The NHL Alumni Association has confirmed that Hall of Fame player Bobby Hull has died at the age of 84.
The legendary Chicago Blackhawks star played 1,036 games in the league and was arguably the most popular player in the NHL during his prime. A natural goal scorer, he won the Art Ross Trophy three times as the league’s top offensive player, and took home the Hart Trophy as league MVP in 1965.
In 1972, a second career, this time in the WHA, followed. Hull would be named MVP in that league twice, scoring 303 goals in 411 games for the Winnipeg Jets. When the Jets joined the NHL he would make a short return at the age of 41, and finished his career playing with the Hartford Whalers alongside legends like Gordie Howe and Dave Keon.
As a player, there were few better in the history of the game. Hull is one of just 20 players to score 600 goals in the NHL, and is second all-time in the WHA. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983.
That legacy as a player, though, is not all he will be remembered for. In 1986 he was convicted of assaulting a police officer during a domestic dispute with his wife. His second wife accused him of abuse years later. Last year, the Blackhawks removed Hull as a team ambassador.
Probably heart or liver.
His slap shot was legendary and surprised he didn’t injure any goalies with it. Was a true NHL superstar who was instrumental in giving the WHA credibility and is partially responsible for the salaries in Hockey today. RIP Mr Hull you will be missed
RIP Old Time Hockey.
No Bobby Hull, no WHA survival to the NHL and so 4 cities owe gratitude to the Golden Jet for their franchises (Phoenix, Carolina, Colorado and Edmonton). Flawed person but great player.RIP.
What a great player but yes, he did have issues.
It was majestic watching him gather speed, his blonde locks flowing as he carried the puck up ice ready to assault a no mask goaltender with his blur of a slap shot.
RIP, Bobby. You will be missed by many. Thanks for the great memories.
Makes me wonder if he had CTE issues. One of the greatest hockey players of all time but the way they played back in the day you have to wonder if many hockey players didn’t suffer from CTE.
Loved watching him and his brother Dennis and those Blackhawks of yesteryear!
@MacD—I had thought about that, too. They really took the idea of “rough and tumble” to a level rivaling the NFL, and the NFL’s clothesline tackles and the like. A few years ago, I had the TV on WGN for a baseball game, and Bobby visited the guys in the booth. They took a minute or so to talk about the ‘Hawks, and, unfortunately, Bobby had a momentary lapse trying to remember a player that was on the rise. That player was Brandon Saad. What pained me the most, in the moment, was seeing one of the baseball guys get the name before Bobby. While this wasn’t proof of CTE, it did worry me when it happened. John and Troy used to have fun using the old line that Bobby could put the puck through one side of the barn and out the other, but Dennis couldn’t hit the barn. Another night, they were at a stoppage in the game and showed both Bobby and Dennis on the big screen, doing their thing as ambassadors. Troy says something like, “Well, there’s Dennis & Bobby. It looks like Bobby’s got the old hairpiece working tonight!” I always wondered if that got back to #9.
The hockey world mourns the loss and sends condolences to the Hull family.
Check out the Deadspin article on Hulls’ passing. The author takes no prisoners.
@cubfanforever—That’s a huge understatement, right there. The author has a major axe to grind, sending a tone that would have less informed people think Bobby was akin to a Commie Dictator who had committed genocide for the last 50 years. I doubt that guy feels the same way about “Hanoi Jane.” Bobby made big time mistakes in his personal life, but still stood by his principles, even when many disagreed with those decisions. Unfortunately, that alienated him with many in the media and some fans.
RIP, Golden Jet.