1976-77 O-Pee-Chee 245 Phil Esposito Hockey Card (Front)
1976-77 O-Pee-Chee 245 Phil Esposito Hockey Card (Back)
1976-77 O-Pee-Chee NHL Checklist
Card Notes
One of the greatest scorers in the history of the NHL, Phil is known for his strength and ability in front of the net. He’s in the superstar class.
Phil holds NHL mark with 76 goals in a season.
En Français
Un des grands compteurs dans l’histoire de la LNH, Phil est un joueur robuste et dangereux devant le filet. Esposito est vraiment une super-vedette!
Détenteur d’un record avec 76 buts en une saision dans la LNH.
Details
The stats on the back of the card for the 1975-76 NHL season are a split between the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers for Phil Esposito. He came over to the Rangers in a November 7, 1975 trade with Carol Vadnais for Brad Park, Jean Ratelle and Joe Zanussi.
He would never regain the goal scoring pace that he held for much of his time with the Bruins. But, with the Rangers, he did score at least 34 goals per season until his final campaign in 1980-81. That year, he played just 41 games for the Blue Shirts and scored just seven goals before calling it a career.
His 76 goal season noted on the back of the card happened in 1970-71. That year, he scored 76 and assisted on 76 for 152 points. The goals and points totals held as National Hockey League records until Wayne Gretzky came along. Gretz set the current mark of 92 goals in 1981-82. He first broke Espo’s points record in 1980-81 with 164 and ultimately left the mark untouchable with his 215 points in 1985-86.
Phil Esposito would play 1,282 regular season and 130 playoff games in the NHL between 1963-64 and 1980-81 with the Chicago Blackhawks, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1984. Esposito is one of just six players to win the Art Ross Trophy five or more times. The others include, Gretzky, Gordie Howe, Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr and Connor McDavid.