1936–37 Chicago Black Hawks season

1936–37 Chicago Black Hawks
Division	4th American
1936–37 record	14–27–7
Home record	8–13–3
Road record	6–14–4
Goals for	99
Goals against	131
Team information
General manager	Frederic McLaughlin
Coach	Clem Loughlin
Captain	Johnny Gottselig
Arena	Chicago Stadium
Team leaders
Goals	Paul Thompson (17)
Assists	Johnny Gottselig (21)
Points	Paul Thompson (35)
Penalty minutes	Earl Siebert (46)
Wins	Mike Karakas (14)
Goals against average	Mike Karakas (2.64)

The 1936–37 Chicago Black Hawks season was the team's 11th season in the NHL. The Black Hawks had their worst season since 1928–29, finishing with only 35 points with a 14–27–7 record, and missed the playoffs for the first time since 1932-33. Chicago scored an NHL low 99 goals, and gave up 131 goals, the 2nd highest total in the league.

Regular Season

Clem Loughlin, Mike Karakas, Ernest Klingbeil, Bun LaPrairie, Milton Brink, Al Suomi and Paul Schaefer before the last game of the season, March 21, 1937.

With five games left to play and his team hopelessly in last place, Chicago owner Frederic McLaughlin decided to try an experiment dear to his heart. He dreamed of the day that an all-American team might be able to compete at NHL calibre. He already had Mike Karakas in goal, but added Ernest Klingbeil and Paul Schaefer on defence, and Milton Brink, a fast skating center, between Al Suomi and Bun LaPrairie. The first test came on March 11 when the Boston Bruins beat the Black Hawks 6-2. None of the new players scored, but Klingbeil and Schaefer were on defence for all Boston goals. This brought complaints from Jack Adams, Lester Patrick and Art Ross who stated that such experiments should not be conducted when the other clubs were battling for playoff spots. But McLaughlin's kids didn't look bad when the Toronto Maple Leafs were lucky to win 3-2 at Maple Leaf Gardens. Klingbeil was the star of the game with a goal. The rookies checked tenaciously and at times were impressive on the attack. 9,600 fans applauded their effort. Then the Black Hawks beat the New York Rangers 3-2 with the Yanks still in the lineup. Lester Patrick had nothing to say except that the attendance had dropped. The experiment was about finished when the New York Americans walloped the Hawks 9-4, as Sweeney Schriner and Nels Stewart each had hat tricks. In a losing cause, Paul Thompson had a hat trick for Chicago.

Paul Thompson led the Hawks offensively, scoring a club high in goals (17) and points (35). Team captain Johnny Gottselig had a team high 21 assists. Pep Kelly, who the Hawks acquired in a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs midway through the season, scored 13 goals in 29 games with Chicago after scoring only 2 goals in 16 games with the Leafs. Defenseman Earl Siebert led all defensemen with 9 goals and 15 points, and had a team high 46 penalty minutes.

In goal, Mike Karakas would get all the action, winning 14 games, earning 5 shutouts, and posting a 2.64 GAA.

The Black Hawks failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 1933, as they finished in the cellar of the American Division, 12 points behind the 3rd place New York Rangers.

Final Standings

American Division

	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	PTS
Detroit Red Wings	48	25	14	9	128	102	59
Boston Bruins	48	23	18	7	120	110	53
New York Rangers	48	19	20	9	117	106	47
Chicago Black Hawks	48	14	27	7	99	131	35

Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against

Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.

Game Log

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	Record	Pts
1	November 5	New York Americans	1–1	Chicago Black Hawks	0–0–1	1
2	November 12	Chicago Black Hawks	0–0	New York Americans	0–0–2	2
3	November 14	Chicago Black Hawks	2–6	Toronto Maple Leafs	0–1–2	2
4	November 15	Toronto Maple Leafs	1–1	Chicago Black Hawks	0–1–3	3
5	November 19	Montreal Maroons	4–0	Chicago Black Hawks	0–2–3	3
6	November 22	Boston Bruins	2–1	Chicago Black Hawks	0–3–3	3
7	November 24	Chicago Black Hawks	1–1	Boston Bruins	0–3–4	4
8	November 26	Chicago Black Hawks	2–0	Detroit Red Wings	1–3–4	6
9	November 29	Montreal Canadiens	2–1	Chicago Black Hawks	1–4–4	6
10	December 6	New York Rangers	2–1	Chicago Black Hawks	1–5–4	6
11	December 8	Chicago Black Hawks	0–0	New York Rangers	1–5–5	7
12	December 10	Chicago Black Hawks	1–2	Montreal Maroons	1–6–5	7
13	December 13	Detroit Red Wings	2–1	Chicago Black Hawks	1–7–5	7
14	December 20	New York Americans	1–2	Chicago Black Hawks	2–7–5	9
15	December 22	Chicago Black Hawks	1–4	Montreal Canadiens	2–8–5	9
16	December 25	Chicago Black Hawks	1–1	Detroit Red Wings	2–8–6	10
17	December 27	Chicago Black Hawks	0–1	New York Rangers	2–9–6	10
18	December 29	Montreal Canadiens	1–5	Chicago Black Hawks	3–9–6	12
19	January 1	Detroit Red Wings	2–4	Chicago Black Hawks	4–9–6	14
20	January 3	Montreal Maroons	3–1	Chicago Black Hawks	4–10–6	14
21	January 7	Boston Bruins	2–0	Chicago Black Hawks	4–11–6	14
22	January 10	Toronto Maple Leafs	1–2	Chicago Black Hawks	5–11–6	16
23	January 12	Chicago Black Hawks	4–2	Boston Bruins	6–11–6	18
24	January 14	Chicago Black Hawks	3–7	Montreal Maroons	6–12–6	18
25	January 16	Chicago Black Hawks	2–3	Toronto Maple Leafs	6–13–6	18
26	January 17	Detroit Red Wings	2–0	Chicago Black Hawks	6–14–6	18
27	January 19	Chicago Black Hawks	2–7	Detroit Red Wings	6–15–6	18
28	January 21	New York Rangers	0–2	Chicago Black Hawks	7–15–6	20
29	January 24	Montreal Canadiens	4–1	Chicago Black Hawks	7–16–6	20
30	January 26	Chicago Black Hawks	9–0	New York Americans	8–16–6	22
31	January 28	Chicago Black Hawks	5–6	Montreal Canadiens	8–17–6	22
32	January 31	Montreal Maroons	2–1	Chicago Black Hawks	8–18–6	22
33	February 7	New York Americans	1–5	Chicago Black Hawks	9–18–6	24
34	February 11	New York Rangers	2–5	Chicago Black Hawks	10–18–6	26
35	February 14	Boston Bruins	2–1	Chicago Black Hawks	10–19–6	26
36	February 18	Chicago Black Hawks	1–2	New York Rangers	10–20–6	26
37	February 20	Chicago Black Hawks	1–6	Montreal Maroons	10–21–6	26
38	February 21	Chicago Black Hawks	0–6	Detroit Red Wings	10–22–6	26
39	February 25	Detroit Red Wings	3–1	Chicago Black Hawks	10–23–6	26
40	February 28	New York Rangers	3–4	Chicago Black Hawks	11–23–6	28
41	March 2	Chicago Black Hawks	4–2	Boston Bruins	12–23–6	30
42	March 4	Chicago Black Hawks	5–3	Montreal Canadiens	13–23–6	32
43	March 7	Toronto Maple Leafs	2–2	Chicago Black Hawks	13–23–7	33
44	March 11	Boston Bruins	6–2	Chicago Black Hawks	13–24–7	33
45	March 13	Chicago Black Hawks	2–3	Toronto Maple Leafs	13–25–7	33
46	March 16	Chicago Black Hawks	4–3	New York Rangers	14–25–7	35
47	March 18	Chicago Black Hawks	4–9	New York Americans	14–26–7	35
48	March 21	Chicago Black Hawks	1–6	Boston Bruins	14–27–7	35

Playoffs

• The Black Hawks did not qualify for the playoffs.

Player Stats

Scoring Leaders

Player	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
Paul Thompson	47	17	18	35	28
Johnny Gottselig	47	9	21	30	10
Wildor Larochelle	43	9	10	19	6
Louis Trudel	42	6	12	18	11
Doc Romnes	28	4	14	18	2

Goaltending

Player	GP	TOI	W	L	T	GA	SO	GAA
Mike Karakas	48	2978	14	27	7	131	5	2.64

Awards and Records

• Earl Seibert, Defense, NHL Second Team All-Star

Gallery

Bruins-Black Hawks action, November 24, 1936.

Disputed goal awarded to Ray Getliffe, January 12, 1937.

Cooney Weiland scores, March 2, 1937.

See Also

• 1936–37 NHL season

References

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