The 2021–22 Chicago Blackhawks season was the 96th season for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that was established on September 25, 1926. The Blackhawks were led by Jeremy Colliton until he was fired on November 6, 2021, after the team started with a 1–9–2 record; he has been replaced by interim coach Derek King.

After the prior season was shortened and realigned due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the NHL announced that divisions and conferences would be used for the season. Realignment of divisions occurred as the Seattle Kraken began their first season in the Pacific Division while the Arizona Coyotes moved to the Central Division.

The Blackhawks were eliminated from playoff contention of April 5, 2022, after wins by the Dallas Stars and Nashville Predators.

Off-season

Trades and acquisitions The Blackhawks traded two-time Norris Trophy-winner Duncan Keith to Edmonton on July 12, 2021, after 16 years with the Hawks. The Hawks received Caleb Jones, brother of Columbus defenseman Seth Jones in the trade. On July 23, the Hawks acquired Seth Jones from Columbus and signed him to an eight-year extension. Four days later, goaltender Marc-André Fleury was traded by Vegas to the Blackhawks.

Return of Toews Blackhawk captain Jonathan Toews returned to the team for the season after missing the entire 2020–21 season due to an undisclosed injury which was later revealed to be chronic immune response syndrome.

Season summary

Sexual assault allegations In May 2021, Kyle Beach (who did not disclose his name until after the Blackhawks released their report), a former Blackhawks prospect, filed a lawsuit against the Blackhawks organization for failing to file a proper police report or properly handle his report that he was sexually assaulted by video coach Brad Aldrich during the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs. On October 26, the Blackhawks released the findings of the investigation conducted by Jenner & Block and announced general manager/president of hockey operations Stan Bowman and senior vice president of hockey operations Al MacIsaac resigned. The Blackhawks promoted Kyle Davidson to serve as their interim general manager, and then formally named him general manager on March 1, 2022. The team also received a $2-million fine from the NHL for failing to adequately and timely address Beach's allegations.

Poor start and firing of Jeremy Colliton Opening their season with six straight losses, the Blackhawks broke a 51-year-old NHL record previously held by the 1970–71 California Golden Seals for the most minutes played at the start of a season without holding a lead. At nine consecutive losses, the Blackhawks set a new record for worst season start in franchise history in a 1–0 loss to the St. Louis Blues on October 30, 2021.

Colliton was fired following the team's 11th loss of the season and with a record 1–9–2. King won his first game as head coach on November 7.

Standings

Divisional standings

Conference standings

Schedule and results

Preseason The preseason schedule was published on July 19, 2021. 2021 preseason game log: 3–1–2 (home: 1–1–1; road: 2–0–1) # Date Opponent Score OT Decision Arena Attendance Record Streak Recap 1 September 29 Detroit 3–4 SO Lankinen United Center — 0–0–1 O1 2 October 1 St. Louis 3–6 Fleury United Center 16,445 0–1–1 L1 3 October 2 @ St. Louis 5–1 Subban Cable Dahmer Arena — 1–1–1 W1 4 October 4 @ Detroit 6–4 Fleury Little Caesars Arena 14,769 2–1–1 W2 5 October 7 @ Minnesota 2–3 OT Lankinen Xcel Energy Center 14,419 2–1–2 O1 6 October 9 Minnesota 5–1 Fleury United Center 17,657 3–1–2 W1

Regular season The regular season schedule was published on July 23, 2021. 2021–22 game logOctober: 0–7–2 (home: 0–3–1; road: 0–4–1) # Date Opponent Score OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 October 13 @ Colorado 2–4 Fleury 18,037 0–1–0 0 2 October 15 @ New Jersey 3–4 OT Lankinen 16,514 0–1–1 1 3 October 16 @ Pittsburgh 2–5 Fleury 18,420 0–2–1 1 4 October 19 NY Islanders 1–4 Fleury 20,279 0–3–1 1 5 October 21 Vancouver 1–4 Lankinen 20,490 0–4–1 1 6 October 24 Detroit 3–6 Fleury 19,042 0–5–1 1 7 October 27 Toronto 2–3 OT Lankinen 18,616 0–5–2 2 8 October 29 @ Carolina 3–6 Lankinen 16,434 0–6–2 2 9 October 30 @ St. Louis 0–1 Fleury 16,856 0–7–2 2 November: 7–5–0 (home: 5–2–0; road: 2–3–0) # Date Opponent Score OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 10 November 1 Ottawa 5–1 Fleury 15,946 1–7–2 4 11 November 3 Carolina 3–4 Fleury 16,449 1–8–2 4 12 November 5 @ Winnipeg 1–5 Fleury 13,756 1–9–2 4 13 November 7 Nashville 2–1 OT Lankinen 16,891 2–9–2 6 14 November 9 Pittsburgh 3–2 SO Fleury 17,736 3–9–2 8 15 November 12 Arizona 2–1 Fleury 17,828 4–9–2 10 16 November 17 @ Seattle 4–2 Fleury 17,151 5–9–2 12 17 November 20 @ Edmonton 2–5 Lankinen 18,347 5–10–2 12 18 November 21 @ Vancouver 1–0 Fleury 18,830 6–10–2 14 19 November 23 @ Calgary 2–5 Fleury 15,464 6–11–2 14 20 November 26 St. Louis 3–2 OT Lankinen 19,681 7–11–2 16 21 November 28 San Jose 0–2 Fleury 17,663 7–12–2 16 December: 4–3–2 (home: 1–1–1; road: 3–2–1) # Date Opponent Score OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 22 December 2 @ Washington 4–3 SO Fleury 18,573 8–12–2 18 23 December 4 @ NY Rangers 2–3 Lankinen 17,046 8–13–2 18 24 December 5 @ NY Islanders 3–2 SO Fleury 17,255 9–13–2 20 25 December 7 NY Rangers 2–6 Fleury 17,207 9–14–2 20 26 December 9 @ Montreal 2–0 Fleury 20,447 10–14–2 22 27 December 11 @ Toronto 4–5 Lankinen 18,934 10–15–2 22 — December 13 Calgary Postponed due to COVID-19. Moved to April 18. 28 December 15 Washington 5–4 OT Fleury 18,260 11–15–2 24 29 December 17 Nashville 2–3 OT Fleury 18,298 11–15–3 25 30 December 18 @ Dallas 3–4 OT Lankinen 18,532 11–15–4 26 — December 21 Florida Postponed due to COVID-19. Moved to February 20. — December 23 Dallas Postponed due to COVID-19. Moved to February 18. — December 28 Columbus Postponed due to COVID-19. Moved to February 17. — December 29 @ Winnipeg Postponed due to COVID-19. Moved to February 14.January: 5–7–3 (home: 2–4–1; road: 3–3–2) # Date Opponent Score OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 31 January 1 @ Nashville 1–6 Delia 17,504 11–16–4 26 32 January 2 Calgary 1–5 Soderblom 17,454 11–17–4 26 33 January 4 Colorado 3–4 OT Fleury 16,784 11–17–5 27 34 January 6 @ Arizona 4–6 Fleury 11,632 11–18–5 27 35 January 8 @ Vegas 2–1 Fleury 18,367 12–18–5 29 36 January 11 @ Columbus 4–2 Fleury 15,444 13–18–5 31 37 January 13 Montreal 3–2 OT Fleury 17,472 14–18–5 33 38 January 15 Anaheim 3–0 Fleury 18,469 15–18–5 35 39 January 17 @ Seattle 2–3 SO Fleury 17,151 15–18–6 36 — January 18 @ Edmonton Postponed due to COVID-19. Moved to February 9. 40 January 21 Minnesota 1–5 Fleury 17,921 15–19–6 36 41 January 22 @ Minnesota 3–4 OT Lankinen 19,092 15–19–7 37 42 January 24 @ Colorado 0–2 Fleury 16,503 15–20–7 37 43 January 26 @ Detroit 8–5 Fleury 16,578 16–20–7 39 44 January 28 Colorado 4–6 Fleury 17,992 16–21–7 39 45 January 31 Vancouver 1–3 Fleury 17,170 16–22–7 39 February: 3–5–1 (home: 1–4–1; road: 2–1–0) # Date Opponent Score OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 46 February 2 Minnesota 0–5 Fleury 16,373 16–23–7 39 47 February 9 @ Edmonton 4–1 Fleury 9,150 17–23–7 41 48 February 12 @ St. Louis 1–5 Fleury 18,096 17–24–7 41 49 February 14 @ Winnipeg 3–1 Fleury 7,511 18–24–7 43 50 February 17 Columbus 4–7 Soderblom 19,290 18–25–7 43 51 February 18 Dallas 0–1 SO Fleury 19,845 18–25–8 44 52 February 20 Florida 2–5 Fleury 19,619 18–26–8 44 53 February 25 New Jersey 8–5 Lankinen 19,343 19–26–8 46 54 February 27 St. Louis 0–4 Fleury 19,588 19–27–8 46 March: 5–7–2 (home: 2–3–1; road: 3–4–1) # Date Opponent Score OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 55 March 3 Edmonton 4–3 OT Fleury 19,688 20–27–8 48 56 March 5 @ Philadelphia 3–4 Lankinen 18,448 20–28–8 48 57 March 6 Tampa Bay 3–6 Fleury 18,856 20–29–8 48 58 March 8 Anaheim 8–3 Fleury 18,591 21–29–8 50 59 March 10 @ Boston 3–4 Lankinen 17,850 21–30–8 50 60 March 12 @ Ottawa 6–3 Fleury 14,252 22–30–8 52 61 March 15 Boston 1–2 OT Fleury 19,629 22–30–9 53 62 March 19 @ Minnesota 1–3 Lankinen 19,226 22–31–9 53 63 March 20 Winnipeg 4–6 Fleury 19,251 22–32–9 53 64 March 23 @ Anaheim 4–2 Lankinen 11,740 23–32–9 55 65 March 24 @ Los Angeles 4–3 SO Delia 13,518 24–32–9 57 66 March 26 @ Vegas 4–5 OT Lankinen 18,301 24–32–10 58 67 March 28 Buffalo 5–6 Lankinen 18,648 24–33–10 58 68 March 31 @ Florida 0–4 Delia 15,218 24–34–10 58 April: 4–8–2 (home: 3–4–1; road: 1–4–1) # Date Opponent Score OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 69 April 1 @ Tampa Bay 2–5 Lankinen 19,092 24–35–10 58 70 April 3 Arizona 2–3 OT Lankinen 19,869 24–35–11 59 71 April 7 Seattle 0–2 Lankinen 18,677 24–36–11 59 72 April 10 Dallas 4–6 Lankinen 18,809 24–37–11 59 73 April 12 Los Angeles 2–5 Delia 18,032 24–38–11 59 74 April 14 San Jose 5–4 SO Lankinen 19,501 25–38–11 61 75 April 16 @ Nashville 3–4 Lankinen 17,159 25–39–11 61 76 April 18 Calgary 2–5 Lankinen 18,523 25–40–11 61 77 April 20 @ Arizona 4–3 OT Lankinen 11,916 26–40–11 63 78 April 21 @ Los Angeles 1–4 Delia 18,230 26–41–11 63 79 April 23 @ San Jose 1–4 Lankinen 17,562 26–42–11 63 80 April 25 Philadelphia 3–1 Lankinen 18,642 27–42–11 65 81 April 27 Vegas 4–3 SO Lankinen 19,660 28–42–11 67 82 April 29 @ Buffalo 2–3 OT Delia 16,505 28–42–12 68 Legend:

Player statistics

Skaters Regular season Player 78 26 66 92 −19 18 82 41 37 78 −13 19 78 5 46 51 −37 28 69 22 26 48 −6 28 ‡ 55 21 16 37 −14 23 71 12 25 37 −14 39 78 15 17 32 −16 16 70 9 17 26 −18 43 75 4 18 22 −27 33 67 6 15 21 −16 12 59 3 15 18 −4 14 51 5 10 15 −3 18 55 5 7 12 −16 23 52 2 10 12 −8 36 † 46 5 6 11 −16 21 ‡ 59 3 8 11 −10 36 † 21 6 4 10 −4 2 57 4 6 10 −14 47 69 4 4 8 −21 33 52 4 3 7 −14 22 26 3 4 7 −8 12 37 1 5 6 −13 16 27 3 0 3 −4 13 ‡ 8 1 1 2 −3 4 15 1 1 2 −2 2 21 0 2 2 −6 11 15 1 0 1 −1 12 † 21 1 0 1 −10 14 11 0 1 1 −8 0 15 0 1 1 0 4 8 0 1 1 −3 0 9 0 1 1 −3 15 4 0 0 0 −1 4 2 0 0 0 −1 0 5 0 0 0 −3 2 6 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0

Goaltenders Regular season Player ‡ 45 45 2,626:58 19 21 5 129 2.95 1,398 .908 4 0 1 2 32 29 1,815:35 8 15 6 106 3.50 973 .891 0 0 1 0 8 6 343:06 1 4 1 22 3.85 218 .899 0 0 0 0 3 2 155:49 0 2 0 13 5.01 95 .863 0 0 0 0 †Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Blackhawks. Stats reflect time with the Blackhawks only. ‡Denotes player was traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with the Blackhawks only. Bold/italics denotes franchise record.

Transactions The Blackhawks have been involved in the following transactions during the 2021–22 season.

Trades Date Details Ref To Edmonton OilersDuncan KeithTim Soderlund To Chicago BlackhawksCaleb JonesConditional1 2nd-round pick in 2022 To Columbus Blue JacketsAdam Boqvist1st-round pick in 20212nd-round pick in 2021Conditional2 1st-round pick in 2022 or 2023 To Chicago BlackhawksSeth JonesTBL 1st-round pick in 20216th-round pick in 2022 To Carolina Hurricanes3rd-round pick in 2022 To Chicago Blackhawks3rd-round pick in 2021 To Vegas Golden KnightsMikael Hakkarainen To Chicago BlackhawksMarc-Andre Fleury To Tampa Bay LightningBrent Seabrook To Chicago BlackhawksTyler Johnson2nd-round pick in 2023 To Calgary FlamesNikita Zadorov To Chicago BlackhawksTOR 3rd-round pick in 2022 To Toronto Maple LeafsChad Krys To Chicago BlackhawksKurtis Gabriel To Pittsburgh PenguinsAlexander Nylander To Chicago BlackhawksSam Lafferty To Tampa Bay LightningBrandon Hagel4th-round pick in 20224th-round pick in 2024To Chicago BlackhawksTaylor RaddyshBoris Katchouk1st-round pick in 20231st-round pick in 2024 To Minnesota WildMarc-Andre Fleury To Chicago BlackhawksConditional3 2nd-round pick in 2022 To Calgary FlamesRyan Carpenter To Chicago Blackhawks5th-round pick in 2024 Notes: Chicago will receive a second-round pick in 2022 if Edmonton reaches the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals and Keith is among the top-four defensemen on the Oilers in time-on-ice during the first three rounds of the playoffs; otherwise Chicago will receive a third-round pick in 2022.