1974–75 Chicago Black Hawks | |
---|---|
Division | 3rd Smythe |
Conference | 7th Campbell |
1974–75 record | 37–35–8 |
Home record | 24–12–4 |
Road record | 13–23–4 |
Goals for | 268 |
Goals against | 241 |
Team information | |
General Manager | Tommy Ivan |
Coach | Billy Reay |
Captain | Vacant |
Alternate captains |
Doug Jarrett Stan Mikita Bill White |
Arena | Chicago Stadium |
Team leaders | |
Goals |
Jim Pappin Stan Mikita (36) |
Assists | Stan Mikita (50) |
Points | Stan Mikita (86) |
Penalties in minutes | Phil Russell (260) |
Plus/minus | John Marks (+27) |
Wins | Tony Esposito (34) |
Goals against average | Tony Esposito (2.74) |
The 1974–75 Chicago Black Hawks season was the Hawks' 49th season in the NHL, and the club was coming off a 41–14–23 record in 1973–74, earning 105 points, and finishing in second place in the West Division. The Black Hawks defeated the Los Angeles Kings in the NHL quarter-finals, but lost to the Boston Bruins in the semi-finals.
During the off-season, the NHL made a number of changes. The league expanded by two more teams, as the Kansas City Scouts and Washington Capitals joined the league, making the NHL an 18 team league. The schedule was then bumped up from 78 games to 80, and the previously two division league was split into two conferences and four divisions. The Black Hawks found themselves in the newly created Smythe Division with the Minnesota North Stars, St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks, and the expansion team Kansas City Scouts. The Smythe Division was part of the newly created Campbell Conference.
Chicago began the regular season with a strong 7–3–1 in their first eleven games, however, the team fell into a slump, and found themselves under the .500 level 26 games into the season with a record of 11–12–3. The Black Hawks would continue to hover around .500 for the rest of the season, and eventually finish the year with a 37–35–8 record, earning 82 points. Chicago's 37 victories and 82 points were their lowest totals since the 1968–69 season, while their 35 losses was the most since the team lost 39 in 1957–58. The team finished in third place in the Smythe Division, and earn a spot in the post-season as the eleventh seed.