Bobby Hull

Robert Marvin "Bobby" Hull Order of Canada (born January 3, 1939) is a retired 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 and blinding speed, 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 Blackhawks, Winnipeg Jets and Hartford Whalers.

Early Life
Hull was born in Belleville, Ontario, Canada. He played his minor hockey in Belleville, and then junior hockey 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.

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 would later switch to his famous number 9, a tribute to his childhood idol Gordie Howe. 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 most recent) 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 would make it one of hockey's most memorable signatures.

Although he was only 5'10" in stature, Bobby had a solid build (he grew up on a dairy farm) and his playing weight was 185 pounds. His electrifying style would make 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 NHLer 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. He would go on to score 54 goals that season, the highest single season total of the Original Six era, and led the league in goal scoring seven times in all in 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, only one fewer than every other player in history who had done so combined to that date.

His slapshot was once clocked at 118.3 mph (190.4 km/h) and he could skate 29.7 mph (47.8 km/h).

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 Association'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 would give 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 Cups 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 World Hockey Association 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.

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 Whalers for future considerations, and played effectively in nine games and three playoff games before retiring once more to care for his partner who had recently 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 1983, Hull was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. His #9 jersey has been retired both by the Blackhawks and the Jets (and is still honored by the Jets' successor team, the Phoenix Coyotes.)

The Hull Family


Bobby's younger brother Dennis (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 Blackhawks and Winnipeg Jets (now Phoenix Coyotes) and Brett's #16 was retired by the St. Louis Blues.

Bobby's other sons included: Bart Hull, a standout running back for the Boise State University Bronco's football team in the early 1990s, and briefly played with the British Columbia Lions prior to a recurring knee injury.

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 Ontario Hockey Association 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.

Awards and Achievements

 * Art Ross Trophy winner (1960, 1962, and 1966)
 * NHL First All-Star Team Left Wing (1960, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, and 1972)
 * Stanley Cup championship (1961)
 * NHL Second All-Star Team Left Wing (1963 and 1971)
 * Hart Memorial Trophy winner (1965 and 1966)
 * Lady Byng Memorial Trophy winner (1965)
 * Lester Patrick Trophy winner (1969)
 * Became third hockey player to appear on the cover of Time magazine
 * WHA 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 Fame 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 News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players, the highest-ranking left winger.
 * Upon playing his last playoff game in 1980, he and teammate Gordie Howe became the last active players that had played in the 1950s.
 * Honoured Member of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame

Records Once Held

 * Most career Goals by a Left Wing- 610, surpassed and currently held by Luc Robitaille- 668
 * Most career Points by a Left Wing- 1153, surpassed by Johnny Bucyk- 1369 and currently held by Luc Robitaille- 1394
 * Most career Goals with Chicago Blackhawks- 604
 * Most career Points with Chicago Blackhawks- 1153, surpassed and currently by Stan Mikita (1467).
 * Most Goals in a Season- 58 in 1968-69, surpassed by Phil Esposito (76 in 1970-71) and currently held by Wayne Gretzky (92 in 1981-82)
 * Most Points in a Season- 97 in 1965-66, surpassed by Phil Esposito (126 in 1968-69) and currently held by Wayne Gretzky (215 in 1985-86)
 * Most 50 Goal Seasons- 5 (1961-62, 1965-67, 1968-69, 1971-72), surpassed by Guy Lafleur- 6 (1974-80) and currently held by Mike Bossy- 9 (1977-86) and Wayne Gretzky- 9 (1979-87, 1988-89)
 * One of 3 players along with Gordie Howe and Wayne Gretzky to score 1000 professional Goals including the playoffs with 1018 (672 in the NHL and 346 in the WHA).
 * Fastest player in NHL history to score 500 Goals- 861 GP surpassed by Phil Esposito (803 GP) and currently held by Wayne Gretzky (575 GP)
 * Fastest player in NHL history to score 600 Goals- 1032 GP surpassed by Phil Esposito (1014 GP) and currently held by Wayne Gretzky (718 GP)
 * Fastest player in NHL history to score 1000 Points- 909 GP surpassed by Phil Esposito (745 GP) and currently held by Wayne Gretzky (424 GP)
 * Fastest player in NHL history to score 1100 Points- 991 GP surpassed by Phil Esposito (801 GP) and currently held by Wayne Gretzky (464 GP)
 * He was the youngest player in NHL history to score 300 goals (27 years, 13 days) until he was surpassed by Guy Lafleur (26 years, 181 days).
 * He was the youngest player in NHL history to score 400 goals (29 years, 4 days) until he was surpassed by Guy Lafleur (28 years, 176 days).
 * He was the youngest player in NHL history to score 500 goals (31 years, 49 days) until he was surpassed by Mike Bossy (28 years, 345 days).
 * He was the youngest player in NHL history to score 600 goals (33 years, 82 days) until he was surpassed by Wayne Gretzky (27 years, 302 days).
 * He was the youngest player in NHL history to score 200 points (21 years, 319 days) until he was surpassed by Bobby Orr (21 years, 304 days).
 * He was the youngest player in NHL history to score 300 points (23 years, 49 days) until he was surpassed by Bobby Orr (22 years, 268 days).
 * He was the youngest player in NHL history to score 600 points (27 years, 23 days) until he was surpassed by Bobby Orr  (24 years, 363 days).
 * He was the youngest player in NHL history to score 700 points (28 years, 61 days) until he was surpassed by Bobby Orr (25 years, 330 days).
 * He was the youngest player in NHL history to score 800 points (29 years, 298 days) until he was surpassed by Stan Mikita (29 years, 219 days).
 * He was the youngest player in NHL history to score 900 points (30 years, 327 days) until he was surpassed by Stan Mikita (30 years, 257 days).
 * He was the youngest player in NHL history to score 1000 points (31 years, 332 days) until he was surpassed by Marcel Dionne (29 years, 157 days).
 * He was the youngest player in NHL history to score 1100 points (32 years, 350 days) until he was surpassed by Phil Esposito (32 years, 305 days).