After three starring junior seasons with the St. Catharines Teepees of the Ontario Hockey Association, Mikita was promoted to the parent Chicago Blackhawks in 1959–60. In his second full year, in 1961, the Blackhawks won their third Stanley Cup. The young centre led the entire league in goals during the playoffs, scoring a total of six.[6]
The following season was his breakout year. Stan Mikita became a star as centre of the famed "Scooter Line", with right wing Ken Wharram and left wingers Ab McDonald and Doug Mohns.[5] Combining skilled defense and a reputation as one of the game's best faceoff men using his innovative curved stick, Mikita led the league in scoring four times in the decade, tying Bobby Hull's year-old single-season scoring mark in 1966–67 with 97 points[7] (a mark broken two years later by former teammate Phil Esposito[8] and currently held by Wayne Gretzky).[9] The 1967–68 season, an 87-point effort from Mikita, was the last year a Chicago player won the scoring title until Patrick Kane's 106-point 2015–16 season.[10]
After three starring junior seasons with the St. Catharines Teepees of the Ontario Hockey Association, Mikita was promoted to the parent Chicago Blackhawks in 1959–60. In his second full year, in 1961, the Blackhawks won their third Stanley Cup. The young centre led the entire league in goals during the playoffs, scoring a total of six.[6]
The following season was his breakout year. Stan Mikita became a star as centre of the famed "Scooter Line", with right wing Ken Wharram and left wingers Ab McDonald and Doug Mohns.[5] Combining skilled defense and a reputation as one of the game's best faceoff men using his innovative curved stick, Mikita led the league in scoring four times in the decade, tying Bobby Hull's year-old single-season scoring mark in 1966–67 with 97 points[7] (a mark broken two years later by former teammate Phil Esposito[8] and currently held by Wayne Gretzky).[9] The 1967–68 season, an 87-point effort from Mikita, was the last year a Chicago player won the scoring title until Patrick Kane's 106-point 2015–16 season.[10]
In his early years, Mikita was among the most penalized players in the league, but he then decided to play a cleaner game and went on to win the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for particularly sportsmanlike conduct combined with excellence twice. Mikita's drastic change in behavior came after he returned home from a road trip. His wife told him that while their daughter, Meg, was watching the Blackhawks' last road game on television, she turned and said, "Mommy, why does Daddy spend so much time sitting down?"[4] The camera had just shown Mikita in the penalty box again (from Mikita's autobiography I Play to Win).[citation needed]
During his playing career, in 1973, Mikita teamed up with Chicago businessman Irv Tiahnybik to form the American Hearing Impaired Hockey Association (AHIHA), to bring together deaf and hard-of-hearing hockey players from all over the country, and he founded the Stan Mikita School for the Hearing Impaired, inspired by a friend’s deaf son who was an aspiring goalie. He also helped bring the Special Olympics to Chicago, bringing his family out to volunteer at races.[
In his early years, Mikita was among the most penalized players in the league, but he then decided to play a cleaner game and went on to win the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for particularly sportsmanlike conduct combined with excellence twice. Mikita's drastic change in behavior came after he returned home from a road trip. His wife told him that while their daughter, Meg, was watching the Blackhawks' last road game on television, she turned and said, "Mommy, why does Daddy spend so much time sitting down?"[4] The camera had just shown Mikita in the penalty box again (from Mikita's autobiography I Play to Win).[citation needed]
During his playing career, in 1973, Mikita teamed up with Chicago businessman Irv Tiahnybik to form the American Hearing Impaired Hockey Association (AHIHA), to bring together deaf and hard-of-hearing hockey players from all over the country, and he founded the Stan Mikita School for the Hearing Impaired, inspired by a friend’s deaf son who was an aspiring goalie. He also helped bring the Special Olympics to Chicago, bringing his family out to volunteer at races.[
Mikita and teammate Bobby Hull were a well-known forward duo in the 1960s, gaining notoriety for using sticks with curved blades.[11][12] Such sticks gave a comparative advantage to shooters versus goaltenders. As a result, the NHL limited blade curvature to ½" in 1970.[13] Mikita reportedly began the practice after his standard stick got caught in a bench door, bending the blade before he hit the ice; he soon was borrowing a propane torch from team trainers to create a deliberate curve.[4]
Mikita was also one of the first players to wear a helmet full time, after a December 1967 game in which an errant shot tore a piece off one of his ears (it was stitched back on).
Mikita's later years were marred by chronic back injuries, leading to his retirement during the 1979–80 season.[5] At that time, only Gordie Howe and Phil Espositohad scored more points in the NHL, and just six players had appeared in more games. Mikita was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983,[14] and into the Slovak Hockey Hall of Fame in 2002.
RIP Stan The Man
Mikita and teammate Bobby Hull were a well-known forward duo in the 1960s, gaining notoriety for using sticks with curved blades.[11][12] Such sticks gave a comparative advantage to shooters versus goaltenders. As a result, the NHL limited blade curvature to ½" in 1970.[13] Mikita reportedly began the practice after his standard stick got caught in a bench door, bending the blade before he hit the ice; he soon was borrowing a propane torch from team trainers to create a deliberate curve.[4]
Mikita was also one of the first players to wear a helmet full time, after a December 1967 game in which an errant shot tore a piece off one of his ears (it was stitched back on).
Mikita's later years were marred by chronic back injuries, leading to his retirement during the 1979–80 season.[5] At that time, only Gordie Howe and Phil Espositohad scored more points in the NHL, and just six players had appeared in more games. Mikita was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983,[14] and into the Slovak Hockey Hall of Fame in 2002.
RIP Stan The Man
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