Before Connor Bedard had taken the ice for the Blackhawks, the 18-year-old hockey phenom’s No. 98 jersey had already taken over the Windy City, and beyond.
Wirtz assumed control of the Blackhawks after his father’s death in 2007. He helped bring the team to prominence, but the mishandling of an assault accusation dimmed that success.
The three-time Stanley Cup winner with Chicago desperately wanted a trade to New York. He got his wish, and will be tested Saturday when the Rangers play the Bruins, the N.H.L.’s top team.
Once a star player in Chicago who changed goal scoring and how players were paid, Hull, who died Monday at 84, will rightly be remembered more for his misdeeds.