'The Golden Jet' Bobby Hull was the most feared goal scorer of the'60's and'70's and arguably the greatest left wing to ever play professional hockey. Along with teammate Stan Mikita, Hull made the Chicago Blackhawks one of the NHL's true offensive powerhouses. He and Mikita were the first NHL players to use curved stick blades, which made his already wicked slapshot even more difficult to stop. This was a very significant development in pro hockey, and now its rare to find a player that plays with the flat stick blade that was once commonplace before Hull and Mikita's revolutionary modification.
Hull was born and raised on a dairy farm near Belleville, Ontario. By his teenage years it was apparent that he was on a fast track to NHL stardom, and he joined the Chicago Blackhawks not long after his 18th birthday. He would finish second in the leagues rookie of the year balloting in his first season and within a couple of years would become one of the NHLs marquee superstars. By the third year in the league, he was already a fixture at the top of the goal and point scoring charts and would lead the Blackhawks to a Stanley Cup championship in'61.
Hull made history in'66 by becoming the first player to score more than 50 goals in a season. His 51st goal surpassed Montreal Canadiens' legends Bernie Boom Boom Geoffrion and Maurice Rocket Richard and earned him a 7 minute standing ovation from the home crowd at Chicago Stadium.
Hulls tenure with the Chicago Blackhawks ended in'72, when he jumped to the upstart World Hockey Association (WHA). Initially, Hulls response that he would jump ship for a million bucks was an offhanded joke but when the WHA ownership agreed to contribute to that sum thinking that it would provide instant credibility for the league it became a reality.
Hull would quickly resume his offensive onslaught in the upstart league for his new team, the Winnipeg Jets. He would lead the Jets to two league championship AVCO Cup victories and in'77 set a new professional hockey record with 77 goals in a season.
Hull suffered from knee trouble throughout his career, and it eventually forced his retirement from hockey in'79. He would play in a few games for the Whalers before calling it a career. With the exception of an abortive comeback attempt with the New York Rangers in'81 that was the end of his professional hockey career.
Hull's legacy lived on in flesh and blood with his third son, Brett Hull. The Hulls are the only father/son combination to ever score 50 goals in an NHL season and Brett will follow his father into the Hall of Fame this year.
Hull is still in good health and splits his time between Canada and Chicago, IL. He currently serves as a PR ambassador for the Blackhawks organization. He is expected to formally induct his son into the Hall of Fame at the ceremonies later this summer.
Hull was born and raised on a dairy farm near Belleville, Ontario. By his teenage years it was apparent that he was on a fast track to NHL stardom, and he joined the Chicago Blackhawks not long after his 18th birthday. He would finish second in the leagues rookie of the year balloting in his first season and within a couple of years would become one of the NHLs marquee superstars. By the third year in the league, he was already a fixture at the top of the goal and point scoring charts and would lead the Blackhawks to a Stanley Cup championship in'61.
Hull made history in'66 by becoming the first player to score more than 50 goals in a season. His 51st goal surpassed Montreal Canadiens' legends Bernie Boom Boom Geoffrion and Maurice Rocket Richard and earned him a 7 minute standing ovation from the home crowd at Chicago Stadium.
Hulls tenure with the Chicago Blackhawks ended in'72, when he jumped to the upstart World Hockey Association (WHA). Initially, Hulls response that he would jump ship for a million bucks was an offhanded joke but when the WHA ownership agreed to contribute to that sum thinking that it would provide instant credibility for the league it became a reality.
Hull would quickly resume his offensive onslaught in the upstart league for his new team, the Winnipeg Jets. He would lead the Jets to two league championship AVCO Cup victories and in'77 set a new professional hockey record with 77 goals in a season.
Hull suffered from knee trouble throughout his career, and it eventually forced his retirement from hockey in'79. He would play in a few games for the Whalers before calling it a career. With the exception of an abortive comeback attempt with the New York Rangers in'81 that was the end of his professional hockey career.
Hull's legacy lived on in flesh and blood with his third son, Brett Hull. The Hulls are the only father/son combination to ever score 50 goals in an NHL season and Brett will follow his father into the Hall of Fame this year.
Hull is still in good health and splits his time between Canada and Chicago, IL. He currently serves as a PR ambassador for the Blackhawks organization. He is expected to formally induct his son into the Hall of Fame at the ceremonies later this summer.
About the Author:
Ross Everett is a experienced freelance writer specializing in travel, casino gambling and NFL football handicapping. He is a staff handicapper for Anatta Sports where he is responsible for providing daily free sports picks. In his spare time he enjoys fine dining, flower arranging and scuba diving. He lives in Las Vegas with four dogs and a pet coyote.
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