CHICAGO — Blackhawks legend Bobby Hull, the team’s all-time leading scorer and a Stanley Cup champion, died Monday, according to the NHL Alumni Association. He was 84.
Known as “the Golden Jet” for his quick skates and flying blonde hair, Hull helped the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup in 1961. He played 15 seasons for the team between 1957-72 and scored 604 goals, according to the Blackhawks.
Hull was twice the MVP of the NHL All Star game in 1971 and 1973 and was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983.
Hull was known to sharpen his hockey stick with a blade and clocked his slapshot at a fearsome 118 mph, according to ESPN.
In a statement Monday, the Blackhawks called Hull a “superstar” who “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,” according to the team. “We send our deepest sympathies to the Hull family.”
Hull’s legacy on the ice long was marred by racist comments and allegations of domestic violence by two of his three wives.
In 1987, Hull was convicted of assaulting a police officer who broke up an argument between him and an ex-wife. An ESPN documentary from 2002 included comments from another ex-wife, who said Hull hit her head with a steel-toed shoe and held her over a balcony. Years later, Hull threatened her with a loaded shotgun, she said.
In 1998, Hull told The Moscow Times “Hitler had some good ideas” and the United States’ Black population was growing too fast. Hull later denied making the remarks, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Despite the scandals, the Blackhawks named Hull a team ambassador in 2008, making him a frequent fixture at games and with fans.
Hull and the Blackhawks “jointly agreed” he would retire from the post, according to the Sun-Times. The team said it’d be “redefining the role” after the deaths of other Blackhawks elder statesmen: Stan Mikita in 2018 and Tony Esposito in 2021.
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