Brett Hull

About Brett Hull

Brett Andrew Hull (born August 9, 1964 in Belleville, Ontario and raised in Chicago, Winnipeg and Vancouver) is a former NHL player, the current co-general manager of the Dallas Stars, and the son of legendary player Bobby Hull and nephew of Dennis Hull. Though in the earliest years of his career few saw him as a potential star, the colorful and often outspoken Hull announced his retirement on October 15, 2005 with 741 career goals, placing him third on the all-time list. He played for the Calgary Flames, St. Louis Blues, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings and Phoenix Coyotes. He also scored a controversial Stanley Cup winning goal on Buffalo Sabres goaltender Dominik Hašek in 1999 to give Dallas their only Cup win. Hull also won the Cup as a member of the Red Wings in 2002. The son of a Canadian father and American mother, he holds dual U.S./Canadian citizenship.

Unlike each of his four siblings (Bobby Jr., Blake, Bart and Michelle), who were all born in their native Chicago, Brett Hull was born in Belleville, Ontario, Canada, where the family spent summers. Brett was taught how to skate at age five by his mother, Joanne, who was a professional figure skater for Hilton Hotel shows. He started to play organized hockey at age seven in Elmhurst, Illinois for the Elmhurst Huskies with future NHL forward Tony Granato and Tommy Stapleton, son of Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Pat Stapleton. The Hull family moved to Winnipeg in 1972 as his father signed a million dollar contract to play for the WHA Winnipeg Jets. Meanwhile, Brett's junior career continued with the Tuxedo Jets, and a couple of years later he joined the Canadian Professional Hockey School's team. One very early hockey milestone worth note is Brett's (along with his Winnipeg South Monarchs team) winning of the prestigious Quebec Winter Carnaval Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament in 1977. Even at this very early stage of his career, Brett could rifle a slapshot that sparked fear in young goaltenders. One honorary attendee at the championship game, Jean Béliveau (a 10 time Stanley Cup champion with the Montreal Canadiens) visited the Winnipeg dressing room just to meet 'the young Hull'.

When Bobby and Joanne Hull separated in 1979, Brett, his brother Blake and his sister Michelle moved to Vancouver with their mother. Brett played bantam and then midget hockey at the North Shore Hockey Club as well as competing in baseball and gridiron football. Hull was also involved in the BCHL were he has a few records that still stand today.