1989–90 Chicago Blackhawks season


The 1989–90 Chicago Blackhawks season was the Hawks' 64th season. The season involved winning the Norris Division.

Offseason

The most publicized offseason move was Coach Mike Keenan pulling the "C" off team star, Denis Savard's jersey and making Dirk Graham captain. A less heralded move was the Blackhawks bringing 1970s Soviet star goaltender Vladislav Tretiak to Chicago to help improve their netminders. The biggest offseason trade was a September 1990 deal sending Steve Ludzick to the Sabres for goalie Jacques Cloutier.

NHL Draft

Chicago's draft picks at the 1989 NHL Entry Draft held at the Met Center in Bloomington, Minnesota.
Round#PlayerNationalityCollege/Junior/Club Team
16Adam BennettSudbury Wolves
227Mike SpeerGuelph Platers
348Bob KelloggSpringfield Olympics
6111Tommi PullolaSport
7132Tracy EgelandPrince Albert Raiders
8153Milan TichyPrince Albert Raiders
9174Jason GreyerbiehlColgate University
10195Matt SaundersNortheastern University
11216Mike KozakClarkson University
12237Mike DonegheyCatholic Memorial School
S11Alex RobertsUniversity of Michigan

Regular season

The Blackhawks would play consistent hockey all season as they win the Norris Division with a record of 41-33-6.
Offensively, Steve Larmer again led the team with 59 assists and 90 points. Steve Thomas led the team in goals with 40. Dennis Savard was second in points with 80 and assists with 53. Jeremey Roenick finished his first full year with 26 goals and 40 assists for 66 points. Doug Wilson had an outstanding year with 23 goals, 50 assists for a team third-best 73 points. Dave Manson was again second-highest defenseman in scoring with 28 points. On November 2, 1989, Doug Wilson scored just 18 seconds into the overtime period to give the Blackhawks a 4-3 home win over the Minnesota North Stars. It would prove to be the fastest overtime goal scored during the 1989-90 NHL regular season.
In goal, while Alain Chevrier took the Blackhawks to the Conference finals the year before, his 16-14-3 record and 4.18 Goals Against Average in 89-90 got him traded in March 1990. Jacques Cloutier who was acquired just before the season began, was the primary goaltender with an 18-15-2 record and a 3.09 Goals Against Average. In March, the Blackhawks acquired Greg Millen from Quebec, and he began to take over in the nets at the end of the season with a 5-4-1 record. Eddie Belfour could not make the Hawks roster and instead spent six months with the Canadian national team.

Final standings

Schedule and results

Player stats

Regular season

;Scoring
PlayerPosGPGAPtsPIM+/-PPGSHGGWG
RW803159904025824
C602753805681024
D7023507340131312
LW7640307091-31307
C8034367022441203
C78264066542604
C6817385586-2314
W732232541021231
LW701225375427003
D59523283014101
D67520258726200
D4951924453301
LW43147211315100
RW39101121470101
C/LW499122156-3003
D705152082-6101
RW7241418156-2001
D7531417346100
RW49671369-19100
D6921012204-7010
LW617411303-3001
LW841591110
LW12224170000
C/LW2312334-4000
C611281000
D21120-1100
G3902260000
RW802260000
G1001100000
D1901127-3000
G4300080000
LW2000150000
LW20004-1000
G400000000

;Goaltending
PlayerMINGPWLTGAGAASOSASVSV%
217843181521123.092931819.880
189439161431324.180898766.853
57510541323.340267235.880
1834200144.5909278.848
Team:483080413362903.60221881898.867

Playoffs

After reaching the Conference finals the year before, hopes were high entering the playoffs. The first round reunited the Hawks with their old rivals, the Minnesota North Stars for the first time since their four-year consecutive playoff match streak ended in 1985. The playoff format had changed since then, and now featured a seven-game series. The Blackhawks would barely survive this seven game war with the fourth place Minnesota North Stars. The Hawks defeated the North Stars four games to three with the Hawks outscoring Minnesota by a total of three goals over the series.
Apr 4, 1990 - MIN 2, CHI 1

Apr 6, 1990 - MIN 3, CHI 5
Apr 8, 1990 - CHI 2, MIN 1
Apr 10, 1990 - CHI 0, MIN 4
Apr 12, 1990 - MIN 1, CHI 5
Apr 14, 1990 - CHI 3, MIN 5
Apr 16, 1990 - MIN 2, CHI 5
The second round Norris Division Finals, saw the Blackhawks pitted against the St. Louis Blues. The Blackhawks again needed all seven games to advance. In a bold move, coach Mike Keenan decided to start Ed Belfour, who was recently recalled from the minors, in net in three of the games, and Eddie the Eagle won all three. The first six games were decided by one or two goals each, and game seven in Chicago was set for another close battle, however after Jeremy Roenick gave the Hawks a 2-0 first period lead, the Blues went on a powerplay only to have Steve Larmer score a demoralizing shorthanded goal, and the rout was on - resulting in 8-2 victory. The Blackhawks were again headed to the conference finals - with only the Edmonton Oilers standing in their way to get to the Stanley Cup Finals
Apr 18, 1990 - STL 4, CHI 3
Apr 20, 1990 - STL 3, CHI 5
Apr 22, 1990 - CHI 4, STL 5
Apr 24, 1990 - CHI 3, STL 2
Apr 26, 1990 - STL 2, CHI 3
Apr 28, 1990 - CHI 2, STL 4
Apr 30, 1990 - STL 2, CHI 8
The Conference Finals saw Keenan go back to Millen and Cloutier in the nets with Belfour only appearing in the first game despite his 2.49 goals against average. After splitting the first two in the Edmonton, the Hawks took the first home game at the Chicago Stadium to take a 2-1 series lead. However the Oilers won the next three to win the series, and went on to win the Stanley Cup.
May 2, 1990 - CHI 2, EDM 5
May 4, 1990 - CHI 4, EDM 3
May 6, 1990 - EDM 1, CHI 5
May 8, 1990 - EDM 4, CHI 2
May 10, 1990 - CHI 3, EDM 4
May 12, 1990 - EDM 8, CHI 4
;Scoring
PlayerPosGPGAPtsPIM+/-PPGSHGGWG
RW207152222222
C2071522410401
C20117188-1401
RW199615298111
D2031215185101
LW207613332103
LW1958133410000
C20369591010
RW18189281000
C20448222100
D2035827-1301
LW1424662000
D2024646-5100
D1624688000
W515620010
D20134196000
D18044432000
RW2011248-1000
G901160000
C10002-1000
G400000000
C/LW40002-2000
D500021000
G1400040000
D10000-1000
LW120008-2000
LW800023-1000

;Goaltending
PlayerMINGPWLGAGAASOSASVSV%
6131466403.920300260.867
409942172.490200183.915
17540282.7407567.893
Team:1197201010653.260575510.887

Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals
MIN = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts; SA = Shots against; SV = Shots saved; SV% = Save percentage;