This is very debatable.
1959-60 playing with two rookies Murray Balfour and Bill Hay:
http://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/CBH/1960.html
Bobby Hull won the Art Ross while Hay won the Calder. 1960-61 Hay led the Hawks in scoring.
1962-63 Hawks injury plagued season:
http://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/CBH/1963.html
compared to 1963-64:
http://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/CBH/1964.html
when the team was very healthy, driven by Hull and Mikita, linemates numbers rose. Then 1964-65 when Phil Esposito replaced Bill Hay on the line with Bobby Hull:
http://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/CBH/1965.html
Esposito's numbers went up significantly from 1963-64 while Hay's numbers went down accordingly.
Back to the key element here, the roles of Esposito and Mikita as Hawk centers. Clearly both have been misunderstood to an extent.
Playing with Bobby Hull was a benefit to Bill Hay - putting his playmaking skills in evidence and Phill Esposito - accenting his goalscoring attributes. The lack of an appropriate RW after the loss of Murray Balfour hurt both.
Stan Mikita was also a benefit to his linemates. Ken Wharram was ideal at RW as he was a lead winger that forced the teams to respect the right side, while Bobby Hull on his line forced the respect on the left side. . Combined on the PP Hull and Wharram were ideal regardless of the center or point situation. McDonald and Mohns with Mikita were gran excellent match as the trailing winger on the left side.