There are players in the NHL that come along at the right time for a team and fans that have been waiting for him to lace up the skates and either shoot puck repeatedly past the goaltenders or be the goalie that leads the team solely to the Stanley Cup on his back. The defenseman who will finish the checks and then score or pass amazingly to the stick of a teammate along the boards and set up them to score.  Stan Mikita is the amazing forward who went and shot pucks past goaltenders with teammate Bobby Hull, that led to Stanley Cup in 1960-1961. 

Born not in Canada but in Europe; Slovakia, he emigrated to suburban Toronto and started playing hockey foreshadowing his National Hockey League career to come.  He had the immediate reputation of scoring and passing, but most of all his respect for players and people associated with the game of Hockey; the contemporary term for Mikita would be "he is a people person."  At a young age Mikita began also showing a creative talent with the implements of the game, his innovations were the stick curve, until Mikita arrived on the scene in the NHL players used straight blade wooden sticks. Now the "norm" is the "Mikita Banana" or of course the stick curve.  With another innovation that some NHL purists might disagree with is the helmet that is more comfortable to wear and protective of the head, allowing the modern icons to be player longer rather than retired spectator.  While I like old school hockey the helmet innovations of Stan Mikita are protecting players like Steve Yzerman, Chris Chelios, Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne.  This helps the younger players to because the next Richard, Hull and Howe might be waiting in the wings.  Helmets benefit everyone in the hockey community.

Stan Mikita, his scoring, the team play with Bobby Hull, creative mind are what led his team the Chicago Blackhawks to the playoffs and the Stanley Cup. The NHL and the players have  great community leadership off the ice to.  Stan Mikita played the game with a heart to win and that heart to win passed the torch for the young players learning to skate, shoot and improve the tools of the game.  Waiting to lead the team from Chicago to great acheivements on the ice and with compassion for community at home in the hockey cities.

Stan "Stosh" Mikita born May 20, 1940. Played 22 NHL seasons 1958-1980.

For more about Stan Mikita once again visit the Temple hall of NHL heroes.

www.hhof.com

 -LGRW _X_ 03/16/2006