1939–40 Chicago Black Hawks season

The 1939–40 Chicago Black Hawks season was the team's 14th season in the NHL, and they were coming off a disastrous 1938–39 season, in which the Hawks were the only team in the 7 team league to not qualify for the playoffs. Paul Thompson, who finished the previous season as a player-coach with the Hawks, would retire from playing and become the full-time head coach of the team, and Chicago responded, as they improved by 20 points, finishing above .500 for the first time since 1935–36, and having their highest point total since 1934–35, as they would have a 23–19–6 record for 52 points, good for 4th place in the NHL standings.

Rookie Doug Bentley would lead the team with 12 goals, while Cully Dahlstrom would have team highs in assists (19) and points (30). Joe Cooper led all defensemen with 11 points and had a team high 59 penalty minutes, while fellow blueliner Earl Seibert had another productive season, earning 10 points, despite missing some time due to injuries.

In goal, Mike Karakas would begin the season as the starter, however, after 17 games, he was loaned to the Montreal Canadiens for the remainder of the year after posting a 7–9–1 record and a 3.31 GAA. Paul Goodman would then be named the Hawks starting goalie, and he would respond with a 16–10–5 record, and a team high 1.94 GAA.

Chicago would return to the playoffs after a 1-year absence, as they would face the 3rd place team, the Toronto Maple Leafs in a best of 3 series in the 1st round. The Leafs would win the first game of the series by a score of 3–2 in OT at Maple Leaf Gardens, and Toronto would then eliminate Chicago by a 2–1 score in the 2nd game at Chicago Stadium to eliminate the Black Hawks.

Schedule and results

Regular season

Template:Game log start Template:Game log section start |- Template:Game-won | 1 || November 2 || Detroit Red Wings || 2–3 || Chicago Black Hawks || 1–0–0 || 2 |- Template:Game-lost | 2 || November 5 || Chicago Black Hawks || 2–8 || Montreal Canadiens || 1–1–0 || 2 |- Template:Game-won | 3 || November 12 || New York Americans || 1–2 || Chicago Black Hawks || 2–1–0 || 4 |- Template:Game-lost | 4 || November 14 || Chicago Black Hawks || 1–3 || Boston Bruins || 2–2–0 || 4 |- Template:Game-won | 5 || November 16 || Chicago Black Hawks || 3–2 || New York Rangers || 3–2–0 || 6 |- Template:Game-lost | 6 || November 19 || Boston Bruins || 2–0 || Chicago Black Hawks || 3–3–0 || 6 |- Template:Game-won | 7 || November 26 || Chicago Black Hawks || 4–2 || Detroit Red Wings || 4–3–0 || 8 |- Template:Game-lost | 8 || November 30 || New York Rangers || 7–2 || Chicago Black Hawks || 4–4–0 || 8 |- Template:Game log section end Template:Game log section start |- Template:Game-tied | 9 || December 2 || Chicago Black Hawks || 3–3 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 4–4–1 || 9 |- Template:Game-lost |10 || December 3 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 3–1 || Chicago Black Hawks || 4–5–1 || 9 |- Template:Game-won |11 || December 7 || New York Americans || 1–2 || Chicago Black Hawks || 5–5–1 || 11 |- Template:Game-won |12 || December 10 || Montreal Canadiens || 2–3 || Chicago Black Hawks || 6–5–1 || 13 |- Template:Game-lost |13 || December 12 || Chicago Black Hawks || 0–4 || New York Americans || 6–6–1 || 13 |- Template:Game-lost |14 || December 17 || Boston Bruins || 4–2 || Chicago Black Hawks || 6–7–1 || 13 |- Template:Game-won |15 || December 21 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 1–3 || Chicago Black Hawks || 7–7–1 || 15 |- Template:Game-lost |16 || December 23 || Chicago Black Hawks || 1–7 || New York Rangers || 7–8–1 || 15 |- Template:Game-lost |17 || December 25 || Chicago Black Hawks || 3–6 || Boston Bruins || 7–9–1 || 15 |- Template:Game-lost |18 || December 27 || Chicago Black Hawks || 2–4 || New York Americans || 7–10–1 || 15 |- Template:Game-lost |19 || December 30 || Chicago Black Hawks || 2–4 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 7–11–1 || 15 |- Template:Game log section end Template:Game log section start |- Template:Game-won |20 || January 1 || Detroit Red Wings || 0–1 || Chicago Black Hawks || 8–11–1 || 17 |- Template:Game-won |21 || January 4 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 1–2 || Chicago Black Hawks || 9–11–1 || 19 |- Template:Game-lost |22 || January 7 || Montreal Canadiens || 2–1 || Chicago Black Hawks || 9–12–1 || 19 |- Template:Game-won |23 || January 9 || Chicago Black Hawks || 2–0 || Montreal Canadiens || 10–12–1 || 21 |- Template:Game-lost |24 || January 11 || Chicago Black Hawks || 3–5 || New York Rangers || 10–13–1 || 21 |- Template:Game-won |25 || January 14 || New York Rangers || 1–2 || Chicago Black Hawks || 11–13–1 || 23 |- Template:Game-lost |26 || January 21 || New York Americans || 2–1 || Chicago Black Hawks || 11–14–1 || 23 |- Template:Game-tied |27 || January 25 || Boston Bruins || 2–2 || Chicago Black Hawks || 11–14–2 || 24 |- Template:Game-tied |28 || January 26 || Chicago Black Hawks || 1–1 || Detroit Red Wings || 11–14–3 || 25 |- Template:Game-won |29 || January 28 || Montreal Canadiens || 1–8 || Chicago Black Hawks || 12–14–3 || 27 |- Template:Game-lost |30 || January 30 || Chicago Black Hawks || 0–5 || Boston Bruins || 12–15–3 || 27 |- Template:Game log section end Template:Game log section start |- Template:Game-lost |31 || February 1 || Chicago Black Hawks || 2–5 || New York Americans || 12–16–3 || 27 |- Template:Game-won |32 || February 3 || Chicago Black Hawks || 3–2 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 13–16–3 || 29 |- Template:Game-tied |33 || February 4 || Detroit Red Wings || 1–1 || Chicago Black Hawks || 13–16–4 || 30 |- Template:Game-won |34 || February 8 || New York Americans || 2–3 || Chicago Black Hawks || 14–16–4 || 32 |- Template:Game-won |35 || February 9 || Chicago Black Hawks || 3–0 || Detroit Red Wings || 15–16–4 || 34 |- Template:Game-won |36 || February 11 || New York Rangers || 0–3 || Chicago Black Hawks || 16–16–4 || 36 |- Template:Game-tied |37 || February 15 || Chicago Black Hawks || 1–1 || Montreal Canadiens || 16–16–5 || 37 |- Template:Game-tied |38 || February 18 || Chicago Black Hawks || 1–1 || New York Americans || 16–16–6 || 38 |- Template:Game-won |39 || February 22 || Montreal Canadiens || 1–10 || Chicago Black Hawks || 17–16–6 || 40 |- Template:Game-won |40 || February 25 || Boston Bruins || 1–3 || Chicago Black Hawks || 18–16–6 || 42 |- Template:Game-lost |41 || February 27 || Chicago Black Hawks || 0–6 || Boston Bruins || 18–17–6 || 42 |- Template:Game-won |42 || February 29 || Chicago Black Hawks || 2–1 || New York Rangers || 19–17–6 || 44 |- Template:Game log section end Template:Game log section start |- Template:Game-lost |43 || March 3 || New York Rangers || 2–1 || Chicago Black Hawks || 19–18–6 || 44 |- Template:Game-won |44 || March 7 || Chicago Black Hawks || 6–1 || Montreal Canadiens || 20–18–6 || 46 |- Template:Game-lost |45 || March 9 || Chicago Black Hawks || 2–5 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 20–19–6 || 46 |- Template:Game-won |46 || March 10 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 1–2 || Chicago Black Hawks || 21–19–6 || 48 |- Template:Game-won |47 || March 15 || Chicago Black Hawks || 4–3 || Detroit Red Wings || 22–19–6 || 50 |- Template:Game-won |48 || March 17 || Detroit Red Wings || 1–3 || Chicago Black Hawks || 23–19–6 || 52 |- Template:Game log section end |- | Legend:

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Playoffs

Maple Leafs 2, Black Hawks 0

NHL quarter-finals

(3) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (4) Chicago Black Hawks

March 19	Chicago Black Hawks		2 – 3	OT	Toronto Maple Leafs	Maple Leaf Gardens	Recap
Wiebe (1) – (Unassisted) – 2:31 March (1) – sh – (Unassisted) – 19:41		First period			No scoring
No scoring		Second period			No scoring
No scoring		Third period			1:45 – Church (1) – (Unassisted) 9:09 – Apps (1) – (Davidson, Drillon)
No scoring		First overtime period			6:36 – Apps (2) – (Davidson)
Goodman (0-1)		Goalie stats			Broda (1-0)

March 21	Toronto Maple Leafs		2 – 1		Chicago Black Hawks	Chicago Stadium	Recap
No scoring		First period			No scoring
Drillon (1) – (Unassisted) – 4:18		Second period			No scoring
Goldup (1) – (Unassisted) – 11:56		Third period			9:02 – pp – Carse (1) – (Gottselig, Siebert)
Broda (2-0)		Goalie stats			Goodman (0-2)

Toronto wins series 2 – 0

Player statistics

Regular season

Skaters

Player	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
Cully Dahlstrom	45	11	19	30	15
Bill Carse	48	10	13	23	10
Mush March	47	9	14	23	49
Johnny Gottselig	39	8	15	23	7
George Allen	47	10	12	22	26

Goaltenders

Player	GP	TOI	W	L	T	GA	SO	GAA
Paul Goodman	31	1920	16	10	5	62	4	1.94
Mike Karakas	17	1050	7	9	1	58	0	3.31

Playoffs

Skaters

Player	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
Mush March	2	1	0	1	2
Bill Carse	2	1	0	1	0
Art Wiebe	2	1	0	1	2
Johnny Gottselig	2	0	1	1	0
Earl Seibert	2	0	1	1	8

Goaltenders

Player	GP	TOI	W	L	GA	SO	GAA
Paul Goodman	2	127	0	2	5	0	2.36

References

• SHRP Sports
• The Internet Hockey Database
• National Hockey League Guide & Record Book 2007

Notes