Rest in peace Robert Marvin Hull, my long time friend. A hockey remembrance for an impactful player and a walking charitable contributor.

The hockey world loses one of the all-time greats with the passing of Bobby Hull. He was 84 years old. He was an incredible ambassador for hockey and the Chicago Black Hawks. He was one of the greatest players of all-time; he was a flawed man off the ice and he was my friend.

Rest in peace, Robert Marvin Hull, the Golden Jet.

(some of what's printed below was part of my birthday story on Bobby a year ago)

The NHL always has had a star, a player who was the face of the league. Bobby Hull was part of an elite group from the NHL's inception that includes players like Joe Malone, Howie Morenz, Eddie Shore, Rocket Richard, Gordie Howe, Jean Beliveau, Bobby Orr, Guy Lafleur, Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Jaroimir Jagr, Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid.

Hull sits on this list chronologically in between Beliveau and Orr but in many aspects he's a stand alone for his unreal marketability off the ice and his personal connection with countless 1000s of fans. In my opinion no player has signed more autographs or attended more events where he was equally as happy to sign a picture for the busboy cleaning tables as he was the CEO's sitting at the head table. A very unique man, an incredible spirit, a champion player and a long time friend. Today I mourn the passing of a man I always affectionately referred to as, Robert Marvin.

I first met Bobby Hull in 1993 when he came to the village of Manotick (Ontario) for an appearance at what is now the Creekside Restaurant. He was several hours late on a snowy weeknight, came in and immediately began signing autographs and posing for pictures. We got him a coffee figuring he wanted a little caffeine after a harrowing drive from Prescott but as he signed nonstop he looked up at me and asked, ‘got anything stronger?’ lol…Yessir Bobby, coming right up.

I’ve had the good pleasure to work a couple of dozen gigs with Bobby including last summer (2022) in Mill River, PEI. He was mostly wheelchair bound and his speech had slowed but his trademark smile and willingness to meet any and all fans in attendance for that phenomenal three day fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club was always present.

Bobby was a very accomplished speaker, he had much of the same comedic ability of his brother Dennis who is legendary in that regard. He readily and quickly would praise his former teammates, his peers and the players today and it was at one such event in Cornwall, Ontario more than fifteen years ago when he gave those assembled one of the greatest come-back lines to a friendly chirp from the crowd as he did a Hot Stove with me on stage. Let me set it up for you.

The late Dale Hawerchuk was in attendance at this event. I had already done my session with Dale and now it was Bobby’s turn. Dale and Bobby were the best of friends. Their relationship began back in Dale’s junior days in that very city, Cornwall, Ontario where one of Bobby’s sons, Bobby Junior was a teammate of Dale’s. Their friendship really ratcheted up after Dale was selected #1 in the NHL draft to the Winnipeg Jets in 1981. Nine years earlier in 1972 the massive PR show held at one of Canada’s legendary intersections, the corner of Portage and Main in Winnipeg, Manitoba featured Bobby Hull as he signed in the upstart WHA with the Winnipeg Jets lending instant and massive credibility to the league.

In 1981 it was Dale Hawerchuk’s turn as he was feted and signed with those same Winnipeg Jets albeit this time in the NHL and that forever linked these two Hall of Fame players. On this night in question Dale playfully chided and chirped Bobby as he went through his Q and A with me on stage. At one point Dale shifted his commentary taking a run at Bobby’s stats and the fact he had more goals than assists. There really isn’t much of a discrepancy but that didn’t matter to Dale and he was relentless including the defining moment when he somehow knew that for Bobby’s second Art Ross Trophy in 1962 he recorded fifty goals with thirty-four assists. ‘What the hell was that,’ he chimed out loud as the assembled laughed, Bobby included at the commentary between the two greats. Then Bobby responded.‘Mr. Hawerchuk….he drawled (Bobby routinely refers to players as Mr.) …….I only passed the puck…..to get in a better position… to get it back and drill it!’ Well folks, let me tell you, his timing and body language was impeccable as he responded to his longtime friend and the whole place just broke up in laughter. A classic

…Bobby's legacy as a player is well documented. As are his off-ice incidents. He did and said some things, some alleged, some misquotes-allegedly, some truths, that bring in many questions for some fans of his true character. I'm not going to discuss those on the day of his passing. I will say, if you're reading this and you are chagrined I've even mentioned one good thing about him and you want to discuss that further with me, simply reach out on any platform you're reading this and I'll have any discussion with you that you want.

Bobby Hull was a friend of mine for the past 30 years. I offer condolences to his family especially his brother Dennis who is equally a long time friend. RIP Golden Jet.

In honour of his famous #9 here are nine (plus) facts, stats, and anecdotes on Bobby Hull.

1) His first sweater number was 16 which is what he was wearing when he won his only Stanley Cup in 1961 with Chicago. He went to 7 in 1962/63 and the following season took 9 when Bronco Horvath was selected in the intra-league draft by the New York Rangers.

2) His first stat line in the NHL was a minor penalty he took on October 19, 1957 in a 3-1 Chicago loss to Montreal. That game was one of the first times he was actually shown on Hockey Night in Canada. Nine days earlier he appeared on HNIC when Chicago was also in Montreal however on this night the 19th, a Saturday, Rocket Richard scored career goal number 500. If you ever get a chance to watch the longer version of the highlight of this iconic goal you can see a blond, muscular Chicago player wearing number 16 skating through the top of the camera shot. Who could know he would later break the Rocket’s single season record for goals in 1966 and also surpass Rocket’s career mark of 544 in 1971.

3) Hull’s first NHL goal was scored unassisted against Boston and goalie Don Simmons in his seventh NHL game on October 22, 1957.

4) It’s well documented that Bobby finished second in Calder Trophy voting for rookie-of-the-year to Frank Mahovlich in 1957/58. He made up for that with three Art Ross Trophies including one year where he set the point record with 97 (1966) two Hart Trophies and a Lady Byng win in 1965 where his 32 penalty minutes are the 4th most of any former Byng winner following Billy Burch in 1927 (42) Frank Nighbor in 1926 (40) and Wayne Gretzky 1992 (34).Bobby also led the NHL in goals seven times in his first fifteen seasons, a mark only eclipsed by OV whose current total of 9 has been set in sixteen seasons.

5) Bobby’s record setting 51st goal of the season breaking the mark he previously shared with Boom Boom Geoffrion and the iconic Rocket Richard was scored on March 12, 1966 in the third period of a contest against the NY Rangers. The goalie was Caesar Maniago. Bill Hay and Lou Angotti who was actually on the bench by the time Hull scored drew the assists and the ovation from the 16,666 Hawk faithful in attendance was deafening and lengthy. Some say as long as 7 minutes which is up around the time of the ovation for Rocket Richard the last night of the Montreal Forum. Chicago went on to win the game 4-2.

Angotti would factor in another Hull milestone goal four years later. Bobby would score 54 goals that season and three seasons later up that mark to 58.

BTW, Bobby’s last goal ever in the NHL was scored fourteen years later to the day, March 12, 1980 when he was then with the Hartford Whalers in a game against the Detroit Red Wings and goalie Rogie Vachon. Dave Keon also scored in this contest with an assist from Gordie Howe and although they did not play on the same line in this game they did in one other contest making them the oldest line in NHL history-by far. Howe was 51, soon to be 52 year old, grandfather, Hull was 41 and Dave Keon was 39, ten days shy of 40.

6) Hull’s 500th career regular season goal was scored on February 21, 1970 against the NY Rangers and goalie Eddie Giacomin. Same opposing team as for his record setting 51st goal, same final score 4-2 Chicago and one of the same players assisted, Lou Angotti. Bill White drew the other assist.

Bobby’s 1000th point came later that year, the next season on December 12, 1970 in a 5-3 Chicago win over Minnesota. Bobby assisted a goal scored by his brother Dennis. Drawing the other assist was Stan Mikita. Isn’t that fantastic?

7) No North American player scored more goals on Russian goalie Vladislav Tretiak than Bobby Hull. His ten tallies were accomplished during the WHA Summit Series where he recorded seven and another goal, the game winner during the SF of the 1976 Canada Cup and finally two goals during a 4-game exhibition set vs the Soviets in 1977/78 when Bobby was a member of the Winnipeg Jets in the WHA.

His last NHL games were split in 1979/80 with the Winnipeg Jets and the aforementioned Hartford Whalers where he wore his original sweater number with Chicago, 16, obviously because Gordie Howe had 9. Hull had a tryout with the NY Rangers the following season but did not make the team and that was it, hockey was done.

9) Bobby and his brother Dennis remain the highest regular season goal scoring two-brothers in NHL history with 913 goals which ironically is the exact same number of regular season pro goals Bobby had NHL/WHA combined, 913. Bobby’s WHA total and Dennis’s NHL total were the exact same, 303.

“People ask me if I get tired of being interviewed or interrupted on my days off,” says Bobby, “and the answer is no. If people think enough of me to want to shake my hand or talk to me or interview me then time must be made for it.” Bobby Hull-1966.

pics-Liam and Bobby in Cornwall, 2003.

-From Mill River, PEI 2022. L-R Gerry Cheevers, Denis Potvin, Dennis Hull, Dennis Maruk, Bobby Hull, Liam Maguire.

-also from Mill River, Bobby sitting, Dennis Maruk, Grant Clitsome, Liam Magiure.