Chicago Blackhawks great Stan Mikita dies

Stan Mikita, arguably the greatest player in Chicago Blackhawks history, died Tuesday after a long illness. He was 78.

"There are no words to describe our sadness over Stan's passing," the team said in a statement. "He meant so much to the Chicago Blackhawks, to the game of hockey, and to all of Chicago."

Mikita lived life the way he played the game of hockey.

He did it his way and he never stopped caring about what he did.

"He was more prepared than anybody I ever played with," said Dale Tallon, executive vice president and general manager of the Florida Panthers, remembering the years they spent together skating for the Blackhawks.

"His preparation was impeccable. His style of play was unique. He had great skills and drive and passion. He was hard working. He was unselfish.

"He was a superstar."

In January 2015 the Mikita family said he had been "diagnosed with Lewy body dementia," a progressive disease with symptoms similar to those of Parkinson's or Alzheimer's.

He is survived by his wife, Jill, a native of Berwyn, Ill., whom he married on April 27, 1963, and their four children, Meg, Scott, Jane and Christopher.

During his 22 years with the Blackhawks he played in 1,394 regular-season games and became the franchise's all-time leading regular-season scorer with 1,467 points on 541 goals and 926 assists, also a team record.He ranks No. 2 on the team's all-time goals list behind his junior hockey and Hawk teammate Bobby Hull.

When he and Hull led the Blackhawks during their 1961 Stanley Cup championship season, Mikita scored six goals and assisted on 15 for 21 points in their 12 playoff games. Both the assists and points were the highest of any player in the playoffs.

In Hull's opinion: "Pound for pound Stan had to be one of the greatest who ever played, and he was a player who always came to play."

Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983, Mikita earned the Hart Trophy as the NHL's Most Valuable Player in 1967 and 1968, the Art Ross trophy as the league's leading scorer in 1964, 1965, 1967 and 1968 and the Lady Byng Trophy for sportsmanship and gentlemanly play in 1967 and 1968.