NHL Hockey Trivia: Chicago Blackhawks Retired Numbers

The Chicago Blackhawks have been a fixture in the National Hockey League since the 1926-27 season. Many great hockey players have worn the red, black and white of the Blackhawks. Only a select group of these hockey legends have had their numbers taken out of circulation by the team and raised to the rafters for eternity.

Test and expand your hockey trivia knowledge of the Chicago Blackhawks retired numbers with these four hockey trivia questions.

Q. Two goaltenders have had their numbers retired by the Chicago Blackhawks. What goalie is the number 35 retired for?

A. Tony Esposito played for Chicago from 1969-70 until 1983-84. With exception of 13 games played with the Montreal Canadiens in 1968-69, Esposito played his whole career in Chicago. Tony finished his career with 76 shutouts and a 2.92 goals against average in 886 regular season games. Esposito was enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988, four years after his brother Phil Esposito.

The other number retired by Chicago for a goaltender is number 1 in honour of Glenn Hall. Glenn played for Chicago from 1957-58 to 1966-67. He came to the Blackhawks from the Detroit Red Wing and ended his career with the St. Louis Blues. The three time Vezina Trophy winner was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1975.

Both Tony Esposito and Glenn Hall had their numbers retired by the Blackhawks on the same day, November 20, 1988.

Q. What number is retired by the Chicago Blackhawks for two different players?

A. The number 3 is retired in honour of two defensemen, Pierre Pilote and Keith Magnuson. Both were long time blue liners in Chicago. Pilote was a three time winner of the Norris Memorial Trophy as the league’s top defenseman.

Pilote played for Chicago from 1955-56 to 1967-68, spending one last year in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1968-69. Magnuson played his entire NHL career with Chicago from 1969-70 to 1979-80. Both Pilote and Magnuson had their number retired by the Blackhawks on the same night, November 12, 2008. For Magnuson, it was posthumously, having died in 2003.

Q. The number 21 is retired by the Chicago Blackhawks in honour of what long-time great?

A. Stan Mikita holds the all-time Blackhawks career records for points and assists. He is the only NHL player to win the Art Ross Trophy, Hart Memorial Trophy and the Lady Byng Trophy in the same year. He accomplished this in two consecutive seasons during the 1960’s.

Mikita played his entire NHL career with Chicago from 1958-59 to 1979-80. His number was retired on October 19, 1980 and he entered the Hockey Hall of Fame three years later in 1983.

Q. The Blackhawks retired number 9 for what Hockey Hall of Fame player?

A. Easy question. Bobby Hull wore number 9 for the Blackhawks from 1957 to 1972 before becoming the face of the fledgling World Hockey Association. In 1983, Bobby entered the HHOF along with long time line mate Stan Mikita. On December 18, 1983, his number was retired by Chicago.

 

Single Season Scoring Records of the Chicago Blackhawks

It’s been around two and a half decades since the Chicago Blackhawks single season record for goals, assists or points has been re-written. The Blackhawks may not be the Edmonton Oilers or Pittsburgh Penguins when it comes to these individual records, by the numbers are quite respectable.

Most Goals – Bobby Hull

You have to go back to the year they put a man on the moon for the record for most goals in a single season by a Chicago Blackhawks player. Bobby Hull set the then National Hockey League record with 58 goals during the 1968-69 season. He broke his own record of 54 goals set three years earlier and his 58 would stand as the best ever for only two years. Phil Esposito of the Boston Bruins shattered the mark with 76 goals during the 1970-71 season.

That year, 1968-69, Hull’s performance was the only highlight of Chicago’s season. The team finished last in the six team Eastern Division and out of the post season. Bobby finished second in the race for the Art Ross Trophy, 19 points behind Esposito. Hull was selected the Left Winger on the First All-Star Team.

Most Assists – Denis Savard

Denis Savard owns the record for the most assists by a Blackhawk in a single season with 87 in 1981-82. He matched the total in 1987-88. Despite the fact that 87 assists is a Chicago record, the total was good enough for just third place in 1981-82, behind Wayne Gretzky of the Edmonton Oilers and Peter Stastny of the Quebec Nordiques. Chicago, despite finishing fourth in the Norris Division with a lacklustre record of 30 wins, 38 losses and 12 ties for 72 points, made it through to the Conference finals in the Stanley Cup playoffs before losing to the Vancouver Canucks.

In 1987-88, Savard was once again third in the league in the assists category, this time behind Gretzky and Mario Lemieux of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The team had a mediocre season, finishing third in the Norris with 69 points and making a quick first round exit from the Stanley Cup playoffs at the hands of the St. Louis Blues.

Most Points – Denis Savard

Denis Savard also holds the Chicago record for most points in a single season. In 1987-88, Denis produced 131 points. It was his fifth and final 100+ point season with the Blackhawks. Once more, his thunder was stolen by Lemieux and Gretzky, who finished 1-2 in scoring with 168 and 149 points. The 131 points ties Savard for the 41^st highest single season point total in NHL history.

Both of these gentlemen are members of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Hull was inducted in 1983 and Savard entered in 2000. Bobby’s number 9 and Denis’ number 18 are two of only six Chicago Blackhawks retired numbers. In the history of the Blackhawks, they are among a select group with their accomplishments. Just Savard, Hull, Steve Larmer and Jeremy Roenick have produced 100+ point seasons. Al Secord and Jeremy Roenick are the only other two Chicago players to score 50 or more goals in a single season.