Chicago Blackhawk legend Bobby Hull, “The Golden Jet,” has passed away, the NHL Alumni Association announced today.
The Blackhawks released this statement:
“The Chicago Blackhawks are saddened by the passing of Blackhawks legend Bobby Hull, a superstar for our franchise between 1957 and 1972. Hull is part of an elite group of players who made a historic impact on our hockey club. The Golden Jet helped the Blackhawks win the 1961 Stanley Cup and delivered countless memories to our fans, whom he adored. Generations of Chicagoans were dazzled by Bobby’s shooting prowess, skating skill and overall team leadership that led to 604 career goals, a franchise record that remains to this day. We send our deepest sympathies to the Hull family.”
Hull played 15 seasons in Chicago and is the franchise’s all-time leader in goals scored with 604. For eight of those seasons, he played alongside his brother Dennis, who scored 298 goals with the Blackhawks. He won back-to-back Hart Memorial Trophies as the league’s most valuable player in 1964-65 and 1965-66, when he won the NHL scoring title for the third time in his career.
Hull played alongside fellow Blackhawk great Stan Mikita, helping the team win the Stanley Cup in 1961, ending a 23-year drought.
Hull left the Blackhawks to play and coach for the Winnipeg Jets of the WHA in 1972, signing a 10-year, $1.75 million contract, the first $1 million contract in professional hockey.
Nicknamed “The Golden Jet” because of his remarkable skating speed and his blond hair, Hull mimicked Mikita’s curved stick and had one of the most fearsome slap shots in the league, once clocking in at 118 mph.
Hull was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983. His son Brett also is in the Hall of Fame, inducted in 2009 after a 19-season career in which he scored 741 goals. Bobby and Brett Hull are the only father and son to each win the Hart Memorial Trophy. They also were the only father and son named among the 100 Greatest NHL Players in 2017.
Hull was 84 years old.
