1962-63 Topps NHL Hockey Cards

The 1962-63 Topps set consists of 66 hockey cards featuring players from the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers. The top three valued cards belong to Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita of the Chicago Blackhawks and the checklist card. The checklist falls as number 66 in the set and is valued high like many of its kind in the 1960’s. In fact, the 1962-63 Topps checklist was just the second of its kind, with the first checklist card appearing as number 66 in the 1961-62 Topps set.

This was the second year that Topps included team picture cards in the set. The team pictures of the Blackhawks, Bruins and Rangers did not include a player checklist on the back or a list of team leaders, something would become the normal in years to come. Instead, on the back was a short one paragraph snippet about the team, mostly talking about ownership and management.

There are no overpowering rookie cars in the set. The most valuable belong to Bruce Gamble, Chico Maki, Bob Perreault, Jim Neilson and Vic Hadfield. High value cards included the usual suspects: John Bucyk, Glenn Hall, Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, Jean Ratelle and Rod Gilbert.

1962-63 Topps NHL Checklist

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

1962-63 Topps NHL Complete Collection [Video]

1962-63 NHL Standings

Team	GP	W	L	T	Pts	GF	GA
Toronto Maple Leafs	70	35	23	12	82	221	180
Chicago Blackhawks	70	32	21	17	81	194	178
Montreal Canadiens	70	28	19	23	79	225	183
Detroit Red Wings	70	32	25	13	77	200	194
New York Rangers	70	22	36	12	56	211	233
Boston Bruins	70	14	39	17	45	198	281

1962-63 NHL Scoring Leaders

Player	Team	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
Gordie Howe	Detroit Red Wings	70	38	48	86	100
Andy Bathgate	New York Rangers	70	35	46	81	54
Stan Mikita	Chicago Black Hawks	65	31	45	76	69
Frank Mahovlich	Toronto Maple Leafs	67	36	37	73	56
Henri Richard	Montreal Canadiens	67	23	50	73	57
Jean Beliveau	Montreal Canadiens	69	18	49	67	68
John Bucyk	Boston Bruins	69	27	39	66	36
Alex Delvecchio	Detroit Red Wings	70	20	44	64	8
Bobby Hull	Chicago Black Hawks	65	31	31	62	27
Murray Oliver	Boston Bruins	65	22	40	62	38

1962-63 NHL Season

The equality in the National Hockey League was at it’s peak in 1962-63, at least among the top four teams. With the dynasty of the Montreal Canadiens in the rear view mirror, the Habs, Maple Leafs, Red Wings and Blackhawks all had a legitimate shot at a championship.

Toronto finished first overall in the six team league with 82 points but fourth place Detroit was just five points behind. Chicago missed first place by just a single point. New York and Boston were well behind with the Rangers 21 points out of a playoff spot and the Bruins eleven points behind them.

Despite how close the standings were, the playoffs were a bit anti-climatic. Non of the sets went the full seven games and two of the three were decided in five games. Detroit upset Chicago in one of the semis while Toronto easily handled Montreal in the other series, shutting out the Habs in two of the five games.

In the Stanley Cup final, the Maple Leafs won the championship in five games over the Red Wings. Dave Keon led the way in the playoffs for Toronto with seven goals and 12 points over ten games. In usual Keon fashion, he had 0 penalty minutes. Frank Mahovlich, who led the team in scoring during the regular season, contributed just two assists. Playing all ten games between the pipes for Toronto was Johnny Bower.

It was a Maple Leafs year but on an individual basis, 1962-63 was all about Gordie Howe. Mr. Hockey took the Art Ross with 86 points, five more than second place Andy Bathgate. He also led the NHL with 38 goals. Howe took the Hart Trophy with more than double the votes than second place Stan Mikita. Gordie was also named a First Team All-Star.

Other award winners: Calder Trophy – Kent Douglas (Toronto), Norris Trophy – Pierre Pilote (Chicago), Lady Byng Trophy – Dave Keon (Toronto), Vezina Trophy – Glenn Hall (Chicago).

The only future member of the Hockey Hall of Fame to make his debut in 1962-63 was Jacques Laperriere of the Montreal Canadiens. Other greats that are not quite HHOF worthy that began their NHL career include: Paul Henderson, Ed Johnston, Jim Neilson and Terry Harper.