Now that this is out of the way, let's talk about Stan Mikita.
When you think about the Chicago Blackhawks, the name Stan Mikita is synonymous. Mikita spent 22 seasons with the Chicago Bulls, including the entire 1960s and 1970s. Early in his career, Mikita helped the Blackhawks win the 1961 Stanley Cup, but it was after that that he and his teammate, Bobby Hull, proved that they were among the best in the sport.
After starting his career as a roughhousing and highly penalized player, Mikita dedicated himself to becoming a cleaner and, more importantly, a more offensively potent hockey player. Mikita went on a tear and from the 1961-62 season to the 1967-68 season, he was named either a First Team or Second Team All-Star (specifically six First Teams and one Second Team), and he was a four-time Art Ross Trophy winner. When he won those last two Art Ross Trophies, he also made history by becoming the first to win the Hart Trophy and the Lady Byng, a feat that he accomplished in back-to-back seasons (1966-67 & 1967-68).
Mikita played 1,396 Games and scored 1,467 Points, both of which are franchise records and are unlikely to be touched anytime soon. He entered the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983, his first year of eligibility, and the Blackhawks retired his number 21 shortly after his career ended.
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