1976-77 O-Pee-Chee 8 Jacques Richard Hockey Card (Front)
1976-77 O-Pee-Chee 8 Jacques Richard Hockey Card (Back)
1976-77 O-Pee-Chee NHL Checklist
Card Notes
Number one draft choice of Atlanta Flames in their first season. Jacques is one of the fastest skaters around. He’s very accurate around the net, a deadly shooter.
En Français
Premier choix des Flames d’Atlanta à leur saison initiale, Jacques est un patineur extrêmement rapide. Il est très précis autour du filet et il a un lancer redoutable.
Details
Jacques Richard was the second overall pick by the expansion Atlanta Flames in the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft. The New York Islanders selected Billy Harris first overall. Richard was coming off a stellar junior career with the Quebec Remparts. Richard led the QMJHL with 71 goals and 160 points in his final season, 1971-72.
His time with the Flames lasted just three years. He topped out with 27 goals in his second season with the team and dropped to 17 goals and 29 points in his third. On October 3, 1975, he was traded to the Buffalo Sabres for Larry Carriere.
Richard didn’t quite catch on with the Sabres and spent much of his time in the organization with the Hershey Bears in the AHL. In 1976-77, Jacques played just 21 games with the NHL club and scored only two goals.
For the most part, Richard’s NHL career is considered a dud and a waste of talent. However, in 1980-81, playing for his hometown Quebec Nordiques, Jacques had a career year, scoring 52 goals and assisting on 51 for 103 points. His only hat trick of the campaign came in an 11-7 win over the Washington Capitals. His 49th and 50th goals came in a March 29, 1981 4-0 win over the Montreal Canadiens.
Between 1972-73 and 1982-83, Richard appeared in 556 regular season and 35 Stanley Cup playoff games with the Atlanta Flames, Buffalo Sabres and Quebec Nordiques.