According to sources speaking to FOX3, Bobby Hull, the all-time top scorer in Blackhawks history, passed away on Monday morning at the age of 84.
There is now no indication as to what caused the death.
In 1983, Hull was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, and that same year, the Blackhawks retired his No. 9 jersey.
Hull was born in Point Anne, Ontario. In his third season, 1959–60, when he had 39 goals and 81 points, he became a star and never looked back. He scored more than 30 goals for 13 straight seasons and more than 50 goals five times, with a career high of 58 goals and 107 points in 1968-69.
Hull played 15 years for the Chicago Blackhawks, scoring 604 goals and getting 549 assists. In 2008, a ceremony with fellow Hall of Famer Stan Mikita named him a Blackhawks ambassador.
In 1961, he won the Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks.
But Hull’s history of bad behaviour off the ice, including many accusations of domestic abuse and racism, has long overshadowed his achievements on the ice.
In 1987, Hull was found guilty of hitting a police officer who tried to stop a fight between him and his then-wife Deborah. In a 2002 ESPN mini-documentary, his first wife, Joanne, talked about a fight where Hull hit her in the head with a steel-heeled shoe and then held her over a balcony in Hawaii.
In that documentary, Hull’s daughter Michelle, who became a lawyer for women who have been abused, talked about Hull’s history of drinking.
The Blackhawks released the following statement after Hull’s death: “The Chicago Blackhawks are saddened by the passing of Blackhawks legend Bobby Hull, a superstar for our franchise between 1957 and 1972. Hull is part of an elite group of players who made a historic impact on our hockey club. The Golden Jet helped the Blackhawks win the 1961 Stanley Cup and 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 that led to 604 career goals, a franchise record that remains to this day. We send our deepest sympathies to the Hull family.”
