Olczyk, born in Chicago, spent the 1983–84 season playing with the U.S. National Team, scoring 21 goals and 68 points in 62 games.
The Black Hawks started the season off with a solid 9-6-2 record in their first 17 games, which had the team in first place in the Norris Division.
Following a 6–4 loss to the St. Louis Blues on February 3, the team fired head coach Orval Tessier, as he was replaced with general manager Bob Pulford.
In the net, Murray Bannerman appeared in a club high 60 games, earning a 27-25-4 record with a 3.83 GAA and a .884 save percentage.
The Black Hawks then erupted for three goals, as Behn Wilson, Ed Olczyk and Steve Larmer scored, making it 8-2 for Chicago.
The Hawks Keith Brown and Doug Wilson scored to cap off a 6–1 victory, and gave Chicago a 2–0 series lead.
The Hawks extended their lead to 4–0, after goals by Steve Larmer, Darryl Sutter and Denis Savard in a 2:56 span midway through the second period.
The North Stars struggled in the regular season, finishing with a 25-43-12 record, earning 62 points, which placed them fourth in the division.
The series opened at Chicago Stadium, and the Black Hawks took a 3–0 lead just 5:43 into the game after goals by Ed Olczyk, Doug Wilson and Tom Lysiak.
Bob Murray responded for Chicago, cutting the North Stars lead to 2–1, then Tom Lysiak tied the game late in the period.
The North Stars retook the lead on a goal by Tony McKegney just over two minutes later, but Denis Savard tied it up at 6–6 as he scored 47 seconds later, sending the game to overtime.
Early in the second overtime, Darryl Sutter scored the game-winning goal for the Black Hawks, as they won the game 7–6, and took a 3–1 series lead.
The series shifted back to Chicago for the fifth game, and in the first period, it was all Black Hawks, as Denis Savard and Darryl Sutter scored to take a 2–0 lead after the first 20 minutes.
In overtime, the North Stars completed the comeback on a goal by Dennis Maruk, winning the game 5–4, and cutting the Hawks series lead to 3–2.
The series opened up at Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton, Alberta, and the Oilers took a 2–0 lead midway through the first period after goals by Glenn Anderson and Charlie Huddy.
In the third period, the Oilers continue to pummel the Black Hawks, as they took a lead of 11–1 after goals by Willy Lindstrom, Wayne Gretzky, Pat Hughes, and Glenn Anderson.
In the third, Jari Kurri scored midway through the period, followed by a Paul Coffey goal with just under five minutes left, giving Edmonton a 5–2 lead.
Then, Edmonton scored two empty net goals, one by Jari Kurri to complete the hat trick, and another by Glenn Anderson, as they won the game 7-3 and took a 2–0 series lead.
With the series shifting to Chicago for the third game, the Black Hawks took a 2–0 lead after the first period on goals by Jack O'Callahan and Steve Larmer.
Mark Messier scored for the Oilers early in the third period, cutting the Hawks lead to 3–2, however, Denis Savard scored four minutes later, followed by an empty net goal by Troy Murray, as the Black Hawks defeated the Oilers 5–2, cutting Edmonton's series lead to 2–1.
The Hawks Darryl Sutter and Ed Olczyk scored twice, giving Chicago a 2–1 lead, however, Mark Messier tied the game midway through the period.
Denis Savard regained the lead for Chicago on a goal with just under three minutes left in the period, however, Jaroslav Pouzar tied it up for Edmonton just 15 seconds later.
The Oilers continue to dominate in the third period, as they took a 10–4 lead after goals by Paul Coffey, Dave Hunter, and Lee Fogolin.
In the sixth game back in Chicago, the Oilers took a 2–0 lead into the first intermission after goals by Jari Kurri and Mark Messier.