1978-79 O-Pee-Chee 155 Jean Ratelle Hockey Card (Front)
1978-79 O-Pee-Chee 155 Jean Ratelle Hockey Card (Back)
1978-79 O-Pee-Chee NHL Checklist
Looking to buy this hockey card? Check out what’s available at eBay: Jean Ratelle 1978-79
(As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase through the above link)
Card Notes
n/a
En Français
n/a
Details
Jean Ratelle was still going strong in 1978-79, closing in on 40 years old. He scored 27 goals for the Boston Bruins, marking 12 consecutive NHL seasons scoring no less than 25 goals. He finished up the regular season with a three assist game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
In the 1979 Stanley Cup final series against the Montreal Canadiens, Ratelle was nothing short of stellar but couldn’t get the Bruins over the hump. In a series that went the full seven games and featured a pair of matches needed overtime, Jean had two three point games. In game 4, he had a hat trick, including the overtime game winner. In game seven, Ratelle assisted on three of Boston’s four goals in a 5-4 overtime loss.
Between 1960-61 and 1980-81, Jean Ratelle played 1,281 regular season and 123 playoff games in the National Hockey League with the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins. While still a junior with the Guelph Royals in 1960-61, Ratelle had an excellent NHL debut with the Rangers.
On March 4, 1961, his first NHL game was played at Maple Leaf Gardens in a matchup between New York and Toronto. At 16:40 of the first period, Jean assisted on a Ted Hampson goal to put the Rangers up 2-0. He then scored New York’s fourth and final goal in the 5-4 loss at 9:32 of the third, putting one past Toronto goalie Cesare Maniago, assisted by Hampson and Bill Gadsby.
Ratelle was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1985. The New York Rangers waited until 2018 to retire his jersey number 19. Never a Stanley Cup champion, Jean went to the final with Rangers once and the Bruins twice. He was a two time recipient of the Lady Byng Trophy.