1942–43 Chicago Black Hawks season

The 1942–43 Chicago Black Hawks season was the team's 17th season in the National Hockey League. The Black Hawks finished in 5th place and did not qualify for the playoffs. The NHL would lose another team, as the Brooklyn Americans would fold, leaving the league with only 6 clubs. The league also increased its schedule from 48 games to 50. With World War II going on, every team in the league would lose some players to war service.
==Regular Season==
Black Hawks general manager Frederic McLaughlin, who had held the position since the team entered the league in 1926, retired before the season began, and Bill Tobin was hired to take over.
The Black Hawks finished just under .500, with a 17–18–15 record, good for 49 points and 5th place in the league, missing the playoffs for the first time in 4 years. Chicago scored a club record 179 goals, 4th highest in the league, however, they also allowed a team record 180 goals, the 3rd highest total in the league. Chicago had a very strong home record, going 14–3–8, but won only 3 road games, and missed the playoffs by a single point.
Doug Bentley became the first Black Hawk to lead the NHL in scoring, as he set team records in goals (33) and points (73). His younger brother Max Bentley set a team record with 44 assists, finished with 70 points and won the Lady Byng Trophy as he was only penalized for 2 penalty minutes for the season. Their brother Reg played 11 games during the season and the three briefly played together on the first all-brother line in NHL history. On January 3, 1943 against the New York Rangers, Reg scored his only NHL goal, assisted by Max and Doug, another NHL first.
Red Hamill had a strong season, scoring 28 goals. Earl Siebert once again led the defense, earning 32 points, a club high 48 penalty minutes and a First Team All-Star berth.
In goal, the Hawks acquired Bert Gardiner from the Montreal Canadiens before the season began, due to Sam LoPresti leaving the team to serve in the war, and Gardiner would win 17 games, post a 3.58 GAA and had a shutout.
===Final Standings===
===Game Log===
# 	Date 	Visitor 	Score	Home 	Record 	Pts
1 	November 5 	Boston Bruins 	1–5 	Chicago Black Hawks	1–0–0 	2
2 	November 8 	Chicago Black Hawks	3–3 	Detroit Red Wings 	1–0–1 	3
3 	November 10	Chicago Black Hawks	3–5 	New York Rangers 	1–1–1 	3
4 	November 12	Chicago Black Hawks	2–5 	Montreal Canadiens 	1–2–1 	3
5 	November 14	Chicago Black Hawks	4–3 	Toronto Maple Leafs	2–2–1 	5
6 	November 15	Toronto Maple Leafs	4–5 	Chicago Black Hawks	3–2–1 	7
7 	November 19	Detroit Red Wings 	2–6 	Chicago Black Hawks	4–2–1 	9
8 	November 22	Montreal Canadiens 	3–3 	Chicago Black Hawks	4–2–2 	10
9 	November 24	Chicago Black Hawks	5–5 	Boston Bruins 	4–2–3 	11
10	November 26	New York Rangers 	2–1 	Chicago Black Hawks	4–3–3 	11
11	November 29	Toronto Maple Leafs	2–3 	Chicago Black Hawks	5–3–3 	13
12	December 3 	New York Rangers 	1–3 	Chicago Black Hawks	6–3–3 	15
13	December 6 	Montreal Canadiens 	2–5 	Chicago Black Hawks	7–3–3 	17
14	December 8 	Chicago Black Hawks	6–9 	Boston Bruins 	7–4–3 	17
15	December 10	Chicago Black Hawks	2–7 	Toronto Maple Leafs	7–5–3 	17
16	December 13	Toronto Maple Leafs	2–5 	Chicago Black Hawks	8–5–3 	19
17	December 17	Detroit Red Wings 	3–1 	Chicago Black Hawks	8–6–3 	19
18	December 20	Boston Bruins 	4–4 	Chicago Black Hawks	8–6–4 	20
19	December 25	Chicago Black Hawks	2–2 	Montreal Canadiens 	8–6–5 	21
20	December 27	Chicago Black Hawks	1–6 	Detroit Red Wings 	8–7–5 	21
21	January 1 	New York Rangers 	5–6 	Chicago Black Hawks	9–7–5 	23
22	January 3 	Chicago Black Hawks	3–3 	New York Rangers 	9–7–6 	24
23	January 10 	Detroit Red Wings 	1–2 	Chicago Black Hawks	10–7–6 	26
24	January 12 	Chicago Black Hawks	0–3 	Boston Bruins 	10–8–6 	26
25	January 14 	Chicago Black Hawks	1–5 	Montreal Canadiens 	10–9–6 	26
26	January 16 	Chicago Black Hawks	1–1 	Detroit Red Wings 	10–9–7 	27
27	January 17 	Detroit Red Wings 	2–2 	Chicago Black Hawks	10–9–8 	28
28	January 21 	Montreal Canadiens 	4–4 	Chicago Black Hawks	10–9–9 	29
29	January 23 	Chicago Black Hawks	3–5 	Toronto Maple Leafs	10–10–9 	29
30	January 24 	Boston Bruins 	3–4 	Chicago Black Hawks	11–10–9 	31
31	January 28 	New York Rangers 	1–10 	Chicago Black Hawks	12–10–9 	33
32	January 31 	Toronto Maple Leafs	3–3 	Chicago Black Hawks	12–10–10	34
33	February 2 	Chicago Black Hawks	3–5 	Boston Bruins 	12–11–10	34
34	February 4 	Chicago Black Hawks	1–1 	New York Rangers 	12–11–11	35
35	February 7 	New York Rangers 	4–8 	Chicago Black Hawks	13–11–11	37
36	February 11	Chicago Black Hawks	3–5 	Montreal Canadiens 	13–12–11	37
37	February 13	Chicago Black Hawks	2–3 	Toronto Maple Leafs	13–13–11	37
38	February 14	Boston Bruins 	2–3 	Chicago Black Hawks	14–13–11	39
39	February 18	Montreal Canadiens 	5–4 	Chicago Black Hawks	14–14–11	39
40	February 21	Toronto Maple Leafs	0–5 	Chicago Black Hawks	15–14–11	41
41	February 23	Chicago Black Hawks	7–5 	Boston Bruins 	16–14–11	43
42	February 25	Chicago Black Hawks	4–7 	New York Rangers 	16–15–11	43
43	February 27	Chicago Black Hawks	4–1 	Toronto Maple Leafs	17–15–11	45
44	February 28	Boston Bruins 	4–4 	Chicago Black Hawks	17–15–12	46
45	March 6 	Chicago Black Hawks	0–5 	Detroit Red Wings 	17–16–12	46
46	March 7 	Detroit Red Wings 	3–3 	Chicago Black Hawks	17–16–13	47
47	March 11 	Montreal Canadiens 	4–4 	Chicago Black Hawks	17–16–14	48
48	March 13 	Chicago Black Hawks	6–6 	Montreal Canadiens 	17–16–15	49
49	March 14 	Chicago Black Hawks	5–7 	New York Rangers 	17–17–15	49
50	March 18 	Chicago Black Hawks	5–6 	Detroit Red Wings 	17–18–15	49
==Playoffs==
*The Black Hawks did not qualify for the post season.
==Player Stats==
===Scoring Leaders===
Player 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
Doug Bentley	50	33	40	73 	18
Max Bentley 	47	26	44	70 	2
Red Hamill 	50	28	16	44 	44
Bill Thoms 	47	15	28	43 	11
Mush March 	50	7 	29	36 	46
===Goaltending===
Player 	GP	TOI 	W 	L 	T 	GA 	SO	GAA
Bert Gardiner	50	3020	17	18	15	180	1 	3.58
==Awards and Records==
*Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: Max Bentley
*NHL Scoring Leader: Doug Bentley
*Doug Bentley, Left Wing, NHL First Team All-Star
*Earl Seibert, Defense, NHL First Team All-Star
==See Also==
*1942–43 NHL season
==References==
* SHRP Sports
* The Internet Hockey Database
* National Hockey League Guide & Record Book 2007
Category:Chicago Blackhawks seasons
Chicago Black Hawks season, 1942–43
Chicago Black Hawks season, 1942–43