Chicago Blackhawks
One of the Original Six, the Chicago Blackhawks have won six Stanley Cups 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.
Quick Facts
- Conference
- Western
- Division
- Central
- Founded
- 1926
- History
- Chicago Black Hawks; 1926–1986; Chicago Blackhawks; 1986–present
- Arena
- United Center
- City
- Chicago, Illinois
- Team colors
- Red
- white
- black; #CE1126 #FFFFFF #010101
- Media affiliates
- Chicago Sports Network; WGN (720 AM)
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, who acted as their landlord as owners of the Chicago Stadium, and also owned stakes in several of the NHL teams. 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, the Norris assets were spread among family members, and 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, which had lost fan interest and competitiveness; 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.
Reader's Guide
The Blackhawks were founded on May 15, 1926, when the NHL awarded an expansion franchise for Chicago to a syndicate headed by Huntington Hardwick. Hardwick purchased the players of the Portland Rosebuds for $100,000, but sold out to Frederic McLaughlin a month later. McLaughlin named the team after the Blackhawk Division, a military unit he served with in World War I. The team's name was spelled as two words, 'Black Hawks', until 1986, when it officially became 'Blackhawks'. The Black Hawks began play in the 1926–27 season. Under McLaughlin, the team won Stanley Cups in 1934 and 1938. After McLaughlin's death, the Norris family took over, and the team won the Cup in 1961. The Wirtz family then owned the team, with Rocky Wirtz overseeing three more Cup wins in 2010, 2013, and 2015.
Did You Know?
- The team has won six Stanley Cup championships: 1934, 1938, 1961, 2010, 2013, and 2015.
- The 1937–38 Black Hawks had the poorest regular season record of any Stanley Cup champion.
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