1971-72 O-Pee-Chee 201 Bruce Gamble Hockey Card (Front)
1971-72 O-Pee-Chee 201 Bruce Gamble Hockey Card (Back)
1971-72 O-Pee-Chee NHL Checklist
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Card Notes
Well-traveled Bruce Gamble often goes on hot streaks. He flops to the ice a lot, but gets the job done well. Bruce was one of the last goalies to switch to a face mask.
En Français
Bruce a souvent des périodes chanceuces. Bruce fut l’un des premiers gardiens à porter un masque facial.
Details
1971-72 would be the end of Bruce Gamble’s playing career. On February 8, 1972, he suffered what turned out to be a heart attack during a road games at the Pacific Coliseum against the Vancouver Canucks. He completely the game in fine fashion, stopping 30 of 31 shots put towards him in the 3-1 Flyers win. Wayne Connelly was the last player to ever score on him as he would never play again following this match.
It was a long and winding road for Gamble during his pro career. He played his first NHL games in 1958-59 with the New York Rangers, as a backup to Gump Worsley for two games. He would not play in the league again until 1960-61 when he was the number one goalie for the Boston Bruins. After two years in Boston, it was back to the minors for Bruce, returning to the big league in 1965-66 with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
On January 31, 1971, Gamble was traded from Toronto to the Philadelphia Flyers with Mike Walton for Bernie Parent. Walton was traded the same day from the Flyers to the Boston Bruins for Rick MacLeish.
Between 1958-59 and 1971-72, Bruce Gamble appeared in 328 regular season and five playoff games in the National Hockey League with the Rangers, Bruins, Maple Leafs and Flyers. He was WHL Rookie of the Year in 1958-59, playing for the Vancouver Canucks, a team led offensively by Ted Hampson.