Chicago Blackhawks: 3 memorable Stan Mikita moments

Chicago Blackhawks legend Stan Mikita passed away at the age of 78 on Tuesday. Here are three memories from his storied career that Blackhawks fans will never forget.

The Chicago Blackhawks have a rich history stretching back decades as an original six team in the NHL. The team has its fair share of legends that are immortal in the eyes of Blackhawks fans. One of those legends, Stan Mikita, passed away on Tuesday at 78 after a long battle with dementia. It’s tough to pick just three moments where Mikita shined because there are so many.

Mikita was born in the Slovak Republic in 1940 but moved to Canada when he was eight years old. There he developed a love for the game of hockey and was a star in the Ontario Hockey Association. Mikita was only 18 years old when he was promoted to the Blackhawks (or Black Hawks as they were known then) from the OHA, and he shined immediately.

Mikita is widely regarded as one of the best centers to ever play the game. He played his entire career in Chicago, and in 2017 when the NHL published a list of what the league considered the 100 greatest NHL players of all time, Mikita was on that list.

Mikita was a pioneer of the NHL, as one of the first players to use a curved stick and to wear a helmet when they were still optional.

Mikita was also named an ambassador for the Blackhawks in 2008, right as the team started to rebound from a disastrous stretch of time as one of the worst teams in hockey.

Legends like Mikita brought disgruntled Blackhawks fans back to watch the team again. While there are countless memories of Mikita, here are three moments that stood out in his career and beyond.