Bobby Hull, to be inducted into Jets Hall of Fame, takes a pass on ceremony

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This article was published 16/09/2016 (3303 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Golden Jet’s historic landing in Winnipeg has been scrapped.

Bobby Hull has informed the Winnipeg Jets he will not participate in a ceremony in October to induct the three members of the legendary ‘Hotline’ into the club’s newly formed Hall of Fame.

Hull, Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nilsson are the first inductees into a Hall of Fame. The trio, arguably one of the greatest lines in the history of hockey, led the Jets to two World Hockey Association (WHA) championships in 1976 and 1978.

The inaugural induction ceremony is slated for Wednesday, Oct. 19 at the MTS Centre when Winnipeg hosts the Toronto Maple Leafs.

There had been discussion in the media as to whether or not it would be approriate for Hull to attend due to a number of domestic violence reports that have tarnished his reputation.

“It’s a true honour to be inducted into the Winnipeg Jets Hall of Fame alongside my former linemates, and friends, Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nilsson,” Hull said in a statement. “While I will not be in attendance for the celebration, I want to thank the Jets for the special recognition and the wonderful fans of Winnipeg for all of their support throughout the years.”

Predictably, the hockey club is disappointed with his decision.

“We have been informed Mr. Hull will not be attending our inaugural Hall of Fame induction ceremony for personal reasons,” the Jets said in a statement. “The Winnipeg Jets Hall of Fame was created to acknowledge the rich history of our team which began with the World Hockey Association and quickly reached international significance through the achievements of the Hotline. Accordingly, we are deeply disappointed that Mr. Hull has declined our invitation to join his teammates, Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nillson when we honour their collective accomplishments on October 19th and 20th.”

There is no indication either Nilsson, the shifty centre on the famous line, or Hedberg, the right winger, won’t participate in the celebration.

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Back in July, the Jets proudly announced the creation of the Hall of Fame, suggesting it was a no-brainer to name the trio as the first inductees.

“Given the Hotline’s enormous accomplishments and what they did to put Winnipeg on the international hockey map, it is an obvious choice to honour Anders, Bobby, and Ulf for our first induction ceremony,” Mark Chipman, governor of the Winnipeg Jets Hockey Club, said at the time. “The Hot Line’s contributions showcased Winnipeg as an exciting hockey market and paved the way for other great players to come to our city including Dale Hawerchuk and Teemu Selanne.”

Hull’s signing by the WHA’s Jets in 1972 at the corner of Portage and Main was flipped the hockey world upside down. At the time, he was one of the game’s greatest players, with 1,000 games played for the Chicago Blackhawks and a Stanley Cup championship in 1961.

He played 411 WHA games, all with Winnipeg, scoring 638 points, including 303 goals, and was named WHA mos valuable player twice, in 1973 and 1975.

“It was so fabulous playing here, but to be remembered and honoured, it is quite an accomplishment that I am thankful for,” Hull said, at the time the announcement of the induction was made. “I have held my friendship with Anders and Ulf in such high esteem. Going back over the years when we played together, it was one of the happiest times of my life.”