Hockey Trivia: Bobby Hull of the Chicago Black Hawks

Perhaps the greatest goal scorer in the history of the National Hockey League, Bobby Hull, along with Stan Mikita, wowed them in Chicago throughout the 1960’s. There were two distinctive parts to the Golden Jet’s professional hockey career:  The National Hockey League and the World Hockey Association. As an indicator of his success and popularity, the Bobby Hull rookie card from the 1958-59 Topps series is worth a whopping $3000.

This article deals with Bobby Hull’s career in the National Hockey League. Test and expand your hockey trivia knowledge of Bobby Hull’s NHL accomplishments with these four trivia questions.

Q. Despite having eleven more total points in his rookie season, who did Bobby Hull finish second to in the 1957-58 Calder Memorial Trophy voting?

A. Frank Mahovlich of the Toronto Maple Leafs won the Calder in 1958. Ironically, both players were still in their teens and straight out of junior. Typically, back in the day, a player spent several years in the minor pro leagues before behind brought up to take one of the scarce NHL jobs.

With the Black Hawks in that first year, at the age of just 18, Hull scored 13 goals and assisted on 34 for 47 points while playing the full 70 game schedule. Mahovlich, a year older than Hull, totalled 36 points on 20 goals and 16 assists over 67 games for the Maple Leafs.

Q. Bobby Hull was a five time 50+ goal scorer in the National Hockey League. In which year did Bobby score his NHL career high 58 goals?

A. 1968-69 saw Hull create a new NHL goal scoring record. Bobby’s 58 goals would stand as a record for just two seasons before Phil Esposito shattered the mark in 1970-71 with 76. Hull was on pace for 58 in 1965-66 but missed five games and scored just 54.

His last 50 goal season in the NHL came in 1971-72 when he scored exactly 50 for the Blackhawks. In the WHA, Bobby exploded for 77 goals over 78 games with the Winnipeg Jets in 1974-75.

Q. From 1957-58 until the end of 1971-72, Hull played exclusively with the Chicago Black Hawks. Which two teams did he play for in his final NHL season?

A. After the WHA merged with the NHL for the 1979-80 season, Hull followed the Winnipeg Jets as they switched leagues. After 18 games with the Jets, Bobby jumped ship to the Hartford Whalers where he played another nine games before retiring.

Q. Better known for his offensive abilities, in what year was Bobby Hull awarded for his gentlemanly play with the Lady Byng Trophy?

A. Hull won the Byng in 1964-65 while sitting 32 minutes in the penalty box over 61 regular season games. He was also awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy that same year as the NHL’s most valuable player.

In a five year stretch from 1963-64 to 1967-68, Chicago dominated the Lady Byng. Ken Wharram won the trophy the year before Hull. Stan Mikita went from king of the sin bin early in his NHL career to a two time winner of the Lady Byng in 1966-67 and 1967-68.

Single Season Scoring Records of the Chicago Blackhawks

It’s been around two and a half decades since the Chicago Blackhawks single season record for goals, assists or points has been re-written. The Blackhawks may not be the Edmonton Oilers or Pittsburgh Penguins when it comes to these individual records, by the numbers are quite respectable.

Most Goals – Bobby Hull

You have to go back to the year they put a man on the moon for the record for most goals in a single season by a Chicago Blackhawks player. Bobby Hull set the then National Hockey League record with 58 goals during the 1968-69 season. He broke his own record of 54 goals set three years earlier and his 58 would stand as the best ever for only two years. Phil Esposito of the Boston Bruins shattered the mark with 76 goals during the 1970-71 season.

That year, 1968-69, Hull’s performance was the only highlight of Chicago’s season. The team finished last in the six team Eastern Division and out of the post season. Bobby finished second in the race for the Art Ross Trophy, 19 points behind Esposito. Hull was selected the Left Winger on the First All-Star Team.

Most Assists – Denis Savard

Denis Savard owns the record for the most assists by a Blackhawk in a single season with 87 in 1981-82. He matched the total in 1987-88. Despite the fact that 87 assists is a Chicago record, the total was good enough for just third place in 1981-82, behind Wayne Gretzky of the Edmonton Oilers and Peter Stastny of the Quebec Nordiques. Chicago, despite finishing fourth in the Norris Division with a lacklustre record of 30 wins, 38 losses and 12 ties for 72 points, made it through to the Conference finals in the Stanley Cup playoffs before losing to the Vancouver Canucks.

In 1987-88, Savard was once again third in the league in the assists category, this time behind Gretzky and Mario Lemieux of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The team had a mediocre season, finishing third in the Norris with 69 points and making a quick first round exit from the Stanley Cup playoffs at the hands of the St. Louis Blues.

Most Points – Denis Savard

Denis Savard also holds the Chicago record for most points in a single season. In 1987-88, Denis produced 131 points. It was his fifth and final 100+ point season with the Blackhawks. Once more, his thunder was stolen by Lemieux and Gretzky, who finished 1-2 in scoring with 168 and 149 points. The 131 points ties Savard for the 41^st highest single season point total in NHL history.

Both of these gentlemen are members of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Hull was inducted in 1983 and Savard entered in 2000. Bobby’s number 9 and Denis’ number 18 are two of only six Chicago Blackhawks retired numbers. In the history of the Blackhawks, they are among a select group with their accomplishments. Just Savard, Hull, Steve Larmer and Jeremy Roenick have produced 100+ point seasons. Al Secord and Jeremy Roenick are the only other two Chicago players to score 50 or more goals in a single season.