Chicago Blackhawks
One of the Original Six, the Chicago Blackhawks have won six Stanley Cup championships since 1926.
The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The Blackhawks have won six Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926. They are one of the 'Original Six' NHL teams, along with the Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, and New York Rangers. Since the 1994–95 season, the team has played its home games at the United Center, which they share with the National Basketball Association's Chicago Bulls; both teams previously played at the now-demolished Chicago Stadium.
- character
- Intense Playoff Rivalry
- Affiliation
- Pacific Division (NHL)
- First appears
- 1997-1998 Season (Mighty Ducks era)
- Status
- Active Historic Rivalry
- Key Era
- 2003-2007 Playoffs
Lore & Background
The Blackhawks' original owner was Frederic McLaughlin, a 'hands-on' owner who fired many coaches during his ownership and led the team to win two Stanley Cup titles in 1934 and 1938. After McLaughlin's death in 1944, the team came under the ownership of the Norris family. At first, the Norris ownership was as part of a syndicate fronted by longtime executive Bill Tobin, and the team languished in favor of the Norris-owned Detroit Red Wings. After the senior James E. Norris died in 1952, James D. Norris became the owner of the Blackhawks. The younger Norris took an active interest in the team, which won another Stanley Cup title under his ownership in 1961. After James D. Norris died in 1966, the Wirtz family became owners of the franchise. In 2007, the team came under the control of Rocky Wirtz, who is credited with turning around the organization; under Wirtz, the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup three times, in 2010, 2013 and 2015. Rocky died in July 2023, and his son, Danny Wirtz, was named chairman of the Blackhawks.
In Their Own Story
The arena hummed with a nervous energy unique only to this matchup. As the puck dropped for overtime in Game 6, the roar of the crowd was a physical force, echoing off the glass where years of blocked shots had left their mark. A Chicago forward skated hard into the boards, eyes locked on an Anaheim defenseman, the history of past scrapes and playoff eliminations visible in every aggressive stride across the ice.
Reader's Guide
The Black Hawks began play in the 1926–27 season. They played their first game on November 17, 1926, against the Toronto St. Patricks at the Chicago Coliseum. The team moved to Chicago Stadium during the 1929–30 season. The Blackhawks have won six Stanley Cup championships: in 1934, 1938, 1961, 2010, 2013, and 2015.
Did You Know?
- The team was originally spelled as two words, 'Black Hawks,' until 1986, when the club officially became the 'Blackhawks' based on the spelling found in the original franchise documents.
- Frederic McLaughlin named the team after the 'Blackhawk Division,' a military unit he served with during World War I.
- The Black Hawks were the first NHL team with an all-American-born lineup under McLaughlin.
- The 1937–38 Black Hawks possess the poorest regular season record of any Stanley Cup champion.
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