The 1976-77 O-Pee-Chee WHA set featured three hockey cards spotlighting the 1975-76 Avco World Trophy playoffs. There were three playoff cards included in the set, one each for the Canadian final, United States final and Avco Trophy final.
Just the facts:
- After Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull and a checklist, the finals card is the most valuable in the set.
- The Winnipeg Jets won their 1st of 3 Avco Trophies in a WHA that existed for just 7 years.
- Winnipeg’s Ulf Nilsson was named the Avco Trophy playoffs MVP in 1975-76.
- The Jets, Houston Aeros, Calgary Cowboys and New England Whalers are the 4 teams featured on the playoff cards.
The #130 Canadian Finals hockey card featuring the series between the Winnipeg Jets and Calgary Cowboys is valued at $4 by Beckett Hockey Monthly. The Jets won the series 4-1. The front of the card shows a full lineup of players, including Ulf Nilsson and Bobby Hull of Winnipeg. Nilsson was eventually honoured as the 1975-76 WHA playoff MVP.
To reach the Canadian finals, Winnipeg swept the Edmonton Oilers in the previous round while the Cowboys took out the Quebec Nordiques in five games.
In the United States final, the Houston Aeros beat the New England Whalers in seven games. This card is also valued by Beckett at $4. In the previous round, the Aeros beat the San Diego Mariners in six games while the Indianapolis Racers took the Whalers to the seven game limit.
Despite the fact that the Jets and Aeros finished the regular season tied for top spot with 106 points each and the fact that the series pitted Gordie Howe against Bobby Hull, the Jets swept the Aeros in four games. On the front of hockey card number 132, the Cup is being held by team captain Lars-Erik Sjoberg and head coach Bobby Kromm. The card is valued at $15.
Kromm was awarded the Howard Baldwin Trophy as WHA coach of the year for the 1975-76 season. Just two years later, in 1977-78, he was awarded the Jack Adams Award as the National Hockey League’s top coach while behind the bench of the Detroit Red Wings.
The 1976-77 O-Pee-Chee World Hockey Association set is headlined by the number 50 hockey card of Gordie Howe which is valued at $40. The full set of 132 cards is valued at $200 and a common card goes for $1.50.