# 1953–54 Chicago Black Hawks season

The 1953–54 Chicago Black Hawks season was the team's 28th season in the NHL, and they were coming off of a successful season in 1952–53, in which the team set team records in wins (27) and points (69), while earning their first playoff berth since the 1945–46 season. The Hawks lost to the Montreal Canadiens in seven games in the NHL semi-finals.
The Black Hawks were looking to build on their newfound success, however, the club would open the season with a record of 0–7–1 to quickly fall into last place in the NHL standings. Wins would be few and far between for the club, as they won consecutive games only thrice throughout the season, and finished the year dead last in the league with a 12–51–7 record, earning 31 points. The 12 wins was Chicago's fewest since the 1938–39 season, while the 31 points was their lowest total since the 1928–29 season.
Offensively, Chicago was led by Larry Wilson, who had a team high 33 assists and 42 points, while Pete Conacher scored a club best 19 goals. Defenceman and team captain Bill Gadsby had a career season, scoring 12 goals and 41 points, while getting 108 penalty minutes. Fellow defenceman Gus Mortson led the team with 132 penalty minutes.
In goal, Al Rollins played in 66 games, winning 12 games, while posting a 3.23 GAA and 7 shutouts. He was awarded the Hart Trophy for his efforts.

## Season standings

National Hockey League vte :
| | | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | DIFF | Pts |
| 1 | Detroit Red Wings | 70 | 37 | 19 | 14 | 191 | 132 | +59 | 88 |
| 2 | Montreal Canadiens | 70 | 35 | 24 | 11 | 195 | 141 | +54 | 81 |
| 3 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 70 | 32 | 24 | 14 | 152 | 131 | +21 | 78 |
| 4 | Boston Bruins | 70 | 32 | 28 | 10 | 177 | 181 | −4 | 74 |
| 5 | New York Rangers | 70 | 29 | 31 | 10 | 161 | 182 | −21 | 68 |
| 6 | Chicago Black Hawks | 70 | 12 | 51 | 7 | 133 | 242 | −109 | 31 |

### Record vs. opponents

1953–54 NHL Records :
| Team | BOS | CHI | DET | MTL | NYR | TOR |
| Boston | — | 11–1–2 | 3–8–3 | 4–6–4 | 7–7 | 7–6–1 |
| Chicago | 1–11–2 | — | 2–11–1 | 3–9–2 | 3–9–2 | 3–11 |
| Detroit | 8–3–3 | 11–2–1 | — | 6–6–2 | 6–5–3 | 6–3–5 |
| Montreal | 6–4–4 | 9–3–2 | 6–6–2 | — | 9–5 | 5–6–3 |
| New York | 7–7 | 9–3–2 | 5–6–3 | 5–9 | — | 3–6–5 |
| Toronto | 6–7–1 | 11–3 | 3–6–5 | 6–5–3 | 6–3–5 | — |

## Game log
### Regular season

| # | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | Record | Pts |
| 1 | October 8 | Chicago Black Hawks | 0–3 | Montreal Canadiens | 0–1–0 | 0 |
| 2 | October 10 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–6 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 0–2–0 | 0 |
| 3 | October 11 | New York Rangers | 5–3 | Chicago Black Hawks | 0–3–0 | 0 |
| 4 | October 16 | Detroit Red Wings | 2–2 | Chicago Black Hawks | 0–3–1 | 1 |
| 5 | October 17 | Chicago Black Hawks | 1–2 | Detroit Red Wings | 0–4–1 | 1 |
| 6 | October 18 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 2–1 | Chicago Black Hawks | 0–5–1 | 1 |
| 7 | October 22 | Montreal Canadiens | 3–2 | Chicago Black Hawks | 0–6–1 | 1 |
| 8 | October 25 | Boston Bruins | 4–3 | Chicago Black Hawks | 0–7–1 | 1 |
| 9 | October 28 | Chicago Black Hawks | 6–1 | New York Rangers | 1–7–1 | 3 |
| 10 | October 31 | Montreal Canadiens | 0–1 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–7–1 | 5 |
| 11 | November 1 | Boston Bruins | 0–0 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–7–2 | 6 |
| 12 | November 4 | Chicago Black Hawks | 1–3 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 2–8–2 | 6 |
| 13 | November 5 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–4 | Boston Bruins | 2–9–2 | 6 |
| 14 | November 7 | New York Rangers | 3–1 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–10–2 | 6 |
| 15 | November 8 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 2–1 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–11–2 | 6 |
| 16 | November 11 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–3 | New York Rangers | 2–12–2 | 6 |
| 17 | November 12 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–4 | Montreal Canadiens | 2–13–2 | 6 |
| 18 | November 14 | Chicago Black Hawks | 3–2 | Montreal Canadiens | 3–13–2 | 8 |
| 19 | November 15 | Montreal Canadiens | 2–2 | Chicago Black Hawks | 3–13–3 | 9 |
| 20 | November 18 | Chicago Black Hawks | 1–3 | New York Rangers | 3–14–3 | 9 |
| 21 | November 20 | Boston Bruins | 2–0 | Chicago Black Hawks | 3–15–3 | 9 |
| 22 | November 22 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 5–1 | Chicago Black Hawks | 3–16–3 | 9 |
| 23 | November 26 | Montreal Canadiens | 6–3 | Chicago Black Hawks | 3–17–3 | 9 |
| 24 | November 28 | Chicago Black Hawks | 0–9 | Detroit Red Wings | 3–18–3 | 9 |
| 25 | November 29 | Detroit Red Wings | 9–4 | Chicago Black Hawks | 3–19–3 | 9 |
| 26 | December 2 | Chicago Black Hawks | 3–3 | New York Rangers | 3–19–4 | 10 |
| 27 | December 3 | Chicago Black Hawks | 1–3 | Boston Bruins | 3–20–4 | 10 |
| 28 | December 5 | New York Rangers | 1–2 | Chicago Black Hawks | 4–20–4 | 12 |
| 29 | December 6 | Chicago Black Hawks | 5–0 | Detroit Red Wings | 5–20–4 | 14 |
| 30 | December 10 | Chicago Black Hawks | 3–5 | Montreal Canadiens | 5–21–4 | 14 |
| 31 | December 12 | Chicago Black Hawks | 0–2 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 5–22–4 | 14 |
| 32 | December 13 | Boston Bruins | 2–2 | Chicago Black Hawks | 5–22–5 | 15 |
| 33 | December 17 | Chicago Black Hawks | 1–5 | Detroit Red Wings | 5–23–5 | 15 |
| 34 | December 18 | Detroit Red Wings | 5–3 | Chicago Black Hawks | 5–24–5 | 15 |
| 35 | December 20 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 1–4 | Chicago Black Hawks | 6–24–5 | 17 |
| 36 | December 25 | Chicago Black Hawks | 1–4 | Boston Bruins | 6–25–5 | 17 |
| 37 | December 27 | Chicago Black Hawks | 4–1 | New York Rangers | 7–25–5 | 19 |
| 38 | January 1 | Detroit Red Wings | 2–4 | Chicago Black Hawks | 8–25–5 | 21 |
| 39 | January 2 | Chicago Black Hawks | 0–4 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 8–26–5 | 21 |
| 40 | January 6 | Chicago Black Hawks | 3–4 | New York Rangers | 8–27–5 | 21 |
| 41 | January 9 | Chicago Black Hawks | 1–12 | Montreal Canadiens | 8–28–5 | 21 |
| 42 | January 10 | Chicago Black Hawks | 3–5 | Boston Bruins | 8–29–5 | 21 |
| 43 | January 13 | Chicago Black Hawks | 1–2 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 8–30–5 | 21 |
| 44 | January 14 | New York Rangers | 2–0 | Chicago Black Hawks | 8–31–5 | 21 |
| 45 | January 17 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 3–1 | Chicago Black Hawks | 8–32–5 | 21 |
| 46 | January 21 | Boston Bruins | 3–2 | Chicago Black Hawks | 8–33–5 | 21 |
| 47 | January 23 | Chicago Black Hawks | 1–5 | Montreal Canadiens | 8–34–5 | 21 |
| 48 | January 24 | Montreal Canadiens | 3–8 | Chicago Black Hawks | 9–34–5 | 23 |
| 49 | January 28 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–3 | Boston Bruins | 9–35–5 | 23 |
| 50 | January 30 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–4 | Detroit Red Wings | 9–36–5 | 23 |
| 51 | January 31 | Detroit Red Wings | 5–1 | Chicago Black Hawks | 9–37–5 | 23 |
| 52 | February 4 | New York Rangers | 3–2 | Chicago Black Hawks | 9–38–5 | 23 |
| 53 | February 6 | Chicago Black Hawks | 0–6 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 9–39–5 | 23 |
| 54 | February 7 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 1–2 | Chicago Black Hawks | 10–39–5 | 25 |
| 55 | February 11 | Montreal Canadiens | 2–2 | Chicago Black Hawks | 10–39–6 | 26 |
| 56 | February 14 | Detroit Red Wings | 5–0 | Chicago Black Hawks | 10–40–6 | 26 |
| 57 | February 15 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–3 | Detroit Red Wings | 10–41–6 | 26 |
| 58 | February 19 | New York Rangers | 3–0 | Chicago Black Hawks | 10–42–6 | 26 |
| 59 | February 21 | Boston Bruins | 4–3 | Chicago Black Hawks | 10–43–6 | 26 |
| 60 | February 25 | Detroit Red Wings | 3–2 | Chicago Black Hawks | 10–44–6 | 26 |
| 61 | February 27 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–4 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 10–45–6 | 26 |
| 62 | February 28 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 1–2 | Chicago Black Hawks | 11–45–6 | 28 |
| 63 | March 5 | New York Rangers | 0–0 | Chicago Black Hawks | 11–45–7 | 29 |
| 64 | March 7 | Chicago Black Hawks | 0–6 | Boston Bruins | 11–46–7 | 29 |
| 65 | March 10 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–4 | New York Rangers | 11–47–7 | 29 |
| 66 | March 11 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–6 | Detroit Red Wings | 11–48–7 | 29 |
| 67 | March 13 | Chicago Black Hawks | 0–4 | Montreal Canadiens | 11–49–7 | 29 |
| 68 | March 14 | Montreal Canadiens | 6–0 | Chicago Black Hawks | 11–50–7 | 29 |
| 69 | March 19 | Boston Bruins | 0–7 | Chicago Black Hawks | 12–50–7 | 31 |
| 70 | March 21 | Chicago Black Hawks | 5–9 | Boston Bruins | 12–51–7 | 31 |

## Season stats
### Scoring leaders

| Player | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Larry Wilson | 66 | 9 | 33 | 42 | 22 |
| Bill Gadsby | 70 | 12 | 29 | 41 | 108 |
| Bill Mosienko | 65 | 15 | 19 | 34 | 17 |
| Pete Conacher | 70 | 19 | 9 | 28 | 23 |
| Lou Jankowski | 68 | 15 | 13 | 28 | 7 |

### Goaltending

| Player | GP | TOI | W | L | T | GA | SO | GAA |
| Al Rollins | 66 | 3960 | 12 | 47 | 7 | 213 | 5 | 3.23 |
| Jean Marois | 2 | 120 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 5.50 |
| Jack Gelineau | 2 | 120 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 9.00 |