The 1964-65 Topps set consists of 110 hockey cards featuring players from all six NHL clubs. These vintage Topps hockey cards are nicknamed ‘Tall Boys’ with the cards measuring 4.5 inches high while retaining the standard 2.5 inch width. The unusual size and the scarcity of cards numbered from 56 to 110 makes this an extremely valuable collection.
Not heavy in star first year players, the most valuable rookie cards belong to Pit Martin (Detroit Red Wings), Gary Dornhoefer (Boston Bruins) and Marcel Paille (New York Rangers). Less important rookies are Roger Crozier (Red Wings), Jim Pappin (Toronto Maple Leafs), Lou Angotti (Rangers) and Rod Seiling (Rangers). The usual suspects are at the top in value, including Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull, Tim Horton and Stan Mikita.
The 110 cards in the set were a significant increase over 1963-64 when Topps put out just 66 hockey cards. The reason for this is that it was the first year without Parkhurst as a competitor and the NHL was no longer split down the middle between the two companies. Topps, for the first time, had to feature players from all six teams. Prior to this set, Parkhurst typically featured players from the Maple Leafs, Canadiens and Red Wings while Topps took the Bruins, Blackhawks and Rangers.
1964-65 Topps NHL Checklist
Number | Player |
1 | Hubert “Pit” Martin RC |
2 | Gilles Tremblay |
3 | Terry Harper |
4 | John Ferguson |
5 | Elmer Vasko |
6 | Terry Sawchuk |
7 | Bill Hay |
8 | Gary Bergman RC |
9 | Doug Barkley |
10 | Bob McCord |
11 | Parker MacDonald |
12 | Glenn Hall |
13 | Albert Langlois |
14 | Camille Henry |
15 | Norm Ullman |
16 | Ab McDonald |
17 | Charlie Hodge |
18 | Orland Kurtenbach |
19 | Dean Prentice |
20 | Bobby Hull |
21 | Ed Johnston |
22 | Denis DeJordy |
23 | Claude Provost |
24 | Rod Gilbert |
25 | Doug Mohns |
26 | Al MacNeil |
27 | Billy Harris |
28 | Ken Wharram |
29 | George “Red” Sullivan |
30 | John McKenzie |
31 | Stan Mikita |
32 | Ted Green |
33 | Jean Beliveau |
34 | Arnie Brown RC |
35 | Reg Fleming |
36 | Jim Mikol RC |
37 | Dave Balon |
38 | Billy Reay [Coach] |
39 | Marcel Pronovost |
40 | Johnny Bower |
41 | Wayne Hillman |
42 | Floyd Smith |
43 | Hector “Toe” Blake [Coach] |
44 | Leonard “Red” Kelly |
45 | George “Punch” Imlach [Coach] |
46 | Dick Duff |
47 | Roger Crozier RC |
48 | Henri Richard |
49 | Larry Jeffrey |
50 | Leo Boivin |
51 | Ed Westfall |
52 | Jean-Guy Talbot |
53 | Jacques Laperriere |
54 | Checklist |
55 | Checklist |
56 | Ron Murphy |
57 | Bob Baun |
58 | Tom Williams |
59 | Pierre Pilote |
60 | Bob Pulford |
61 | Red Berenson |
62 | Vic Hadfield |
63 | Bob Leiter |
64 | Jim Pappin RC |
65 | Earl Ingarfield |
66 | Lou Angotti RC |
67 | Rod Seiling RC |
68 | Jacques Plante |
69 | George Armstrong |
70 | Milt Schmidt [Coach] |
71 | Eddie Shack |
72 | Gary Dornhoefer RC |
73 | Ron “Chico” Maki |
74 | Gilles Villemure |
75 | Carl Brewer |
76 | Bruce MacGregor |
77 | Bob Nevin |
78 | Ralph Backstrom |
79 | Murray Oliver |
80 | Bobby Rousseau |
81 | Don McKenney |
82 | Ted Lindsay |
83 | Harry Howell |
84 | Doug Robinson RC |
85 | Frank Mahovlich |
86 | Andy Bathgate |
87 | Phil Goyette |
88 | J.C. Tremblay |
89 | Gordie Howe |
90 | Murray Balfour |
91 | Eric Nesterenko |
92 | Marcel Paille RC |
93 | Sid Abel [Coach] |
94 | Dave Keon |
95 | Alex Delvecchio |
96 | Bill Gadsby |
97 | Don Marshall |
98 | Bill Hicke |
99 | Ron Stewart |
100 | Johnny Bucyk |
101 | Tom Johnson |
102 | Tim Horton |
103 | Jim Neilson |
104 | Allan Stanley |
105 | Tim Horton [All-Star] |
106 | Stan Mikita [All-Star] |
107 | Bobby Hull [All-Star] |
108 | Ken Wharram [All-Star] |
109 | Pierre Pilote [All-Star] |
110 | Glenn Hall [All-Star] |
1964-65 NHL Standings
Team | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA |
Detroit Red Wings | 70 | 40 | 23 | 7 | 87 | 224 | 175 |
Montreal Canadiens | 70 | 36 | 23 | 11 | 83 | 211 | 185 |
Chicago Blackhawks | 70 | 34 | 28 | 8 | 76 | 224 | 176 |
Toronto Maple Leafs | 70 | 30 | 26 | 14 | 74 | 204 | 173 |
New York Rangers | 70 | 20 | 38 | 12 | 52 | 179 | 246 |
Boston Bruins | 70 | 21 | 43 | 6 | 48 | 166 | 253 |
1964-65 NHL Scoring Leaders
Player | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
Stan Mikita | Chicago Black Hawks | 70 | 28 | 59 | 87 | 154 |
Norm Ullman | Detroit Red Wings | 70 | 42 | 41 | 83 | 70 |
Gordie Howe | Detroit Red Wings | 70 | 29 | 47 | 76 | 104 |
Bobby Hull | Chicago Black Hawks | 61 | 39 | 32 | 71 | 32 |
Alex Delvecchio | Detroit Red Wings | 68 | 25 | 42 | 67 | 16 |
Claude Provost | Montreal Canadiens | 70 | 27 | 37 | 64 | 28 |
Rod Gilbert | New York Rangers | 70 | 25 | 36 | 61 | 52 |
Pierre Pilote | Chicago Black Hawks | 68 | 14 | 45 | 59 | 162 |
John Bucyk | Boston Bruins | 68 | 26 | 29 | 55 | 24 |
Ralph Backstrom | Montreal Canadiens | 70 | 25 | 30 | 55 | 44 |
Phil Esposito | Chicago Black Hawks | 70 | 23 | 32 | 55 | 44 |
1964-65 NHL Season
13 points separated the top 4 teams in the National Hockey League in 1964-65, the only four teams to qualify for the post season in the six team league. The remainder, the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins were 22 and 26 points out of a playoff spot respectively.
The Detroit Red Wings finished first overall with a modest 87 points, fueled by the return of Ted Lindsay. Terrible Ted was making a comeback after four years away from the NHL. He previously played is last game for the Red Wings in 1956-57. Detroit finished with just a four point edge over the Montreal Canadiens.
In the playoffs, the Chicago Blackhawks upset the Wings in the opening round with the series going the full seven games. The other semi-final series saw the Montreal Canadiens oust the Toronto Maple Leafs in six games. The final series went the full seven with the home team winning each game (Montreal had home ice advantage). Jean Beliveau of the Habs was named the first ever Conn Smythe Trophy winner.
Stan Mikita of the Blackhawks won the Art Ross Trophy with 87 points, four more than Norm Ullman of the Red Wings. Ullman would have won the Rocket Richard Trophy if it existed at the time, leading the NHL with 42 goals. A young Phil Esposito started to flex his offensive muscle, finishing tied for ninth in scoring as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks.
Bobby Hull of the Blackhawks finished fourth in the race for the Art Ross Trophy after missing nine games. However, the Golden Jet was honoured with the Hart Trophy as MVP and the Lady Byng Trophy as the most gentlemanly, along with being named a First Team All-Star.