1975-76 O-Pee-Chee 190 Gilles Meloche Hockey Card (Front)
1975-76 O-Pee-Chee 190 Gilles Meloche Hockey Card (Back)
1975-76 O-Pee-Chee NHL Checklist
Card Notes
Gilles led all NHL goalies by assisting on six goals last season. Had shutout in first NHL start.
En Français
Premier parmi les gardiens de la LNH avec six assistances la saison dernière. Réussit un blanchissage lors de son début dans la LNH.
Details
His six assists as a goaltender for the California Golden Seals in 1974-75 would be a career best for Gilles Meloche. His career total reached 22 over 788 regular season games. Backup goalie Gary Simmons also added an assist in an attempt to do anything to bolster the dismal Golden Seals. California was only better than the expansion Washington Capitals and Kansas City Scouts in the final standings.
The back of the card contains a bit of an ERROR. Meloche did not record a shutout in his first NHL start. He played two full games for the Chicago Blackhawks in 1970-71. Although he allowed just three goals, neither game ended in a blank.
What O-Pee-Chee is attempting to refer to is the first game Gilles played for California. After starting the 1971-72 NHL season with Gary Kurt and Lyle Carter splitting time between the pipes, they gave Meloche the nod on October 28, 1971 against the Bruins at the Boston Garden.
Gilles was outstanding, turning away all 34 shuts put his way. Norm Ferguson scored the game winner at 15:26 of the first period, assisted by Tommy Williams and Wayne Carleton. The only other goal scored in the game was by Dick Redmond in the third period. It was the tenth game of the campaign for the Seals and the performance rocketed Meloche into the number one role with the club. He finished out the 1971-72 season appearing in 56 games and adding three more shutouts.
Between 1970-71 and 1987-88, Gilles appeared in 788 regular season and 45 playoff games in the National Hockey League. Along with the Blackhawks and Golden Seals, he also played for the Cleveland Barons, Minnesota North Stars and Pittsburgh Penguins.