In the'60's, the NHL was almost entirely made up of Canadian born players. There were a few US natives, but players from other countries were unheard of. Stan Mikita, born the country formerly known as Czechoslovakia, started to change that. While he was sometimes overshadowed by teammates like Bobby Hull, most hockey experts consider Mikita the best NHL center of the'60's. He was born in what is now Slovakia, and sent to live in Canada as a young boy. Like most boys his age, he began playing the national sport of hockey.
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.
Mikitas influence wasnt limited to offensive output"he was a feared defensive player and considered one of the best faceoff men in the game. He also brought about one of the most significant innovations in NHL history, being the first to play with a curved stick blade. This was a very radical modification at the time, but was quickly copied throughout the league to the point where today a player that *doesnt* play with a curved stick is considered something of an anachronism.
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.
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,'65,'67,'68), the Hart Memorial Trophy for Most Valuable Player twice (1967 and'68) and the Lady Byng Trophy in'67 and'68. 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'80 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.
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.
Mikitas influence wasnt limited to offensive output"he was a feared defensive player and considered one of the best faceoff men in the game. He also brought about one of the most significant innovations in NHL history, being the first to play with a curved stick blade. This was a very radical modification at the time, but was quickly copied throughout the league to the point where today a player that *doesnt* play with a curved stick is considered something of an anachronism.
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.
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,'65,'67,'68), the Hart Memorial Trophy for Most Valuable Player twice (1967 and'68) and the Lady Byng Trophy in'67 and'68. 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'80 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.
About the Author:
Ross Everett is a widely published freelance writer and noted authority on hockey betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and March Madness betting picks 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.
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