The 1970-71 O-Pee-Chee NHL set consists of 264 hockey cards. The nearly identically designed Topps set consists of half that at 132 cards and is missing the historically important rookie cards of Bobby Clarke (Flyers), Gilbert Perreault (Sabres) and Darryl Sittler (Maple Leafs).
The trio of Clarke, Perreault and Sittler are certainly very valuable but the highlight of the 1970-71 set is the number 3 card of Bobby Orr. The only other cards as valuable are the checklists.
Another major addition to the O-Pee-Chee collection, that is not found in the Topps set, are the several trophy cards featuring Bobby Orr of the Boston Bruins including the Hart Trophy, Art Ross Trophy, Conn Smythe Trophy and Norris Trophy. Also not included in the Topps set is Orr’s First Team All-Star card.
Terry Sawchuk is memorialized on hockey card number 231 after passing away in the summer of 1970. The legendary goalie had his three year waiting period waived and was posthumously inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1971.
1970-71 O-Pee-Chee NHL Checklist
| Number | Player |
| 1 | Gerry Cheevers |
| 2 | Johnny Bucyk |
| 3 | Bobby Orr |
| 4 | Don Awrey |
| 5 | Fred Stanfield |
| 6 | John McKenzie |
| 7 | Wayne Cashman RC |
| 8 | Ken Hodge |
| 9 | Wayne Carleton |
| 10 | Garnet “Ace” Bailey RC |
| 11 | Phil Esposito |
| 12 | Lou Angotti |
| 13 | Jim Pappin |
| 14 | Dennis Hull |
| 15 | Bobby Hull |
| 16 | Doug Mohns |
| 17 | Pat Stapleton |
| 18 | Hubert “Pit” Martin |
| 19 | Eric Nesterenko |
| 20 | Stan Mikita |
| 21 | Roy Edwards |
| 22 | Frank Mahovlich |
| 23 | Ron Harris |
| 24 | Checklist |
| 25 | Pete Stemkowski |
| 26 | Garry Unger |
| 27 | Bruce MacGregor |
| 28 | Larry Jeffrey |
| 29 | Gordie Howe |
| 30 | Billy Dea |
| 31 | Denis DeJordy |
| 32 | Matt Ravlich |
| 33 | Dave Amadio |
| 34 | Gilles Marotte |
| 35 | Eddie Shack |
| 36 | Bob Pulford |
| 37 | Ross Lonsberry |
| 38 | Gord Labossiere |
| 39 | Eddie Joyal |
| 40 | Lorne “Gump” Worsley |
| 41 | Bob McCord |
| 42 | Leo Boivin |
| 43 | Tom Reid RC |
| 44 | Charlie Burns |
| 45 | Bob Barlow |
| 46 | Bill Goldsworthy |
| 47 | Danny Grant |
| 48 | Norm Beaudin RC |
| 49 | Rogatien Vachon |
| 50 | Yvan Cournoyer |
| 51 | Serge Savard |
| 52 | Jacques Laperriere |
| 53 | Terry Harper |
| 54 | Ralph Backstrom |
| 55 | Jean Beliveau |
| 56 | Claude Larose |
| 57 | Jacques Lemaire |
| 58 | Pete Mahovlich |
| 59 | Tim Horton |
| 60 | Bob Nevin |
| 61 | Dave Balon |
| 62 | Vic Hadfield |
| 63 | Rod Gilbert |
| 64 | Ron Stewart |
| 65 | Ted Irvine |
| 66 | Arnie Brown |
| 67 | Brad Park RC |
| 68 | Ed Giacomin |
| 69 | Gary Smith |
| 70 | Carol Vadnais |
| 71 | Doug Roberts |
| 72 | Harry Howell |
| 73 | Joe Szura |
| 74 | Mike Laughton |
| 75 | Gary Jarrett |
| 76 | Bill Hicke |
| 77 | Paul Andrea RC |
| 78 | Bernie Parent |
| 79 | Joe Watson |
| 80 | Ed Van Impe |
| 81 | Larry Hillman |
| 82 | George Swarbrick |
| 83 | Bill Sutherland |
| 84 | Andre Lacroix |
| 85 | Gary Dornhoefer |
| 86 | Jean-Guy Gendron |
| 87 | Al Smith RC |
| 88 | Bob Woytowich |
| 89 | Duane Rupp |
| 90 | Jim Morrison |
| 91 | Ron Schock |
| 92 | Ken Schinkel |
| 93 | Keith McCreary |
| 94 | Bryan Hextall |
| 95 | Wayne Hicks RC |
| 96 | Gary Sabourin |
| 97 | Ernie Wakely RC |
| 98 | Bob Wall |
| 99 | Barclay Plager |
| 100 | Jean-Guy Talbot |
| 101 | Gary Veneruzzo |
| 102 | Tim Ecclestone |
| 103 | Gordon “Red” Berenson |
| 104 | Larry Keenan |
| 105 | Bruce Gamble |
| 106 | Jim Dorey |
| 107 | Mike Pelyk RC |
| 108 | Rick Ley |
| 109 | Mike Walton |
| 110 | Norm Ullman |
| 112 | Garry Monahan |
| 113 | George Armstrong |
| 114 | Gary Doak |
| 115 | Darryl Sly RC |
| 116 | Wayne Maki |
| 117 | Orland Kurtenbach |
| 118 | Murray Hall |
| 119 | Marc Reaume |
| 120 | Pat Quinn |
| 121 | Andre Boudrias |
| 122 | Poul Popiel |
| 123 | Paul Terbenche |
| 124 | Howie Menard |
| 125 | Gerry Meehan RC |
| 126 | Phil “Skip” Krake |
| 127 | Phil Goyette |
| 128 | Reg Fleming |
| 129 | Don Marshall |
| 130 | Bill Inglis RC |
| 131 | Gilbert Perreault RC |
| 132 | Checklist |
| 133 | Ed Johnston |
| 134 | Ted Green |
| 135 | Rick Smith RC |
| 136 | Derek Sanderson |
| 137 | Dallas Smith |
| 138 | Don Marcotte RC |
| 139 | Ed Westfall |
| 140 | Floyd Smith |
| 141 | Randy Wyrozub RC |
| 142 | Cliff Schmautz RC |
| 143 | Mike McMahon |
| 144 | Jim Watson |
| 145 | Roger Crozier |
| 146 | Tracy Pratt |
| 147 | Cliff Koroll RC |
| 148 | Gerry Pinder RC |
| 149 | Ron “Chico” Maki |
| 150 | Doug Jarrett |
| 151 | Keith Magnuson RC |
| 152 | Gerry Desjardins |
| 153 | Tony Esposito |
| 154 | Gary Bergman |
| 155 | Tom Webster RC |
| 156 | Dale Rolfe |
| 157 | Alex Delvecchio |
| 158 | Nick Libett |
| 159 | Wayne Connelly |
| 160 | Mike Byers RC |
| 161 | Bill Flett |
| 162 | Larry Mickey |
| 163 | Noel Price |
| 164 | Larry Cahan |
| 165 | Jack Norris RC |
| 166 | Ted Harris |
| 167 | Murray Oliver |
| 168 | Jean-Paul Parise |
| 169 | Tom Williams |
| 170 | Bobby Rousseau |
| 171 | Jude Drouin RC |
| 172 | Walt McKechnie RC |
| 173 | Cesare Maniago |
| 174 | Rejean Houle RC |
| 175 | Mickey Redmond |
| 176 | Henri Richard |
| 177 | Guy Lapointe RC |
| 178 | J.C. Tremblay |
| 179 | Marc Tardif RC |
| 180 | Walt Tkaczuk |
| 181 | Jean Ratelle |
| 182 | Pete Stemkowski |
| 183 | Gilles Villemure |
| 184 | Rod Seiling |
| 185 | Jim Neilson |
| 186 | Dennis Hextall |
| 187 | Gerry Ehman |
| 188 | Bert Marshall |
| 189 | Gary Croteau RC |
| 190 | Ted Hampson |
| 191 | Earl Ingarfield |
| 192 | Dick Mattiussi |
| 193 | Earl Heiskala |
| 194 | Simon Nolet |
| 195 | Bobby Clarke RC |
| 196 | Garry Peters |
| 197 | Lew Morrison RC |
| 198 | Wayne Hillman |
| 199 | Doug Favell |
| 200 | Les Binkley |
| 201 | Dean Prentice |
| 202 | Jean Pronovost |
| 203 | Wally Boyer |
| 204 | Bryan Watson |
| 205 | Glen Sather |
| 206 | Lowell MacDonald |
| 207 | Andy Bathgate |
| 208 | Val Fonteyne |
| 209 | Jim Lorentz RC |
| 210 | Glenn Hall |
| 211 | Bob Plager |
| 212 | Noel Picard |
| 213 | Jim Roberts |
| 214 | Frank St. Marseille |
| 215 | Ab McDonald |
| 216 | Brian Glennie RC |
| 217 | Paul Henderson |
| 218 | Darryl Sittler RC |
| 219 | Dave Keon |
| 220 | Jim Harrison RC |
| 221 | Ron Ellis |
| 222 | Jacques Plante |
| 223 | Bob Baun |
| 224 | George Gardner RC |
| 225 | Dale Tallon RC |
| 226 | Rosaire Paiement RC |
| 227 | Mike Corrigan RC |
| 228 | Ray Cullen |
| 229 | Charlie Hodge |
| 230 | Len Lunde |
| 231 | Terry Sawchuk |
| 232 | Stanley Cup Champs [Boston Bruins Team] |
| 233 | Ken Hodge [Esposito Line] |
| 234 | Tony Esposito [First Team All-Star] |
| 235 | Bobby Hull [First Team All-Star] |
| 236 | Bobby Orr [First Team All-Star] |
| 237 | Phil Esposito [First Team All-Star] |
| 238 | Gordie Howe [First Team All-Star] |
| 239 | Brad Park RC [First Team All-Star] |
| 240 | Stan Mikita [Second Team All-Star] |
| 241 | John McKenzie [Second Team All-Star] |
| 242 | Frank Mahovlich [Second Team All-Star] |
| 243 | Carl Brewer [Second Team All-Star] |
| 244 | Ed Giacomin [Second Team All-Star] |
| 245 | Jacques Laperriere [Second Team All-Star] |
| 246 | Bobby Orr [Hart Trophy] |
| 247 | Tony Esposito [Calder Trophy] |
| 249 | Bobby Orr [Art Ross Trophy] |
| 250 | Tony Esposito [Vezina Trophy] |
| 251 | Phil Goyette [Lady Byng Trophy] |
| 252 | Bobby Orr [Conn Smythe Trophy] |
| 253 | Hubert “Pit” Martin [Masterton Award] |
| 254 | The Stanley Cup |
| 255 | Prince of Wales Trophy |
| 256 | Conn Smythe Trophy |
| 257 | James Norris Trophy |
| 258 | Calder Trophy |
| 259 | Vezina Trophy |
| 260 | Lady Byng Trophy |
| 261 | Hart Trophy |
| 262 | Art Ross Trohpy |
| 263 | Clarence Campbell Bowl |
| 264 | John Ferguson |
| 111A | Brit Selby |
| 111B | Brit Selby |
| 175A | Mickey Redmond |
| 175B | Mickey Redmond |
| 248A | Bobby Orr [Norris Trophy] |
| 248B | Bobby Orr [Norris Trophy] |
Back To O-Pee-Chee NHL Index Page
1970-71 NHL Standings
| East Division | |||||||
| Team | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA |
| Boston Bruins | 78 | 57 | 14 | 7 | 121 | 399 | 207 |
| New York Rangers | 78 | 49 | 18 | 11 | 109 | 259 | 177 |
| Montreal Canadiens | 78 | 42 | 23 | 13 | 97 | 291 | 216 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 78 | 37 | 33 | 8 | 82 | 248 | 211 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 78 | 24 | 39 | 15 | 63 | 217 | 291 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 78 | 24 | 46 | 8 | 56 | 229 | 296 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 78 | 22 | 45 | 11 | 55 | 209 | 308 |
| West Division | |||||||
| Team | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 78 | 49 | 20 | 9 | 107 | 277 | 184 |
| St. Louis Blues | 78 | 34 | 25 | 19 | 87 | 223 | 208 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 78 | 28 | 33 | 17 | 73 | 207 | 225 |
| Minnesota North Stars | 78 | 28 | 34 | 16 | 72 | 191 | 223 |
| Los Angeles Kings | 78 | 25 | 40 | 13 | 63 | 239 | 303 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 78 | 21 | 37 | 20 | 62 | 221 | 240 |
| California Golden Seals | 78 | 20 | 53 | 5 | 45 | 199 | 320 |
1970-71 NHL Scoring Leaders
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Phil Esposito | Boston Bruins | 78 | 76 | 76 | 152 | 71 |
| Bobby Orr | Boston Bruins | 78 | 37 | 102 | 139 | 91 |
| Johnny Bucyk | Boston Bruins | 78 | 51 | 65 | 116 | 8 |
| Ken Hodge | Boston Bruins | 78 | 43 | 62 | 105 | 113 |
| Bobby Hull | Chicago Black Hawks | 78 | 44 | 52 | 96 | 32 |
| Norm Ullman | Toronto Maple Leafs | 73 | 34 | 51 | 85 | 24 |
| Wayne Cashman | Boston Bruins | 77 | 21 | 58 | 79 | 100 |
| John McKenzie | Boston Bruins | 65 | 31 | 46 | 77 | 120 |
| Dave Keon | Toronto Maple Leafs | 76 | 38 | 38 | 76 | 4 |
| Jean Beliveau | Montreal Canadiens | 70 | 25 | 51 | 76 | 40 |
| Fred Stanfield | Boston Bruins | 75 | 24 | 52 | 76 | 12 |
1970-71 NHL Season
1970-71 was the first year of existence for two expansion franchises, the Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks. Surprisingly, the new teams did fairly well and certainly didn’t finish in last. Buffalo finished fifth in the seven team East Division with 63 points. Five teams, including the Canucks, finished below the Sabres in the standings. The California Golden Seals owned the basement with just 45 points.
With the two new clubs, the NHL grew to 14 teams. The Boston Bruins dominated the regular season with 57 wins over the 78 game schedule and a total of 121 points. Their closest competition was the New York Rangers, a team that finished in second place overall with 109 points. The Chicago Blackhawks were the only other team to cross the 100 point threshold with 107.
This was a magical season with Phil Esposito charting off into unknown offensive territory. Espo finished the season with 76 goals and 76 assists for 152 points. The goals and points totals would remain NHL records until the arrival of Wayne Gretzky.
Along with the regular season standings, players from the Boston Bruins dominated the race for the Art Ross Trophy. The top four scoring leaders in the league came from Boston: Esposito, Bobby Orr, John Bucyk and Ken Hodge. Wayne Cashman, John McKenzie and Fred Stanfield were also in the top 10.
In the post season, Boston received a shock in the opening round with a loss to the Montreal Canadiens with the series going the full seven games. The Habs would march onward to a Stanley Cup championship but it wasn’t entirely easy. Montreal’s record in the playoffs was just 12-8 with both the first and final series going the distance. The semi-final was a victory over the Minnesota North Stars in six games.
Bobby Orr won the Hart Trophy as MVP during the regular season but it was a young Ken Dryden who took playoff honours, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy. Dryden appeared in just six games during the regular season with Rogatien Vachon and Phil Myre taking the bulk of the action. However, Ken played in all 20 playoff games for Montreal. That paved the way for his Hockey Hall of Fame career and paved the way out of town for Vachon and Myre.
It was an important year for debuts in the National Hockey League. Dryden, Darryl Sittler, Gilbert Perreault, Reg Leach and Rick MacLeish all played their first NHL games in 1970-71. Appearing in their final games in the league were Jean Beliveau, Andy Bathgate, Glenn Hall and George Armstrong.