Bobby Hull
Encyclopedia
Robert Marvin "Bobby" Hull, OC
(born January 3, 1939) is a former Canadian ice hockey
player. He is regarded as one of the greatest ice hockey players of all time and perhaps the greatest left winger
to ever play the game. Hull was famous for his blonde hair, blinding skating speed, and having the hardest shot, earning him the nickname
"the Golden Jet". He possessed the most feared slapshot
of his day.
In his 23 years in the National Hockey League
and World Hockey Association
, he played for the Chicago Black Hawks
, Winnipeg Jets and Hartford Whalers
.
Hull was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame
in 1983.
(now part of Belleville
), Ontario
. He played his minor hockey in Belleville, and then Jr. 'B' hockey for the Woodstock Athletics in the fall of 1954. Although the Sarnia Legionnaires and the Waterloo Siskins
were the Jr. 'B' powerhouses of the 1950s, Hull threw a wrench into their domination, leading the Athletics to the 1955 Sutherland Cup
as all-Ontario champions. Later, he played for the Galt Black Hawks
and the St. Catharines Teepees
in the Ontario Hockey Association
, before joining the Chicago Black Hawks
in 1957 at the age of 18.
. By his third season, he led the league in goal- and point-scoring. He went on to lead the Chicago Black Hawks
to the Stanley Cup in 1961
—their third overall and first in 23 years. He and teammate Stan Mikita
were the most formidable forward duo of the Sixties, notorious for curving the blades of their sticks. Armed already with a blazing, heavy shot, his curved blade caused the puck to veer high and at all different angles. Hull's ability to harness the blade's unpredictability made it one of hockey's most memorable signatures.
Although he stood only 5'10", Bobby had a solid build and his playing weight was 185 pounds. His electrifying style made him one of hockey's first international superstars and arguably the NHL's marquee star of the Sixties.
On March 12, 1966, he became the first NHL
er to score more than 50 goals in a season, surpassing Maurice Richard
and Bernie Geoffrion
's hallowed mark of 50 goals. His 51st goal against the New York Rangers
earned him a seven-minute standing ovation from the Chicago Stadium
faithful. Hull eventually scored 54 goals that season, the highest single season total of the Original Six
era. He led the league in goal scoring seven times during the Sixties. Despite Hull breaking his own record by four goals in 1968–69, the Hawks missed the playoffs for the first time since his rookie season. By his final NHL season, he had scored 50 goals or more a remarkable five times. This was only one time less time than all other players combined.
His slapshot was once clocked at 118.3 mph (190.4 km/h) and he could skate 29.7 mph (47.8 km/h). During his drive to be the first to eclipse the 50 goal mark, Bobby's wrist shot
was claimed to be harder than his slapshot.
's Winnipeg Jets in 1972 by jesting that he'd jump to them for a million dollars, a sum then considered absurd. Gathering the other league owners together to contribute to the unprecedented amount on the grounds that inking such a major star gave instant credibility to the new rival league that was competing directly against the entrenched NHL, Jets' owner Ben Hatskin
agreed to the sum, and signed Hull for a contract worth $1,000,000 over ten years. Although his debut with Winnipeg was held up in litigation by the NHL, Hull instantly became the WHA's greatest star, and with Swedish linemates Anders Hedberg
and Ulf Nilsson formed one of the most formidable forward lines of the 1970s (known as "The Hot Line"), leading the Jets to two AVCO Cup
s during his time with the club. His best year was 1975, when he scored 77 goals to set a new professional mark.
Because he joined the rival league, Hull was not allowed to represent Team Canada in the 1972 Summit Series. However in 1974 he got his chance to play on the international stage when he suited up for the WHA
team representing Canada in a series against the USSR national team. The WHA lost the series four games to one (three ending in a tie), despite Hull's seven goals. He was a key member of the Canadian squad that won the 1976 Canada Cup
, though, scoring five goals in seven games.
for future considerations, and played effectively in nine games and three playoff games before retiring once more to care for his partner who had been injured in an automobile accident.
In September 1981, Hull attempted one final comeback with the New York Rangers
at age 42. However, it was a very brief attempt that only lasted five exhibition games before Hull and the Rangers both decided it was best to end the comeback. Hull had one goal, and one assist in those five games.
Hull ended his career having played in 1063 NHL games, accumulating 610 goals, 560 assists, 1170 points, 640 penalty minutes, three Art Ross Trophies
, two Hart Memorial Trophies
, a Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
, a Stanley Cup
Championship and adding 102 penalty minutes, 62 goals and 67 assists for 129 points in 119 playoff games. He played in 411 WHA games, scoring 303 goals, 335 assists and 638 points, adding 43 goals and 37 assists in 60 playoff games.
In 1978, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
. Beside his Hall of Fame induction, Hull's #9 jersey has been retired both by the Blackhawks and the Jets (and is still honored by the Jets' successor team, the Phoenix Coyotes
. When Bobby's son Brett Hull
joined the Coyotes, they unretired the number for Brett to wear during his brief stint there to honor his father.) Evander Kane
, who wears number 9 for the current Winnipeg Jets
franchise, sought and received Hull's permission to wear the number.
In 1998, Hull got involved in a controversy with the Russia
n media when he allegedly made pro-Nazi
comments. According to the Associated Press he was quoted as saying, “Hitler, for example, had some good ideas. He just went a little bit too far." He later claimed the interviewer misunderstood him in the translation. The incident was satirized by the Canadian mock news show This Hour Has 22 Minutes
. Host Rick Mercer
read a spot saying Hull has been misquoted, that he had actually said, "Sittler had some good ideas." The reference was to former National Hockey League star Darryl Sittler
.
In 2003, he was named the figurehead commissioner of a new World Hockey Association
, intended to operate during the NHL lockout in 2004-05; it never entered play, and the organization subsequently ran several ephemeral low-minor league and unsanctioned Tier II junior leagues. He currently serves as an ambassador for the Blackhawks' organization.
(nicknamed "the Silver Jet"), starred alongside him with the Chicago Black Hawks for eight seasons, scoring over 300 goals in his own right. Some commentators often wondered whether Bobby or Dennis had the harder shot. When Bobby was excluded from the 1972 Summit Series because he played in the WHA, Dennis initially planned to boycott the event as well as a show of support for his brother, but Bobby persuaded him to stay on Team Canada.
Bobby's third youngest son, Brett Hull
(the "Golden Brett"), was a more glittering star yet, finishing his own illustrious career with the third-highest goal total in NHL history. Bobby and Brett are the only father-and-son tandem to achieve the marks of more than 50 goals in a season and more than 600 NHL goals. They are also the only father-and-son tandem to win the Hart Trophy and Lady Byng Trophy. While playing for the Phoenix Coyotes (formerly the Winnipeg Jets) in 2005, Brett donned his father's retired #9 for the last five games of his career. Bobby and Brett are the only father and son combination in any professional sport to both have their numbers retired. Bobby's #9 was retired by the Chicago Black Hawks and Winnipeg Jets (now Phoenix Coyotes) and Brett's #16 was retired by the St. Louis Blues.
Bobby's other sons were Bobby, Blake, and Bart. Bart was a standout running back for the Boise State University
Bronco's football
team in the late eighties and 1990, and played with Ottawa Rough Riders
, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
and Saskatchewan Roughriders
in the CFL as well as one season of professional indoor football prior to recurring injuries. Post football, he played professional hockey with the Idaho Steelheads.
Bobby Jr. and Blake both played junior and senior hockey. Bobby won the Memorial Cup
with the 1980 Cornwall Royals
. Later, they played together for the Allan Cup
-winning Brantford Mott's Clamatos of the OHA Senior A Hockey League
(AAA Men's Amateur) in 1987. Bobby Jr. also possessed a powerful shot, but lacked the scoring touch of his father and brother Brett.
Hull's daughter, and youngest child, Michelle, was an accomplished figure skater becoming British Columbia Pre-Novice Champion at the age of 11. After many knee injuries, she concentrated on her schooling and is now an attorney licensed in two states.
Hull's marriage to Joanne McKay ended in divorce in 1980 after several abusive incidents. In 1986, he was accused by Deborah, his third wife, of assault and battery. She eventually dropped the charges.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(born January 3, 1939) is a former Canadian ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player. He is regarded as one of the greatest ice hockey players of all time and perhaps the greatest left winger
Winger (ice hockey)
Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink...
to ever play the game. Hull was famous for his blonde hair, blinding skating speed, and having the hardest shot, earning him the nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
"the Golden Jet". He possessed the most feared slapshot
Slapshot
A slapshot in ice hockey is the hardest shot. It has four stages which are executed in one fluid motion:# The player winds up his hockey stick by raising it behind his body, sometimes raising the blade to shoulder height or higher.# Next the player violently "slaps" the ice slightly behind the...
of his day.
In his 23 years in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
and World Hockey Association
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
, he played for the Chicago Black Hawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
, Winnipeg Jets and Hartford Whalers
Hartford Whalers
The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A.. The club played in the World Hockey Association from 1972–79 and in the National Hockey League from 1979–97...
.
Hull was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
in 1983.
Early life
Hull was born in Pointe AnnePointe Anne, Ontario
Point Anne is a ghost town on the Bay of Quinte near Belleville, Ontario, Canada. It was the birthplace of hockey greats Bobby Hull and Dennis Hull....
(now part of Belleville
Belleville, Ontario
Belleville is a city located at the mouth of the Moira River on the Bay of Quinte in Southern Ontario, Canada, in the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor. It is the seat of Hastings County, but is politically independent of it. and the centre of the Bay of Quinte Region...
), Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. He played his minor hockey in Belleville, and then Jr. 'B' hockey for the Woodstock Athletics in the fall of 1954. Although the Sarnia Legionnaires and the Waterloo Siskins
Waterloo Siskins
The Waterloo Siskins are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Mid-Western division of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.-History:...
were the Jr. 'B' powerhouses of the 1950s, Hull threw a wrench into their domination, leading the Athletics to the 1955 Sutherland Cup
Sutherland Cup
The Sutherland Cup is the ice hockey Ontario Junior "B" Provincial Championship trophy. The Sutherland Cup is now the championship trophy of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. Until 2007, the Cup served as an interleague provincial championship...
as all-Ontario champions. Later, he played for the Galt Black Hawks
Galt Black Hawks
The Galt Black Hawks were a junior ice hockey team based in Galt, Ontario, now a part of the city of Cambridge. They played in the Ontario Hockey Association from 1949 to 1955 and were operated as an affiliate of the Chicago Black Hawks...
and the St. Catharines Teepees
St. Catharines Teepees
The St. Catharines Teepees were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association from 1947 to 1962. The team was based in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.-History:...
in the Ontario Hockey Association
Ontario Hockey Association
The Ontario Hockey Association is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Other Ontario sanctioning bodies along with the...
, before joining the Chicago Black Hawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
in 1957 at the age of 18.
NHL career
Hull quickly blossomed into a star, finishing second in the rookie of the year balloting his first season. Hull originally wore numbers 16 and 7 as a Blackhawk but later switched to his famous number 9, a tribute to his childhood idol Gordie HoweGordie Howe
Gordon "Gordie" Howe, OC is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player who played for the Detroit Red Wings and Hartford Whalers of the National Hockey League , and the Houston Aeros and New England Whalers in the World Hockey Association . Howe is often referred to as Mr...
. By his third season, he led the league in goal- and point-scoring. He went on to lead the Chicago Black Hawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
to the Stanley Cup in 1961
1961 Stanley Cup Finals
The 1961 Stanley Cup Final was contested by the Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Blackhawks. Chicago was making its first appearance since in the Final, and Detroit, their first appearance since . The Blackhawks would win the best-of-seven series four games to two to win their third Stanley Cup,...
—their third overall and first in 23 years. He and teammate Stan Mikita
Stan Mikita
Stanislav "Stan" Mikita , is a Slovak-born Canadian retired professional ice hockey player, generally regarded as the best centre of the 1960s. In 1961, he won the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks, with whom he played his entire career.-Early life:Mikita was born in Sokolče, Slovak Republic...
were the most formidable forward duo of the Sixties, notorious for curving the blades of their sticks. Armed already with a blazing, heavy shot, his curved blade caused the puck to veer high and at all different angles. Hull's ability to harness the blade's unpredictability made it one of hockey's most memorable signatures.
Although he stood only 5'10", Bobby had a solid build and his playing weight was 185 pounds. His electrifying style made him one of hockey's first international superstars and arguably the NHL's marquee star of the Sixties.
On March 12, 1966, he became the first NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
er to score more than 50 goals in a season, surpassing Maurice Richard
Maurice Richard
Joseph Henri Maurice "the Rocket" Richard, Sr., was a French-Canadian professional ice hockey player who played for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League from 1942 to 1960. The "Rocket" was the most prolific goal-scorer of his era, the first to achieve the feat of 50 goals in 50...
and Bernie Geoffrion
Bernie Geoffrion
Joseph André Bernard Geoffrion , nicknamed Boom Boom, was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach. Generally considered as one of the innovators of the slapshot, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1972 following a 16-year career with the Montreal Canadiens and New York...
's hallowed mark of 50 goals. His 51st goal against the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
earned him a seven-minute standing ovation from the Chicago Stadium
Chicago Stadium
The Chicago Stadium was an indoor sports arena and theater in Chicago. It opened in 1929, and closed in 1994.-History:The Stadium hosted the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL from 1929–1994 and the Chicago Bulls of the NBA from 1967–1994....
faithful. Hull eventually scored 54 goals that season, the highest single season total of the Original Six
Original Six
The Original Six is a term for the group of six teams that composed the National Hockey League for the 25 seasons between the 1942–43 season and the 1967 NHL Expansion. These six teams are the Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and the...
era. He led the league in goal scoring seven times during the Sixties. Despite Hull breaking his own record by four goals in 1968–69, the Hawks missed the playoffs for the first time since his rookie season. By his final NHL season, he had scored 50 goals or more a remarkable five times. This was only one time less time than all other players combined.
His slapshot was once clocked at 118.3 mph (190.4 km/h) and he could skate 29.7 mph (47.8 km/h). During his drive to be the first to eclipse the 50 goal mark, Bobby's wrist shot
Wrist shot
A wrist shot is a type of ice hockey shot that involves using arm muscles to propel a puck forward from the concave side of the blade of a hockey stick. Generally, when the puck is shot in a similar manner using the convex side of the blade, it is referred to as a backhand shot...
was claimed to be harder than his slapshot.
WHA career
Long unhappy because of his relatively poor salary in the period when he was hockey's preeminent superstar, Hull responded to overtures from the upstart World Hockey AssociationWorld Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
's Winnipeg Jets in 1972 by jesting that he'd jump to them for a million dollars, a sum then considered absurd. Gathering the other league owners together to contribute to the unprecedented amount on the grounds that inking such a major star gave instant credibility to the new rival league that was competing directly against the entrenched NHL, Jets' owner Ben Hatskin
Ben Hatskin
Benjamin Hatskin was a Canadian businessman and the founder of the Winnipeg Jets.-Early life and education:...
agreed to the sum, and signed Hull for a contract worth $1,000,000 over ten years. Although his debut with Winnipeg was held up in litigation by the NHL, Hull instantly became the WHA's greatest star, and with Swedish linemates Anders Hedberg
Anders Hedberg
Anders Hedberg is a retired former professional ice hockey player who was one of the first European-born players to make an impact in North America...
and Ulf Nilsson formed one of the most formidable forward lines of the 1970s (known as "The Hot Line"), leading the Jets to two AVCO Cup
Avco World Trophy
The Avco World Trophy, also known as the Avco Cup, was the championship trophy of the original World Hockey Association . The trophy's naming rights were sold to the former Avco Corporation , a defense contractor who bought the rights to advertise their consumer finance division...
s during his time with the club. His best year was 1975, when he scored 77 goals to set a new professional mark.
Because he joined the rival league, Hull was not allowed to represent Team Canada in the 1972 Summit Series. However in 1974 he got his chance to play on the international stage when he suited up for the WHA
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
team representing Canada in a series against the USSR national team. The WHA lost the series four games to one (three ending in a tie), despite Hull's seven goals. He was a key member of the Canadian squad that won the 1976 Canada Cup
Canada Cup (ice hockey)
The Canada Cup was an invitational international ice hockey tournament held on five occasions between 1976 and 1991. The tournament was created to meet demand for a true world championship that allowed the best players from participating nations to compete regardless of their status as professional...
, though, scoring five goals in seven games.
Retirement
Slowed by injuries and age, Hull played only a few games in the WHA's final season of 1979. However, after the 1979 merger of the two leagues (including the Jets) and reportedly in financial straits, Hull came out of retirement to play once more for the NHL Jets. He played in eighteen games before being traded to the Hartford WhalersHartford Whalers
The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A.. The club played in the World Hockey Association from 1972–79 and in the National Hockey League from 1979–97...
for future considerations, and played effectively in nine games and three playoff games before retiring once more to care for his partner who had been injured in an automobile accident.
In September 1981, Hull attempted one final comeback with the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
at age 42. However, it was a very brief attempt that only lasted five exhibition games before Hull and the Rangers both decided it was best to end the comeback. Hull had one goal, and one assist in those five games.
Hull ended his career having played in 1063 NHL games, accumulating 610 goals, 560 assists, 1170 points, 640 penalty minutes, three Art Ross Trophies
Art Ross Trophy
The Art Ross Trophy is awarded to the National Hockey League player who leads the league in scoring points at the end of the regular season. It was presented to the NHL by former player, general manager, and head coach Art Ross. The trophy has been awarded 61 times to 25 players since its inception...
, two Hart Memorial Trophies
Hart Memorial Trophy
The Hart Memorial Trophy, originally known as the Hart Trophy, the "oldest and most prestigious individual award in hockey", is awarded annually to the "player adjudged most valuable to his team" in the National Hockey League . The Hart Memorial Trophy has been awarded 86 times to 53 different...
, a Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, formerly known as the Lady Byng Trophy, is presented each year to the National Hockey League "player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability"...
, a Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
Championship and adding 102 penalty minutes, 62 goals and 67 assists for 129 points in 119 playoff games. He played in 411 WHA games, scoring 303 goals, 335 assists and 638 points, adding 43 goals and 37 assists in 60 playoff games.
In 1978, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
. Beside his Hall of Fame induction, Hull's #9 jersey has been retired both by the Blackhawks and the Jets (and is still honored by the Jets' successor team, the Phoenix Coyotes
Phoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
. When Bobby's son Brett Hull
Brett Hull
Brett Andrew Hull is a former Canadian-American NHL player and the former Executive Vice President of the Dallas Stars. He is the son of Bobby Hull and nephew of Dennis Hull, both former NHL players. Hull is also known as "The Golden Brett," which is a play off of his father's nickname, "The...
joined the Coyotes, they unretired the number for Brett to wear during his brief stint there to honor his father.) Evander Kane
Evander Kane
Evander Kane is a Canadian professional ice hockey left wing with the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League . Selected fourth overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by the Thrashers, he was drafted from the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League .During his major junior career, he won...
, who wears number 9 for the current Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets were a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. They began play in the World Hockey Association in 1972, moving to the National Hockey League in 1979 following the collapse of the WHA...
franchise, sought and received Hull's permission to wear the number.
In 1998, Hull got involved in a controversy with the Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n media when he allegedly made pro-Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
comments. According to the Associated Press he was quoted as saying, “Hitler, for example, had some good ideas. He just went a little bit too far." He later claimed the interviewer misunderstood him in the translation. The incident was satirized by the Canadian mock news show This Hour Has 22 Minutes
This Hour Has 22 Minutes
This Hour Has 22 Minutes is a weekly Canadian television comedy that airs on CBC Television. Launched in 1993 during Canada's 35th general election, the show focuses on Canadian politics, combining news parody, sketch comedy and satirical editorials...
. Host Rick Mercer
Rick Mercer
Richard Vincent "Rick" Mercer is a Canadian comedian, television personality, political satirist, and blogger.Mercer first came to national attention in 1990, when he premiered his one man show Show Me the Button, I'll Push It, or Charles Lynch Must Die at the Great Canadian Theatre Company in...
read a spot saying Hull has been misquoted, that he had actually said, "Sittler had some good ideas." The reference was to former National Hockey League star Darryl Sittler
Darryl Sittler
Darryl Glen Sittler is a retired professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League from 1970 until 1985 for the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Philadelphia Flyers and the Detroit Red Wings. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1989.On February 7, 1976, Sittler set an NHL...
.
In 2003, he was named the figurehead commissioner of a new World Hockey Association
World Hockey Association (proposed)
The World Hockey Association was a proposed professional hockey league intended to compete with the established National Hockey League during the 2004–05 NHL lockout...
, intended to operate during the NHL lockout in 2004-05; it never entered play, and the organization subsequently ran several ephemeral low-minor league and unsanctioned Tier II junior leagues. He currently serves as an ambassador for the Blackhawks' organization.
The Hull family
Bobby's younger brother DennisDennis Hull
Dennis William Hull is a retired professional ice hockey left winger, most notably for the Chicago Black Hawks of the National Hockey League...
(nicknamed "the Silver Jet"), starred alongside him with the Chicago Black Hawks for eight seasons, scoring over 300 goals in his own right. Some commentators often wondered whether Bobby or Dennis had the harder shot. When Bobby was excluded from the 1972 Summit Series because he played in the WHA, Dennis initially planned to boycott the event as well as a show of support for his brother, but Bobby persuaded him to stay on Team Canada.
Bobby's third youngest son, Brett Hull
Brett Hull
Brett Andrew Hull is a former Canadian-American NHL player and the former Executive Vice President of the Dallas Stars. He is the son of Bobby Hull and nephew of Dennis Hull, both former NHL players. Hull is also known as "The Golden Brett," which is a play off of his father's nickname, "The...
(the "Golden Brett"), was a more glittering star yet, finishing his own illustrious career with the third-highest goal total in NHL history. Bobby and Brett are the only father-and-son tandem to achieve the marks of more than 50 goals in a season and more than 600 NHL goals. They are also the only father-and-son tandem to win the Hart Trophy and Lady Byng Trophy. While playing for the Phoenix Coyotes (formerly the Winnipeg Jets) in 2005, Brett donned his father's retired #9 for the last five games of his career. Bobby and Brett are the only father and son combination in any professional sport to both have their numbers retired. Bobby's #9 was retired by the Chicago Black Hawks and Winnipeg Jets (now Phoenix Coyotes) and Brett's #16 was retired by the St. Louis Blues.
Bobby's other sons were Bobby, Blake, and Bart. Bart was a standout running back for the Boise State University
Boise State University
Boise State University is a public university located in Boise, Idaho. Originally founded in 1932 as a junior college by the Episcopal Church, the university became an independent institution in 1934, and has been awarding baccalaureate and master degrees since 1965...
Bronco's football
Boise State Broncos football
This page discusses the Boise State football program. For more Boise State athletics, see Boise State Broncos.The Boise State Broncos football program represents Boise State University in college football and compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I as a member of the Mountain West...
team in the late eighties and 1990, and played with Ottawa Rough Riders
Ottawa Rough Riders
The Ottawa Rough Riders were a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario, founded in 1876. One of the oldest and longest lived professional sports teams in North America, the Rough Riders won the Grey Cup championship nine times. Their most dominant era was the 1960s and 1970s, a...
, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
and Saskatchewan Roughriders
Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...
in the CFL as well as one season of professional indoor football prior to recurring injuries. Post football, he played professional hockey with the Idaho Steelheads.
Bobby Jr. and Blake both played junior and senior hockey. Bobby won the Memorial Cup
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major...
with the 1980 Cornwall Royals
Cornwall Royals
The Cornwall Royals were a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 1969 to 1981 and the Ontario Hockey League from 1981 to 1992. This team should not be confused with other Cornwall Royals teams that played in the QSHL, MMJHL, or OHA-B.-History:From 1961 until 1969, the...
. Later, they played together for the Allan Cup
Allan Cup
The Allan Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the national senior amateur men’s ice hockey champions of Canada. It has been competed for since 1909. The current champion is the Clarenville Caribous hockey club of Newfoundland and Labrador.-History:...
-winning Brantford Mott's Clamatos of the OHA Senior A Hockey League
OHA Senior A Hockey League
The OHA Senior A Hockey League was a top tier Canadian Senior ice hockey league in Ontario from 1975 until 1987. The league was sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association and the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association and competed for the Allan Cup.-History:...
(AAA Men's Amateur) in 1987. Bobby Jr. also possessed a powerful shot, but lacked the scoring touch of his father and brother Brett.
Hull's daughter, and youngest child, Michelle, was an accomplished figure skater becoming British Columbia Pre-Novice Champion at the age of 11. After many knee injuries, she concentrated on her schooling and is now an attorney licensed in two states.
Hull's marriage to Joanne McKay ended in divorce in 1980 after several abusive incidents. In 1986, he was accused by Deborah, his third wife, of assault and battery. She eventually dropped the charges.
Awards and achievements
- Art Ross TrophyArt Ross TrophyThe Art Ross Trophy is awarded to the National Hockey League player who leads the league in scoring points at the end of the regular season. It was presented to the NHL by former player, general manager, and head coach Art Ross. The trophy has been awarded 61 times to 25 players since its inception...
winner (1960, 1962, and 1966) - NHLNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
First All-Star Team Left Wing (1960, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, and 1972) - Stanley CupStanley CupThe Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
championship (1961) - NHLNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
Second All-Star Team Left Wing (1963 and 1971) - Hart Memorial TrophyHart Memorial TrophyThe Hart Memorial Trophy, originally known as the Hart Trophy, the "oldest and most prestigious individual award in hockey", is awarded annually to the "player adjudged most valuable to his team" in the National Hockey League . The Hart Memorial Trophy has been awarded 86 times to 53 different...
winner (1965 and 1966) - Lady Byng Memorial TrophyLady Byng Memorial TrophyThe Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, formerly known as the Lady Byng Trophy, is presented each year to the National Hockey League "player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability"...
winner (1965) - Lester Patrick TrophyLester Patrick TrophyThe Lester Patrick Trophy has been presented by the National Hockey League and USA Hockey since 1966 to honor a recipient's contribution to ice hockey in the United States. It is considered a non-NHL trophy because it may be awarded to players, coaches, officials, and other personnel outside the NHL...
winner (1969) - Became third hockey player to appear on the cover of Time magazine
- WHAWorld Hockey AssociationThe World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
First All-Star Team (1973, 1974, and 1975) - WHA Second All-Star Team (1976 and 1978)
- WHA Most Valuable Player (1973 and 1975)
- Avco Cup (WHA) Championships (1976, 1978, and 1979)
- Inducted into the Hockey Hall of FameHockey Hall of FameThe Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
in 1983 - Retired as the second leading goal scorer and ninth leading point scorer in NHL history (currently 12th and 43rd respectively).
- Second in WHA history in goals, sixth in assists and third in points.
- In 1998, he was ranked number 8 on The Hockey NewsThe Hockey NewsThe Hockey News, commonly abbreviated to THN, is a North American ice hockey magazine published by Transcontinental. The Hockey News was founded in 1947 by Ken McKenzie and Bill Côté, and has since been the most recognized hockey publication in North America...
list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players, the highest-ranking left winger. - Upon playing his last playoff game in 1980, he and teammate Gordie HoweGordie HoweGordon "Gordie" Howe, OC is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player who played for the Detroit Red Wings and Hartford Whalers of the National Hockey League , and the Houston Aeros and New England Whalers in the World Hockey Association . Howe is often referred to as Mr...
became the last active players that had played in the 1950s. - “Honoured Member” of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of FameManitoba Hockey Hall of FameThe Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame and Museum was established in 1985 when the first honoured members were named and plaques were erected in their honour. The first group of inductees was large in order to recognize the accomplishments of Manitoba players, coaches, builders and teams at the...
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1954–55 | St. Catharines Teepees St. Catharines Teepees The St. Catharines Teepees were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association from 1947 to 1962. The team was based in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.-History:... |
OHA Ontario Hockey Association The Ontario Hockey Association is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Other Ontario sanctioning bodies along with the... |
6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1955–56 | St. Catharines Teepees | OHA | 48 | 11 | 7 | 18 | 79 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 9 | ||
| 1956–57 | St. Catharines Teepees | OHA | 52 | 33 | 28 | 61 | 95 | 13 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 24 | ||
| 1957–58 | Chicago Black Hawks Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
70 | 13 | 34 | 47 | 62 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1958–59 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 70 | 18 | 32 | 50 | 50 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 1959–60 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 70 | 39 | 42 | 81 | 68 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1960–61 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 67 | 31 | 25 | 56 | 43 | 12 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 4 | ||
| 1961–62 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 70 | 50 | 34 | 84 | 35 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 12 | ||
| 1962–63 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 65 | 31 | 31 | 62 | 27 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 10 | 4 | ||
| 1963–64 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 70 | 43 | 44 | 87 | 50 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 2 | ||
| 1964–65 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 61 | 39 | 32 | 71 | 32 | 14 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 27 | ||
| 1965–66 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 65 | 54 | 43 | 97 | 70 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 10 | ||
| 1966–67 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 66 | 52 | 28 | 80 | 52 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 0 | ||
| 1967–68 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 71 | 44 | 31 | 75 | 39 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 15 | ||
| 1968–69 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 74 | 58 | 49 | 107 | 48 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1969–70 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 61 | 38 | 29 | 67 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 2 | ||
| 1970–71 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 78 | 44 | 52 | 96 | 32 | 18 | 11 | 14 | 25 | 16 | ||
| 1971–72 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 78 | 50 | 43 | 93 | 24 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 6 | ||
| 1972–73 | Winnipeg Jets | WHA World Hockey Association The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926... |
63 | 51 | 52 | 103 | 37 | 14 | 9 | 16 | 25 | 16 | ||
| 1973–74 | Winnipeg Jets | WHA | 75 | 53 | 42 | 95 | 38 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 1974–75 | Winnipeg Jets | WHA | 78 | 77 | 65 | 142 | 41 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1975–76 | Winnipeg Jets | WHA | 80 | 53 | 70 | 123 | 30 | 13 | 12 | 8 | 20 | 4 | ||
| 1976–77 | Winnipeg Jets | WHA | 34 | 21 | 32 | 53 | 14 | 20 | 13 | 9 | 22 | 2 | ||
| 1977–78 | Winnipeg Jets | WHA | 77 | 46 | 71 | 117 | 23 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 11 | 12 | ||
| 1978–79 | Winnipeg Jets | WHA | 4 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1979–80 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 18 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1979–80 | Hartford Whalers Hartford Whalers The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A.. The club played in the World Hockey Association from 1972–79 and in the National Hockey League from 1979–97... |
NHL | 9 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| NHL totals | 1063 | 610 | 560 | 1,170 | 640 | 119 | 62 | 67 | 129 | 102 | ||||
| WHA totals | 411 | 303 | 335 | 638 | 183 | 60 | 43 | 37 | 80 | 38 | ||||
See also
- List of members of the Hockey Hall of Fame
- Hockey Hall of FameHockey Hall of FameThe Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
- List of NHL statistical leaders
- Brett HullBrett HullBrett Andrew Hull is a former Canadian-American NHL player and the former Executive Vice President of the Dallas Stars. He is the son of Bobby Hull and nephew of Dennis Hull, both former NHL players. Hull is also known as "The Golden Brett," which is a play off of his father's nickname, "The...
- Dennis HullDennis HullDennis William Hull is a retired professional ice hockey left winger, most notably for the Chicago Black Hawks of the National Hockey League...
- Notable families in the NHL
- List of NHL players with 1000 points
- List of NHL players with 500 goals
- List of NHL players with 1000 games played