Report: Blackhawks Great Stan Mikita Unable To Enjoy Final Series
CHICAGO (AP) -- The family of Stan Mikita says the Chicago Blackhawks Hall of Famer no longer has memories of his exceptional career on the ice because of a progressive brain disorder.
Jill Mikita tells the Chicago Tribune her husband "has no idea" he's missing out on the Hawks' third Stanley Cup Final series in six seasons.
The 75-year-old Mikita has suspected Lewy body dementia. It's a progressive disease that causes problems with thinking, movement and behavior. There's no known cure, but people can live with the disease for a number of years.
Mikita played his entire 22-year NHL career for the Blackhawks, from 1958 to 1980. He was on the team that won the Stanley Cup in 1961 and amassed 541 goals and 926 assists in 1,394 games.
(© 2015 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)