The 1971–72 Chicago Black Hawks season was the club's 46th season in the National Hockey League, and their second consecutive first-place finish in the NHL West, with 46 victories and 107 points. In the 1972 playoffs, the Black Hawks swept the Pittsburgh Penguins in the quarter-finals before being swept by the New York Rangers in the semi-finals.
Regular season Chicago had an excellent start to the season, winning their opening five games, and never let up throughout the season, as they had an unbeaten streak of ten games in December to take control of the West Division. The Black Hawks finish the season with a twelve-game unbeaten streak to win their third straight divisional title, with a record of 46–17–15, tying the club record with 107 points that was set during the 1970–71 season. The Black Hawks finished 21 points ahead of the second place Minnesota North Stars.
Offensively, the Black Hawks were led by Bobby Hull, who scored a team high 50 goals and 93 points, which placed him seventh in league scoring. Hull also led the club with a +54 rating. Pit Martin led the club with 51 assists, and finished second in team scoring with 75 points. Dennis Hull had 30 goals and 69 points, while Stan Mikita was just behind him with 26 goals and 65 points. On defense, Pat Stapleton led the club with 41 points, while Bill White and Doug Jarrett each had 29 points. Keith Magnuson led the team in penalty minutes, as he accumulated 201.
In goal, Tony Esposito led the club with 31 victories and a 1.77 goals against average, along with nine shutouts while appearing in 48 games. Backup goaltender Gary Smith won 14 games with a 2.42 goals against average and five shutouts. They helped the team have a league low 166 goals against, and were awarded the Vezina Trophy for their efforts.
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Playoffs The Hawks opened the playoffs against the Pittsburgh Penguins, who finished fourth in the West Division with a record of 26–38–14, earning 66 points. The series opened with two games at Chicago Stadium, and the Black Hawks, who had a record of 28–3–8 at home, continued their dominance, as they defeated the Penguins 3–1 and 3–2 to take a 2–0 series lead. The series moved to the Pittsburgh Civic Arena for the next two games, however, it was the Black Hawks who continued to stay hot, as they shutout the Penguins 2–0 in the third game, and finished off the series sweep with a 6–5 overtime win in the fourth game.
Chicago's next opponent was the New York Rangers for the second straight year, who had finished the season with a 48–17–13 record, earning 109 points, and a second-place finish in the East Division. The Rangers defeated the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Montreal Canadiens in their first playoff series. Since the Black Hawks won their division, they were given a home-ice advantage in the series for the second straight year. The series opened up with two games at Chicago Stadium, however, it was the Rangers who struck first, defeating the Hawks 3–2, then taking the second game in Chicago by a score of 5–3 to take an early 2–0 series lead. Chicago did not get themselves back in the series, as New York won the third game 3–2, and the Rangers completed the sweep of the Black Hawks with a 6–2 thumping in the fourth game.
Schedule and results
Regular season
| 1 || October 9 || Chicago Black Hawks || 4–2 || St. Louis Blues || 1–0–0 || 2
| 2 || October 10 || Detroit Red Wings || 1–2 || Chicago Black Hawks || 2–0–0 || 4
| 3 || October 13 || St. Louis Blues || 0–1 || Chicago Black Hawks || 3–0–0 || 6
| 4 || October 16 || Chicago Black Hawks || 3–2 || Minnesota North Stars || 4–0–0 || 8
| 5 || October 17 || Los Angeles Kings || 0–4 || Chicago Black Hawks || 5–0–0 || 10
| 6 || October 20 || Chicago Black Hawks || 1–3 || New York Rangers || 5–1–0 || 10
| 7 || October 21 || Chicago Black Hawks || 5–2 || Buffalo Sabres || 6–1–0 || 12
| 8 || October 23 || Chicago Black Hawks || 5–2 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 7–1–0 || 14
| 9 || October 24 || Chicago Black Hawks || 1–2 || Philadelphia Flyers || 7–2–0 || 14
|10 || October 26 || Chicago Black Hawks || 5–2 || Detroit Red Wings || 8–2–0 || 16
|11 || October 30 || Chicago Black Hawks || 5–1 || Los Angeles Kings || 9–2–0 || 18
|12 || October 31 || Chicago Black Hawks || 2–6 || Vancouver Canucks || 9–3–0 || 18
|13 || November 3 || Philadelphia Flyers || 0–3 || Chicago Black Hawks || 10–3–0 || 20
|14 || November 6 || Chicago Black Hawks || 1–2 || Montreal Canadiens || 10–4–0 || 20
|15 || November 7 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 1–4 || Chicago Black Hawks || 11–4–0 || 22
|16 || November 10 || Boston Bruins || 1–3 || Chicago Black Hawks || 12–4–0 || 24
|17 || November 14 || California Golden Seals || 1–4 || Chicago Black Hawks || 13–4–0 || 26
|18 || November 17 || Vancouver Canucks || 0–3 || Chicago Black Hawks || 14–4–0 || 28
|19 || November 20 || Chicago Black Hawks || 1–2 || Boston Bruins || 14–5–0 || 28
|20 || November 21 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 3–7 || Chicago Black Hawks || 15–5–0 || 30
|21 || November 24 || Montreal Canadiens || 3–3 || Chicago Black Hawks || 15–5–1 || 31
|22 || November 27 || Chicago Black Hawks || 3–3 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 15–5–2 || 32
|23 || November 28 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 1–4 || Chicago Black Hawks || 16–5–2 || 34
|24 || November 30 || Chicago Black Hawks || 2–4 || Vancouver Canucks || 16–6–2 || 34
|25 || December 3 || Chicago Black Hawks || 1–2 || California Golden Seals || 16–7–2 || 34
|26 || December 5 || Los Angeles Kings || 0–7 || Chicago Black Hawks || 17–7–2 || 36
|27 || December 8 || New York Rangers || 2–2 || Chicago Black Hawks || 17–7–3 || 37
|28 || December 9 || Chicago Black Hawks || 3–1 || Buffalo Sabres || 18–7–3 || 39
|29 || December 11 || Chicago Black Hawks || 3–1 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 19–7–3 || 41
|30 || December 12 || Minnesota North Stars || 3–5 || Chicago Black Hawks || 20–7–3 || 43
|31 || December 15 || Buffalo Sabres || 1–2 || Chicago Black Hawks || 21–7–3 || 45
|32 || December 18 || Chicago Black Hawks || 4–1 || Minnesota North Stars || 22–7–3 || 47
|33 || December 19 || St. Louis Blues || 0–2 || Chicago Black Hawks || 23–7–3 || 49
|34 || December 22 || Chicago Black Hawks || 4–1 || California Golden Seals || 24–7–3 || 51
|35 || December 26 || Los Angeles Kings || 3–6 || Chicago Black Hawks || 25–7–3 || 53
|36 || December 29 || Boston Bruins || 5–1 || Chicago Black Hawks || 25–8–3 || 53
|37 || January 2 || Philadelphia Flyers || 2–6 || Chicago Black Hawks || 26–8–3 || 55
|38 || January 5 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 3–3 || Chicago Black Hawks || 26–8–4 || 56
|39 || January 8 || Chicago Black Hawks || 4–0 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 27–8–4 || 58
|40 || January 9 || Montreal Canadiens || 2–5 || Chicago Black Hawks || 28–8–4 || 60
|41 || January 12 || Chicago Black Hawks || 5–5 || New York Rangers || 28–8–5 || 61
|42 || January 15 || Chicago Black Hawks || 2–4 || Boston Bruins || 28–9–5 || 61
|43 || January 16 || Minnesota North Stars || 2–3 || Chicago Black Hawks || 29–9–5 || 63
|44 || January 19 || California Golden Seals || 0–2 || Chicago Black Hawks || 30–9–5 || 65
|45 || January 20 || Chicago Black Hawks || 2–3 || Philadelphia Flyers || 30–10–5 || 65
|46 || January 23 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 0–4 || Chicago Black Hawks || 31–10–5 || 67
|47 || January 27 || Vancouver Canucks || 0–4 || Chicago Black Hawks || 32–10–5 || 69
|48 || January 29 || Chicago Black Hawks || 4–2 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 33–10–5 || 71
|49 || January 30 || Detroit Red Wings || 2–4 || Chicago Black Hawks || 34–10–5 || 73
|50 || February 1 || Chicago Black Hawks || 4–7 || Los Angeles Kings || 34–11–5 || 73
|51 || February 4 || Chicago Black Hawks || 6–2 || Vancouver Canucks || 35–11–5 || 75
|52 || February 6 || Minnesota North Stars || 0–5 || Chicago Black Hawks || 36–11–5 || 77
|53 || February 9 || Chicago Black Hawks || 1–4 || New York Rangers || 36–12–5 || 77
|54 || February 10 || Chicago Black Hawks || 1–7 || Montreal Canadiens || 36–13–5 || 77
|55 || February 12 || Chicago Black Hawks || 3–3 || Detroit Red Wings || 36–13–6 || 78
|56 || February 13 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 1–3 || Chicago Black Hawks || 37–13–6 || 80
|57 || February 15 || Chicago Black Hawks || 3–2 || St. Louis Blues || 38–13–6 || 82
|58 || February 16 || Philadelphia Flyers || 3–3 || Chicago Black Hawks || 38–13–7 || 83
|59 || February 20 || Boston Bruins || 3–1 || Chicago Black Hawks || 38–14–7 || 83
|60 || February 23 || Buffalo Sabres || 2–1 || Chicago Black Hawks || 38–15–7 || 83
|61 || February 24 || Chicago Black Hawks || 3–5 || Buffalo Sabres || 38–16–7 || 83
|62 || February 26 || California Golden Seals || 0–3 || Chicago Black Hawks || 39–16–7 || 85
|63 || February 27 || Vancouver Canucks || 3–3 || Chicago Black Hawks || 39–16–8 || 86
|64 || March 1 || Chicago Black Hawks || 6–4 || Los Angeles Kings || 40–16–8 || 88
|65 || March 3 || Chicago Black Hawks || 4–4 || California Golden Seals || 40–16–9 || 89
|66 || March 5 || Chicago Black Hawks || 1–2 || Minnesota North Stars || 40–17–9 || 89
|67 || March 8 || Chicago Black Hawks || 3–3 || New York Rangers || 40–17–10 || 90
|68 || March 11 || Chicago Black Hawks || 1–1 || Montreal Canadiens || 40–17–11 || 91
|69 || March 12 || Chicago Black Hawks || 3–2 || Detroit Red Wings || 41–17–11 || 93
|70 || March 15 || New York Rangers || 1–3 || Chicago Black Hawks || 42–17–11 || 95
|71 || March 18 || Chicago Black Hawks || 2–2 || Toronto Maple Leafs || 42–17–12 || 96
|72 || March 19 || Buffalo Sabres || 3–3 || Chicago Black Hawks || 42–17–13 || 97
|73 || March 23 || Chicago Black Hawks || 4–2 || Philadelphia Flyers || 43–17–13 || 99
|74 || March 25 || Chicago Black Hawks || 5–5 || Boston Bruins || 43–17–14 || 100
|75 || March 26 || St. Louis Blues || 0–4 || Chicago Black Hawks || 44–17–14 || 102
|76 || March 29 || Montreal Canadiens || 5–5 || Chicago Black Hawks || 44–17–15 || 103
|77 || April 1 || Chicago Black Hawks || 2–0 || St. Louis Blues || 45–17–15 || 105
|78 || April 2 || Detroit Red Wings || 1–6 || Chicago Black Hawks || 46–17–15 || 107
Legend:
Playoffs
| 1 || April 5 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 1–3 || Chicago Black Hawks || 1–0
| 2 || April 6 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 2–3 || Chicago Black Hawks || 2–0
| 3 || April 8 || Chicago Black Hawks || 2–0 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 3–0
| 4 || April 9 || Chicago Black Hawks || 6–5 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 4–0
| 1 || April 16 || New York Rangers || 3–2 || Chicago Black Hawks || 0–1
| 2 || April 18 || New York Rangers || 5–3 || Chicago Black Hawks || 0–2
| 3 || April 20 || Chicago Black Hawks || 2–3 || New York Rangers || 0–3
| 4 || April 23 || Chicago Black Hawks || 2–6 || New York Rangers || 0–4
Legend:
Player stats
Regular season Scoring leaders Player GP G A Pts PIMBobby Hull 78 50 43 93 24Pit Martin 78 24 51 75 56Dennis Hull 78 30 39 69 10Stan Mikita 74 26 39 65 46Jim Pappin 64 27 21 48 38
Goaltending = Indicates league leader Player GP TOI W L T GA SO GAATony Esposito 48 2780 31 10 6 82 9 1.77Gary Smith 28 1540 14 5 6 62 5 2.42Gerry Desjardins 6 360 1 2 3 21 0 3.50
Playoffs Scoring leaders Player GP G A Pts PIMChristian Bordeleau 8 3 6 9 0Bobby Hull 8 4 4 8 6Jim Pappin 8 2 5 7 4Pit Martin 8 4 2 6 4Dennis Hull 8 4 2 6 4
Goaltending Player GP TOI W L GA SO GAAGary Smith 2 120 1 1 3 1 1.50Tony Esposito 5 300 2 3 16 0 3.20Gerry Desjardins 1 60 1 0 5 0 5.00
Transactions September 9, 1971 To California Golden Seals
Kerry BondGerry DesjardinsGerry Pinder To Chicago Black Hawks
Gary Smith October 18, 1971 To California Golden Seals
Gilles MelochePaul Shmyr To Chicago Black Hawks
Gerry Desjardins
Draft picks Chicago's draft picks at the 1971 NHL amateur draft held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal.