In the off-season, the Black Hawks and Detroit Red Wings made the biggest trade in NHL history at the time, as Chicago sent Jim Henry, Gaye Stewart, Bob Goldham and Metro Prystai to Detroit for Harry Lumley, Jack Stewart, Al Dewsbury, Don Morrison and Pete Babando.
The club also replaced head coach Charlie Conacher with former Red Wings player Ebbie Goodfellow, and named the newly acquired Jack Stewart the captain of the team.
The Black Hawks then fell into a slump, however, 27 games into the season, they were still playing over .500 hockey, as their record was 11–10–6, and fighting with the New York Rangers, Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens for a playoff spot.
Chicago then ran into injuries, as team captain Jack Stewart ruptured a disc in his back, ending his season after only 26 games, while Gus Bodnar and Bill Gadsby would also run into severe injury problems, as the Black Hawks would go on to a 2–37–4 record in their last 43 games, finishing in last place for the second consecutive season.
Al Dewsbury led the blueline with 5 goals and 19 points, and had a club high 79 penalty minutes.