1972-73 O-Pee-Chee 112 Gilles Meloche Hockey Card (Front)
1972-73 O-Pee-Chee 112 Gilles Meloche Hockey Card (Back)
1972-73 O-Pee-Chee NHL Checklist
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Card Notes
Gilles is considered to be one of the brightest goalie prospects in the NHL. He won 16 games in his rookie year last season, including a superlative shutout victory over the Boston Bruins in Boston Garden. Chicago took Gilles in the 1970 amateur draft, but he played only two games for the Hawks before being traded to California in October of 1971. After his 1st NHL shutout Gilles was kissed by his coach.
En Français
Gilles devrait avoir une belle carrière dans la LNH. Comme recrue la saison dernière, il gagna 16 parties, y compris un blanchissage sensationnel contre les Bruins à Boston. Repêché par les Black Hawks en 1970, mais échangé aux Seals en Octobre 1971. Son instructeur l’embrassa après son 1er blanchissage dans la LNH.
Details
The shutout referred to on the back of this 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Gilles Meloche hockey card occurred in his first game with the California Golden Seals. On October 28, 1971, the Seals walked into the Boston Garden and took home a 2-0 victory, propelled by Meloche’s 34 save performance. Norm Ferguson scored the game winning goal at 15:26 of the first period, assisted by Tommy Williams and Wayne Carleton.
That was one of four shutouts for Gilles in his rookie season. Despite putting up great numbers, playing 56 games for the Golden Seals, Meloche received just a single vote for the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year. However, that vote placed him fourth in voting behind Ken Dryden, Rick Martin and Marcel Dionne.
Meloche was selected in the fifth round of the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks. He appeared in just two games with the Hawks in 1970-71 before an October 18, 1971 trade sent him to Oakland with Paul Shmyr for Gerry Desjardins.
Over 59 games in 1972-73, Gilles would lead the NHL in shots on net, saves, total minutes played and goals against. On four occasions, he faced 50 or more shots in a game for a Seals team that finished only ahead of the expansion New York Islanders.
Between 1970-71 and 1987-88, Gilles Meloche appeared in 788 regular season and 45 playoff games in the National Hockey League with the Blackhawks, Golden Seals, Cleveland Barons, Minnesota North Stars and Pittsburgh Penguins. He continued on with the Penguins as both a scout and goaltending coach.