Dennis Hull

Dennis William Hull (born November 19, 1944) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who played most of his career for the Chicago Black Hawks of the National Hockey League. He is the brother of Bobby Hull and uncle of Brett Hull and Bart Hull.

Dennis Hull
Hull with the Chicago Black Hawks in 1977
Born	(1944-11-19) November 19, 1944 Point Anne, Ontario, Canada
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position	Left wing
Shot	Left
Played for	Chicago Black Hawks Detroit Red Wings
National team	Canada
Playing career	1964–1978

Career

Hull in 1968

As a player, he was in the shadow of his older brother Bobby Hull, where they were both teammates on the Chicago Black Hawks for eight seasons.

Dennis emerged as a star player on his own, scoring over 300 goals in his own right, and earning the nickname "the Silver Jet" (Bobby was known as "the Golden Jet").

When Bobby was excluded from the 1972 Summit Series because he played in the WHA, Dennis initially planned to boycott the event as well as a show of support for his brother, but Bobby persuaded him to stay on Team Canada. During the series, Hull took over for Vic Hadfield at the left wing position on the New York Rangers "Goal A Game" line with Jean Ratelle and Rod Gilbert, managing two goals and two assists in four games.[1]

He was named a Second Team All-Star and played in five NHL All-Star Games. His best years were as part of the "MPH" (pun on 'miles per hour' using each player's last initials) line with centre Pit Martin and right wing Jim Pappin. The line was considered one of the better units in the NHL in the early to mid-1970s. He recorded seasons of 40, 30, 39 and 29 goals from 1971 through 1974. His best season was in 1973 when he recorded 39 goals and 51 assists for 90 points. He was instrumental in Chicago's appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals that season. Hull led the team with 9 goals and 15 assists for 24 points, finishing second in playoff scoring that season.

He played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League, with the Chicago Black Hawks (1964–77) and Detroit Red Wings (1977–78).

After Hockey

Upon retirement as a player, Hull became a broadcaster, as well as an educator, returning to St. Catharines, Ontario, where he played Ontario Hockey League Junior hockey (St. Catharines Teepees 1960–64), to study at Brock University, graduating with a degree in History and Physical Education. He then taught at Ridley College and then became athletic director of the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago.

Hull has become known as a public speaker and comedian, and continues to operate a cattle farm raising Polled Hereford with his brother Gary in Northumberland County, Ontario. He has written a book entitled "The Third Best Hull" (ECW Press) which contains entertaining and often hilarious memoirs of his hockey career. Hull became good friends with Soviet goaltending legend Vladislav Tretiak, whom he had played against during the 1972 Summit Series, recalling "I told Tretiak that he's become famous for letting in [Henderson's] goal...I said to him that 'if you had stopped it, you'd probably be a cab driver in Moscow today.' "

Accomplishments and awards

• OHA-Jr. First All-Star Team (1964)
• NHL Second All-Star Team (1973)
• Played in NHL All-Star Game (1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974)

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1960–61	St. Catharines Teepees	OHA		47	6	4	10	33		6	0	1	1	2
1961–62	St. Catharines Teepees	OHA		50	6	12	18	29		2	0	0	0	0
1962–63	St. Catharines Black Hawks	OHA		50	19	29	48	73		—	—	—	—	—
1963–64	St. Catharines Black Hawks	OHA		55	48	49	97	123		12	4	11	15	50
1964–65	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		55	10	4	14	18		6	0	0	0	0
1965–66	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		25	1	5	6	6		3	0	0	0	0
1965–66	St. Louis Braves	CHL		40	11	16	27	14		5	2	1	3	0
1966–67	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		70	25	17	42	33		6	0	1	1	12
1967–68	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		74	18	15	33	34		11	1	3	4	6
1968–69	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		72	30	34	64	25		—	—	—	—	—
1969–70	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		76	17	35	52	31		8	5	2	7	0
1970–71	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		78	40	26	66	16		18	7	6	13	2
1971–72	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		78	30	39	69	10		8	4	2	6	4
1972–73	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		78	39	51	90	27		16	9	15	24	4
1973–74	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		74	29	39	68	15		10	6	3	9	0
1974–75	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		69	16	21	37	10		5	0	2	2	0
1975–76	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		80	27	39	66	28		4	0	0	0	0
1976–77	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		75	16	17	33	2		2	1	0	1	0
1977–78	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		55	5	9	14	6		7	0	0	0	2
NHL totals				959	303	351	654	261		104	33	34	67	30

International

Year	Team	Event		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1972	Canada	SS		4	2	2	4	4

Further reading

• Hull, Dennis; Thompson, Robert (with) (1998). The third best Hull: I should have been fourth but they wouldn't let my sister Maxine play. Toronto: ECW Press. ISBN 978-1-55490-360-3.

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database