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CHICAGO When Bobby Hull got the puck, he was hard to stop. He had blistering speed, a hard shot and a lot of confidence.
Long before today’s biggest stars stepped onto the ice, The Golden Jet put on quite a show.
Hull, the Hall of Fame winger and two-time NHL MVP who helped the Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup in 1961, has died. He was 84.
TheBlackhawksandNHL Alumni Associationannounced the death of the two-time NHL MVP on Monday. Neither organization provided more detailed information.
The Blackhawks said Hull provided countless memories to our fans that he adored. Generations of Chicagoans were dazzled by Bobby’s shooting skills, skating skills and overall team leadership that resulted in 604 career goals, a franchise record that stands to this day. We send our deepest condolences to the Hull family.
Hull was one of the most prolific forwards in NHL history, scoring 610 goals during his 16-year career with Chicago, Hartford and Winnipeg. He was nicknamed The Golden Jet for his speed and blond hair. He also had 303 goals while playing for the Jets in the World Hockey Association for seven years.
Although Hull starred on the ice, he faced legal and family problems in his personal life.
Hull was convicted of assaulting a police officer who intervened in an argument with then-wife Deborah in 1986. He was also charged with assault, but the charge was dropped when Deborah told authorities she did not want to testify against her husband, the state attorney general said. Chicago Tribune.
Hulls’ second wife, Joanne, accused him of abuse in an interview with ESPN for a 2002 program.
A Russian newspaper reported in 1998 that Hull said Adolf Hitler had good ideas. Hull denied the comment and called it false and defamatory.
Hull was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983 and his No. 9 jersey was retired by the Blackhawks that year. He had been estranged from the team for some time before being named a Blackhawks ambassador in a ceremony with former teammate Stan Mikita in 2008. Hull and Mikita have side-by-side statues outside the United Center.
The franchise announced in February 2022 that Hull had withdrawn from all official team roles, calling it a mutual decision.
Bobby Hull will always be remembered as one of the greatest Blackhawks players of all time. He was a beloved member of the Blackhawks family, team owner Rocky Wirtz said in a statement.
When I took over the leadership of the organization after my father passed away in 2007, one of my first priorities was to meet with Bobby to convince him to return as a team ambassador. His connection to our fans was special and priceless.
Hulls’ brother Dennis played in Chicago for most of his 14 years in the league, and Bobby’s son Brett spent 19 years in the NHL. Bobby and Brett each won the Hart Trophy as league MVP, becoming the first father-son duo to accomplish the feat. Bobby won in 1964-65 and 1965-66, while Brett won in 1990-1991.
Bobby Hull helped the Blackhawks return to the top of the NHL after being one of the worst teams in the league for years prior to his debut in 1957-58. He had 13 goals and 34 assists in his first campaign with the team and finished second in the Calder Trophy for Rookie of the Year.
It was a steady climb from there. Hull posted 13 consecutive seasons of 30 goals or more between 1959 and 1972. He became a perennial fixture in the All-Star Game and a regular contender for the league’s top honors.
Hull and Mikita led Chicago to its third championship in 1961, defeating Montreal and Detroit in the playoffs. Hull had two goals and five assists as the Blackhawks knocked off the Red Wings in six games in the finals.
The Pointe Anne, Ontario native remains Chicago’s career leader in regular season and playoff goals. He is behind Mikita on the franchise scoring list with 1,153.
Hull left the Blackhawks after the 1971-72 season when Winnipeg selected him in the WHA draft. The Jets lured Hull away from the NHL with hockey’s first million-dollar contract, according to his life on the Hall of Fame website.
The NHL and WHA merged in 1979, and Hull played 27 games in his final season with Winnipeg and Hartford before retiring.
Hull had 560 assists in 1,063 regular season NHL games. In addition to two Hart Awards, he won the Art Ross Trophy for the league leader in scoring three times and won the 1965 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for athleticism combined with great play.
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