1
He became the first Slovak-born player to win the Stanley Cup in 1961.
15 Interesting Facts About Stan Mikita
A legendary center for the Chicago Black Hawks, he was a Stanley Cup champion, multiple-time scoring leader, and Hockey Hall of Famer known for his innovative play and sportsmanship.
Position
Centre
Jersey
#21
Status
Retired
Teams
2
Facts
15
2
He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983.
3
He won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's most valuable player in consecutive seasons, 1967 and 1968.
4
He led the league in scoring four times, earning the Art Ross Trophy in 1964, 1965, 1967, and 1968.
5
He won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy twice for combining sportsmanship with excellence.
6
His jersey number 21 was the first to be retired by the Chicago Black Hawks.
7
He was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in 2017.
8
He holds the unique distinction of being the only player in NHL history to win the Hart, Art Ross, and Lady Byng Trophies in the same season, achieving this feat twice.
9
He was an early adopter of the curved stick, a practice he reportedly began after his stick blade bent in a bench door.
10
He wore a helmet full-time after an errant shot tore a piece off one of his ears in a 1967 game.
11
His decision to play a cleaner game was inspired by his daughter asking why he spent so much time in the penalty box.
12
He co-founded the American Hearing Impaired Hockey Association (AHIHA) in 1973.
13
He played two games for Team Canada in the 1972 Summit Series against the Soviet Union.
14
As of January 2022, he ranked 15th all-time in regular-season points scored in the NHL.
15
He was posthumously diagnosed with stage 3 chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), making him the first Hockey Hall of Famer with such a diagnosis.
About Stan Mikita
Stan Mikita was a Slovak-born Canadian ice hockey legend who played his entire NHL career with the Chicago Black Hawks, becoming one of the best centers of the 1960s. He won the Stanley Cup in 1961 and captured multiple individual awards, including four Art Ross Trophies and two Hart Memorial Trophies. Mikita was also known for his innovative use of the curved stick and his transition from a highly penalized player to a two-time Lady Byng winner.
Career Achievements & Milestones
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Stanley Cup Champion
1961
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Hart Memorial Trophy
1967, 1968
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Art Ross Trophy
1964, 1965, 1967, 1968
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Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
1967, 1968
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Hockey Hall of Fame Induction
1983
Player Information & Stats
Detailed career statistics and background information about Stan Mikita.
Player Info
Country: Canada
Position: Centre
Jersey #: 21
Status: Retired
Physical Stats
Height: 5' 9" (175 cm)
Weight: 169 lbs (77 kg)
Born: Sokolče, Slovak Republic
Died: 8/7/2018
Career Stats
Seasons: 22
Goals: 541
Assists: 926
Points: 1467
Teams: 2
Hall of Fame: ✓ Inducted
Teams & Career
St. Catharines Teepees Chicago Black Hawks
Stan Mikita played for 2 different teams during his 22 seasons career.