1979-80 O-Pee-Chee 53 Thomas Gradin Hockey Card (Front)
1979-80 O-Pee-Chee 53 Thomas Gradin Hockey Card (Back)
1979-80 O-Pee-Chee NHL Checklist
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Card Notes
An effortless skater, if Thomas gets a step on anyone, he’s gone towards a breakaway.
En Français
Thomas est un patineur naturel qui effectue parfois des montées fulgurantes.
Details
Originally a third round pick by the Chicago Blackhawks at the 1976 NHL Amateur Draft, Thomas Gradin chose to stay home and play pro hockey in Sweden until he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks prior to the 1978-79 NHL season.
With Vancouver in his rookie season, he scored 20 and assisted on 31 for 51 points over 76 games. Despite the performance he finished seventh in voting for the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year, a great distance behind winner Bobby Smith of the Minnesota North Stars.
In his first four games with the Canucks, Thomas totaled eight points on five goals and three assists. His first NHL game was a three-point affair with two goals and an assist on October 11, 1978 in a home 8-2 win over the Colorado Rockies. His first goal was just 4:14 into the first. Not Danny Gare 18 seconds into your first game material but still pretty impressive. Doug Favell was in goal for Colorado.
Between 1978-79 and 1986-87, Thomas Gradin played 677 regular season and 42 playoff games in the National Hockey League with the Canucks and Boston Bruins. In Vancouver’s run to the Stanley Cup final in 1981-82, Gradin totaled 19 points in 17 games.