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

1974-75 Topps #1 Top Goal Leaders

Card Features - Phil Esposito and Bill Goldsworthy

 Phil Esposito led the entire NHL in 73/74 with 68 goals. It was the second highest total for Phil. He would pot 61 the following year, but never more than 42 in his final 6 seasons. Phil finished his 18 year career with 717 goals.

Bill Goldsworthy finished with 48 goals in 73/74, good for 5th in the league, but tops in the west. This was Bill's best year. 37 the next year and out of the NHL three years after that. One thing I would love to find, is video of Bill doing the "Goldie Shuffle". A goal celebration dance he did after scoring on home ice.

Both Phil and Bill were traded to the Rangers within three years of this card coming out. They also played together with Team Canada in the 1972 Summit Series. And really? Philadelphia? In the west? There's a reason Conferences and Divisions were renamed.


Hall of Fame - Phil was elected in 1994

Deceased - Bill passed away in 1996 from complications due to AIDS. Bill tried to pass on a warning to all young hockey players about the dangers associated with the abundance of Puck Bunnies who make themselves available to all NHL'ers on the road.
Not sure anyone has heeded that advice. Would you?