WFM’S Chicago Sports Hall of Fame: The Chicago Blackhawks
AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh
The Blackhawks are cool! My first in person contact with an actual professional athlete was in 1961. The Blackhawks had just won the Stanley Cup and Pierre Pilote, the Team Captain, appeared at the local VFW Hall to sign autographs and share a beer with the locals. My Dad and two of my uncles brought me and two of my cousins. It was awesome and I have followed the Hawks religiously ever since. They are one of the “Original Six” NHL franchises, along with the Rangers, Bruins, Red Wings, Maple Leafs and Canadiens. They, on balance, are the most consistent winners of all the Chicago professional sports franchises. They have on 4 Stanley Cups in my lifetime- 1961, 2010, 2013 and 2015. They made the Stanley Cup Finals in 1962, 1965, 1971 and 1973 and suffered some heartbreaking losses to the Montreal Canadiens in that era. Both before and after expansion, they made the equivalent of the semifinals in 1967, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1989, 1990 and 1995. Amazingly, they made the playoffs 28 consecutive years from 1967 to 1995. They had a rough go of it in the late 90’s through 2008, but then had a wonderful decade with three Stanley Cups. They have been rebuilding the last five years but the current roster has a ton of potential and I expect a return to the winning circle in the near future. A NHL game at the old Stadium and the current United Center are spine tingling fun spectator experiences. The sound of maniacal fans exploding during the National Anthem is a signature sensory memory for anyone lucky enough to attend a game. The atmosphere in the playoffs is unmatched. There have been some curveballs along the way. Bill Wirtz was a tightwad who alienated his best players and made the fateful decision to keep the Hawks home games off TV- a decision that lost a generation of fans. Plus, the Blackhawks have always had incredibly good announcers with Lloyd Petit being the best ever. Hockey players may be the most likable players in professional sports and the following list of honorees were colourful, fun and incredibly brilliant performers.
1. Glenn Hall (1957-1967). He was the Blackhawks goaltender for the 1961 Stanley Cup victory and earned the nickname “Mr Goalie.” He is recognised as one of the greatest goalies in league history. He pioneered the “butterfly style” and set an NHL record with 502 consecutive starts. He won 3 Vezina Trophies and made First Team All Star 7 times. His number 1 hangs retired in the United Center rafters.
2. Stan Mikita (1958-1980). An artist on the ice. He played his entire 22 year career in Chicago and leads the franchise in games, assists and total points. He won the NHL Hart Trophy twice and the Art Ross Trophy four times. He was the Captain of some great units and made his line mates better. He hardly ever missed a shift. He was later the club golf pro at Kemper Lakes and maintained a high profile in the Chicago area the rest of his life. He deserves a lifetime achievement award. He scored 541 goals and was inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame in 1983.
3. Bobby Hull (1957-1972). The most electric goal scorer in NHL history. He scored 610 goals and his end to end rushes up the ice were unforgettable. He was the “Golden Jet,” combining incredible speed as a skater with a wickedly hard shot. He was a character and clearly loved to party post game. His acrimonious departure in 1972 is one of the most painful and sad episodes in Chicago sports history. Wirtz was an idiot. Fun fact is he scored an additional 303 goals in the WHA after leaving the Blackhawks
4. Tony Esposito (1969-1984). The talented and deserving successor to Glenn Hall in the nets. He set the franchise record for wins by a goaltender and was the anchor of the first phase of 28 consecutive playoff appearances. He got close to a Stanley cup twice, but fell short. He is an NHL Hall of Famer and his unorthodox style will likely never be repeated. A good ambassador for the franchise after his retirement. His brother Phil is also a Hall of Famer who started with the Hawks but was stupidly traded to Boston after another unreasonable Wirtz generated salary dispute. Phil is not on this list because this time with the Hawks doesn’t meet my minimum eligibility benchmark.
5. Denis Savard (1980-1990, 1994-1997). He was the single most charismatic player in an era of close calls and just misses. He was a whirling unpredictable center whose signature “spin o rama” moves turned defenders in knots and electrified the old Stadium. He made the conference finals 4 times. He posted five 100 point seasons, made 7 all Star teams and had his number 18 retired in 1998. He was a first ballot NHL Hall of Famer in 2000. He later coached the Hawks and remains an official goodwill ambassador for the franchise today. He scored 472 goals and had 865 assists.
6. Chris Chelios (1990-1999). He was our first hometown star, born and raised in the Windy City. He won 2 Norris Trophies as the league’s best defensemen during his time with the Hawks. He was physical, hard nosed and a natural leader. He was an assist magician from the blue line and took no prisoners and he is still one of the franchise All time leaders in penalty minutes. He made the NHL Hall of Fame in 2013 and his number 7 is retired by the Hawks. He scored 185 goals and had 763 career assists, remarkable numbers for a defensemen.
7. Jeremy Roenick (1988-1996). A prolific goal scorer with 513 tallies. He was inducted into the NHL hall of Fame in 2024. Teamwise, he was another “close but no cigar” superstar who led outstanding teams deep into the playoffs but never won the ultimate prize. He was dynamic, fearless and incredibly popular with the fans. He now pops up on TV studio shows during the playoffs.
8. Jonathan Toews (2007-2023). He captained the Blackhawks to all three of the franchise’s 21st century Stanley Cups. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2010 and the Selke Award for Defensive Excellence in 2013. “Captain Serious” was a complete and versatile player, a rarity in the modern era. His leadership was also recognised as a critical component in developing the winning culture that surrounded the Hawks for a decade. He scored 372 goals and had 511 assists and will undoubtedly be inducted in the NHL Hall of Fame the first year he is eligible.
9 . Patrick Kane (2007-2021, 2026-?). He is second in career scoring after Stan Mikita. The numbers are outstanding with 471 goals and 813 assists, but they don’t fully capture his magic. He may be the most outstanding American born player ever and his pure offensive talent was off the charts. The man was gifted! He scored the winning goal goal against the Flyers in the 2010 Stanley Cup and his presence on the ice made the Blackhawks 2010’s dynasty must watch hockey on a nightly basis. He recently resigned and will finish his career here in Chicago. He is a first ballot Hall of Fame lock.
10. Duncan Keith (2005-2020). He is the defensive foundation of the Blackhawks recent dynasty. He won the Norris Award twice, was a 3 time first team All Star and is on the ballot for the Hall of Fame this year. He was the Conn Smythe winner in 2015. He was a complete player with great defensive instincts. He scored 106 goals and assisted on 542 more. He played more minutes than any player in the league. He was on the ice at every key moment in the championship run. He played hurt and sadly we have been unable to clone him post retirement
11. Marian Hossa (2009-2017). After a successful stint in Detroit, he arrived in Chicago as, by common consensus, the best free agent signing in Chicago sports history. His all around game put the Hawks over the top and transformed them into a championship caliber unit. He was an elegant skater, great passer, precise shooter and a committed defender. In my opinion, the “best” pure player on a team with 4-5 superstars. His No 81 was retired in 2022 and he was inducted into the NHL hall of Fame in 2020. He scored 525 goals in an illustrious career. An unfortunate skin condition forced him into an earlier than anticipated retirement and his departure hastened the fall of the Blackhawks from the leagues top tier. So smooth!
HONORABLE MENTIONS
1. Pierre Pilote (1955-1968). He anchored the blue line during the 1961 championship run and won three consecutive Norris Trophies from 1963 to 1965 as the league’s best defensemen. He was a five time first team All Star and was elected to the NHL Hall of Fame. As I write this, I question why I did not place him on the primary honoree tier. Just a matter of numbers I guess!
2. Doug Wilson (1977-1991). He spent 14 years as the Hawk’s top defensemen and won the NHL’s Norris Trophy in 1982. He was a 4 time All Star and the Hawks have retired his number. His longevity alone places him as one of the most durable and consistent stars on this list.
3. Steve Larmer( 1980-1993). He won the Calder Trophy as a rookie and went on to finish 4th in franchise history in points. He played in 884 consecutive games, a modern ironman. This is the longest game streak for a player on single team in NHL history. He made the All Star team twice and never missed the playoffs in 11 full years with the team. He has Hall of Fame case, but his quiet and consistent excellence was overlooked by the voters.
4. Eddie Belfour (1988-1997). A great goalie who backstopped the Blackhawks through 10 intensely competitive years- but alas with no title. He played in 3 conference finals, won the Calder Trophy, the Vezina Trophy and the Jennings Trophy. He won the 1999 Stanley Cup with Dallas and was elected to the NHL Hall of Fame in 2011.
Finally, apologies to Brent Seabrook, Keith Magnuson and Cory Crawford. Thank you for your service!!
