1972–73 Chicago Black Hawks season
| 1972–73 Chicago Black Hawks | |
|---|---|
West Division champions | |
| Division | 1st West |
| 1972–73 record | 42–27–9 |
| Home record | 26–9–4 |
| Road record | 16–18–5 |
| Goals for | 284 |
| Goals against | 225 |
| Team information | |
| General manager | Tommy Ivan |
| Coach | Billy Reay |
| Captain | Vacant |
| Alternate captains | Doug Jarrett Stan Mikita Bill White |
| Arena | Chicago Stadium |
| Team leaders | |
| Goals | Jim Pappin (41) |
| Assists | Pit Martin (61) |
| Points | Jim Pappin (92) |
| Penalty minutes | Phil Russell (156) |
| Plus/minus | Phil Russell Stan Mikita (+31) |
| Wins | Tony Esposito (32) |
| Goals against average | Tony Esposito (2.51) |
The 1972–73 Chicago Black Hawks season was the Hawks' 47th season in the NHL, and the club was coming off their third consecutive first-place finish in 1971–72, as they finished on top of the West Division with a 46–17–15 record, tying a club record with 107 points. The Hawks defeated the St. Louis Blues and New York Rangers in the postseason before falling to the Montreal Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Finals.
During the off-season, the Black Hawks lost Bobby Hull to the Winnipeg Jets in the newly created World Hockey Association, who signed him to the first $1 million contract in hockey history. The NHL also expanded once again, as the New York Islanders joined the East Division, while the Atlanta Flames were placed in the West.
Chicago, dealing with the loss of Hull, got off to a quick start of the season, winning their first four games, before sliding into a slump that saw their record fall to 7–7–2. The club broke out of its slump, won 14 of the next 18 games, and took hold of the top spot in the West Division. The Hawks then cruised to their fourth-straight first-place finish, as they had a record of 42–27–9, earning 93 points, which was their lowest point total since missing the playoffs in the 1968–69 season.
Offensively, the Black Hawks were led by Jim Pappin, who had a career season, scoring 41 goals and 92 points. Pit Martin earned 61 assists and 90 points, while Dennis Hull scored 39 goals and 90 points. Stan Mikita earned 83 points despite missing 21 games due to injuries. Bill White lead the defense, registering 47 points, while Pat Stapleton scored 10 goals and 31 points. Rookie Phil Russell had a team-high 156 penalty minutes, and had a +31 rating, which tied him with Mikita for the team lead.
In goal, Tony Esposito led the club with 32 victories and a 2.51 GAA, along with four shutouts while appearing in 56 games. Backup goaltender Gary Smith won 10 games while having a 3.54 GAA.