Although of Ukrainian descent, Johnny Bucyk was known as ‘The Chief’ in Boston because of his perceived native looks. Bucyk played 21 seasons with the Bruins but didn’t start his National Hockey League career there. Johnny wore the red and white of the Detroit Red Wings for the 1955-56 and 1956-57 seasons. Bucyk was traded to Boston in exchange for the great Terry Sawchuk.
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The Johnny Bucyk rookie card appeared in the 1957-58 Topps series as card number 10. The first Bucyk hockey card is valued at up to $250 and all his cards are rated by Beckett Hockey Monthly right until his final card in 1977-78. An interesting Bucyk card to own is the 1973-74 O-Pee-Chee or Topps card. In the picture on the front of that card, the head of Bobby Orr is clearly present over Johnny’s left shoulder. That card is valued at $5 for the O-Pee-Chee versions and $2 for the Topps hockey card.
Although he’s been out of the game for over three decades, Bucyk still ranks 25th all-time in NHL career goals (556) and 23rd in points (1369). His 1540 regular season games played rank him eleventh all-time. As a Boston Bruin, he’s still first in career goals and second to Ray Bourque in virtually every other category.
Johnny dressed for seven NHL all-star games throughout his career. He was always the gentleman on the ice and won the Lady Byng Trophy twice, 1970-71 and 1973-74. Ironically, on the back of the 1957-58 Topps Johnny Bucyk rookie card, it makes reference to the Lady Byng (see picture). Of course, he was a member of Boston’s two Stanley Cup teams in the early 1970’s.
His greatest offensive outburst came in 1970-71, when the rest of the Bruins team exploded offensively. Bucyk became the oldest NHL player to
reach 50 goals with 51 and he totalled 116 points. He was one of four Bruins to surpass 100 points that season, along with Phil Esposito, Bobby Orr and Ken Hodge. Unfortunately, the heavily favoured Bruins were upset in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Bucyk’s number was retired after his final season in 1977-78. In 1981, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
