Legendary hockey player Bobby Hull has died aged 84.
During his professional hockey career, which spanned 23 years, Hull, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, successively wore the uniform of the Chicago Blackhawks, the Hartford Whalers and the Winnipeg Jets. .
The Blackhawks and the NHL Alumni Association confirmed his death Monday morning. The reactions were quick to come from all over the league, including that of the Montreal Canadiens.
“The Canadiens are saddened to learn of the death of the legendary Bobby Hull […]. A fierce competitor, natural scorer and hockey icon, Hull will be sorely missed. We send our condolences to his family, friends and former teammates,” the Montreal organization wrote on its official Twitter account.
In 1961, he helped the Hawks win their first Stanley Cup in 23 years. Moreover, it occupies the 55e rank in NHL scoring history with 610 goals and 560 assists. He also scored 303 goals and 335 assists in the World Hockey Association (WHA), for an impressive combined total of 913 goals in 1,474 career games.
By comparison, Wayne Gretzky has posted a combined 940 goals in 1,567 games — despite only playing 80 WHA games.
His 604 career goals with the Hawks remain a franchise record to this day.
“Hull is part of an exclusive group of players who have had an indelible impact on our hockey club,” the Blackhawks said in a statement. Generations of Chicagoans have been blown away by Bobby’s unique shot, remarkable skating ability and leadership. »
Hull was also the first player in NHL history to score more than 50 goals in a single season. He had set the mark of 54 in 1966, and surpassed it himself by four goals a few seasons later.
Along with his Hawks teammate Stan Mikita, he had popularized the use of the curved stick blade in the NHL. He would first dip the blade of the wooden stick in water, before slipping it under a door and letting it harden overnight. Hull’s slap shot, which sometimes reached 200 km/h, was then unstoppable for opposing goalkeepers.
The Big Hawks Family
His decision to join the Jets in 1972, then in the WHA, was the trigger that allowed the players to reverse the balance of power with the leaders of the NHL. It was also at this time that the salaries of players began to climb – even if the million dollars demanded by Hull, then an absolute record, may seem laughable today.
Both sides were at loggerheads then, but in 2011 a statue of Hull was erected alongside that of Mikita outside the United Center, the current home of the Blackhawks.
“I never thought in 100 years that I would be here with you tonight,” he said at the unveiling of the statue.
Hull had been hired by the Hawks as an ambassador in 2008, and he attended their Stanley Cup victory in 2010. It was their first since that of 1961.
The Illinois franchise had announced in February 2022 that Hull had retired from all official duties with the team by mutual agreement.
“Bobby Hull will always be one of the greatest players in Blackhawks history. He was an integral member of the extended Blackhawks family,” club owner Rocky Wirtz said in a statement.
“When I took over the organization following the death of my father in 2007, one of my priorities was to meet Bobby and convince him to return to a role as a team ambassador. His bond with our supporters was special and unique. »
Hull’s brother Dennis played most of his 14-season NHL career with the Hawks, and Bobby’s son Brett spent 19 campaigns on the Bettman Tour. Bobby and Brett each won the Hart Trophy as NHL Most Valuable Player, becoming the first father-son duo to accomplish this feat. Bobby received it in 1964-65 and 1965-66, while Brett got it in 1990-91.
With Jay Cohen, Associated Press