1979-80 O-Pee-Chee 239 Real Cloutier Hockey Card (Front)
1979-80 O-Pee-Chee 239 Real Cloutier Hockey Card (Back)
1979-80 O-Pee-Chee NHL Checklist
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Card Notes
Real was WHA’s leading scorer in 1976-77 and was named to Second Team All-Stars.
En Français
Meilleur compteur de l’AMH pour 1976-77 et membre de la deuxième équipe d’étoiles.
Details
Real Cloutier was a two time winner of the Bill Hunter Trophy as WHA scoring leader. In 1976-77, his 141 points were ten better than Anders Hedberg. Hedberg had the edge in goal scoring with 71 to Cloutier’s 66. Real added another 27 points over 17 playoff games as his Quebec Nordiques and Hedberg’s Winnipeg Jets met in the Avco World Trophy final with Quebec winning the championship in seven games.
In the final year of the WHA, 1978-79, Cloutier led the league with 129 points, 13 more than second place Robbie Ftorek and 19 more than Wayne Gretzky. His 75 goals were tops in the WHA, ten more than second place Morris Lukowich. The goal total was just two shy of Bobby Hull‘s record set in 1974-75.
Originally, Cloutier was a ninth overall pick by the Nordiques at the 1974 WHA Amateur Draft. He was coming off an incredible junior season with the Quebec Remparts, scoring 93 goals while assisting on 123 for 216 points. Shockingly, he finished just third in overall scoring with Pierre Larouche leading the league with his 251 points. The 93 goals placed him just fifth in the QMJHL.
Between 1979-80 and 1984-85, Real Cloutier played 317 regular season and 25 playoff games in the National Hockey League with the Nordiques and Buffalo Sabres. He was a first round pick by the Chicago Blackhawks in 1976 but never played for that club. In the WHA, Buddy appeared in 369 regular season and 48 playoff games between 1974-75 and 1978-79, all with Quebec.