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38-39ChiBH
1938–39 Chicago Black Hawks
Division 7th NHL
1938–39 record 12–28–8
Home record 5–13–6
Road record 7–15–2
Goals for 91
Goals against 132
Team information
General manager Frederic McLaughlin
Coach Bill Stewart (8–10–3)
Paul Thompson (4–18–5)
Captain Johnny Gottselig
Arena Chicago Stadium
Team leaders
Goals Johnny Gottselig (16)
Assists Johnny Gottselig (23)
Points Johnny Gottselig (39)
Penalty minutes Earl Siebert (57)
Wins Mike Karakas (12)
Goals against average Mike Karakas (2.65)

The 1938–39 Chicago Black Hawks season was the team's 13th season in the NHL. The Black Hawks finished last in the league and did not qualify for the playoffs.

Regular Season[]

1938-39-Hawks Leafs

Turk Broda fights off the Black Hawks in the 1938-39 season.

Prior to the season, the Montreal Maroons announced they would be folding, leaving the NHL with seven teams, thus eliminating the need for divisions. The Black Hawks got off to a mediocre start, and after going 8–10–3, they dismissed head coach Bill Stewart and replaced him with player-coach Paul Thompson. The Hawks struggled under Thompson, going 4–18–5, and finished in last place in the NHL, missing the playoffs for the 2nd time in 3 years. Chicago had problems scoring goals, getting an NHL low 91 goals, while they gave up the 3rd most goals at 132.

During the second game of the season, on November 5, 1938 against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Bill Shill suffered a dislocated vertebrae and missed 20 games.[1]

1939-Feb5-Karakas-Brimsek-moms

Mike Karakas and Frank Brimsek with their mothers, February 5, 1939.

Boston Bruins defenseman Jack Shewchuk was recalled and played in the February 5 match against Chicago. Before the game, goalies Frank Brimsek and Mike Karakas, who both grew up in Eveleth, Minnesota, presented their mothers with flowers. Mrs. Brimsek enjoyed the game more than Mrs. Karakas as the Bruins blanked the Black Hawks 3-0, giving Brimsek his 8th shutout.

Team captain Johnny Gottselig led the team offensively, getting team highs in goals (16), assists (23) and points (39). Joffre Desilets and Mush March would be the only other Hawks with double digit goals, with 11 and 10 goals respectively. Earl Siebert anchored the defense, scoring 15 points and had a team high 57 penalty minutes.

In goal, Mike Karakas was the starter, winning 12 games, earning 5 shutouts, and posting a GAA of 2.65.

A year after their unexpected Stanley Cup championship, the Black Hawks became the only team in the league to miss the playoffs, as they finished 7 points behind the 6th place team, the Montreal Canadiens.

Final Standings[]

National Hockey League
GP W L T GF GA Pts
Boston Bruins 48 36 10 2 156 76 74
New York Rangers 48 26 16 6 149 105 58
Toronto Maple Leafs 48 19 20 9 114 107 47
New York Americans 48 17 21 10 119 157 44
Detroit Red Wings 48 18 24 6 107 128 42
Montreal Canadiens 48 15 24 9 115 146 39
Chicago Black Hawks 48 12 28 8 91 132 32

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

Playoffs[]

  • The Black Hawks did not qualify for the playoffs.

Player Stats[]

Scoring Leaders[]

Player GP G A Pts PIM
Johnny Gottselig 48 16 23 39 15
Joffre Desilets 48 11 13 24 28
Mush March 47 10 11 21 29
Cully Dahlstrom 48 6 14 20 2
Bill Thoms 36 6 11 17 16
Earl Robertson 48 9 6 15 13
Paul Thompson 33 5 10 15 33
Earl Seibert 48 4 11 15 57

Goaltending[]

Player GP TOI W L T GA SO GAA
Mike Karakas 48 2988 12 28 8 132 5 2.65

Awards and Records[]

Transactions[]

Trivia[]

Gallery[]

Video[]

A minute worth of footage from the home opener of the Black Hawks which they won over the New York Americans 6-1. First period goals by Cully Dahlstrom and Johnny Gottselig are shown.

See Also[]

References[]

  1. Boston Globe, p.11, November 8, 1938.
  • National Hockey League Guide & Record Book 2007

External Links[]

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