1980-81 O-Pee-Chee 31 Mike Liut Hockey Card (Front)
1980-81 O-Pee-Chee 31 Mike Liut Hockey Card (Back)
1980-81 O-Pee-Chee NHL Checklist
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Card Notes
Audio Version:
Ranked 6th overall in WHA with 3.47 goals against average for the Cincinnati Stingers, 1978-79.
En Français
Il obtint la sixième meilleure moyenne de “buts contre” (3.47) dans l’AMH en 1978-79, avec les Stingers de Cincinnati.
Details
The info snippet on the back of this card sounds impressive with Mike Liut finishing sixth in the WHA for goals against average in 1978-79. However, when you consider that there were just seven teams in the league, it loses some of its shine.
What’s surprising is that the card makes no mention of Liut’s outstanding NHL debut in 1979-80 with the St. Louis Blues. Playing 64 of the team’s 80 regular season games, Liut posted a 3.18 goals against average with two shutouts. Ineligible for the Calder Trophy after his two years in the WHA, Mike finished sixth in voting for the Hart Trophy and was third in All-Star voting behind just Tony Esposito and Don Edwards.
1980-81 was even better. Mike played 61 games for the Blues and finished behind just Wayne Gretzky in the voting for the Hart Trophy. He was also selected as a First Team All-Star. He led the Red Berenson coached Blues into the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs before falling to the New York Rangers in six games.
Between 1979-80 and 1991-92, Mike Liut appeared in 664 regular season and 67 playoff games in the National Hockey League with the St. Louis Blues, Hartford Whalers and Washington Capitals. He finished his career with a 3.49 goals against average and 25 shutouts.