Chicago Blackhawks legend Bobby Hull has died at age 84

Chicago Blackhawks legend Bobby Hull, and one of the greatest NHL players ever, has died at age 84.

His death was first reported by the Chicago Daily Herald and the NHL Almuni Association later tweeted out its condolences.

Hull played for Chicago for 15 years starting in 1957-58, collecting 604 goals and 549 assists. He led the NHL in goals seven times and was named to the league's first all-star team 10 times.

Nicknamed the Golden Jet for his blond hair, speed and end-to-end rushes, Hull had one of the hardest slap shots in an era of wooden sticks. Along with Chicago teammate Stan Mikita he helped popularize the curved hockey stick blade in the NHL.

He was signed by the Winnipeg Jets in the fledgling World Hockey Association in 1972 as the fledgling league sought credibility. Hull would play 411 WHA games, all with Winnipeg, and had 303 goals and 335 assists for 638 points.

He also played for the Hartford Whalers in the NHL over a 23-year pro career that ended in 1979-80. In 1961, he helped lead the Blackhawks to their first Stanley Cup in 23 years.

Hull was the first player in the NHL history to score more than 50 goals in a single season. He set the record of 54 in 1966 and broke it by four goals a couple of seasons later.

His subsequent defection to the Jets in 1972 was the catalyst that helped shatter the NHL's stranglehold on players. It also started the escalation of salaries that now make Hull's once record-setting million-dollar payday look like small change.

He won the Canada Cup in 1976.

Hull was born in Point Anne, Ont. His son Brett Hull also became a prolific scorer in the NHL.

Hull was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983 and had his No. 9 sweater retired by the Blackhawks that same year.

While Hull was a star player, he has had several troubling episodes off the ice over the years.

Hull was convicted of assaulting a police officer who intervened in a dispute with then-wife Deborah in 1986. He also was accused of battery, but that charge was dropped after Deborah told authorities she didn't want to testify against her husband, a state attorney told the Chicago Tribune.

Hull's second wife, Joanne, accused him of abuse during an interview with ESPN for a 2002 show.

A Russian newspaper reported in 1998 that Hull said Adolf Hitler had some good ideas." Hull denied making the comment, calling it false and defamatory."

With files from The Associated Press

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