 McLaughlin named the new hockey team in honor of the military unit, making it one of many sports team names using Native Americans as icons.However, unlike the military division, the team's name was spelled in two words as the "Black Hawks" until 1986, when the club officially became the "Blackhawks," based on the spelling found in the original franchise documents.The Black Hawks began play in the 1926–27 season, along with fellow expansion franchises the Detroit Cougars (now the Detroit Red Wings) and New York Rangers.