Chicago Blackhawks great Stan Mikita passed on Tuesday of this week at the age of 78. His passing came at the end of a long illness.
Blackhawks chairman Rocky Wirtz said, “There are no words to describe our sadness over Stan’s passing. He meant so much to the Chicago Blackhawks, to the game of hockey, and to all of Chicago. He left an imprint that will forever be etched in the hearts of fans — past, present and future. Stan made everyone he touched a better person.”
Mijita was one of the players I followed as a kid. There was a level of professionalism that was quiet and effective and commanding.
“Sometimes, it’s not always a sad story,”Glenn Hall said on NHL.com. “Stan has been hurting bad in recent years and sometimes it’s a blessing when the pain is no more.”
National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman released the following statement regarding the passing of Stan Mikita:
“Stan Mikita lived a remarkable life and was a wonderful man, respected and revered by so many. One of the greatest players in NHL history and a Chicago icon, he was a pioneer of the game in so many ways,” Bettman said in the statement.
“He designed the distinctive helmet he donned later in his career, when that still was a rarity. He curved his stick blade to an extent previously unthinkable, causing his shot to do tricks. He utterly transformed his playing style in his prime, going from one of the League’s most penalized players to one of its most gentlemanly.
“A gifted playmaker, his 926 career assists and 1,467 points are the most in Chicago Blackhawks history. A Stanley Cup champion, he is the only player in NHL history to win the Hart, Ross and Lady Byng trophies in the same year – he did that twice.
“Once he arrived in Chicago he never left, becoming a pillar of the city. He played in more games for the Blackhawks than anyone and came to be as much a symbol of the franchise as The Roar of Chicago Stadium and the United Center and the classic sweater.
“We are grateful for all Stan gave to us – his fans, his game, his admirers, his league and his city – and we mourn his passing. We extend our deepest sympathies to Stan’s wife, Jill, and their four children, Meg, Jane, Scott and Chris.”
Mikita’s impact on the sport and the people who love and play the game for generations to come.
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