# 1956–57 Chicago Black Hawks season

The 1956–57 Chicago Black Hawks season was the team's 31st season in the NHL, and the club was coming off their third consecutive last place finish in the league in 1955–56, as they had a 19–39–12 record, earning 50 points. The struggling Black Hawks had finished in last eight times in the past ten seasons, and only one playoff appearance since 1946.
On October 1, the Hawks announced that head coach Dick Irvin resigned as head coach of the club due to ill health. Irvin was suffering from bone cancer and had been ill for the past two years, and was hospitalized in Montreal. Tommy Ivan took over for Irvin. On May 15, 1957, Dick Irvin died at the age of 64.
The Black Hawks got off to a miserable start to the season, as they had a 2–12–1 record in their first 15 games, and sat in last place in the league. The team could never overcome their bad start, and slumped all season long, finishing the year with a 16–39–15 record, earning 47 points, and finishing in last place for the fourth straight season, and the ninth time in eleven years.
Offensively, Chicago was led by Ed Litzenberger, who led the club in goals with 32, and assists with 32, recording 64 points, which was good for fifth in the NHL. His 32 goals was the team's highest total since 1943–44. Johnny Wilson had a solid year, scoring 18 goals and 48 points, while Glen Skov also cracked the 40 point barrier, as he earned 42 points. Jack McIntyre led the defense with 18 goals and 32 points, while fellow defenceman and team captain Gus Mortson had 5 goals, 23 points, and a team high 147 penalty minutes.
In goal, Al Rollins had all the playing time, winning 16 games, while posting a 3.20 GAA, and recording 3 shutouts.

## Season standings

National Hockey League vte :
| | | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | DIFF | Pts |
| 1 | Detroit Red Wings | 70 | 38 | 20 | 12 | 198 | 157 | +41 | 88 |
| 2 | Montreal Canadiens | 70 | 35 | 23 | 12 | 210 | 155 | +55 | 82 |
| 3 | Boston Bruins | 70 | 34 | 24 | 12 | 195 | 174 | +21 | 80 |
| 4 | New York Rangers | 70 | 26 | 30 | 14 | 184 | 227 | −43 | 66 |
| 5 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 70 | 21 | 34 | 15 | 174 | 192 | −18 | 57 |
| 6 | Chicago Black Hawks | 70 | 16 | 39 | 15 | 169 | 225 | −56 | 47 |

### Record vs. opponents

1956–57 NHL Records :
| Team | BOS | CHI | DET | MTL | NYR | TOR |
| Boston | — | 8–5–1 | 7–4–3 | 7–4–3 | 5–8–1 | 7–3–4 |
| Chicago | 5–8–1 | — | 2–10–2 | 3–8–3 | 1–7–6 | 5–6–3 |
| Detroit | 4–7–3 | 10–2–2 | — | 4–6–4 | 10–3–1 | 10–2–2 |
| Montreal | 4–7–3 | 8–3–3 | 6–4–4 | — | 8–5–1 | 9–4–1 |
| New York | 8–5–1 | 7–1–6 | 3–10–1 | 5–8–1 | — | 3–6–5 |
| Toronto | 3–7–4 | 6–5–3 | 2–10–2 | 4–9–1 | 6–3–5 | — |

## Game log
### Regular season

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

## Season stats
### Scoring leaders

| Player | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Ed Litzenberger | 70 | 32 | 32 | 64 | 48 |
| Johnny Wilson | 70 | 18 | 30 | 48 | 24 |
| Glen Skov | 67 | 14 | 28 | 42 | 69 |
| Nick Mickoski | 70 | 16 | 20 | 36 | 24 |
| Jack McIntyre | 70 | 18 | 14 | 32 | 32 |

### Goaltending

| Player | GP | TOI | W | L | T | GA | SO | GAA |
| Al Rollins | 70 | 4200 | 16 | 39 | 15 | 224 | 3 | 3.20 |