1966-67 Topps 23 Ed Giacomin Hockey Card (Front)
1966-67 Topps 23 Ed Giacomin Hockey Card (Back)
1966-67 Topps NHL Hockey Card Checklist
Card Notes
Ed played 35 games with the Rangers last year before being sent to Baltimore of the AHL. This year he again impressed the Ranger coaches in training camp and has been give the #1 starting job. A good standup goalie, Ed’s best pro year was with Providence of the AHL.
En Français
Ed a joué 35 parties avec les Rangers l’an dernier avant d’être envoyé au Baltimore de la LHA. Cette année, il a encore impressionné favorablement les instructeurs des Rangers durant le camp d’entraînement et on lui a confié la position de départ No. 1.
Details
ERROR – The back of this card is a bit of a mystery. In the stats section, Topps states that Ed Giacomin did not play in the NHL during the 1965-66 season. However, Eddie appeared in 36 games for the New York Rangers (noted as 35 in the info snippet) and could be considered their number one goalie with Cesare Maniago playing in 28 games and Don Simmons appearing in eleven.
The seven games Giacomin played for the Baltimore Clippers in the American Hockey League during the 1965-66 season would be his last in the minors. This was a big deal for a goalie that played in the minors from 1958-59 to 1964-65 without seeing an NHL game. He starred with the Providence Reds in the AHL for five solid seasons from 1960-61 to 1964-65.
There was no doubt Ed was the number one goalie with the Rangers in 1966-67. He appeared in 68 of the team’s 70 regular season games, posting a 2.61 goals against average with an amazing nine shutouts. His goaltending led to the Rangers allowing just 189 goals. However, the Canadiens allowed 188, denying Giacomin the Vezina Trophy. The performance helped New York reach the post season for the first time since 1961-62.
In that 1966-67 NHL season, Giacomin came close to being named the Hart Trophy winner as the league’s most valuable player. He finished second in voting for the award with the Hart ultimately going to Stan Mikita of the Chicago Blackhawks.
Giacomin would get his Vezina Trophy a few years later. Sharing duties with Gilles Villemure, the pair won the Vezina in 1970-71, allowing a combined 177 goals. Eddie posted a 2.16 GAA over 45 games with eight shutouts.
Ed Giacomin played 610 regular season games in the National Hockey League between 1965-66 and 1977-78 with the Rangers and Detroit Red Wings. He finished up with 53 shutouts and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1987.