Art Ross played in the time just before the National Hockey League. Ross played for the Montreal Wanderers of the National Hockey Association from 1907-08 to 1913-14 with exception to the 1909-10 season when he played for the Haileybury Comets. After a two year stint with the Ottawa Senators, Art returned to the Wanderers, playing one more season in the NHL and appearing in three games in the newly formed NHL during the 1917-18 season.
Although the Art Ross Trophy is handed out each season to the top point producing player in the National Hockey League, Ross was more familiar with the penalty box during his playing days. He scored 56 goals in 131 NHA games and sat out 406 minutes in the sin bin during that time. He did prove he could score during the 1911-12 season when he netted 16 in 18 games for the Wanderers.
Once his playing days were over, he moved behind the bench. From 1924-25 until 1944-45, he was the bench boss of the Boston Bruins. He led them to several first place finishes and took the the team to the Stanley Cup finals on more than one occasion. However, it was in 1938-39 when the Bruins won their only Stanley Cup under the leadership of Art Ross, a four games to one victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Art Ross was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1945, the first year any players entered the newly formed Hall. Two years later, he donated the Art Ross Trophy to the NHL to be awarded to the player with the highest point total during the regular season.
Here’s the breakdown of the only four Art Ross hockey cards ever produced:
1910-11 C56 #8 – The Art Ross rookie card. Worth up to $1000.
1910-11 C56 #12 – Also the Art Ross rookie card. Worth up to $1000 according to Beckett.
1911-12 C55 #31 – The year of the $6000 Georges Vezina rookie card. The Art Ross hockey card is worth $1500.
1912-13 C57 #20 – The last set for over a decade. Art’s card is worth $1200.