The Brett Hull Story: Achieving Greatness in a Hockey Family

Joe Buck sits down with NHL Hall of Famer Brett Hull. Hull, the son of hockey icon Bobby Hull, carved his legendary path, breaking records and defying expectations. With a candid openness, Hull reveals the fears, triumphs, and the relentless pursuit of greatness that defined his journey from a child intimidated by ice to a two-time Stanley Cup champion, 8-time All-Star, and the fourth all-time leading goal scorer in NHL history.
CHAPTERS:
0:30 - Brett Hull Career Overview
1:50 - Brett Hull Early Life
8:35 - Brett Hull's Signature Shot
10:40 - Brett Hull Penticton Panthers
12:47 - Brett Hull Junior Hockey Journey
18:54 - Brett Hull College Hockey Career
22:05 - Brett Hull NHL Debut
23:44 - The Old Arena Memories
28:05 - Influence of Brian Sutter
31:45 - Brett Hull 50 Goals Milestone
33:55 - Advice for Aspiring Hockey Players
34:44 - Dynamic Duo: Brett Hull and Adam Oates
38:33 - Leaving St. Louis Blues
42:27 - Stanley Cup Win with Dallas Stars
47:16 - Detroit Red Wings Stanley Cup with Hull
52:25 - Brett Hull Legacy Reflection
54:05 - Brett Hull: Would You Rather
55:55 - Secrets of a Great Goal Scorer

[@PWiz30]

The shots at Mike Keenan in this interview are hilarious.

[@genereynolds3296]

Get Brett on the TNT broadcast now! A great personality of the game.

[@mr.blackhawk142]

That's Brett's DNA talking there! He lucked out in life that way, and he was also lucky to have coaches who PUSHED him to be a better hockey player! But Brett was right about coaches removing the FUN!!! BTW, I was at Okanagan Hockey School in 1969-70ish! Larry Hale pushed me to be better that summer! I was also a drinker and was HUNG-OVER the 1st day's session! On the bus to Penticton I met an American goalie, and we shared a motel room the day we arrived. We met 2 girls and got some beers! PARTY TIME!!! Larry Hale RIP was ribbing me about it! My dad was also named Robert, and was a drunk who was also a great skater. I had a B&W photo of dad and Bobby Hull shaking hands at Brown Bros Ford. (summer of 1971) Bobby endorsed Ford and my dad set sales records as Sales Mgr. I was away in Hawaii so I missed that meeting, but I saw the photos later.

[@user-gn7ff6ov8y]

How can you not like Brett Hull.

[@DaveRino]

He's a chip off the old block.

[@gregpellegrin8713]

You’re joking right lmao?

[@jimbobogie8204]

If you live in Buffalo...

[@ORagnar]

I remember listening to the late great Dan Kelly on KMOX radio in St. Louis in the 1980s when Hull was just starting there for the Blues. Once when Dan was watching Hull shoot the puck he said to his broadcasting sidekick "Did you see that puck?" He hit the puck so hard that you couldn't see it. Dan was obviously amazed by this and conveyed it to the audience and his sidekick. It was a sign of things to come. Turned out he was a scoring phenom. Great player! He and Adam Oates were a great duo. o

[@harrisfoster1066]

Dan was the BEST

[@kja9881]

Hull and Oates! I saw Brett play his 2 seasons at University of Minnesota Duluth I was a season ticket holder at that time 84 85 85 86. What a great talent! A decent guy too! Let's Go Blues!

[@johnrwalker53]

What i loved the most of Brett and Roenick were they were the only players who were fearless about making any comment to the Media which the NHL hates that.

[@Jay9999]

No way. Brett Hull. Nice surprise,think I'll crack a few beers 🍻

[@ThePerpetualStudent]

Hear hear.

[@sawtoothred7943]

A few?

[@PortlandEast]

Wade Boggs

[@dangraesser5341]

Who remembers Dennis Hull? He was legendary.

[@theliftexpert]

He was awesome and funny as hell too.

[@mr.blackhawk142]

"The Third Best Hull" was THE BEST book ever on sports! HILARIOUS!!!

[@harrisfoster1066]

he wasnt that good

[@JamesSmith-mz9ec]

Man he looks like his Dad! been a Bobby Hull fan since I was a kid in the 60's in Chicago, great career for Brett!

[@chrave1956]

Dead ringer for Bobby …

[@RickinBaltimore]

Brett is the reason I'm a Blues fan today.

[@mr.blackhawk142]

I am a Hawks fan but became a part-time Blues fan with Mr. Goalie playing there after expansion. Also the LEGEND "Frank St. Marseille"! LMBO

[@saywhat445]

Same

[@Jim12101]

My favorite season in hockey was the 90-91 season when Brett scored 86 goals (Hull and Oates) and we had Scott Stevens as captain on defense. I went to many Blues games and watched Brett score goals and get hat tricks. That was so much fun. LET'S GO BLUES!!!

[@Shadowwolf7774]

I met Brett and was able to get his autograph here in Dallas. He was a great guy!

[@djdemers8709]

Hully was my favorite player growing up... have all his cards...had his VHS tapes I would even go down on 1 leg on a one timer what a beauty!!!🍻🍻

[@ginor8416]

How cool is Brett Hull? Glad I caught this interview, he had an interesting path to super stardom. I was lucky to watch him play, he patented the one timer

[@tomoreilly3531]

Him and ovechkin have the best one timers of all time!!

[@ginor8416]

As a Leaf fan I’ll have to mention Auston Matthews one timer also

[@jakethorson8002]

In 99 I was 13 and that game was amazing. Dad let me stay up and just enjoy the game. I'll never forget that.

[@KentW-dk7op]

he's an underrated hall of famer. best one timer ever. the distance he was dangerous with that was amazing

[@oldredbarnman]

Was fortunate to have watched Brett Hull play, in college and pro. Marvelled at his scoring ability in St. Louis, and then as a season ticket holder here in Detroit. The '02 team was stacked, and being there when they won the cup was awesome! Wonderful interview, wished it would've been longer!

[@StarlightPerformanceHorses]

I loved watching Brett play. Still remember him scoring the winning goal for my Stars and well I'm still a Stars fan I followed him to the Red Wings while he was still playing as well ❤❤❤

[@jeffzimmers9301]

Love watching these videos. I’m not a hockey fan but this gentleman’s intelligence is really high. It’s interesting that the early coaches didn’t understand and didn’t know how to get more out of Mr Hull. His creative nature, his athletic accuracy, he responded to positive feedback better then verbal beatings. Mr Hull is clearly a monster player. Limitless ability.

[@michaelwilson2209]

most coaches don;t respect selfishness or laziness. do they now

[@adamdesanti6713]

Tons of respect for Hull after he retired and I learned what type of guy he was in the 90's. He spoke his mind and did things his own way but it wasn't unjustified. If he saw something was BS he called it out or resisted it. He was a great teammate who was completely honest. Because of this he has GREAT stories from his career, told by him or about him. Brett needs to write his memoirs. Or hire someone to write his biography. (I know he has a bio from '92, but I want a complete and honest one from today). I'd definitely read it. Oh and his roomie and teammate for 6 years Kelly Chase said that he actually LET UP in games and didn't rack up his stats against doormats like some players would. For instance, when he got the hat-trick in a blow-out he would ease up on the other team on not go for five. He also passed on all empty-netters because he saw them as "cheap goals". He said if he did those two things he could have scored at least 100 MORE goals. (That would put him behind only Gretzky on the all time goal list). Unreal. What a sniping legend. And I LOVE the editing at 39:45 :D

[@tmoore4075]

He's such a great interview. I could listen to him talk about hockey and his career forever. As a Wings fan, those 3 years he was here were so much fun. I had never heard he was close to going to Chicago in the summer of 98. Chicago was awful in 99 and I don't think he helps much. That was the year Chelios was traded away. Would love to see what that alternate universe is like.

[@polarpablo]

that's so interesting to see. Brett was my right winger in the video clip at the 8:10 minute, Rich Kromm was our left winger, facing off at center ice at "le Colisée" in Quebec City (in Feb of '77) was so exciting, Jean Beliveau had come into our dressing room to say hi and to meet Brett just prior to that game.

[@freeatlast7384]

My Dad used to take me to see him play when he played for the Moncton Golden Flames. I so remember him scoring 50 in his rookie season. I loved seeing the old footage of his days with the Golden Flames. Thanks for the memories Brett Hall.

[@us-Bahn]

Amazing honesty from Brett. Very interesting conversation. Like talking with Phil Esposito - no BS.

[@karokaro7328]

Love Brett Hull one of the best to ever play the game and also amazing and nicest person you can meet!!!! I met Brett in 1998 at Lake Tahoe he was in a celebrity gulf tournament coming out of a restaurant on top of the Hotel we were staying. I said Hi and asked for his autograph but did not have a pen and paper and He waited so I can get the pen and he signed a $100 bill I had!

[@livelife4471]

Interesting interaction between Brett and Joe. Brett's story was very interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed the conversation. Thank you.

[@dangraesser5341]

I used to watch the Blues at the checkerdome in STL. Amazing barn.

[@giantfactory]

You mean The Arena?

[@chuckg6039]

As a young boy in central Ohio, I listened to every game Dan Kelly and Gus Kyle called at the Arena on KMOX. @@giantfactory

[@Runabout36]

Loved having him in Detroit. Great interview!

[@robertt782]

You are my hero growing up. I do not even watch hockey anymore. Now im old enough to enjoy the humor. Thanks great interveiw .. Bad interveiwer

[@robertt782]

Adem otts my god the memoryes imforgot

[@robertt782]

42 mins in ok the intervew guy is good

[@robertt782]

Humble .. Glad too hear

[@robertt782]

If greskey never alive this guy would be the best

[@robertt782]

5247 wow ya f u interveiw guy

[@dangraesser5341]

Great interview of a great player and a better person!

[@raghornhs]

Hull was a frightening shooter, and what made him so dangerous is he could score from damn near anywhere! Very intelligent player!

[@mcarroll598]

My favorite player growing up and wore the number 16 because of him. What a great guy!

[@CurtPrice]

Man... this show could have been 2 hours long. They didn't go into that much detail about the Keenan years and didn't mention the Quenneville years at all STL... or him becoming a US citizen to play for Team USA and turning down Team Canada, then winning gold in the World Cup of Hockey. They didn't talk about the controversy when Oates was traded from STL and how that effected him, and how playing with Janney as his center was different than Oates. They could have talked about him and Chase partying and stealing Bob Berry's car and taking it to the east side. And I felt they didn't talk enough about him leaving STL, as that was a huge deal. There was a lot more to it than what was talked about here. Tons of good stuff they didn't get into. But the early ears with him in Juniors and in college was good stuff.

[@LifebytheHorns406]

I would love to hang out with Brett Hull. Seems like a genuinely funny guy who enjoys life!

[@sonylyons7888]

awesome video....never knew all that about BH. discounting empty netters, the highest goal total in history

[@dangraesser5341]

I mean this as a huge compliment because I am a huge Brett Hull and Bobby Hull fan...Brett is the greatest lazy goal scorer in the history of the NHL. His talent is absolutley sickening!!

[@donallan6396]

Great interview . Well worth watching .

[@philhamilton8731]

Heard Gretzky on a recent podcast call Brett Hull the smartest guy he knew in hockey and one of the nicest as well. Loved watching him play. Not a complete player, but a great scorer. He is who he is, and unashamedly knows it. A rare quality these days.

[@keithmorrison2514]

Amazingly candidacy great player with a great sense of fun for hockey fans to enjoy his enjoyment to playand score

[@ManitobaMike]

Brett was a member of the Winnipeg Monarchs when he was playing in Quebec City.

[@ronaldlucas5360]

Good interview 👍

[@keeblah1111]

Flames/Habs final, what a time to be alive

[@justintrotter4186]

#TimelessStories #GreatlyAppreciated #Thank4PostingFree

[@chuckg6039]

Spellbound listening to Brett.

[@jockejocke1]

8:24 I really like how Brett Hull mentions how he loved opening the scoring of a game, having the first goal of a game. Because that is actually an official stat being tracked by the NHL, and whenever I've mentioned it to anybody they just scoff and ask what the point of that stat is. So I think its great that an all-time legend of the game mentions that statistic. Here is the all-time top 10 in players having the first goal of a game: Regular season 1. Alex Ovechkin 142 2. Jaromir Jagr 135 3. Brett Hull 131 4. Gordie Howe 127 5. Teemu Selanne 119 6. Joe Sakic 117 7. Jarome Iginla 114 8. Sidney Crosby 112 9. Bobby Hull 111 10. Mark Messier 110 Playoffs 1. Wayne Gretzky 19 2. Mario Lemieux / Brett Hull 18 3. Steve Yzerman / Stephane Richer / Jean Beliveau 17 4. Sidney Crosby / Joe Sakic / Jaromir Jagr 16 5. Mark Messier / Bobby Hull / Glenn Anderson 15

[@dannyboy8883]

In 1992 at the Paul Coffey Invitational Golf Tournament in Toronto I gave Bobby Hull Jr. 12 Brett cards to have signed and he said he'd mail them to me for my peewee hockey players. I'm still hoping they are lost in the mail and might arrive. haha What a gentleman and great guy Brett Hull is.

[@derick-smith]

Pug with a horn... things I didn't expect to hear in this interview

[@BaenGeiwn]

Interesting, I had read somewhere (basically 3rd hand info at best) that supposedly Hull refused to score empty netters the season he had 86. Like it was a pride thing or something like that. Turns out he would've wanted to be on the ice and try and get the empties -- as well as be in the penalty kill, too. And there's definitely nothing wrong with that, the greatest goal scorers always have a healthy amount of what some might view as selfishness when they want to score that one more goal. Goals win games. A very good interview, Brett seems like a great guy. And a legend of the game, obviously.

[@jockejocke1]

I looked up how they scored: When Brett had 86 goals (57 were even strength, 29 were power play, 0 shorthanded and 0 empty netters) When Wayne had 92 goals (68 were even strength, 18 were power play, 6 were shorthanded, 4 were empty netters) When he had 87 goals (55 were even strength, 20 were power play, 12 were shorthanded, 6 were empty netters)

[@charlieb308]

I remember this Kat in the AHL, had 50 goals for Moncton

[@racoon126]

Loved Bret Hull!!! Hell of a shot.

[@MrDMF567]

Brett’s release was magic. One of the first guys I saw who’d drastically change the angle by dragging the puck into his feet & letting it go. That + using a really whippy stick just made the puck explode off his blade. Incredible shooter. Auston Matthews has that similar release. Pulling the puck hard into his feet to change the angle and then just letting it rip.

[@DudleyDoright-ru2ch]

Watch Lanny MacDonald, same release, my personal favourite Mike Bossy.

[@Coolestnumber1]

A huge talent!

[@chrave1956]

Never mentioned his uncle Dennis.

[@trevorthomschke6662]

This was great.

[@jaysonsacobie4617]

That Detroit team was amazing....

[@markhuru]

I saw him play in duluth, note mark Pavlich played there too…

[@danielstephens9748]

Can't be all bad...he loves a drink! I.got his dad's autograph when I was 12 in 1966.

[@aoblak5110]

Love ya, HULLY! True hockey player!

[@Rustino44]

#16 The Golden Brett!

[@mjboux6559]

Its funny he doesnt talk about ..his fear for coming on the ice with us bigger guys in kimberly incinarena in ek winnipeg ...i was friends with his brothers n the wilson boys ..we all played in cyrs super summer hockey league ..brett would come out n play a lil ..he wasnt a great skater yet but his shot at age 11 or 12 was pretty decent ..but i gotta tell ya ..we"d laugh cause he had a mouth like a sailor..only 5xs worse ...i remember being at a jets blues game many years later with his brother bobby jr...we went outside the room aftet ..brett came out to say hi ...it was priceless ..the same funny brett ..what a character ..im sure him being around all of us older guys influenced him a lil in a positive vibe and he carried with him in his sense of humour ...n what a star he became ...awesome!!

[@giantfactory]

He played 52-years-old off so cool I had to look it up to make sure he was joking around.

[@shartmaster-uz6pp]

Love brett always will be a redwing!

[@np1000]

The amazing thing is 2 HOFers named Hull. Unbelievable

[@danieldeangelis9483]

Wowww !

[@Nickh4929]

Penticton vees legend.

[@ThePerpetualStudent]

One of my biggest regrets is not seeing Hull win the cup with the Blues. Curse you Red Wings, you ruined my childhood. Hull had one of the best one-timers in the game.

[@berryscott3590]

His dad is so under rated, by today's whipper snappers. One of the fastest skaters ever, one of the hardest shots ever... I grew up in the Bobby Hull era... Without bothering to look up anything, I'm thinking if you combine Bobby's NHL and WHA scoring totals, and do the same with Gretzky and Howe ... Wayne would still be number one... But They'd be pretty close... and like 1,2,3 on the all time scoring list... The Golden Brett was a really great player, maybe the best one timer ever, such a quick and accurate release, and so magical alongside Adam Oates... But BUT BUT... I gotta say in all honesty, the Golden Jet, in his prime, was even better...

[@chriswright5204]

Brett had comic books in his image, set of three and I still have them. Yes Keenan was a prick!

[@bdff4007]

Smaller than a prick

[@mr8966]

He’s from Winterpeg, Manisnowba and doesn’t mention it.

[@glenjuman4680]

Should've talked about the '96 World Cup of Hockey. Brett could've played for either Canada or USA. He chose USA. Pissed off people in Canada. Being Bobby's son and all. USA wins in Game 3 of the finals in Montreal!!!!

[@daved1535]

It was Canada's fault. He picked them as his 1st choice back in the 1987 Canada Cup, but they didn't pick him, so he went to the United States team and played. After that, he said he would always play for the United States in any international tournaments

[@rickg5597]

@@daved15351986 IIHF World Championship. Ended up joining USA in that tournament and scoring 7 goals in 10 games.

[@Nick-NY]

He played great in that tournament!

[@alelectric2767]

He couldn’t have played for Canada because they didn’t pick him. That’s why he played for the US. Back then we called him a trader cause then, you played for where you were born. Not citizenship. Obviously now it’s different.

[@MAC717]

Thx for interviewing a Canuck

[@bdff4007]

Did you hear the about?

[@Steven91637]

Stanley Cup Winner with Dallas Stars ⭐️

[@bdff4007]

And Red Wings!

[@arnoldstevenson4427]

I always said this.. Bobby Hull the best & hardest slap shot.. Bret had the best & hardest wrist shot ...

[@jdbankshot]

met brett once, shook hands, wrists the size of my ankles... & i'm 6'1, 200lbs.

[@caitlincaitlin4703]

too bad hull and oates didn't play more years together. great scoring chemistry.

[@DrVoiceofreason666]

He was 4th, probably 5th now that Ovi entered the mix

[@marcotrinchini4615]

A guy in my hockey pool could never pronounce his name correctly. He always called him Brent Hull. 😂

[@Samtzuriel]

I will never forgive the blackhawk front office for not drafting brett hull-he would have been a major hockey hero in chicago

[@kenoesch668]

Thank you for clarifying what you thought about Keenan .Just to look at the axe hole you knew he knew nothing .Greasy

[@nateschwartz5755]

What's with the Omission of Alex Ovechkin on the goal list? Why not use a current list instead of one from 2017?

[@baggyhockeypants]

I assume because he’s still active? But yeah kinda weird.

[@danwallace9216]

This interview was from 2017.

[@nateschwartz5755]

@@danwallace9216 ahhhhhhh that makes sense. Didn't know it was that old

[@9mmSafetyAlways0ff]

1st game 1st shaft 1st touch of the puck 1st shot 1st goal that's Mario lemieux debut

[@philipdennis491]

His father was one of the greats

[@billssportsandwrestlingchan]

Honestly, Brett should just walk around wearing his Stanley Cup ring, and any Buffalo Babies who cry to him saying "No Goal", he should simply hold up his first with his ring and smile!

[@choosenone2die]

Hull is not a sniper at 15.2 % . you need close or above 20%. a lot of people mix between sniper, scorer and shooter sniper = % shots, scorer = goals, shooter = shots . ovechkin is not a sniper but a scorer and a shooter . he has only 12.8%. Ovi has a lots of goals because he shoots a lot. More than 6,500 shots to date. Just like In the army the sniper kills few people and a sniper never use a machine gun to kill hundreds of enemies.

[@dshane31]

You stated the start of year you will not have teams moving a lot and get one game or one 3-4 stretch. Now Dallas is jumping all over the place. This is why you seem

[@charlieb308]

Dallas had 5-6 hall of fame players and Buffalo had just Hasek, glad the league went to salary cap, Buffalo payroll in 99 was 25 million, Dallas 2.5 times higher

[@shannonpaplow7754]

When ever in the North woods make sure you have a friend that's slower than you.

[@mikekole]

Come on Joe, Brett's saying interesting things and you aren't picking up on them, just ready to get to your next question. How can you do this many interviews with so many high profile athletes and still lack interviewing skills?

[@jockejocke1]

It seemed edited in parts, so maybe they cut out some stuff where he followed up on some questions.

[@giantfactory]

"WE... WENT... BLUES!"

[@Flair3777]

As a Blues fan in the 90's I hated Mike Kennan.

[@johnschlaefflin2100]

I think most people hated Mike Kennan, except for maybe Mike Kennan.

[@scottthompson138]

Gus took you up there.

[@RedroomStudios]

wow, does he ever look like his father now!

[@scottthompson138]

The penticon veees. Didn’t Gus you get there’re.

[@chrisphillips348]

Brett, so the bear in the book is BS, huh? Might want to scan the next edition before releasing it. It’s in 1st and 2nd

[@iLightSoundGeometry]

sutter was a -66 and made some terrible trades in the fo ... eff sutter

[@tomservo5607]

Joe is not the best interviewer, left out the fact that Brett had a brother and childhood teammate who were considered better hockey prospects. Brett’s brother chose football and played professionally in the CFL and his Pee Wee teammate Tony Granato had a successful NHL career.

[@mjboux6559]

Brett's younger years were formed with sll of our gang in wpg mb at summer hockey ..we were all junior hockey players n brett as a kid played with us ...he could talk like a sailor n told me where to go a few times after I'd slap his pads with my stick n tell him ..cmon pick it up a bit kid ..he prob never forgot those moments ..lots of guys n hockey camaraderie in the summer in Winnipeg

[@toscodav]

Hard to believe the coach held him back to prevent him from breaking Gretzky single season scoring record. What an A-hole. I wonder if management held him back to keep his value down.

[@billd11]

Would have been nice if Joe Buck let Brett Hull do most of the talking.

[@bdff4007]

Great interview

[@billd11]

@@bdff4007 It was an excellent interview. Just wish Joe didn't interrupt him so often.

[@davefreckleton7962]

Theres no way any nhl hofer can tell stories like brett hull 😂

[@donallan6396]

Actually, Dennis Hull was a hilarious public speaker who entertained fans at sporting fund raisers and golf tournaments .

[@BallHockeyPlayer]

It was a goal eventhough, that season, it shouldn't have been. I think common sense applied. It was a big moment of course.

[@davecurda2350]

So disappointed when Brett was traded away from Calgary. In the 80’s Calgary was on the top of the NHL

[@marcpelu2558]

Still a shame this guy ever wore a team USA jersey.

[@murrayhumphreys3724]

You can probably blame Keenan for that.

[@Nickh4929]

​@@murrayhumphreys3724keenan has to be the most hated coach of all time.