1974-75 O-Pee-Chee 225 Jim Rutherford Hockey Card (Front)
1974-75 O-Pee-Chee 225 Jim Rutherford Hockey Card (Back)
1974-75 O-Pee-Chee NHL Checklist
Card Notes
Jim is one of the league’s smallest goaltenders, but he’s also one of the most effective. When he’s hot, the opposition often feels like it’s shooting at a brick wall. He’s having his second run with the Red Wings, having played 29 games in Detroit during the 1970-71 season. Jim is one of the quickest goalies in the NHL.
This indeed was Rutherford’s second stint as a member of the Detroit Red Wings. He was brought up in the Wings system, playing junior hockey for the Hamilton Red Wings. He was claimed by the Penguins in the 1971 Intra-League Draft.
Jimmy returned to Motown in a January 17, 1974 trade, along with Jack Lynch for Ron Stackhouse. It didn’t happen much in the 1970’s but it probably ended up being an even trade for the Red Wings.
Rutherford was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 1980-81 season. After a short time in Toronto, he was shipped to the Los Angeles Kings to end the season. Jim returned to Detroit for a third time, appearing in just a single game during the 1982-83 season before calling it a career.
Jim once ended Chicago’s 263 game scoring streak.
The game referred to in the comic section at the bottom happened on February 24, 1973. Jim Rutherford stopped all 32 shots as the Pittsburgh Penguins shutout the Chicago Blackhawks 2-0. At the other end of the ice, Tony Esposito stopped 46 of 47 shots by the Penguins with the second goal going into an empty net with 34 seconds left in the game.
Scoring the winning goal for Pittsburgh in that game was Greg Polis with assists from Darryl Edestrand and Eddie Shack. Scoring the empty netter was Jean Pronovost with assists going to Ron Schock and Bryan ‘Bugsy’ Watson.