1960-61 Parkhurst NHL Hockey Cards

The 1960-61 Parkhurst NHL hockey card set consists of 61 hockey cards featuring players from the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens and Detroit Red Wings. The other three teams in the league (Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks) were covered by the Topps set.

This collection is not over-run with important rookie cards. Not one player with their first card appearing in this 1960-61 Parkhurst set went on to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. However, the series does contain the RC’s of Val Fonteyne, Murray Oliver, Brian Smith, Gerry Melnyk and John McKenzie.

Big name players include: Gordie Howe, Terry Sawchuk, Tim Horton, Johnny Bower, Henri Richard and Jean Beliveau.

1960-61 Parkhurst NHL Checklist

1960-61 NHL Season

The 44th year of the National Hockey League, the 1960-61 season saw the regular season play out as usual but the post season brought some massive surprises. With the Maurice “Rocket” Richard era over for the Montreal Canadiens, the Habs still found a way to finish first overall with just a two point edge over the second place Toronto Maple Leafs.

Bernie Geoffrion led the league in scoring with 50 goals and 95 points. Boom Boom became just the second NHL player to reach the 50 goal plateau. Previously, just Rocket Richard held the distinction with his 50 goals during the 1944-45 season. Bobby Hull of the Chicago Blackhawks would become the third in the following season with again exactly 50 goals.

Geoffrion’s performance helped him capture the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player. It was his second of two Art Ross Trophy wins but the only time Boom Boom would capture the Hart. He was also named a First Team All-Star.

The Calder Trophy winner as rookie of the year was future Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Dave Keon of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jumping straight from a junior career with Toronto St. Michael’s, Keon scored 20 goals and assisted on 25 for 45 points while playing in all 70 regular season games for the Buds. Others in the running were Bob Nevin, Howie Glover, Gerry Odrowski and Allan Johnson.

1960-61 Stanley Cup Playoffs

Despite the huge gap during the regular season between Montreal and Toronto versus the rest of the league, upsets were abound in the post season. The third place Chicago Blackhawks eliminated the Canadiens in the opening round while the fourth seed Detroit Red Wings eliminated the Maple Leafs.

In that opening round series between Chicago and Montreal, the Habs got off to an early start, winning game one 6-2. However, the Hawks came back to capture game two to tie the series. Game 3 was tied 1-1 until more than halfway through the third overtime period. Murray Balfour scored for Chicago to win the game. Assists went to Pierre Pilote and Stan Mikita.

Montreal would win one more game in the set, 5-2 in game four. Then, Glenn Hall shut the door on the Habs with consecutive 3-0 shutouts in games five and six to win the series and earn a berth in the Stanley Cup final.

Meeting Detroit in the final, it was another six game series before Chicago captured their first Stanley Cup championship since the 1937-38 NHL season. Tied going into game five, the Blackhawks stepped it up with 6-3 and 5-1 wins. Ab McDonald scored the Cup winning goal for Chicago at 18:49 of the second period in game six, assisted by Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita.

1960-61 NHL Standings

1960-61 NHL Scoring Leaders