THE VERDICT: Remembering Former Blackhawk Lou Angotti

Lou Angotti, a versatile and popular forward during two stints with the Blackhawks, has died. He was 83.
"LOO!! LOO!! LOO!!"
Such was the Stadium soundtrack whenever Angotti hopped onto the ice, anxious for the action. A favorite handyman for head coach Billy Reay, the diminutive Angotti would do whatever was asked of him with diligence. At 5-foot-9, and 170 or so pounds, Angotti was not a lot of fun to play against. He might have lacked brawn, but he possessed a rich hockey IQ. And he could really skate with short, aggressive strides.

On a power play, Angotti assisted on Bobby Hull's then record-breaking 51st goal in 1966 while on the bench! Angotti provided the puck just before a line change, then witnessed history while sitting for a front-row view. No player had ever amassed more than 50 in one National Hockey League season. In 1971, on his second tour in Chicago, Angotti captured a vital faceoff to set up Hull's overtime goal in Game 5 of a classic 1971 Semi-Final against the New York Rangers. The Blackhawks won the gritty series, 4-3, and advanced to the Stanley Cup Final.
But Angotti also excelled at the grunt work. When the Blackhawks were playing a man short, he and fellow penalty killer Eric Nesterenko often deodorized perilous situations with smart, careful maneuvers. On a line with Hull, Angotti noted that he and the third wheel, often Nesterenko, were "Frick and Frack," snagging points while the opposition concentrated on thwarting The Golden Jet.

Angotti, a native of Toronto, earned an engineering degree at Michigan Tech University, where Tony Esposito would later graduate. He signed and made his NHL debut in 1964 with the Rangers, then was acquired in 1965 by the Blackhawks, for whom he played two seasons.
In 1967, Angotti became the first-ever captain of the expansion Philadelphia Flyers, registering a career-high 49 points on 12 goals and 37 assists. He joined the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1968, then returned to the Blackhawks for four full seasons before finishing his NHL career with the St. Louis Blues. There, he later served as coach. For the 1983-84 season, Angotti was coach of the Penguins.
Angotti always considered Chicago to be home. Indeed, the closing entry on his playing summary is a brief tour with the Chicago Cougars of the World Hockey Association in 1974-75. Thereafter, Angotti was a welcome voice for a spell on Blackhawk broadcasts -- TV, radio, pre- and postgame. He had a keen eye and a forthright style, often spiced with a sense of humor. Angotti loved hockey, almost as dearly as he loved to laugh. Eschewing a wallet, he carried a wad of cash rolled up his sock.
Regardless of the assignment, Angotti always brought energy with him. Fans gravitated to that. Decades after he played here, Angotti was featured one evening at the Blackhawk Alumni autograph signing booth. Venerable supporters of the franchise formed long lines along the 100 Level of the United Center. When Angotti arrived, flanked by security, he heard a familiar chant.
"LOO!! LOO!! LOO!!"