Known as the "Golden Jet" because of his blond hair and his speed on the ice, Bobby Hull won the Stanley Cup in 1961 as part of the Blackhawks hockey team, where he remains the leading scorer ( 604 units).
"Generations of Chicago citizens have been blown away by Bobby's unique shot, remarkable skating and leadership qualities," the Blackhawks tweeted.
In 17 seasons, including fifteen with Chicago, the hockey icon played 1,063 games, scored 610 goals and made 560 assists, according to the official NHL website.
"In the prime of life, there was no such prolific goal scorer in all of hockey," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement referring to him as a "superstar."
“When Bobby Hull turned around to take a shot, fans across the NHL rose in anticipation and opposing goaltenders braced,” he added.
Bobby Hull twice won the trophy for best player of the season (MVP) in 1964-65 and 1965-66 and then another as the NHL's leading scorer.
He is also known for being the first in hockey history to sign a contract worth over a million dollars.
Off the ice, he was accused of domestic violence by several of his companions.
He was also convicted of assaulting a police officer who intervened in an argument with his wife in 1986.
In 1998, he came to prominence for his racist remarks after he told the Moscow Times that the black population of the United States was growing too quickly and that "Hitler had good ideas" but had "gone a little too far".
© 2023 AFP