Brett HULL

Brett Hull was to the hockey manor born, as the son of Bobby Hull, “The Golden Jet,” a Chicago Black Hawk who is considered one of the greatest NHL players ever, but he would shine on his own. Although Bobby Hull was Canadian, Brett’s mother was American and he has always played for the US in international competition. In a 19-year NHL career, 1986-2006, Brett Hull, a right winger, broke in with the Calgary Flames but played 11 years with the St. Louis Blues, finishing his career with a few years with the Dallas Stars and Detroit Red Wings, and a few brief games in his final season with the Phoenix Coyotes. With the Stars and Red Wings, he won Stanley Cups in 1999 and 2002, respectively. Hull played Junior A hockey with the Penticton Knights of the British Columbia Junior Hockey League, and then played two seasons of college hockey at the University of Minnesota at Duluth. In international competition, Hull played in two Olympics and the 1997 and 2005 World Cups. He was a three-time first-team NHL All-Star, in 1989-90, 1990-91, and 1991-92, and played in eight NHL All-Star Games. In 1990, Hull won the Lady Byng Trophy for the most sportsmanlike player in the league, and in 1991, he won both the Hart Memorial Trophy as most valuable player, and the Lester Pearson Award as most outstanding player. He led the league in scoring in 1990, 1991, and 1992, with a high of 86 goals in 1990-91, which is third all-time in the NHL behind two seasons by Wayne Gretzky. His second-best season of 72 goals in 1989-90 ranks ninth all-time in the NHL. During his career he scored 741 goals, 650 assists, and 1,391 points, with his career goal total ranking him third in hockey history after Gretzky and Gordie Howe. After his playing career ended, he moved into the front office, and became an Executive Vice-President with the Dallas Stars. Hull’s #29 was retired at the University of Minnesota Duluth, and his #16 jersey was retired by the St. Louis Blues. A street near the St. Louis arena, the Scottrade Center, was renamed “Brett Hull Way.” Hull was inducted into the US Hockey Hall of Fame in 2008, with he and his father making up the first father-son duo in the Hall.