The 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee hockey card set consists of 341 cards with cards 290 to 341 featuring players from the newly formed World Hockey Association.
Not at all stacked with valuable rookie cards, the 1972-73 OPC set did, however, feature the first cards of these notable players: Rene Robert, Jim Rutherford, Steve Vickers, Dan Bouchard, Phil Myre, Ivan Boldirev, Gilles Meloche, Dave Burrows and Jim Schoenfeld.
1972-73 O-Pee-Chee NHL Checklist
| Number | Player |
| 1 | Johnny Bucyk |
| 2 | Rene Robert RC |
| 3 | Gary Croteau |
| 4 | Pat Stapleton |
| 5 | Ron Harris |
| 6 | Checklist |
| 7 | Playoff Game 1 |
| 8 | Marcel Dionne |
| 9 | Bob Berry |
| 10 | Lou Nanne |
| 11 | Marc Tardif |
| 12 | Jean Ratelle |
| 13 | Craig Cameron RC |
| 14 | Bobby Clarke |
| 15 | Jim Rutherford RC |
| 16 | Andre Dupont RC |
| 17 | Mike Pelyk |
| 18 | Dunc Wilson |
| 19 | Checklist |
| 20 | Playoff Game 2 |
| 21 | Dallas Smith |
| 22 | Gerry Meehan |
| 23 | Rick Smith |
| 24 | Hubert “Pit” Martin |
| 25 | Keith McCreary |
| 26 | Alex Delvecchio |
| 27 | Gilles Marotte |
| 28 | Lorne “Gump” Worsley |
| 29 | Yvan Cournoyer |
| 30 | Playoff Game 3 |
| 31 | Vic Hadfield |
| 32 | Tom Miller RC |
| 33 | Ed Van Impe |
| 34 | Greg Polis |
| 35 | Barclay Plager |
| 36 | Ron Ellis |
| 37 | Jocelyn Guevremont |
| 38 | Playoff Game 4 |
| 39 | Carol Vadnais |
| 40 | Steve Atkinson |
| 41 | Ivan Boldirev RC |
| 42 | Jim Pappin |
| 43 | Phil Myre RC |
| 44 | Yvan Cournoyer [NHL Action] |
| 45 | Nick Libett |
| 46 | Juha Widing |
| 47 | Jude Drouin |
| 49 | Ken Hodge |
| 50 | Roger Crozier |
| 51 | Reggie Leach |
| 52 | Dennis Hull |
| 53 | Larry Hale RC |
| 54 | Playoff Game 5 |
| 55 | Tim Ecclestone |
| 56 | Robert “Butch” Goring |
| 57 | Danny Grant |
| 58 | Bobby Orr [NHL Action] |
| 59 | Guy Lafleur |
| 60 | Jim Neilson |
| 61 | Brian Spencer |
| 62 | Joe Watson |
| 63 | Playoff Games 6 |
| 64 | Jean Pronovost |
| 65 | Frank St. Marseille |
| 66 | Bob Baun |
| 67 | Poul Popiel |
| 68 | Wayne Cashman |
| 69 | Tracy Pratt |
| 70 | Stan Gilbertson |
| 71 | Keith Magnuson |
| 72 | Ernie Hicke |
| 73 | Gary Doak |
| 74 | Mike Corrigan |
| 75 | Doug Mohns |
| 76 | Phil Esposito [NHL Action] |
| 77 | Jacques Lemaire |
| 78 | Pete Stemkowski |
| 79 | Bill Mikkelson RC |
| 80 | Rick Foley RC |
| 81 | Ron Schock |
| 82 | Phil Roberto |
| 83 | Jim McKenny |
| 84 | Wayne Maki |
| 86 | Guy Lapointe |
| 87 | Bill Fairbairn |
| 88 | Terry Crisp |
| 89 | Doug Favell |
| 90 | Bryan Watson |
| 91 | Gary Sabourin |
| 92 | Jacques Plante |
| 93 | Andre Boudrias |
| 94 | Mike Walton |
| 95 | Don Luce |
| 96 | Joey Johnston |
| 97 | Doug Jarrett |
| 98 | Bill MacMillan RC |
| 99 | Mickey Redmond |
| 100 | Rogatien Vachon |
| 101 | Barry Gibbs RC |
| 102 | Frank Mahovlich |
| 103 | Bruce MacGregor |
| 104 | Ed Westfall |
| 105 | Rick MacLeish |
| 106 | Nick Harbaruk |
| 107 | Jack Egers RC |
| 108 | Dave Keon |
| 109 | Barry Wilkins |
| 110 | Walt Tkaczuk [NHL Action] |
| 111 | Phil Esposito |
| 112 | Gilles Meloche RC |
| 113 | Gary Edwards |
| 114 | Brad Park |
| 115 | Syl Apps |
| 116 | Jim Lorentz |
| 117 | Gary Smith |
| 118 | Ted Harris |
| 119 | Gerry Desjardins |
| 120 | Garry Unger |
| 122 | Bill Plager RC |
| 123 | Gordon “Red” Berenson |
| 124 | Pete Mahovlich |
| 125 | Simon Nolet |
| 126 | Paul Henderson |
| 127 | Hart Trophy Winners |
| 128 | Frank Mahovlich [NHL Action] |
| 129 | Bobby Orr |
| 130 | Bert Marshall |
| 131 | Ralph Backstrom |
| 132 | Gilles Villemure |
| 133 | Dave Burrows RC |
| 134 | Calder Trophy Winners |
| 135 | Dallas Smith [NHL Action] |
| 136 | Gilbert Perreault |
| 137 | Tony Esposito |
| 138 | Cesare Maniago |
| 139 | Gerry Hart RC |
| 140 | Jacques Caron RC |
| 141 | Orland Kurtenbach |
| 142 | Norris Trophy Winners |
| 143 | Lew Morrison |
| 144 | Arnie Brown |
| 145 | Ken Dryden |
| 146 | Gary Dornhoefer |
| 147 | Norm Ullman |
| 148 | Art Ross Trophy Winners |
| 149 | Orland Kurtenbach [NHL Action] |
| 150 | Fred Stanfield |
| 151 | Dick Redmond |
| 152 | Serge Bernier |
| 153 | Rod Gilbert |
| 154 | Duane Rupp |
| 155 | Vezina Trophy Winners |
| 156 | Stan Mikita [NHL Action] |
| 157 | Rick Martin |
| 158 | Bill White |
| 159 | Bill Goldsworthy |
| 160 | Jack Lynch RC |
| 161 | Bob Plager |
| 162 | Dave Balon |
| 163 | Noel Price |
| 164 | Gary Bergman |
| 165 | Pierre Bouchard |
| 166 | Ross Lonsberry |
| 167 | Denis Dupere |
| 168 | Lady Byng Trophy |
| 169 | Ken Hodge [NHL Action] |
| 170 | Don Awrey |
| 171 | Marshall Johnston RC |
| 172 | Terry Harper |
| 173 | Ed Giacomin |
| 174 | Bryan Hextall |
| 175 | Conn Smythe Winners |
| 176 | Larry Hillman |
| 177 | Stan Mikita |
| 178 | Charlie Burns |
| 179 | Brian Marchinko RC |
| 180 | Noel Picard |
| 181 | Bobby Schmautz RC |
| 182 | Rick Martin [NHL Action] |
| 183 | Pat Quinn |
| 184 | Denis DeJordy |
| 185 | Serge Savard |
| 186 | Eddie Shack [NHL Action] |
| 187 | Bill Flett |
| 188 | Darryl Sittler |
| 189 | Lorne “Gump” Worsley [NHL Action] |
| 190 | Checklist |
| 191 | Garnet “Ace” Bailey |
| 192 | Walt McKechnie |
| 193 | Harry Howell |
| 194 | Rod Seiling |
| 195 | Darryl Edestrand |
| 196 | Tony Esposito [NHL Action] |
| 197 | Tim Horton |
| 198 | Ron “Chico” Maki |
| 199 | Jean-Paul Parise |
| 200 | Germain Gagnon RC |
| 201 | Danny O’Shea |
| 202 | Richard Lemieux RC |
| 203 | Dan Bouchard RC |
| 204 | Leon Rochefort |
| 205 | Jacques Laperriere |
| 206 | Barry Ashbee |
| 207 | Garry Monahan |
| 208 | ** NEVER ISSUED ** |
| 209 | Dave Keon [NHL Action] |
| 210 | Rejean Houle |
| 211 | Dave Hudson RC |
| 212 | Ted Irvine |
| 213 | Don Saleski RC |
| 214 | Lowell MacDonald |
| 215 | Mike Murphy RC |
| 216 | Brian Glennie |
| 217 | Bobby Lalonde RC |
| 218 | Bob Leiter |
| 219 | Don Marcotte |
| 220 | Jim Schoenfeld RC |
| 221 | Craig Patrick |
| 222 | Cliff Koroll |
| 223 | Guy Charron RC |
| 224 | Jim Peters |
| 225 | Dennis Hextall |
| 226 | Tony Esposito [First Team All-Star] |
| 227 | Brad Park [First Team All-Star] |
| 228 | Bobby Hull [First Team All-Star] |
| 229 | Rod Gilbert [First Team All-Star] |
| 230 | Phil Esposito [First Team All-Star] |
| 231 | Claude Larose |
| 232 | Jim Mair RC |
| 233 | Bobby Rousseau |
| 234 | Brent Hughes |
| 235 | Al McDonough |
| 236 | Chris Evans RC |
| 237 | Pierre Jarry RC |
| 238 | Don Tannahill RC |
| 239 | Rey Comeau RC |
| 240 | Gregg Sheppard RC |
| 241 | Dave Dryden |
| 242 | Ted McAneeley RC |
| 243 | Lou Angotti |
| 244 | Len Fontaine RC |
| 245 | Bill Lesuk RC |
| 246 | Fred “Buster” Harvey RC |
| 247 | Ken Dryden [Second Team All-Star] |
| 248 | Bill White [Second Team All-Star] |
| 249 | Pat Stapleton [Second Team All-Star] |
| 250 | Vic Hadfield [Second Team All-Star] |
| 251 | Henri Richard |
| 252 | Bryan Lefley RC |
| 253 | Stanley Cup Trophy |
| 254 | Steve Vickers RC |
| 255 | Wayne Hillman |
| 256 | Ken Schinkel |
| 257 | Kevin O’Shea RC |
| 258 | Ron Low RC |
| 259 | Don Lever RC |
| 260 | Randy Manery RC |
| 261 | Ed Johnston |
| 262 | Craig Ramsay RC |
| 263 | Pete Laframboise RC |
| 264 | Dan Maloney RC |
| 265 | Bill Collins |
| 266 | Paul Curtis |
| 267 | Bob Nevin |
| 268 | Gary Dornhoefer [Penalty Leaders] |
| 269 | Jim Roberts |
| 270 | Brian Lavender RC |
| 271 | Dale Rolfe |
| 272 | Bobby Hull [Goal Leaders] |
| 273 | Michel Belhumeur RC |
| 274 | Eddie Shack |
| 275 | Wayne Stephenson RC |
| 276 | Boston Bruins [Stanley Cup Winners] |
| 277 | Rick Kehoe |
| 278 | Gerry O’Flaherty RC |
| 279 | Jacques Richard RC |
| 280 | Jean Ratelle [Scoring Leaders] |
| 281 | Nick Beverley RC |
| 282 | Larry Carriere RC |
| 283 | Jean Ratelle [Assists Leaders] |
| 284 | Rick Smith |
| 285 | Jerry Korab RC |
| 286 | Lorne “Gump” Worsley [Goals Against Average] |
| 287 | Ron Stackhouse |
| 288 | Barry Long RC |
| 289 | Dean Prentice |
| 290 | Norm Beaudin |
| 291 | Mike Amodeo RC |
| 292 | Jim Harrison |
| 293 | J.C. Tremblay |
| 294 | Murray Hall |
| 295 | Bart Crashley |
| 296 | Wayne Connelly |
| 297 | Bobby Sheehan |
| 298 | Ron Anderson RC |
| 299 | Chris Bordeleau |
| 300 | Les Binkley |
| 301 | Ron Walters RC |
| 302 | Jean-Guy Gendron |
| 303 | Gord Labossiere |
| 304 | Gerry Odrowski |
| 305 | Mike McMahon |
| 306 | Gary Kurt |
| 307 | Larry Cahan |
| 308 | Wally Boyer |
| 309 | Bob Charlebois RC |
| 310 | Bob Falkenberg |
| 311 | Jean Payette RC |
| 312 | Ted Taylor |
| 313 | Joe Szura |
| 314 | George Morrison |
| 315 | Wayne Rivers |
| 316 | Reg Fleming |
| 317 | Larry Hornung RC |
| 318 | Ron Climie RC |
| 319 | Val Fonteyne |
| 320 | Michel Archambault RC |
| 321 | Ab McDonald |
| 322 | Bob Leduc RC |
| 323 | Bob Wall |
| 324 | Alain Caron RC |
| 325 | Bob Woytowich |
| 326 | Guy Trottier |
| 327 | Bill Hicke |
| 328 | Guy Dufour RC |
| 329 | Wayne Rutledge RC |
| 330 | Gary Veneruzzo |
| 331 | Fred Speck RC |
| 332 | Ron Ward RC |
| 333 | Rosaire Paiement |
| 335 | Michel Parizeau RC |
| 336 | Bobby Hull |
| 337 | Wayne Carleton |
| 338 | John McKenzie |
| 339 | Jim Dorey |
| 340 | Gerry Cheevers |
| 341 | Gerry Pinder |
| 48A | Jean Ratelle [NHL Action] |
| 48B | Jean Ratelle [NHL Action] |
| 85A | Brad Park [NHL Action] |
| 85B | Brad Park [NHL Action] |
| 334A | Checklist |
| 334B | Checklist |
Back To O-Pee-Chee NHL Index Page
1972-73 NHL Season
1972-73 was the first season of existence for the Atlanta Flames and New York Islanders. The Flames did much better in that inaugural season than their expansion cousins. Atlanta finished seventh of eight in the West Division with 25 wins and 65 points, 17 points better than the last place California Golden Seals. The team was a relatively short eleven points out of the final playoff spot.
The Islanders finished last overall in the National Hockey League. New York managed just 12 wins and 30 points while losing an even 60 games. This left the Isles a whopping 58 points out of a playoff spot.
The Montreal Canadiens dominated the regular season and the playoffs. The team won 52 games and lost just ten while putting up 120 points to finish first overall. The next closest opponent was the Boston Bruins with 107 points. The dominance continued into the playoffs as the Habs knocked off the Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers and Chicago Blackhawks to take the Stanley Cup championship.
The Bruins still took over the scoring race, as they did for most of the early 1970’s. Phil Esposito took home the Art Ross Trophy with 130 points. Bobby Orr finished third with 101 points but played in just 63 games. John Bucyk joined his teammates in the top 10. Bucyk tied Mickey Redmond and Frank Mahovlich for seventh with 93 points.
For the first time since 1967-68, the Hart Trophy didn’t go to Esposito or Orr. Bobby Clarke of the Flyers won his first of three MVP awards, leading his Flyers to the semi-finals. The following year, the ante would be upped and the Broad Street Bullies would win their first of two consecutive Stanley Cup championships.
1972-73 marked the inaugural season for the World Hockey Association. 12 teams took to the ice in that first WHA season. The New England Whalers finished first overall during the regular season and captured the Avco World Trophy championship beating out the Ottawa Nationals, Cleveland Crusaders and Winnipeg Jets. Andre Lacroix of the Philadelphia Blazers led the WHA in scoring with 124 points.
1972-73 NHL Standings
| East Division | |||||||
| Team | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA |
| Montreal Canadiens | 78 | 52 | 10 | 16 | 120 | 329 | 184 |
| Boston Bruins | 78 | 51 | 22 | 5 | 107 | 330 | 235 |
| New York Rangers | 78 | 47 | 23 | 8 | 102 | 297 | 208 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 78 | 37 | 27 | 14 | 88 | 257 | 219 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 78 | 37 | 29 | 12 | 86 | 265 | 243 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 78 | 27 | 41 | 10 | 64 | 247 | 279 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 78 | 22 | 47 | 9 | 53 | 233 | 339 |
| New York Islanders | 78 | 12 | 60 | 6 | 30 | 170 | 347 |
| West Division | |||||||
| Team | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 78 | 42 | 27 | 9 | 93 | 284 | 225 |
| Minnesota North Stars | 78 | 37 | 30 | 11 | 85 | 254 | 230 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 78 | 37 | 30 | 11 | 85 | 296 | 256 |
| St. Louis Blues | 78 | 32 | 34 | 12 | 76 | 233 | 251 |
| Los Angeles Kings | 78 | 31 | 36 | 11 | 73 | 232 | 245 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 78 | 32 | 37 | 9 | 73 | 257 | 265 |
| Atlanta Flames | 78 | 25 | 38 | 15 | 65 | 191 | 239 |
| California Golden Seals | 78 | 16 | 46 | 16 | 48 | 213 | 323 |
1972-73 NHL Scoring Leaders
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Andre Lacroix | Philadelphia Blazers | 78 | 50 | 74 | 124 | 83 |
| Ron Ward | New York Raiders | 77 | 51 | 67 | 118 | 28 |
| Danny Lawson | Philadelphia Blazers | 78 | 61 | 45 | 106 | 35 |
| Tom Webster | New England Whalers | 77 | 53 | 50 | 103 | 89 |
| Bobby Hull | Winnipeg Jets | 63 | 51 | 52 | 103 | 37 |
| Norm Beaudin | Winnipeg Jets | 78 | 38 | 65 | 103 | 15 |
| Chris Bordeleau | Winnipeg Jets | 78 | 47 | 54 | 101 | 12 |
| Terry Caffery | New England Whalers | 74 | 39 | 61 | 100 | 14 |
| Gord Labossiere | Houston Aeros | 77 | 36 | 60 | 96 | 56 |
| Wayne Carleton | Ottawa Nationals | 75 | 42 | 49 | 91 | 42 |