1974-75 Topps Card #10 - Gilles Gilbert

Card Features - Gilles Gilbert

 Card #10 of this set features one of the better goalies in the 70's. Boston Bruins starter Gilles Gilbert. Boston acquired Gilles from the North Stars for Fred Stanfield. All Gilles did his first year with the Bruins (the season just finished before this card was issued) is go 34-12-8 with a 2.95 GAA and 6 shutouts and lead them to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Then came the tenure of Don Cherry. Gilles and Don did not get along that well. According to Cherry, "And I used to give it to Gilbert pretty good, too. When we had shooting practice, I'd send all the goofy guys, the ones who fired high shots, up to Gilbert's end of the rink. The same guys, the ones who kept the shots low, went to Cheevers' end of the rink." (Toronto Star, December 30, 1984)
Cheevers being Gerry Cheevers, the other Bruins goalie at the time. Despite Gilbert being a superior goalie, Cherry played his favourite, Cheevers. Maybe Boston would've beat Montreal if Gilbert had played. But as it stood, Montreal beat Boston in the finals two straight years, leading to Don Cherry being fired.
Gilles was a free agent after the finals that year, and had offers from several teams, including Montreal after Ken Dryden's sudden retirement. But with Cherry no longer there, Gilbert re-signed with the Bruins and went 20-9-3 with a 2.73 GAA that year. Boston was so grateful that they traded him to Detroit. At that time, Detroit was one of if not the worst team in the league.
Gilles played 95 games for the Red Wings over three seasons going 21-48-16 with no shutouts before retiring in 1983.

Topps used virtually the same photo for Gilles in the '73/74 set as they did here in the '74/75 set. Substitute the black sweater for a home white one and voila.
Gotta dig the Love on the Ice cartoon.

oh, and Sal, if you're reading this.... his name is pronounced like Zhill Zhill-BEAR. :)

1974-75 Topps Card #9 - Emile Francis

Card features - Emile Francis

 One of the unique aspects of this set is the inclusion of Coach's cards. Emile is the first one to be featured here. Emile 'The Cat' Francis was a former player, a goalie, in the NHL. And I have to admit, up until now, I thought he was a lot better than he was. He lasted 6 seasons going 31-52-11 with a 3.76 GAA. That's horrible. But he was the first goalie to ever not use a regular hockey glove, but modify a first baseman's mitt with a cuff to catch pucks. So that's something.
Where Emile found his niche was in coaching. In 13 years as head coach, he guided his team's to the playoffs 11 consecutive times, missing only his first and last years.
He never won the Stanley Cup.

No cartoon on the manager's cards...

This concludes the first page in my '74/75 Topps binder. I kinda forgot about this one for awhile... whoops. Not sure if anyone but me cares for this old set anyways...

Hall of Fame - 1982 Builder catagory.

1974-75 Topps Card #8 Bill Barber

Card Features - Bill Barber

 Bill Barber was part of the famed LCB line for the Flyers. (Reggie Leach, Bobby Clark, and Barber). Drafted 7th overall in 1972, he was called up after only 11 games in the minors and scored 30 goals in his rookie year. The Flyers went on to win the next two Stanley Cups.
Barber was forced to retire in 1984 after a major knee injury, retiring as Captain, and is still the Flyers record holder for most goals scored at 420.
The Flyers retired his number (7) in 1990, just after Bill was elected into Hockey's Hall of Fame.

The cartoon says Bill is a power play specialist. Let's see... 104 of his 420 goals were with the man advantage, so yes, the cartoon speaks the truth.

Bill went on to a coaching career, starting in the AHL with the Philadelphia Phantoms. Part way through the 2000/01 season, he was promoted to head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers. Bill coached the last 54 games of the 82 game season, going 38-16, and winning the Jac Adams trophy as Coach of the Year. The next season saw him go 49-30, guiding the Flyers to first place. He was fired a week later. He has not coached since. You figure it out and let me know.

Hall of Fame - 1990

1974-75 Topps Card #7 Gary Bromley RC

Card Features - Gary Bromley

Okay, okay, it's been awhile. Next time, nag me. It works for my wife.
We have past the first six leader cards and are into individual players. The first player chosen to be in this set? Rookie Buffalo goalie Gary 'Bones' Bromley. 1974-75 was Gary's best year in the NHL, as he went 26 wins, 11 losses, 11 ties. Gary would jump ship in two years to Calgary of the WHA. After his stint in the WHA, Gary would play three final seasons in the NHL with the Vancouver Canucks.

Look for a post in the next day or two explaining Gary's nickname, and the reason why he is still well known today.

1974-75 Topps Card #6 Top Power Play Goal Scorers

Card Features: Mickey Redmond and Rick MacLeish

 These are the snipers... the Brett Hull and Steven Stamkos of the '70's. With better moustaches. Mickey was one helluva goal scorer, with 145 goals in the last three years. Unfortunately a back injury not long after this card came out ended his career waaaaay too early. MacLeish would play another 10 seasons ending with 104 career power play goals.

Again, some interesting 'Western' teams. Philly, Pittsburgh, Atlanta....

This marks the last leader card to begin the set. Starting with card #7, we finally get into the individual players.

1974-75 Topps card #5 Penalty Minute Leaders

Card Features: Bryan 'Bugsy' Watson and Dave 'The Hammer' Schultz

 The 5th of six leader cards to start us off sees us get to the nitty gritty. It was a different game in the '70's. Guys like Gretzky and Crosby would not have made it in this league. All your top point getters could all take care of themselves. I guess that's why Dave Semenko had such a long career.
Moving on... Bryan Watson changed teams 9 times between 6 different teams through a 16 year career. His 255 penalty minutes in '73/74 was actually split between three teams. Pittsburgh, St Louis and Detroit.(pictured) In his 21 games with Detroit, Bryan racked up 99 minutes in penalties. Not bad.
Dave Schultz's 348 minutes was a mere warmup for his '74/75 season in which he accumulated 472 penalty minutes. A record that still stands today. I think he could have done better in '73/74, but he wasted so much effort in scoring 20 goals. In his record year, he only potted 9 goals. Priorities kids. Make a list if you need to.

For the first time in what I can remember, I see a list from 1970's hockey with a player on it that I had no clue existed. Barry Wilkins of Vancouver, come on down.

Let's see a little '70's hockey to calm the nerves, eh?

1974-75 Topps card #4 Goals Against Average Leaders

Card Features - Doug Favell and Bernie Parent

 Small world the NHL... in the 1973/74 season, the Toronto Maple Leafs sent goalie Bernie Parent to the Philadlephia Flyers for goalie Doug Favell. I guess you could say it worked out well for both clubs. It didn't though, Toronto got screwed... but we'll cover that later on.
Doug and Bernie were actually teammates for three seasons with the Flyers before Philly traded Bernie to Toronto in 1971. Confused? You won't be after this next episode...... (never mind the obscure reference)

Bernie won two Stanley Cups, two Vezina Trophys and Two Conn Smythe Trophys in the two years after this card was released and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1984.
Doug is credited with being the first goalie in the NHL to add colour to his mask. Ummm... yeah.

There are some pretty famous names on those lists....

As you can probably tell from looking at the picture, this is one of the very few cards I still need to upgrade from this set. Some young fan decided to scratch out each of their faces with ball point pen. One day I'll find a good upgrade.

Hall of Fame - Bernie Parent 1984
Upgrade needed

1974-75 Topps card #3 Scoring Leaders

Card Features - Phil Esposito and Bobby Clark

 Okay. Last leader card featuring a Bruin for awhile. I promise. What's there to say other than the Bruins of the early '70's were a juggernaut. No team has dominated the scoring charts since like they did.

For my take on Phil, go HERE and read the post for card #1 in this set. For now, we'll concentrate on Bobby Clark.
Bobby was the captain for the Philadelphia Flyers, and at the time this card came out was just about to lead the Flyers in back to back Stanley Cup wins. Bobby went on to lead the NHL in assists in the 74/75 and 75/76 seasons. As well as playing in two of his 8 All Star games.

it's nice to see a picture of Bobby with all his teeth. A rarity for sure.

Hall of Fame - Phil in 1994
                       Bobby in 1987

1974-75 Topps card #2 Top Assists Leaders

Card features - Bobby Orr and Dennis Hextall.

 For the second straight leader card, we feature a Boston Bruin and a Minnesota North Star.
Bobby Orr led the NHL with 90 assists in 73/74. It was the fourth of five times leading the NHL. Bobby added 32 goals to go along with a Norris trophy win that year.

Dennis led the West with 62 assists. That, and his point total (82) would be career highs. Dennis also appeared in his first of two All Star games.

 Bobby Orr was on the cusp of arguably his greatest season. 1974/75 saw him score 46 goals 89 assists for 135 points. Another norris trophy win for top defenceman, and Art Ross win for leading scorer, and a Ted Lindsay Award for Most Outstanding Player as voted by the players. And then, it was over. Training camp in 1975 saw Bobby suffer a serious knee injury, limiting him to only 10 games. After leaving Boston for Chicago, another knee injury 20 games into the season saw Bobby miss over a year and a half of action. He tried a comeback in 1978, but after 6 games, hung up his skates for good. The greatest hockey player besides Gordie Howe. Maybe even better than Howe. Depends on my mood. Over waaaay too soon.

Dennis Hextall had a journeyman's career in the NHL with stops in 6 cities. 12 seasons 153 goals 350 assists. Dennis comes from a hockey family. His father Bryan, brother Bryan Jr, and nephew Ron Hextall all played in the NHL.



Hall Of Fame - Bobby Orr was elected in 1979