1971-72 O-Pee-Chee 237 Wayne Connelly Hockey Card (Front)
1971-72 O-Pee-Chee 237 Wayne Connelly Hockey Card (Back)
1971-72 O-Pee-Chee NHL Checklist
Card Notes
Possessor of one of the hardest and most accurate shots in the NHL, Wayne was acquired by the Canucks early this season in hopes that he could add some scoring punch to the power-play. Last season with St. Louis, Connelly was on the ice for 19 of the Blues’ last 23 powerplay goals.
Details
Wayne Connelly scored six of his 14 goals on the powerplay after coming across from the Blues to the Canucks during the 1971-72 season. His journey to Vancouver to St. Louis was complicated. On November 15, 1971, he was traded to the New York Rangers, along with Gene Carr and Jim Lorentz for Andre Dupont, Jack Egers and Mike Murphy. The following day, the Rangers traded Wayne to the Canucks, along with Dave Balon and Ron Stewart for Gary Doak and Jim Wiste.
Over his NHL career, Connelly scored 38 of his 133 goals on the powerplay. His best season was 1967-68 with the Minnesota North Stars when he scored 14 of his 35 goals with the man advantage.
1971-72 would be Connelly’s last year in the National Hockey League. He would jump to the WHA for the following season. With the Minnesota Fighting Saints, he would become a proficient goal scorer with 40, 42 and 38 goals in his first three seasons.