaders
Player GP G A Pts PIM
Red Sullivan6314264058
Nick Mickoski7019203952
Ed Litzenberger7010293936
Johnny Wilson702493312
Hank Ciesla708233122

Goaltending
PlayerGPTOIWLTGASOGAA
Al Rollins58348017301117132.95
Hank Bassen127202914013.33

Roster
1955–56 Chicago Black Hawks
Goaltenders

Defensemen

Wingers

Centers

References
  1. "1955–1956 Division Standings Standings - NHL.com - Standings". National Hockey League.

Sources
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