While NHL hockey players from the country formerly known as Czechoslovakia"as well as other Eastern European nations"are commonplace today, Chicago Blackhawks great Stan Mikita was something of a pioneer. Other players with a flashier game such as Bobby Hull became better known, but you can make a compelling case that Mikita was the best center iceman in professional hockey during the'60s. Mikita was born in Sokolce, in what is now known as Slovakia. He was sent by his family to the Toronto, Ontario area as a young boy to avoid the political strife in the area prior to World War II. An aunt and uncle adopted him, and he changed his name from his birth name of Stanislav Guoth adopting their last name of Mikita. Like most young Canadian boys, he started playing hockey and quickly proved to have an impressive aptitude for the national sport.
As a teenager, Mikita starred for the St. Catherine Teepees of the junior league Ontario Hockey Association. In'59, 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'61, 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.
The following year was when Mikita really began to make a mark in professional hockey. Centering the dangerous Scooter Line with Ken Wharram on the right wing and Ab McDonald or Doug Mohns on the left wing, he became one of the most feared offensive scorers and playmakers in the league. While he played in the media shadow of Bobby Hull, Mikita was considered by most hockey cognoscenti to be the real offensive catalyst of the team.
Never content with being a one way player, Mikita was a fearless defender and one of the most reliable faceoff specialists in the NHL. He also started a revolution when he became the first to play with a curved stick blade. That was considered radical, almost avant garde at the time but is now the standard in the NHL.
When he first came to the NHL, Mikita was a tough, hard hitting player who spent a considerable amount of time in the penalty box. That changed in the mid'60's when he became a very sportsmanlike player almost overnight. This cleaner style of play would earn him the Lady Byng Trophy for most gentlemanly player twice. The story goes that he had a change of heart when his young daughter asked why he spent so much time sitting in the box on televised games.
In addition to his Stanley Cup victory, Mikitas career accomplishments are among the most impressive in NHL history. He won the Art Ross Trophy as the NHLs leading scorer four times (1964,'65,'67,'68), the Hart Memorial Trophy for Most Valuable Player twice (1967 and'68) and the Lady Byng Trophy in'67 and'68.
Mikita suffered from back injuries in his last years as an active player, finally retiring in'80. He played his entire career for the Chicago Blackhawks, and was voted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in'83. He became something of a trivia answer for a younger generation when a donut shop called 'Stan Mikita's Donuts' was featured in the popular movie 'Wayne'w World'.
As a teenager, Mikita starred for the St. Catherine Teepees of the junior league Ontario Hockey Association. In'59, 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'61, 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.
The following year was when Mikita really began to make a mark in professional hockey. Centering the dangerous Scooter Line with Ken Wharram on the right wing and Ab McDonald or Doug Mohns on the left wing, he became one of the most feared offensive scorers and playmakers in the league. While he played in the media shadow of Bobby Hull, Mikita was considered by most hockey cognoscenti to be the real offensive catalyst of the team.
Never content with being a one way player, Mikita was a fearless defender and one of the most reliable faceoff specialists in the NHL. He also started a revolution when he became the first to play with a curved stick blade. That was considered radical, almost avant garde at the time but is now the standard in the NHL.
When he first came to the NHL, Mikita was a tough, hard hitting player who spent a considerable amount of time in the penalty box. That changed in the mid'60's when he became a very sportsmanlike player almost overnight. This cleaner style of play would earn him the Lady Byng Trophy for most gentlemanly player twice. The story goes that he had a change of heart when his young daughter asked why he spent so much time sitting in the box on televised games.
In addition to his Stanley Cup victory, Mikitas career accomplishments are among the most impressive in NHL history. He won the Art Ross Trophy as the NHLs leading scorer four times (1964,'65,'67,'68), the Hart Memorial Trophy for Most Valuable Player twice (1967 and'68) and the Lady Byng Trophy in'67 and'68.
Mikita suffered from back injuries in his last years as an active player, finally retiring in'80. He played his entire career for the Chicago Blackhawks, and was voted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in'83. He became something of a trivia answer for a younger generation when a donut shop called 'Stan Mikita's Donuts' was featured in the popular movie 'Wayne'w World'.
About the Author:
Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and noted authority on football betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.
