The 1967-68 Topps NHL hockey card set consists of 132 cards featuring players from just the Original 6 teams (Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks). Collectors will forever be bewildered as to why Topps did not include the six expansion teams that joined the league that season (Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, St. Louis Blues, Los Angeles Kings, Oakland Seals, Minnesota North Stars).
Top rookie cards in the collection include: Jacques Lemaire, Derek Sanderson and Rogie Vachon.
Because expansion franchises were excluded, greats like Terry Sawchuk (L.A. Kings) were not available on cardboard that year. Glenn Hall had a workaround – he didn’t get a card as a member of the St. Louis Blues but did have an All-Star card as a member of the Blackhawks.
1967-68 Topps NHL Checklist
Number | Player |
1 | Lorne “Gump” Worsley |
2 | Dick Duff |
3 | Jacques Lemaire RC |
4 | Claude Larose |
5 | Gilles Tremblay |
6 | Terry Harper |
7 | Jacques Laperriere |
8 | Garry Monahan RC |
9 | Carol Vadnais RC |
10 | Ted Harris |
11 | Dave Keon |
12 | Pete Stemkowski |
13 | Allan Stanley |
14 | Ron Ellis |
15 | Mike Walton |
16 | Tim Horton |
17 | Brian Conacher RC |
18 | Bruce Gamble |
19 | Bob Pulford |
20 | Duane Rupp RC |
21 | Larry Jeffrey |
22 | Wayne Hillman |
23 | Don Marshall |
24 | Gordon “Red” Berenson |
25 | Phil Goyette |
26 | Camille Henry |
27 | Rod Seiling |
28 | Bob Nevin |
29 | Bernie “Boom-Boom” Geoffrion |
30 | Reg Fleming |
31 | Jean Ratelle |
32 | Phil Esposito |
33 | Derek Sanderson RC |
34 | Eddie Shack |
35 | Ross Lonsberry RC |
36 | Fred Stanfield |
37 | Don Awrey |
38 | Glen Sather RC |
39 | John McKenzie |
40 | Tom Williams |
41 | Dallas Smith |
42 | Johnny Bucyk |
43 | Gordie Howe |
44 | Gary Jarrett RC |
45 | Dean Prentice |
46 | Bert Marshall |
47 | Gary Bergman |
48 | Roger Crozier |
49 | Howie Young |
50 | Doug Roberts RC |
51 | Alex Delvecchio |
52 | Floyd Smith |
53 | Doug Shelton RC |
54 | Gerry Goyer RC |
55 | Wayne Maki RC |
56 | Dennis Hull |
57 | Dave Dryden RC |
58 | Paul Terbenche RC |
59 | Gilles Marotte |
60 | Eric Nesterenko |
61 | Pat Stapleton |
62 | Pierre Pilote |
63 | Doug Mohns |
64 | Stan Mikita [Triple Winner] |
65 | Denis DeJordy [Vezina Trophy] |
66 | Checklist |
67 | Ralph Backstrom |
68 | Bobby Rousseau |
69 | John Ferguson |
70 | Yvan Cournoyer |
71 | Claude Provost |
72 | Henri Richard |
73 | J.C. Tremblay |
74 | Jean Beliveau |
75 | Rogatien Vachon RC |
76 | Johnny Bower |
77 | Wayne Carleton RC |
78 | Jim Pappin |
79 | Frank Mahovlich |
80 | Larry Hillman |
81 | Marcel Pronovost |
82 | Murray Oliver |
83 | George Armstrong |
84 | Harry Howell |
85 | Ed Giacomin |
86 | Gilles Villemure |
87 | Orland Kurtenbach |
88 | Vic Hadfield |
89 | Arnie Brown |
90 | Rod Gilbert |
91 | Jim Neilson |
92 | Bobby Orr |
93 | Phil “Skip” Krake RC |
94 | Ted Green |
95 | Ed Westfall |
96 | Ed Johnston |
97 | Gary Doak RC |
98 | Ken Hodge |
99 | Gerry Cheevers |
100 | Ron Murphy |
101 | Norm Ullman |
102 | Bruce MacGregor |
103 | Paul Henderson |
104 | Jean-Guy Talbot |
105 | Bart Crashley RC |
106 | Roy Edwards RC |
107 | Jim Watson RC |
108 | Ted Hampson |
109 | Bill Orban RC |
110 | Geoff Powis RC |
111 | Ron “Chico” Maki |
112 | Doug Jarrett |
113 | Bobby Hull |
114 | Stan Mikita |
115 | Denis DeJordy |
116 | Hubert “Pit” Martin |
117 | Ken Wharram |
118 | Bobby Orr [Calder Trophy] |
119 | Harry Howell [Norris Trophy] |
120 | Checklist |
121 | Harry Howell [All-Star] |
122 | Pierre Pilote [All-Star] |
123 | Ed Giacomin [All-Star] |
124 | Bobby Hull [All-Star] |
125 | Ken Wharram [All-Star] |
126 | Stan Mikita [All-Star] |
127 | Tim Horton [All-Star] |
128 | Bobby Orr [All-Star] |
129 | Glenn Hall [All-Star] |
130 | Don Marshall [All-Star] |
131 | Gordie Howe [All-Star] |
132 | Norm Ullman [All-Star] |
1967-68 NHL Standings
Eastern Division | |||||||
Team | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA |
Montreal Canadiens | 74 | 42 | 22 | 10 | 94 | 236 | 167 |
New York Rangers | 74 | 39 | 23 | 12 | 90 | 226 | 183 |
Boston Bruins | 74 | 37 | 27 | 10 | 84 | 259 | 216 |
Chicago Blackhawks | 74 | 32 | 26 | 16 | 80 | 212 | 222 |
Toronto Maple Leafs | 74 | 33 | 31 | 10 | 76 | 209 | 176 |
Detroit Red Wings | 74 | 27 | 35 | 12 | 66 | 245 | 257 |
Western Division | |||||||
Team | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA |
Philadelphia Flyers | 74 | 31 | 32 | 11 | 73 | 173 | 179 |
Los Angeles Kings | 74 | 31 | 33 | 10 | 72 | 200 | 224 |
St. Louis Blues | 74 | 27 | 31 | 16 | 70 | 177 | 191 |
Minnesota North Stars | 74 | 27 | 32 | 15 | 69 | 191 | 226 |
Pittsburgh Penguins | 74 | 27 | 34 | 13 | 67 | 195 | 216 |
Oakland Seals | 74 | 15 | 42 | 17 | 47 | 153 | 219 |
1967-68 NHL Scoring Leaders
Player | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
Stan Mikita | Chicago Black Hawks | 72 | 40 | 47 | 87 | 14 |
Phil Esposito | Boston Bruins | 74 | 35 | 49 | 84 | 21 |
Gordie Howe | Detroit Red Wings | 74 | 39 | 43 | 82 | 53 |
Jean Ratelle | New York Rangers | 74 | 32 | 46 | 78 | 18 |
Rod Gilbert | New York Rangers | 73 | 29 | 48 | 77 | 12 |
Bobby Hull | Chicago Black Hawks | 71 | 44 | 31 | 75 | 39 |
Norm Ullman | Toronto Maple Leafs | 71 | 35 | 37 | 72 | 28 |
Alex Delvecchio | Detroit Red Wings | 74 | 22 | 48 | 70 | 14 |
Johnny Bucyk | Boston Bruins | 72 | 30 | 39 | 69 | 8 |
Kenny Wharram | Chicago Black Hawks | 74 | 27 | 42 | 69 | 18 |
1967-68 NHL Season
As mentioned, the 1967-68 NHL season marked the end of the Original 6 era with the league doubling in size from six to twelve teams. The teams were split into two divisions with all six new teams stuffed in the West Division.
Of the six in the East Division, only the Detroit Red Wings would not have finished first place in the West. The fifth place Toronto Maple Leafs had three more points than the first place Philadelphia Flyers. Yet, the Buds were denied entry into the post season.
Of course, this allowed for a brand new team to compete in the Stanley Cup final. The St. Louis Blues, a team that finished third in the West with 70 points, met the Montreal Canadiens in the final, a team that finished first in the East with 94 points. As was suspected, the Habs swept the Blues for the championship. Yet, in a losing effort, Glenn Hall of the Blues was named the winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy.
The Boston Bruins were beginning to take shape as a contender in the National Hockey League. They reached the post season for the first time since 1958-59. Boston was swept in the first round by the Canadiens. But, Bobby Orr won his first of eight consecutive Norris Trophies and Derek Sanderson was named Calder Trophy winner as rookie of the year. Both integral pieces in the championship teams in the near future for the Bruins.
For the second year in a row, Stan Mikita of the Chicago Blackhawks was a triple crown winner, taking home the Art Ross Trophy, Hart Trophy and Lady Byng Trophy. He led the league with just 87 points, a three point edge over former teammate Phil Esposito of the Bruins. Stan was second in goal scoring with 40, four behind teammate Bobby Hull. The following year, Hull would set a new NHL record with 58 goals.
Jacques Lemaire was the only future Hockey Hall of Fame member to make his NHL debut in 1967-68. Members Bernie Geoffrion and Dickie Moore appeared in their final games. Geoffrion with the New York Rangers and Moore with the St. Louis Blues.