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The Derek Sanderson Collection

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derek sanderson world hockey association philadelphia blazers

Derek Sanderson – the superstar that was supposed to be, that really wasn’t, but still is. On the lines of an Eddie Shack, Sanderson’s name remains in the minds of hockey fans because of the personality more than the playing results. We’re in a time right now when a player will have a dozen or more hockey cards in a year, at times. In the mainstream hockey card world of Topps and O-Pee-Chee, Derek is featured on just eleven cards from his playing days.

Derek Sanderson – Junior Hockey

Sanderson starred as a junior with the Niagara Falls Flyers (the current Sudbury Wolves of the OHL) of the Ontario Hockey Association. He played with the club for four seasons from 1963-64 to 1966-67. In his second season, 1964-65, the Flyers won the Robertson Cup as OHA champions then proceeded to capture the Memorial Cup as Canadian champs.

His junior stats are quite interesting. In 1965-66, he led the league with 238 penalty minutes in just 48 games. However, his 76 points placed him seventh in the OHA. In his final season of junior hockey, Sanderson was awarded the Eddie Powers Trophy after leading the league with 101 points in 47 games. He dropped to second in the PIM department with 193.

Derek Sanderson – NHL Career

Derek played in the NHL from 1967-68 to 1977-78 (he did appear in two games in each of the previous two seasons while still a junior). The bulk of his time was spent with the Boston Bruins but he also played for the New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks and Pittsburgh Penguins. He was a part of two Stanley Cup winning teams in Boston, 1969-70 and 1971-72. His career high in goals came in 1970-71 with 29 and he topped out in points with 67 in 1975-76 with the St. Louis Blues. He was the recipient of the Calder Trophy in 1967-68 as the NHL’s top rookie.

Of course, there was the 1972-73 season. There was no Derek Sanderson hockey card that year because he had signed with the Philadelphia Blazers of the World Hockey Association. The WHA did not have a set that season and, despite returning to the Bruins before the end of the season, he wasn’t included in the NHL sets either. Derek’s contract with the Blazers was a record dollar amount for any athlete at the time. His career in the WHA lasted just eight games.

Derek Sanderson Collection

Here is the Derek Sanderson major brand collection in its entirety (where O-Pee-Chee and Topps both printed identical cards, only the O-Pee-Chee is included):

1967-68 topps 33 derek sanderson boston bruins nhl rookie hockey card

1967-68 Topps #33. The Derek Sanderson rookie card. Only Bobby Orr and Gordie Howe are valued higher in the set.

Derek Sanderson 1967-68 Topps 33 [YouTube Shorts]

1968-69 o-pee-chee 6 derek sanderson boston bruins nhl hockey card

1968-69 O-Pee-Chee #6.

Derek Sanderson 1968-69 O-Pee-Chee 6 [YouTube Shorts]

1968-69 derek sanderson o-pee-chee 213 hockey card calder trophy

1968-69 O-Pee-Chee #213. Sanderson wins the Calder.

1969-70 o-pee-chee 201 derek sanderson boston bruins nhl hockey card

1969-70 O-Pee-Chee #201.

1970-71 o-pee-chee 136 derek sanderson boston bruins nhl hockey card

1970-71 O-Pee-Chee #136.

1971-72 o-pee-chee 65 derek sanderson boston bruins nhl hockey card

1971-72 O-Pee-Chee #65.

1973-74 o-pee-chee 183 derek sanderson boston bruins nhl hockey card

1973-74 O-Pee-Chee #183.

1974-75 o-pee-chee 290 derek sanderson new york rangers nhl hockey card

1974-75 O-Pee-Chee #290.

1975-76 o-pee-chee 73 derek sanderson new york rangers nhl hockey card

1975-76 O-Pee-Chee #73.

1976-77 o-pee-chee 20 derek sanderson st. louis blues nhl hockey card

1976-77 O-Pee-Chee #20.

1977-78 o-pee-chee 46 derek sanderson vancouver canucks nhl hockey card

1977-78 O-Pee-Chee #46.

NHL Career Stats (Regular Season)

SeasonTeamGPGAPtsPIM
1965-66Boston Bruins20000
1966-67Boston Bruins20000
1967-68Boston Bruins7124254998
1968-69Boston Bruins61262248146
1969-70Boston Bruins50182341118
1970-71Boston Bruins71293463130
1971-72Boston Bruins78253358108
1972-73Boston Bruins255101538
1973-74Boston Bruins298122048
1974-75New York Rangers75252550106
1975-76New York Rangers80004
1975-76St. Louis Blues6524436759
1976-77St. Louis Blues328132126
1976-77Vancouver Canucks16791630
1977-78Pittsburgh Penguins133140
Totals598202250452911

NHL Career Stats (Playoffs)

SeasonTeamGPGAPtsPIM
1965-66Boston Bruins00000
1966-67Boston Bruins00000
1967-68Boston Bruins40229
1968-69Boston Bruins9821036
1969-70Boston Bruins1454972
1970-71Boston Bruins721313
1971-72Boston Bruins1111244
1972-73Boston Bruins512313
1973-74Boston Bruins00000
1974-75New York Rangers30000
1975-76New York Rangers00000
1975-76St. Louis Blues31010
1976-77St. Louis Blues00000
1976-77Vancouver Canucks00000
1977-78Pittsburgh Penguins00000
Totals56181230187

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