1956–57 Chicago Black Hawks season

The 1956–57 Chicago Black Hawks season was the team's 31st season in the NHL. The Hawks finished last in the league and did not qualify for the playoffs.
==Off-season==
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 passed away at the age of 64.
==Regular Season==
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 teams 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.
===Final Standings===
===Game Log===
# 	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
==Playoffs==
*The Black Hawks did not qualify for the post season.
==Player 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
==Awards and Records==
*Ed Litzenberger, Center, NHL First Team All-Star
==See Also==
*1956–57 NHL season
==Sources==
*Hockey-Reference
*National Hockey League Guide & Record Book 2007
Category:Chicago Blackhawks seasons
Chicago Black Hawks season, 1956–57
Chicago Black Hawks season, 1956–57