1961-62 Topps NHL Hockey Cards

The 1961-62 Topps NHL set consists of 66 hockey cards, featuring players from three of the four U.S. based teams: Chicago Black Hawks, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers. Parkhurst carried cards featuring players from the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens and Detroit Red Wings in a separate set.

The most valued rookie cards in the 1961-62 Topps NHL collection include Jean Ratelle and Rod Gilbert, both of the New York Rangers. Both hockey cards are valued the same. Other important rookie cards include those of Ted Green, Pat Stapleton, Dallas Smith, Orland Kurtenbach and Denis Dejordy.

The two most valuable hockey cards in the 1961-62 Topps set are those of Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita, both of the Chicago Black Hawks.

1961-62 Topps NHL Checklist

Number	Player
1	Phil Watson
2	Ted Green RC
3	Earl Balfour
4	Dallas Smith RC
5	Andre Pronovost
6	Dick Meissner RC
7	Leo Boivin
8	Johnny Bucyk
9	Jerry Toppazzini
10	Doug Mohns
11	Charlie Burns
12	Don McKenney
13	Bob Armstrong
14	Murray Oliver
15	Orland Kurtenbach RC
16	Terry Gray RC
17	Don Head RC
18	Pat Stapleton RC
19	Cliff Pennington RC
20	Boston Bruins [Team Card]
21	Fern Flaman [Action Picture]
22	Glenn Hall [Action Picture]
23	Rudy Pilous RC [Coach]
24	Pierre Pilote
25	Elmer Vasko
26	Reg Fleming RC
27	Ab McDonald
28	Eric Nesterenko
29	Bobby Hull
30	Ken Wharram
31	Dollard St. Laurent
32	Glenn Hall
33	Murray Balfour
34	Ron Murphy
35	Bill Hay
36	Stan Mikita
37	Denis DeJordy RC
38	Wayne Hillman RC
39	Rino Robazza RC
40	Bronco Horvath
41	Bob Turner
42	Chicago Blackhawks Team
43	Ken Wharram [Action Picture]
44	Glenn Hall [Action Picture]
45	Doug Harvey [Coach]
46	Albert Langlois
47	Irv Spencer RC
48	George “Red” Sullivan
49	Earl Ingarfield
50	Lorne “Gump” Worsley
51	Harry Howell
52	Larry Cahan
53	Andy Bathgate
54	Dean Prentice
55	Andy Hebenton
56	Camille Henry
57	Jean-Guy Gendron
58	Pat Hannigan RC
59	Ted Hampson
60	Jean Ratelle RC
61	Al LeBrun RC
62	Rod Gilbert RC
63	New York Rangers Team
64	Lorne “Gump” Worsley [Action Picture]
65	Lorne “Gump” Worsley [Action Picture]
66	Checklist

1961-62 NHL Season

The Montreal Canadiens were dominant during the regular season in 1961-62. However, when it came to the Stanley Cup final, the Habs were nowhere to be found. Instead, it was the Toronto Maple Leafs capturing their first of three consecutive championships, beating out Chicago, the defending champions.

The Maple Leafs did something rather unique in the playoffs: They went 7-0 at home while winning just a single game on the road. That road win was significant, though. Game six versus the Blackhawks at Chicago Stadium, the Buds pulled off their first road win of the playoffs to capture the series and the Stanley Cup. Dick Duff scored the Cup clinching goal at 14:14 of the third, assisted by Tim Horton and George Armstrong.

Don Simmons played just three game for Toronto in the 1961-62 playoffs. But, he was between the pipes for games five and six against Chicago, both wins. That would mark the last time Simmons would appear in a NHL post season game.

In the rarest of rare occasions, Bobby Hull of the Blackhawks and Andy Bathgate of the New York Ranger tied for the scoring lead with 84 points each. Hull was awarded the Art Ross Trophy on his 50 goals vs. Bathgate’s 28. Interestingly, there was also a tie for third and fourth with Gordie Howe and Stan Mikita each finishing with 77 points.

Jacques Plante of the Montreal Canadiens dominated the league’s goaltenders. He took away both the Vezina Trophy and Hart Trophy. Plante led the league with a 2.37 goals against average and 42 wins. When it came to shutouts, Glenn Hall of the Blackhawks was out front with nine, compared to Plante’s four. Hall and Plante appeared in all 70 of their team’s games.

Bobby Rousseau of the Habs was the runaway winner of the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie, receiving twice as many votes as second place Cliff Pennington of the Bruins. Rousseau’s teammate Doug Harvey, 37 years old at the time, was also a nearly unanimous decision for the Norris Trophy as top blue liner.

1961-62 NHL Standings

Team	GP	W	L	T	Pts	GF	GA
Montreal Canadiens	70	42	14	14	98	259	166
Toronto Maple Leafs	70	37	22	11	85	232	180
Chicago Blackhawks	70	31	26	13	75	217	186
New York Rangers	70	26	32	12	64	195	207
Detroit Red Wings	70	23	33	14	60	184	219
Boston Bruins	70	15	47	8	38	177	306

1961-62 NHL Scoring Leaders

Player	Team	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
Bobby Hull	Chicago Black Hawks	70	50	34	84	35
Andy Bathgate	New York Rangers	70	28	56	84	44
Gordie Howe	Detroit Red Wings	70	33	44	77	54
Stan Mikita	Chicago Black Hawks	70	25	52	77	97
Frank Mahovlich	Toronto Maple Leafs	70	33	38	71	87
Alex Delvecchio	Detroit Red Wings	70	26	43	69	18
Ralph Backstrom	Montreal Canadiens	66	27	38	65	29
Norm Ullman	Detroit Red Wings	70	26	38	64	54
Bill Hay	Chicago Back Hawks	60	11	52	63	34
Claude Provost	Montreal Canadiens	70	33	29	62	22