The Los Angeles Kings are gunning for their first Stanley Cup championship since joining the National Hockey League for the 1967-68 season. The only other time they have been to the finals was a loss to the Montreal Canadiens in 1992-93. Back in the 1970’s, O-Pee-Chee often included team checklist cards with a team picture on the front and player checklist on the back. What follows are the seven Los Angeles Kings team checklist cards produced by O-Pee-Chee during the team’s first full decade.
The 1973-74 O-Pee-Chee #98 features Rogie Vachon on the far right of the front row and Harry Howell beside him.
1974-75 O-Pee-Chee #287 once again features Rogie Vachon on the far right of the front row. The man wearing the ‘C’ in the middle of the front row is Terry Harper. Harper played over 1,000 games in the NHL with the Montreal Canadiens, Kings, Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues and Colorado Rockies.
Once again, Harper is the captain of the Kings in this 1975-76 O-Pee-Chee #86 hockey card. Vachon moves to the far right of the second row. Butch Goring is sitting on the far left of the front row, wearing number 19.
1976-77 O-Pee-Chee #139. Mike Murphy takes over as captain of the Kings. Mike played with Los Angeles from 1973-74 to 1982-83. Again, the goalies are relegated to the ends of the second row.
1977-78 O-Pee-Chee #78. Mike Murphy is once again captain and the goalies have been honoured with a front row appearance. You would think Marcel Dionne would warrant a front row position but he’s in the back row, second from the left.
1978-79 O-Pee-Chee #198. Marcel Dionne makes it down to the front row, third from the left. Mike Murphy is again in the centre, wearing the C. This is the last team photo that Rogie Vachon appears in. The Kings would go for a full-scale goaltending change the following year.
1979-80 O-Pee-Chee #250. The big wigs are surrounded by Murphy and Dionne in the middle of the front row. Charlie Simmer gets stuck in the back row, second from the right. The goalies are Mario Lessard and Ron Grahame.