Professional hockey players from the former Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia are now ubiquitous, but Stan Mikita was something of a pioneer. The Chicago Blackhawks legend was sometimes relegated to secondary status behind more telegenetic stars like teammate Bobby Hull, but you can make a very good case that Mikita was the best NHL forward of the 1960's. He was born in Sokolce, in what is now known as Slovakia. In the conflict torn years prior to WW II, he was sent to Canada and adopted by an aunt and uncle. Like most young Canadian boys, he started playing hockey and quickly exhibited significant talent at the country's national sport.
As a teenager, Mikita starred for the St. Catherine Teepees of the junior league Ontario Hockey Association. In 1959, he made the jump to the NHL for good joining the Chicago Blackhawks. He played sparingly in his first partial season in the NHL, but quickly became an important part of the Chicago offense in his first and second full seasons as a pro. In 1961, he led the team in playoff scoring as they won the Stanley Cup"his only championship during his career and the last time the franchise would win the NHLs highest team honor.
During the early and mid 1960's, Mikita centered the Scooter Line with Ken Wharram on the right wing and Ab McDonald or Doug Mohns on the left wing, and earned a reputation as one of the most complete offensive players in the game. Bobby Hull may have been a bigger superstar among mainstream fans, but most hockey experts realized that Mikita was the team's true offensive catalyst.
Mikita wasn't a one way player by any means--he was a tenacious defender and one of the best faceoff men in the sport. He's also responsible for introducing the curved stick blade to the NHL. It was a radical innovation at the time, but now players who *don't* play with a curved blade are a rarity.
Early in his career, Mikita played a tough, rugged style of hockey that made him one of the most penalized players in the game. In the mid 1960s, however, he began to play a much cleaner and more sportsmanlike style that would earn him the Lady Byng Trophy for most gentlemanly player twice. According to legend, his young daughter prompted the change of play with her frequent questions about why her daddy spent so much time sitting in the box on televised games.
Mikitas career accomplishments are among the most impressive in the history of the sport. He won the Art Ross Trophy as the NHLs leading scorer four times (1964, 1965, 1967, 1968), the Hart Memorial Trophy for Most Valuable Player twice (1967 and 1968) and the Lady Byng Trophy in 1967 and 1968. He remains the only player in NHL history to win the Ross, Hart and Byng trophies in the same season (1967).
Mikita suffered from chronic back ailments later in his career, and finally retired in 1980 having played his entire career for the Chicago Blackhawks. He was voted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility (1983) and became enshrined in pop culture history a few years later thanks to the movie 'Wayne's World'. In the movie, protagonists Wayne and Garth frequently hang out at a donut shop based on the Canadian Tim Hortons chain. The name of the shop is Stan Mikitas Donuts. - 32396
As a teenager, Mikita starred for the St. Catherine Teepees of the junior league Ontario Hockey Association. In 1959, he made the jump to the NHL for good joining the Chicago Blackhawks. He played sparingly in his first partial season in the NHL, but quickly became an important part of the Chicago offense in his first and second full seasons as a pro. In 1961, he led the team in playoff scoring as they won the Stanley Cup"his only championship during his career and the last time the franchise would win the NHLs highest team honor.
During the early and mid 1960's, Mikita centered the Scooter Line with Ken Wharram on the right wing and Ab McDonald or Doug Mohns on the left wing, and earned a reputation as one of the most complete offensive players in the game. Bobby Hull may have been a bigger superstar among mainstream fans, but most hockey experts realized that Mikita was the team's true offensive catalyst.
Mikita wasn't a one way player by any means--he was a tenacious defender and one of the best faceoff men in the sport. He's also responsible for introducing the curved stick blade to the NHL. It was a radical innovation at the time, but now players who *don't* play with a curved blade are a rarity.
Early in his career, Mikita played a tough, rugged style of hockey that made him one of the most penalized players in the game. In the mid 1960s, however, he began to play a much cleaner and more sportsmanlike style that would earn him the Lady Byng Trophy for most gentlemanly player twice. According to legend, his young daughter prompted the change of play with her frequent questions about why her daddy spent so much time sitting in the box on televised games.
Mikitas career accomplishments are among the most impressive in the history of the sport. He won the Art Ross Trophy as the NHLs leading scorer four times (1964, 1965, 1967, 1968), the Hart Memorial Trophy for Most Valuable Player twice (1967 and 1968) and the Lady Byng Trophy in 1967 and 1968. He remains the only player in NHL history to win the Ross, Hart and Byng trophies in the same season (1967).
Mikita suffered from chronic back ailments later in his career, and finally retired in 1980 having played his entire career for the Chicago Blackhawks. He was voted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility (1983) and became enshrined in pop culture history a few years later thanks to the movie 'Wayne's World'. In the movie, protagonists Wayne and Garth frequently hang out at a donut shop based on the Canadian Tim Hortons chain. The name of the shop is Stan Mikitas Donuts. - 32396
About the Author:
Ross Everett is a widely published writer and a noted authority on sports betting and NFL football betting lines. He is a frequent sports radio guest where he gives advice on how to successfully bet on NFL football. He lives in Las Vegas with three dogs and a bunny.
