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1971-72 O-Pee-Chee NHL Hockey Cards

1971-72 o-pee-chee 71 nhl hockey card jacques lemaire montreal canadiens

The 1971-72 O-Pee-Chee NHL hockey card set consists 264 cards featuring players from the 14 teams in the league at the time. The Topps version contains half as many at 132 cards and is missing important pieces like the Guy Lafleur and Marcel Dionne rookie cards.

The Ken Dryden rookie card is the highlight of the 1971-72 set, with Lafleur and Dionne not far behind in importance. Of course, the Bobby Orr card ranks high in monetary value.

Also a feature in this set are two retirement cards. The careers of both Gordie Howe and Jean Beliveau are commemorated with special cards, in the OPC set only. Both were fast-tracked for induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame, without the usual three year waiting period.

However, Howe’s card (and retirement) was premature, returning to major league pro hockey for the 1973-74 season. Gordie played in the World Hockey Association until the league was swallowed by the NHL after the 1978-79 season. Howe then played one more campaign in the National Hockey League for 1979-80 with the Hartford Whalers.

1971-72 O-Pee-Chee NHL Checklist

NumberPlayer
1Poul Popiel
2Pierre Bouchard RC
3Don Awrey
4Paul Curtis RC
5Guy Trottier RC
6Paul Shmyr RC
7Fred Stanfield
8Mike Robitaille RC
9Vic Hadfield
10Jim Harrison
11Bill White
12Andre Boudrias
13Gary Sabourin
14Arnie Brown
15Yvan Cournoyer
16Bryan Hextall
17Gary Croteau
18Gilles Villemure
19Serge Bernier RC
20Phil Esposito
21Tom Reid
22Doug Barrie RC
23Eddie Joyal
24Dunc Wilson RC
25Pat Stapleton
26Garry Unger
27Al Smith
28Bob Woytowich
29Marc Tardif
30Norm Ullman
31Tom Williams
32Ted Harris
33Andre Lacroix
34Mike Byers
35Johnny Bucyk
36Roger Crozier
37Alex Delvecchio
38Frank St. Marseille
39Hubert “Pit” Martin
40Brad Park
41Greg Polis RC
42Orland Kurtenbach
43Jim McKenny RC
44Bob Nevin
45Ken Dryden RC
46Carol Vadnais
47Bill Flett
48Jim Johnson
49Al Hamilton
50Bobby Hull
51Chris Bordeleau RC
52Tim Ecclestone
53Rod Seiling
54Gerry Cheevers
55Bill Goldsworthy
56Ron Schock
57Jim Dorey
58Wayne Maki
59Terry Harper
60Gilbert Perreault
61Ernie Hicke RC
62Wayne Hillman
63Denis DeJordy
64Ken Schinkel
65Derek Sanderson
66Barclay Plager
67Paul Henderson
68Jude Drouin
69Keith Magnuson
70Ron Harris
71Jacques Lemaire
72Doug Favell
73Bert Marshall
74Ted Irvine
75Walt Tkaczuk
76Bob Berry RC
77Syl Apps RC
78Tom Webster
79Danny Grant
80Dave Keon
81Ernie Wakely
82John McKenzie
83Ron Stackhouse RC
84Pete Mahovlich
85Dennis Hull
86Juha Widing RC
87Gary Doak
88Phil Goyette
89Lew Morrison
90Ab DeMarco RC
91Gordon “Red” Berenson
92Mike Pelyk
93Gary Jarrett
94Bob Pulford
95Dan Johnson RC
96Eddie Shack
97Jean Ratelle
98Jim Pappin
99Roy Edwards
100Bobby Orr
101Ted Hampson
102Mickey Redmond
103Bob Plager
104Barry Ashbee RC
105Frank Mahovlich
106Dick Redmond RC
107Tracy Pratt
108Ralph Backstrom
109Murray Hall
110Tony Esposito
111Checklist
112Jim Neilson
113Ron Ellis
114Bobby Clarke
115Ken Hodge
116Jim Roberts
117Cesare Maniago
118Jean Pronovost
119Gary Bergman
120Henri Richard
121Ross Lonsberry
122Pat Quinn
123Rod Gilbert
124Walt McKechnie
125Stan Mikita
126Ed Van Impe
127Terry Crisp RC
128Fred Barrett RC
129Wayne Cashman
130J.C. Tremblay
131Bernie Parent
132Bryan Watson
133Marcel Dionne RC
134Ab McDonald
135Leon Rochefort
136Serge Lajeunesse RC
137Joe Daley
138Brian Conacher
139Bill Collins
140Nick Libett
141Bill Sutherland
142Bill Hicke
143Serge Savard
144Jacques Laperriere
145Guy Lapointe
146Claude Larose
147Rejean Houle
148Guy Lafleur RC
149Dale Hoganson RC
150Al McDonough RC
151Gilles Marotte
152Butch Goring RC
153Harry Howell
154Real Lemieux
155Gary Edwards RC
156Rogatien Vachon
157Mike Corrigan
158Floyd Smith
159Dave Dryden
160Gerry Meehan
161Rick Martin RC
162Steve Atkinson RC
163Ron Anderson
164Dick Duff
165Jim Watson
166Don Luce RC
167Larry Mickey
168Larry Hillman
169Ed Westfall
170Dallas Smith
171Mike Walton
172Ed Johnston
173Ted Green
174Rick Smith
175Reggie Leach RC
176Don Marcotte
177Bobby Sheehan RC
178Wayne Carleton
179Norm Ferguson
180Don O’Donoghue RC
181Gary Kurt RC
182Joey Johnston RC
183Stan Gilbertson RC
184Craig Patrick RC
185Gerry Pinder
186Tim Horton
187Darryl Edestrand RC
188Keith McCreary
189Val Fonteyne
190Sheldon Kannegiesser RC
191Nick Harbaruk RC
192Les Binkley
193Darryl Sittler
194Rick Ley
195Jacques Plante
196Bob Baun
197Brian Glennie
198Brian Spencer RC
199Don Marshall
200Denis Dupere RC
201Bruce Gamble
202Gary Dornhoefer
203Bob Kelly RC
204Jean-Guy Gendron
205Brent Hughes
206Simon Nolet
207Rick MacLeish RC
208Doug Jarrett
209Cliff Koroll
210Ron “Chico” Maki
211Danny O’Shea
212Lou Angotti
213Eric Nesterenko
214Bryan Campbell
215Bill Fairbairn RC
216Bruce MacGregor
217Pete Stemkowski
218Bobby Rousseau
219Dale Rolfe
220Ed Giacomin
221Glen Sather
222Carl Brewer
223George Morrison RC
224Noel Picard
225Peter McDuffe RC
226Brit Selby
227Jim Lorentz
228Phil Roberto RC
229Dave Balon
230Barry Wilkins RC
231Dennis Kearns RC
232Jocelyn Guevremont RC
233Rosaire Paiement
234Dale Tallon
235George Gardner
236Ron Stewart
237Wayne Connelly
238Charlie Burns
239Murray Oliver
240Lou Nanne
241Lorne “Gump” Worsley
242Doug Mohns
243Jean-Paul Parise
244Dennis Hextall
245Bobby Orr [Hart Trophy & Norris Trop]
246Gilbert Perreault [Calder Trophy]
247Phil Esposito [Art Ross Trophy]
248Gilles Villemure [Vezina Trophy]
249Johnny Bucyk [Lady Byng Trophy]
250Ed Giacomin [First Team All-Star]
251Bobby Orr [First Team All-Star]
252J.C. Tremblay [First Team All-Star]
253Phil Esposito [First Team All-Star]
254Ken Hodge [First Team All-Star]
255Johnny Bucyk [First Team All-Star]
256Jacques Plante [Second Team All-Star]
257Brad Park [Second Team All-Star]
258Pat Stapleton [Second Team All-Star]
259Dave Keon [Second Team All-Star]
260Yvan Cournoyer [Second Team All-Star]
261Bobby Hull [Second Team All-Star]
262Gordie Howe [Special Retiremnet Card]
263Jean Beliveau [Special Retirement Card]
264Checklist

Back To O-Pee-Chee NHL Index Page

1971-72 O-Pee-Chee NHL Hockey Card Collection [Video]

1971-72 NHL Season

1971-72 was the last year that the National Hockey League would stand alone in the major leagues of hockey, at least until 1979-80. The World Hockey Association would start up for 1972-73 and many NHL players, including some big names, would jump ship.

The Boston Bruins dominated the regular season, winning 54 games and totaling 119 points, ten better than the second place New York Rangers. The Rangers and Bruins dominated the race for the Art Ross Trophy with each team placing three players in the top ten. Ultimately, it was Phil Esposito that took the crown with 133 points.

Of note, the Philadelphia Flyers did not qualify for the post season. Both the Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins tied with 66 points with the Pens squeaking into the playoffs with the tie-breaker. Philadelphia would not miss the playoffs again until the 1989-90 season.

Like the regular season, the playoffs were dominated by the Bruins and Rangers. Boston took out the Toronto Maple Leafs and St. Louis Blues to reach the final, losing just a single game to Toronto along the way. New York took out the Montreal Canadiens before sweeping the Chicago Blackhawks to earn their shot against the Bruins.

In the final, it was Boston winning their second Stanley Cup championship in three years, taking out the Rangers in six games. The Bruins were never down in the series, holding 2-0, 2-1, 3-1 and 3-2 leads before eliminating the Rangers in a 3-0 game six on the road at Madison Square Garden.

Along with the Hart Trophy and Norris Trophy, Bobby Orr was also awarded the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP. The iconic blue liner had an incredible 24 points on five goals and 19 assists over 15 playoff games.

1971-72 was an important year for newcomers. Future Hockey Hall of Fame members that played their first games include: Marcel Dionne, Billy Smith and Guy Lafleur. Other important players joining the league include: Terry O’Reilly, Rick Martin and Dave Schultz.

It was the end of the line for greats Dick Duff, Bob Pulford and Don Marshall. John McKenzie, Eric Nesterenko, J.C. Tremblay, Ted Green and several others would play their final NHL games but would continue on in the World Hockey Association.

1971-72 NHL Standings

East Division
TeamGPWLTPtsGFGA
Boston Bruins78541311119330204
New York Rangers78481713109317192
Montreal Canadiens78461616108307205
Toronto Maple Leafs7833311480209208
Detroit Red Wings7833351076261262
Buffalo Sabres7816431951203289
Vancouver Canucks782050848203297
        
West Division
TeamGPWLTPtsGFGA
Chicago Blackhawks78461715107256166
Minnesota North Stars7837291286212191
St. Louis Blues7828391167208247
Pittsburgh Penguins7826381466220258
Philadelphia Flyers7826381466200236
California Golden Seals7821391860216288
Los Angeles Kings782049949206305

1971-72 NHL Scoring Leaders

PlayerTeamGPGAPtsPIM
Phil EspositoBoston Bruins76666713376
Bobby OrrBoston Bruins763780117106
Jean RatelleNew York Rangers6346631094
Vic HadfieldNew York Rangers785056106142
Rod GilbertNew York Rangers7343549764
Frank MahovlichMontreal Canadiens7643539636
Bobby HullChicago Black Hawks7850439324
Yvan CournoyerMontreal Canadiens7347368315
Johnny BucykBoston Bruins783251834
Bobby ClarkePhiladelphia Flyers7835468187
Jacques LemaireMontreal Canadiens7732498126

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