1971-72 O-Pee-Chee 33 Andre Lacroix Hockey Card (Front)
1971-72 O-Pee-Chee 33 Andre Lacroix Hockey Card (Back)
1971-72 O-Pee-Chee NHL Checklist
Card Notes
“Holds AHL record with six hat tricks in a single season.”
Andre Lacroix accomplished this feat during the 1967-68 AHL season with the Quebec Aces. The amazing this is that he appeared in just 54 games for the Aces that season after being called up to the Flyers. Lacroix totaled 41 goals, along with 46 assists for 87 points that year.
Is it still a record? Close but all records are meant to be broken. The current American Hockey League record stands at seven hat tricks in a single season. The feat was accomplished by two different players.
Bill Lochead was the first to put in seven three goal performances in a season. Lochead did this with the New Haven Nighthawks in 1979-80. After a promising NHL career fizzled out for the former first round draft pick, Bill exploded offensively with New Haven that year, scoring 46 goals and totaling 89 points. It would be his last year in North America before a second, and very successful, career in Germany kept him busy until the 1986-87 season.
Another former NHL first round pick is responsible for the other seven hat trick season. Mark Pederson was a 15th overall pick by the Montreal Canadiens in 1986. However, his NHL career consists of just 169 games with the Habs, Philadelphia Flyers, San Jose Sharks and Detroit Red Wings.
In 1993-94, Pederson finished second in the AHL with 52 goals, 21 of those coming in bunches of three. That performance with the Adirondack Red Wings would be his second 50 goal season in the AHL. Like Bill Lochead, Mark would spend time playing professionally in Germany.