Blackhawks Kick off Centennial Celebration with Hall of Fame Announcement

Today marks the anniversary of when Chicago was awarded a National Hockey League franchise in 1926. A few months later, the Chicago Blackhawks took to the ice for the first time. They honored the anniversary of Founders Day by rolling out the first details of their season-long Centennial celebration. “Always as Original” will be the theme of the Blackhawks’ 100^th season in the NHL.

“Since our inception, the Chicago Blackhawks have been more than just a hockey team – we’ve been an integral part of Chicago’s identity and a driving force in the evolution of the sport,” said Blackhawks CEO Danny Wirtz. “This Centennial celebration isn’t just about honoring our past achievements, but also about recommitting ourselves to innovation, community impact, and excellence for the century ahead.”

The season will be divided into four chapters that will “immerse fans of all ages in the rich heritage that has defined the franchise, all designed to transport in-arena attendees and at-home fans through the defining eras in Blackhawks history.” The celebration will include signature games, giveaways, the return of bobbleheads, and many special guests. We already know the Blackhawks will also have special alternate jerseys for the season.

Blackhawks Hall of Fame Announced

The best part of today’s announcement was the addition of a Blackhawks Hall of Fame. Countless great players have worn the Blackhawks uniform over the previous 99 seasons, and an official Hall of Fame is long overdue. With Connor Bedard ushering in a new generation of young fans, it is important to remember the history of this storied hockey club. As a history buff, I’ve wanted something like this for a long time. There are so many incredible stories to tell, and the Hall of Fame is a great way to tell them for future generations.

The physical Hall of Fame will be included in the expansion at the Fifth Third Arena. The Blackhawks will induct two players each year, and the fans will participate in the voting process. One player will be chosen from the Modern Era and another from the Heritage Era.

The Modern Era is for players who completed their Blackhawks career in the 2000-01 season or later. They must have been retired for at least three years to be eligible. The Heritage Era is for players who completed their Blackhawks career in the 1999-2000 season or earlier. I’m not sure how I feel about the players I watched growing up being considered “heritage,” but you have to draw the line somewhere. Fans can cast their ballots starting today by visiting the Blackhawks Hall of Fame website.

The nine players with their numbers retired and hanging in the United Center rafters are automatic inductees.

Modern Era Ballot

• Tony Amonte – Acquired from the New York Rangers on March 21, 1994, for Stephane Matteau and Brian Noonan. He is eighth in franchise history with 268 goals.
• Brian Campbell – Signed a free agent on July 1, 2008. He scored 24 goals and 110 points in 295 games over two stints in Chicago and won the Stanley Cup in 2010.
• Corey Crawford – Drafted in the second round (52^nd overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He is third in franchise history with 260 wins and won the Stanley Cup in 2013 and 2015.
• Eric Daze – Drafted in the fourth round (90^th overall) of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft. Played all 601 career games with the Blackhawks, scoring 226 goals and 398 points.
• Niklas Hjalmarsson – Drafted in the fourth round (108^th overall) of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. Played in 623 games over 10 seasons with the Blackhawks, scoring 23 goals and 143 points. He was a key member of the defensive corps that won three Stanley Cups.
• Duncan Keith – Drafted in the second round (54^th overall) of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. Scored 105 goals and 625 points over his 16 seasons with the Blackhawks. He is second all-time in games played with 1,192. He won three Stanley Cups, two Norris Trophies, the Conn Smythe Trophy, and is a member of the NHL 100^th Anniversary Team.
• Brent Seabrook – Drafted in the first round (14^th overall) of the 2003 NHL Draft. Played his entire 15-year career with the Blackhawks, scoring 103 goals and 464 points. His 1,114 games played are the fourth-most in team history. He was one of the leaders of three Stanley Cup championships.
• Patrick Sharp – Acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers for Matt Ellison and a third-round pick on Dec. 5, 2005. He scored 277 goals and 587 points in 749 games for the Blackhawks. He was one of six players to win all three Stanley Cups in the 2010s.
• Andrew Shaw – Drafted in the fifth round (139th overall) of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. He scored 75 goals and 151 points in 362 games over two stints with the Blackhawks. He was a contributor to the 2013 and 2015 Stanley Cup-winning teams.
• Steve Sullivan – Claimed off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs on Feb. 25, 1997. He played 370 games in his five seasons with the Blackhawks, scoring 118 goals and 303 points.
• Jocelyn Thibault – Acquired from the Montreal Canadiens on Nov. 16, 1998. He is fifth in franchise history with 137 wins, many of which came on some very bad teams. He’s tied for fifth all-time with 28 shutouts, and his .905 save percentage (SV%) is eighth-best in team history.
• Alexei Zhamnov – Acquired from the Phoenix Coyotes for Jeremy Roenick on Aug. 16, 1996. Scored 128 goals and 424 points in 528 games with the Blackhawks. He was an NHL All-Star in 2002.

Heritage Era Ballot

• Ed Belfour – Undrafted free agent. He is fourth all-time with 201 wins, ninth with a .903 SV%, and fourth with 30 shutouts. He won the Calder Trophy, two Vezina Trophies, and three Jennings Trophies with the Blackhawks. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2011.
• Doug Bentley – One of three brothers to play with the Blackhawks. He scored 219 goals and 543 points in 565 games between 1939 and 1952. He served as team captain for two seasons. The four-time All-Star was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1964.
• Johnny Gottselig – He was the second Russian-born player to play in the NHL. His entire 16-season career was spent with the Blackhawks, scoring 176 goals and 372 points in 591 games between 1928 and 1945. He won the Stanley Cup in 1934 and 1938, and was the second European captain of a championship team in 1938. He became the second European-born head coach of the Blackhawks, a position he held for four seasons until 1948.
• Dirk Graham – Acquired from the Minnesota North Stars for Curt Fraser on Jan. 4, 1988. He scored 152 goals and 343 points in 772 games. He won the Selke Trophy in 1991, served as captain for seven seasons, and scored the most shorthanded goals in franchise history with 26. Played in the 1992 Stanley Cup Final.
•  Dennis Hull – He is 10^th all-time in games played with 904, seventh in goals with 298, and eighth with 640 points. He represented the Blackhawks in five All-Star games and played in three Stanley Cup Finals.
• Cliff Koroll – He played his entire 11-season career with the Blackhawks, scoring 208 goals and 462 points. He played in two Stanley Cup Finals and helped start the Blackhawks Alumni Association.
• Steve Larmer – Drafted in the sixth round (120^th overall) of the 1980 NHL Entry Draft, and never missed a game with the Blackhawks, playing in 891 games in a row. He won the Calder Trophy in 1982 after 43 goals and 90 points in his rookie season. He is fourth in franchise history with 406 goals, seventh with 517 assists, and fifth in scoring with 923 points. Played in the 1992 Stanley Cup Final.
• Chico Maki – He played his entire 14-season career with the Blackhawks between 1961 and 1976, scoring 143 goals and 436 points in 841 games. The two-time NHL All-Star played in three Stanley Cup Finals.
• Mush March – He was one of the first stars in team history. Playing his entire career in Chicago between 1928 and 1945, he scored 153 goals and 384 points in 761 games. He won the Stanley Cup in 1934 and 1938.
• Pit Martin – Acquired from the Boston Bruins for Phil Esposito and Ken Hodge on May 15, 1967. He scored 243 goals and 627 points in his 740 games for the Blackhawks. He was an NHL All-Star in four straight seasons between 1971 and 1974.
• Bill Mosienko – He scored 258 goals and 540 points in his 711 games for the Blackhawks. In 1952, he set the NHL record for the fastest hat trick by scoring three goals in 21 seconds against the Rangers. The two-time NHL All-Star won the Lady Byng Trophy in 1945 and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1965.
• Troy Murray – Drafted in the third round (57^th overall) of the 1980 NHL Entry Draft. He spent parts of 12 seasons with the Blackhawks, scoring 197 goals and 448 points in 688 games, and won the Selke Trophy in 1986.
• Eric Nesterenko – Acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs for cash on May 21, 1956. He is seventh all-time in franchise history for games played with 1,013, scoring 207 goals and 574 points. The two-time NHL All-Star won the Stanley Cup in 1961 and played in the Finals in 1965 and 1971.
• Jeremy Roenick – Drafted in the first round (8^th overall) of the 1988 NHL Entry Draft. He scored 267 goals and 596 points in 524 games, including back-to-back seasons of at least 50 goals. He represented the Blackhawks at four straight NHL All-Star games between 1991 and 1994. Played in the 1992 Stanley Cup Final. Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2024.
• Doug Wilson – Drafted in the first round (6^th overall) of the 1977 NHL Amateur Draft. He is ninth on the all-time games played list with 938. His 554 assists are the fourth-most in team history, and his seventh in all-time scoring with 779 points, the most by any defenseman. In 1983, he became the second Blackhawks blueliner to win the Norris Trophy. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2020.