Curse of Muldoon
Who is initiator of the curse?
What teams were affected?
The curse of Muldoon is the first misfortune in hockey popularized by the media. In 1927, the Chicago Black Hawks fired their coach Pete Muldoon after losing the playoff series to Boston Bruins. Muldoon perceived this decision too belligerently.
According to reporter Jim Coleman’s publication in 1943, Muldoon and Hawks’ owner Frederic McLaughlin had different views on the team’s potential to win the league or division. McLaughlin was sure that Black Hawks could get first place in the American Division, but Muldoon had an opposite thought. McLaughlin informed him about firing. Muldoon’s reaction was emotional. He ensured McLaughlin that the Black Hawks would never take first place.
McLaughlin posted the task to take first place in the division without regarding the price. Its value was higher than winning the Stanley Cup. The team gained two Stanleys while qualifying the playoffs from the second divisional place and lower. In 1967, the Chicago Black Hawks finally beat Curse of Muldoon, but lost the battle for Stanley Cup.