1967-68 Topps 3 Jacques Lemaire Hockey Card (Front)
1967-68 Topps 3 Jacques Lemaire Hockey Card (Back)
Card Notes
After playing a full season in the Central Professional Hockey League, Jacques is getting his first chance at NHL play. A shifty centre, Jacques figures strongly in Montreal’s future plans.
En Français
Après avoir joué une saison entière dans la Ligue de Hockey Professionnelle Centrale, Jacques a sa première chance de jouer dans la LHN. C’est un centre rapide sur lequel les Canadiens comptent beaucoup pour l’avenir.
Details
After an outstanding junior career with the Montreal Junior Canadiens, Jacques Lemaire spent the entire 1966-67 season with the Houston Apollos in the CHL. He put up decent numbers with 19 goals and 30 assists for 49 points over 69 regular season games.
Houston finished third in the six team CPHL and were a first round exit from the post season. However, the team represented the future of NHL hockey with the likes of Andre Boudrias, Danny Grant, Serge Savard, Bill Plager, Rogatien Vachon and Gerry Desjardins on the roster.
The back of the card was certainly correct, Lemaire figured strongly in Montreal’s future plans. He helped the team to eight Stanley Cup championships and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984.
His impact was immediate. In 1967-68, Jacques scored 22 goals during the regular season and finished second in voting for the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year. Despite nearly identical offensive numbers, Derek Sanderson of the Boston Bruins took home rookie honours.
Lemaire played 853 regular season and 145 playoff games for the Habs between 1967-68 and 1978-79. In each of his 12 seasons in the NHL, he scored at least 20 goals. That includes his final season when he scored 24 goals while playing just 50 games.
His best season offensively came in 1972-73. He scored 44 goals and added 51 assists for 95 points. He finished fourth in goal scoring behind Phil Esposito, Mickey Redmond and Rick MacLeish. In the race for the Art Ross Trophy, Lemaire finished fifth, behind Esposito, Bobby Clarke, Bobby Orr and MacLeish.
Jacques Lemaire 1967-68 Topps 3 [YouTube Shorts]
