Brett Hull facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Brett Hull
Hockey Hall of Fame, 2009
Hull in 2014
Born	(1964-08-09) August 9, 1964 (age 61) Belleville, Ontario, Canada
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb)
Position	Right wing
Shot	Right
Played for	Calgary Flames St. Louis Blues Dallas Stars Detroit Red Wings Phoenix Coyotes
National team	United States
NHL Draft	117th overall, 1984 Calgary Flames
Playing career	1986–2005
Medal record Men's ice hockey Representing the  United States Olympic Games Silver 2002 Salt Lake City World Cup of Hockey Gold 1996 Canada Canada Cup Silver 1991 Canada

Brett Andrew Hull (born August 9, 1964) is a former ice hockey player and manager. He is currently an executive vice president for the St. Louis Blues in the National Hockey League (NHL). Hull played for several teams from 1986 to 2005. These teams included the Calgary Flames, St. Louis Blues, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, and Phoenix Coyotes.

He scored 741 goals in his career, which is the fifth-highest total in NHL history. He is also one of only five players to score 50 goals in 50 games. Brett Hull won the Stanley Cup twice. He won in 1999 with the Dallas Stars and in 2002 with the Detroit Red Wings. In 2017, he was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players of all time.

Hull was known as one of the best goal scorers, or "snipers," in hockey. He scored many goals at every level he played. In college, he scored 52 goals in one season. He then scored 50 goals in the American Hockey League (AHL). In the NHL, he had five seasons in a row where he scored at least 50 goals. His 86 goals in the 1990–91 season is the third-highest single-season total ever. That year, Hull won the Hart Memorial Trophy and Lester B. Pearson Award. These awards are given to the league's most valuable player. He was chosen as a first team all-star three times and played in eight NHL All-Star Games.

Brett Hull has citizenship in both Canada and the United States. He chose to play for the American National Team. He helped the team win the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. He also played in two Olympic Games, winning a silver medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Hull was added to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009. His father, Bobby Hull, is also in the Hall of Fame. They are the first father-son duo to both score over 600 goals or 1,000 points in the NHL. Brett's nickname, "the Golden Brett", comes from his father's nickname, "the Golden Jet". The St. Louis Blues retired his jersey number 16 in 2006. This means no other player on the team can wear that number.

Early Life and Family

Brett Hull was born on August 9, 1964, in Belleville, Ontario, Canada. His father, Bobby Hull, was a famous professional hockey player. His mother, Joanne (McKay), was an American professional figure skater. She taught him how to skate. Brett has three brothers and one sister. His uncle Dennis Hull also played in the NHL for a long time.

When Brett was young, his father played for the Chicago Black Hawks. Brett started playing hockey in Chicago when he was four. He often skated with the Black Hawks and watched his father play. In 1972, his family moved back to Canada. Brett moved to Vancouver with his mother and two youngest siblings in 1979 after his parents' divorce. Brett was not very close to his father after the divorce, but they did talk sometimes.

Playing Career Highlights

Starting in Junior and College Hockey

When he was young, Brett Hull admitted he wasn't very serious about hockey. He was first able to be drafted by an NHL team in 1982. But no team picked him because they weren't sure how committed he was. In the 1982–83 season, he joined the Penticton Knights. He scored 48 goals in 50 games. Still, no NHL teams drafted him in 1983.

Finally, NHL teams noticed Hull after his amazing 1983–84 season. He scored 105 goals in 56 games! This broke the league's scoring record. The Calgary Flames then picked him in the sixth round of the 1984 NHL Entry Draft.

Hull received a scholarship to play for the University of Minnesota-Duluth (UMD). In his first year (1984–85), he scored 32 goals. His powerful shot was a big problem for goalies. His coaches at UMD helped him improve his skating. In 1985–86, he broke the school record by scoring 52 goals in one season. He was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, given to the best college player.

In his two seasons at UMD, Hull set many school scoring records. He holds records for most goals by a rookie (32) and most goals in a single season (52). The school retired his jersey number 29 in 2006.

Calgary Flames (1986–88)

After college, Hull decided to become a professional player. He signed with the Calgary Flames and joined them during the 1986 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He played his first NHL game on May 20, 1986, in the 1986 Stanley Cup Finals against the Montreal Canadiens.

For most of the 1986–87 season, the Flames sent Hull to their minor league team, the Moncton Golden Flames. He scored 50 goals, which tied an AHL rookie record. He won the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award as the league's Rookie of the Year. He also played a few games for the Flames that season. He scored his first NHL goal on November 13, 1986.

Hull earned a full spot on the Flames for the 1987–88 season. He scored 26 goals and 50 points in 52 games. On March 7, 1988, Hull was traded to the St. Louis Blues.

St. Louis Blues (1988–98)

Hull playing for the Blues in 1993

Hull led the St. Louis Blues with 41 goals in the 1988–89 season. But his skating and defense needed work. His coach, Brian Sutter, helped him get in better shape. In the 1989–90 season, Hull was much improved. Center Adam Oates joined Hull on the top line. They were called "Hull and Oates," like the famous band. Oates was a great passer, and Hull was an amazing shooter.

Between 1989 and 1992, Hull scored 228 goals. This was the second-highest three-season total in NHL history. He became the fifth player ever to score 50 goals in 50 games in the 1989–90 season. He did it again in 1991–92. He led the league in goals for three seasons in a row. He won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in 1990 for being a sportsmanlike player. In 1991, he won the Hart Memorial Trophy and Lester B. Pearson Award as the league's most valuable player. His 86 goals in 1990–91 is the third-highest for a single season in NHL history.

Oates left the Blues in the middle of the 1991–92 season. Hull still scored many goals, with 54 in 1992–93 and 57 in 1993–94.

Hull had disagreements with coach Mike Keenan, who joined the team in 1994. Hull, who had been team captain since 1992, lost his captaincy. By 1996, they were criticizing each other publicly. The Blues decided to fire Keenan in December 1996. Three nights later, Hull scored a hat trick to reach 500 goals in his NHL career. He and his father, Bobby, are the only father-son pair to both reach 500 goals.

After the 1997–98 season, Hull became a free agent. He left St. Louis and signed with the Dallas Stars on July 2, 1998.

Dallas Stars (1998–2001)

Hull reached 1,000 points in his career on November 14, 1998. He then scored his 600th goal on December 31, 1999. He scored 32 goals in the 1998–99 season. The Stars made it to the 1999 Stanley Cup Finals against the Buffalo Sabres.

The sixth game of the series went into overtime. Hull scored the winning goal in the third overtime period. This goal won the game and the Stanley Cup for Dallas. The Sabres immediately protested the goal. At that time, a player could not score if any part of their body was in the goal crease. Replays showed Hull's skate was in the crease. However, the NHL said the goal was legal because he had the puck before entering the crease. This rule had been explained to teams before the playoffs. The goal remains a big topic of discussion, especially in Buffalo. The NHL later changed the crease rule before the next season.

Hull wore number 22 for the Stars in their Stanley Cup season. His usual number 16 was already taken. He switched back to number 16 the next season. Hull scored 24 goals in the 1999–2000 season. His scoring improved in the 2000 Stanley Cup Playoffs, where he led the league with 10 goals and 23 points. The Stars reached the finals again but lost to the New Jersey Devils. Hull scored 39 goals in the 2000–01 season. He played his 1,000th career game on February 25, 2001.

Detroit Red Wings (2001–04)

The Stars did not keep Hull for the 2001–02 NHL season. Hull signed with the Detroit Red Wings because he wanted to win another Stanley Cup. He joined a team already full of stars.

With the Red Wings, Hull wore number 17. This was out of respect for Vladimir Konstantinov, who wore number 16 before his career ended due to an accident. Hull scored 30 goals that season. The Red Wings were the best team in the NHL, winning the Presidents' Trophy. Hull played on a line with two younger players, Boyd Devereaux and Pavel Datsyuk. He joked that it was "two kids and an old goat."

Hull scored 10 goals in the 2002 Stanley Cup Playoffs, leading the league. The Red Wings won the Stanley Cup in five games against the Carolina Hurricanes. This was Hull's second Stanley Cup championship.

Hull scored 37 goals and 76 points in the 2002–03 season. On February 10, 2003, he became the sixth player in NHL history to score 700 career goals. He signed a one-year extension with the Red Wings. In the 2003–04 season, he scored 25 goals. The Red Wings were eliminated from the playoffs by the Calgary Flames.

Phoenix Coyotes (2004–05)

Hull signed with the Phoenix Coyotes for two years. The first year was canceled due to a labor stoppage. When play started again in 2005–06, Hull wore his father's jersey number 9. His father, Bobby, asked the team to un-retire his number so Brett could wear it. However, after playing only five games and getting one assist, Hull felt he could no longer play at the level he wanted. On October 15, 2005, he announced his retirement as a player.

Playing for Team USA

Brett Hull could play for either Canada or the United States because he had dual citizenship. In 1986, Team Canada did not pick him for their team. But American national team coach Dave Peterson invited him to join Team USA. Hull accepted and led the team in scoring. He said that the trust shown by American officials gave him confidence. He played for Team USA for the rest of his career.

Hull helped Team USA reach the final of the 1991 Canada Cup against Canada. He also played a key role in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. In the final against Canada, Hull scored an important goal. Team USA came back from being down to win the championship. Hull led all players with 11 points and was named a tournament all-star.

Hull made his Olympic debut at the 1998 Winter Games. He scored two goals. The American team was eliminated early. Hull, Mike Modano, and John LeClair were the top line for Team USA at the 2002 Olympics. They led Team USA to the gold medal game against Canada. Hull and the Americans won the silver medal after losing to Canada.

How He Played

When he first joined the NHL, Hull was known mostly for his goal scoring. He was not very interested in playing defense. He was nicknamed "The Incredible Hull" in college and "The Golden Brett" in the NHL. People often compared him to his father, Bobby. Both were known for their powerful shots. But Bobby was a left wing and a great skater, while Brett played right wing and was not as strong a skater.

His reputation for not playing much defense stayed with him for a lot of his career. However, he changed this when he helped his teams win championships. He led his teams to win the 1996 World Cup of Hockey and the 1999 Stanley Cup Finals. To win the 1999 championship, Hull had to fit into the Dallas Stars' defense-focused system. He ended that season with his best defensive rating.

Hull was known for speaking his mind. He often criticized the NHL's defensive style of play in the late 1990s. He said it was "boring" and that he "wouldn't pay to watch."

Hull played in eight NHL All-Star Games. He was named the most valuable player of the 1992 All-Star Game. As of 2025, his 741 career goals are the fifth-highest in NHL history. He was the third-fastest player to reach 700 goals. He is also second all-time in power play goals and third in game-winning goals. He has 24 career game-winning playoff goals, tied with Wayne Gretzky for the most ever. He scored 33 hat tricks in his career, which is the fourth-highest total.

Hull holds many records for the St. Louis Blues, including most goals (527). The Blues retired his jersey number 16 in 2006. They also renamed a street next to their arena "Brett Hull Way." In 2010, they put up a statue of him outside the arena. Hull was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2008 and the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009.

Life After Playing Hockey

After retiring, Hull worked for the Dallas Stars as a special assistant. He also worked as a hockey analyst for NBC. In 2007, he became a co-general manager for the Stars. He helped the team reach the Western Conference Final in 2008.

The Stars later signed a player whose behavior caused problems for the team. This led to Hull and his co-general manager being replaced in 2009. Hull stayed with the Stars as an adviser. He has since been hired by the St. Louis Blues as an executive vice president.

On May 21, 2019, the St. Louis Blues reached the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in 49 years. Hull became very emotional and cried, saying how much it meant to him and the team. The Blues went on to win their first Stanley Cup on June 15, 2019.

Personal Life

Brett Hull lives in Dallas, Texas, with his second wife, Darcie. He has three children from his first marriage: Jude, Jayde, and Crosby. His son Jude also played hockey as a goaltender in college.

Hull has been involved in the restaurant business. He owned two restaurants in St. Louis and partnered on a restaurant in Dallas. He also lent his name to a 1995 Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game called Brett Hull Hockey. Hull was a co-owner of the St. Louis Bandits, a junior hockey team. In 2020, he opened another restaurant in Missouri.

Hull is a big fan of golf. He often said during his hockey career that he preferred golf. He plays in many charity and celebrity golf tournaments.

In Other Media

Hull appeared on the "Weekend Update" segment of Saturday Night Live in 2004.

He also made a special guest appearance as the USA hockey team captain in an episode of What's New, Scooby-Doo? called "Diamonds Are a Ghoul's Best Friend".

Career Statistics

Here are Brett Hull's career statistics in regular season and playoff games:

International Play Statistics

Here are Brett Hull's statistics when playing for the United States national team:

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1986	United States	WC	6th		10	7	4	11	18
1991	United States	CC			8	2	7	9	0
1996	United States	WCH			7	7	4	11	4
1998	United States	Oly	6th		4	2	1	3	0
2002	United States	Oly			6	3	5	8	6
2004	United States	WCH	4th		2	0	0	0	2
Senior totals					37	21	21	42	30

Awards and Achievements

See Also

• Brett Hull Hockey, a 1994 video game
• Brett Hull Hockey '95, a 1995 video game
• List of NHL statistical leaders
• Notable families in the NHL