1971-72 O-Pee-Chee 18 Gilles Villemure Hockey Card (Front)
1971-72 O-Pee-Chee 18 Gilles Villemure Hockey Card (Back)
1971-72 O-Pee-Chee NHL Checklist
Card Notes
Gilles is not very big, but he’s proven to be a top goalie, sharing the Vezina Trophy with Ed Giacomin last season. Gilles is an “angles” goalie, and very cool under pressure. He had several outstanding seasons in the minor leagues before making if for good with New York.
Details
Gilles Villemure did have some outstanding seasons in the minors, starting with 1962-63. Playing all 70 regular season and seven playoff games for the Vancouver Canucks of the WHL, Villemure earned rookie of the year honours. He posted a 3.26 goals against average with five shutouts.
In both 1968-69 and 1969-70, Gilles was recipient of the Les Cunningham Award as the AHL’s MVP and the Harry Hap Holmes Memorial Award as the league’s top goaltender. He helped the Buffalo Bisons to a first place finish in 1968-69. The following year, the Bisons finished second overall but captured the Calder Cup championship with a win over the Springfield Kings in the final.
Along with the shared Vezina Trophy win, Villemure was third in voting for the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year. Gilbert Perreault of the Buffalo Sabres took the honours. Jude Drouin of the Minnesota North Stars finished second.
Gilles played 205 regular season and eleven Stanley Cup playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1963-64 and 1976-77. Most of his career was with the New York Rangers but he finished with the Chicago Blackhawks.