One of the greatest NHL players of all time has died.
Stan Mikita, who played his entire career with the Chicago Blackhawks, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 78, the team and family confirmed.
“With great sorrow, the Mikita family announces that Stan passed away on Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2018 at the age of 78,” said a statement from the family. “He was surrounded by his loving family whom he fiercely loved.”
"Stan Mikita will be always remembered as a champion, an innovator and a master of the game. He embodied the Chicago Blackhawks." #ForeverABlackhawk pic.twitter.com/K2fLgNHf4z
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) August 7, 2018
The family asked for privacy at this time and said that details of a service will be released when they become available.
Mikita’s career began with the Blackhawks in the late 1950s and he played all of his 22 seasons in the NHL with the team.
In 1,394 games, the Slovak-born Canadian scored 541 goals and added 926 assists for 1,467 points, winning the Art Ross Trophy four times.
541 goals
— Spencer #RipRazor (@_Boqvist) August 7, 2018
926 assists
1,467 points
1,396 games played
8x All-Star
2x Hart trophy winner
2x Lady Byng Memorial trophy winner
4x Art Ross trophy winner
1961 Stanley Cup Winner
Hall of Famer (inducted in 1983)
RIP Stan Mikita 😞💔 pic.twitter.com/woI6ysktYm
With those numbers, he’s Chicago’s franchise leader in regular season points and is 14th all-time in NHL history in that category.
He had his #21 jersey retired by the Blackhawks shortly after his retirement in 1980 and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame just three years later.
No details about his death have been released at this time.
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