Chris Jericho Pays Tribute To Controversial Former NHL Star With 'The Golden Jets' At AEW WrestleDream

Chris Jericho paid tribute to a controversial former NHL star at WrestleDream on Sunday, October 1.

Jericho teamed with Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi to take on Will Ospreay, Konosuke Takeshita, and Sammy Guevara of The Don Callis Family and the babyface trio were named The Golden Jets for the match.

Along with the name being similar to The Golden Lovers, the tag team of Omega and Ibushi, Jericho revealed The Golden Jets was in tribute to Bobby Hull, an ice hockey player who was nicknamed The Golden Jet and played for the Winnipeg Jets from 1972 until 1979.

"The Golden Jets is obviously a take on the Golden Lovers but also the Golden Jet is Bobby Hull, the greatest Winnipeg Jet of all time. Of course, we're from Winnipeg," Jericho said during the post-WrestleDream media scrum.

Bobby Hull became a controversial figure after retiring from ice hockey following an interview with the Moscow Times in 1998 in which he allegedly said Adolf Hitler "had some good ideas" and the black population in the United States was growing too quickly.

"Hitler for example, had some good ideas. He just went a little bit too far," Hull was quoted as saying. When asked if he was a racist, Hull also allegedly said: "I don't give a damn. I'm not running for any political office."

Hull later denied he praised Hitler in the Moscow Times and he threatened to sue the newspaper and The Toronto Sun, but nothing came of the threat.

Hull said later in 1998: "I am deeply offended by the false statements attributed to me with respect to Adolf Hitler and the black community in the United States. To my mind, Adolf Hitler was the most evil and despicable person who ever lived and there is nothing good or positive that can ever be said about such an evil man. ...I deeply regret any injury or insult that this regrettable situation has caused..."

Hull's own daughter Michelle contradicted him, though, saying after she saw the Moscow Times story, "The first thing I thought was, 'That's exactly like him.'"

In addition to his alleged pro-Nazi and racist remarks, Hull was accused of domestic assault by two of his former wives. He was also arrested for assaulting a police officer. Hull passed away earlier this year.

H/T to LA Times & New York Times