# 1952–53 Chicago Black Hawks season

The 1952–53 Chicago Black Hawks season was the team's 27th season in the NHL, and they were coming off of two consecutive seasons of finishing in last place in the six team NHL. The Black Hawks had a record of 17–44–9 in 1951–52, missing the playoffs for the sixth straight season. In 1952–53, the Black Hawks qualified for the playoffs, losing in the first round to the Montreal Canadiens.

## Off-season

In the off-season, the Black Hawks and Toronto Maple Leafs completed a trade which sent Harry Lumley to Toronto for Al Rollins, Cal Gardner and Gus Mortson. Chicago also fired head coach Ebbie Goodfellow, and replaced him with Sid Abel, who would be a player-coach. Abel would name defenceman Bill Gadsby as the new team captain.
Chicago also saw a change in ownership, as Arthur Wirtz and James D. Norris took over the struggling and near bankrupt franchise.

## Regular season

The Black Hawks started the season off strong, sitting with a 10–5–3 record in their first 18 games, however, the club would fall into a slump, and went 2–7–5 in their next 14 games to fall to .500. Chicago would continue to hover around the .500 for the rest of the season, battling with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins for the final playoff spot. Going into the final weekend of the season, Chicago would earn big wins against the Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers to clinch the fourth and final playoff spot, and advance to the playoffs for the first time since 1946. The Hawks finished with club records in wins with 27, and points with 69.
Offensively, the team was led by Jim McFadden, who scored a team high 23 goals and 44 points, while newly acquired Cal Gardner earned a club best 24 assists, en route to earning 35 points. Jimmy Peters would join McFadden as the only Hawks with over 20 goals and 40 points, as he scored 22 and 41 respectively. George Gee scored 18 goals and 39 points, while posting a team high 99 penalty minutes. Team captain Bill Gadsby led the defense with 22 points, while fellow blueliner Al Dewsbury scored 5 goals, and finished with 97 penalty minutes.
In goal, Al Rollins played in all 70 games, setting a team record with 27 victories, along with a solid 2.50 GAA, and 6 shutouts.

### Season standings

National Hockey League vte :
| | | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | DIFF | Pts |
| 1 | Detroit Red Wings | 70 | 36 | 16 | 18 | 222 | 133 | +89 | 90 |
| 2 | Montreal Canadiens | 70 | 28 | 23 | 19 | 155 | 148 | +7 | 75 |
| 3 | Boston Bruins | 70 | 28 | 29 | 13 | 152 | 172 | −20 | 69 |
| 4 | Chicago Black Hawks | 70 | 27 | 28 | 15 | 169 | 175 | −6 | 69 |
| 5 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 70 | 27 | 30 | 13 | 156 | 167 | −11 | 67 |
| 6 | New York Rangers | 70 | 17 | 37 | 16 | 152 | 211 | −59 | 50 |

### Record vs. opponents

1952–53 NHL Records :
| Team | BOS | CHI | DET | MTL | NYR | TOR |
| Boston | — | 4–5–5 | 2–10–2 | 9–2–3 | 5–7–2 | 8–5–1 |
| Chicago | 5–4–5 | — | 3–9–2 | 3–7–4 | 10–3–1 | 6–6–2 |
| Detroit | 10–2–2 | 9–3–2 | — | 4–4–6 | 7–3–4 | 7–4–3 |
| Montreal | 2–9–3 | 7–3–4 | 4–4–6 | — | 7–2–5 | 7–5–2 |
| New York | 7–5–2 | 3–10–1 | 3–7–4 | 2–7–5 | — | 2–8–4 |
| Toronto | 5–8–1 | 6–6–2 | 4–7–3 | 5–7–2 | 8–2–4 | — |

## Playoffs

The Black Hawks would face the second place Montreal Canadiens in a best of seven opening round series. The Canadiens finished the year with a 28–23–19 record, earning 75 points, which was six more than the Hawks. The series opened up at the Montreal Forum, and the favored Canadiens won the series opener by a 3–1 score, then took a 2–0 series lead by winning a close second game by a 4–3 score. The series shifted to Chicago for the next two games, and the Black Hawks would respond, winning the third game in overtime to cut the series lead to 2–1, as the team won their first playoff game since 1944. The Hawks evened the series up at 2–2 with a 3–1 win in the fourth game, sending the series back to Montreal. Chicago stunned the Montreal crowd in the fifth game, defeating the Canadiens 4–2 to take a 3–2 series lead. The Canadiens, though, would shut out Chicago 3–0 in the sixth game, setting up a seventh and final game. Montreal would easily win the game, defeating the Black Hawks 4–1, putting an end to a very surprising season for the Black Hawks.

## Schedule and results
### Regular season

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

### Playoffs
#### Montreal Canadiens 4, Chicago Black Hawks 3

| # | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | Record |
| 1 | March 24 | Chicago Black Hawks | 1–3 | Montreal Canadiens | 0–1 |
| 2 | March 26 | Chicago Black Hawks | 3–4 | Montreal Canadiens | 0–2 |
| 3 | March 29 | Montreal Canadiens | 1–2 | Chicago Black Hawks | 1–2 |
| 4 | March 31 | Montreal Canadiens | 1–3 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2–2 |
| 5 | April 2 | Chicago Black Hawks | 4–2 | Montreal Canadiens | 3–2 |
| 6 | April 4 | Montreal Canadiens | 3–0 | Chicago Black Hawks | 3–3 |
| 7 | April 7 | Chicago Black Hawks | 1–4 | Montreal Canadiens | 3–4 |

## Player statistics
### Regular season
#### Scoring leaders

| Player | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Jim McFadden | 70 | 23 | 21 | 44 | 29 |
| Jimmy Peters | 69 | 22 | 19 | 41 | 16 |
| George Gee | 67 | 18 | 21 | 39 | 99 |
| Gerry Couture | 70 | 19 | 18 | 37 | 22 |
| Bill Mosienko | 65 | 17 | 20 | 37 | 8 |

#### Goaltending

| Player | GP | TOI | W | L | T | GA | SO | GAA |
| Al Rollins | 70 | 4200 | 27 | 28 | 15 | 175 | 6 | 2.50 |

### Playoff
#### Scoring leaders

| Player | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Bill Mosienko | 7 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Jim McFadden | 7 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| George Gee | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| Al Dewsbury | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Gus Mortson | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 |

#### Goaltending

| Player | GP | TOI | W | L | GA | SO | GAA |
| Al Rollins | 7 | 425 | 3 | 4 | 18 | 0 | 2.54 |

## Awards and records

The Chicago Black Hawks did not win any NHL awards for the 1952–53 NHL season.

### All-Star teams

| Second team | Position |
| Bill Gadsby | D |

## Transactions

The following is a list of all transactions that have occurred for the Chicago Black Hawks during the 1952–53 NHL season. It lists which team each player has been traded to and for which player(s) or other consideration(s), if applicable.
| July 22, 1952 | To Detroit Red Wingscash | To Chicago Black HawksSid Abel |
| August 14, 1952 | To Detroit Red Wingscash | To Chicago Black HawksFred Glover Enio Sclisizzi |
| August 14, 1952 | To Boston Bruinscash | To Chicago Black HawksEd Kryzanowski |
| September 11, 1952 | To Toronto Maple LeafsHarry Lumley | To Chicago Black HawksCal Gardner Ray Hannigan Gus Mortson Al Rollins |
| September 22, 1952 | To Montreal Canadienscash | To Chicago Black HawksGerry Couture |
| September 23, 1952 | To Detroit Red WingsRed Almas Guyle Fielder Steve Hrymnak | To Chicago Black Hawkscash |
| October 15, 1952 | To Detroit Red Wingsloan of Ray Hannigan for 1952–53 season | To Chicago Black Hawksloan of Guyle Fielder for 1952–53 season |
| October 31, 1952 | To Boston BruinsEd Kryzanowski | To Chicago Black Hawkscash |
| January 9, 1953 | To Chicago Black Hawkscash | To New York Rangersrights to Pete Babando |