A significant amount of success occurred during the era led by Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, and Duncan Keith in the 2010s. That doesn't mean that the Chicago Blackhawks didn't have legends put on their sweater before that.
One of those legends is Denis Savard, who spent parts of his Hall of Fame career with the Blackhawks, spanning 13 years out of 17.
Savard's best year came in 1987-88, where he set career highs in goals (44), assists (87), and points (131). Those 131 points were also the most that any Blackhawks player has ever had in a single season, a record that stands to this day.
NHL (@NHL) on XSome of these point totals are so ridiculous… 🤯
The NHL put out a list of each team's single-season points leader in franchise history, and Savard's name is on the list for Chicago. Plenty of legends like Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, and Mike Bossy are on the list. Some newer players who are on their way to significant careers, like Jack Eichel, Jack Hughes, and Clayton Keller, also find themselves on the list.
Former Blackhawks superstars Marian Hossa and Artemi Panarin are there too, as they hold franchise records for other franchises. Hossa is the leader for the Winnipeg Jets franchise from when they were the Atlanta Thrashers (100 points in 2006-07), while Panarin is on there with the Columbus Blue Jackets (87 points in 2018-19).
Savard's record in Chicago broke the mark previously set by himself in 1982-83. He has the four highest single-season totals in franchise history, all alone. Kane is 5th from his 110-point campaign in 2018-19.
Although the Blackhawks have lots of young stars on the rise, it is hard to see any of them ever coming close to Savard's single-season record. Only a few players have reached that mark on other teams in recent memory. It's not easy in today's NHL.
Savard, in addition to some of these single-season marks, has a very decorated career. He was a Stanley Cup champion, an All-Star, and was named as one of the NHL's 100 Greatest Players during the centennial season of the league. It's an understatement to call him a legend of the game.
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