The following is a guest article by Joachim Brouwer of Hamilton, Ontario. This is epic at just shy of 4,000 words. However, if you are a fan of hockey cards, or just hockey in general, you’ve got to keep reading – it’s awesome!
In the coming weeks, I’m going to do my Photoshop best to create some of these cards that never were. If you, the reader, think you can pull it off – please e-mail in your creation and we’ll add it (them) to this article and on to our Facebook Page.
Read on and enjoy! If there are any cards that you feel are missing that meet the criteria, please let us know in the comments section.
Unlike the sport of baseball where the Topps company has produced comprehensive sets of players over 50 years, hockey has not likewise been blessed. Collectors like myself have been frustrated and dismayed in their efforts to obtain complete runs of their favorite hockey players.
Unlike Major League baseball, two hockey card manufacturers Parkhurst and Topps put out sets of certain teams for much of the 1950’s and 1960’s. The secondary status of the sport also meant that card sets were small and incomprehensive. Unlike today, each player made a separate agreement with the card company each year. If they were unhappy with the way they were depicted or with the scant stipend provided, the player simply didn’t renew the company’s offer the following year. Hence there are many years a representative hockey card was not issued for many players even though they had played a full or partial season the previous year.
Hockey card sets, even in the growing sports card market in the 1980’s continued to be quite small and incomprehensive because now there was basically only one company putting cards out. Collectors who are working on obtaining complete runs of a player in the 1990’s and beyond can draw from many card sets, many of gargantuan size and from various companies.
There are 5 criteria in determining inclusion in the `Great Never Were’ hockey card set.
1. The years considered, are to borrow a phrase from the comic universe `the Silver Age’ 1951-52, the year of Parkhurst’s iconic first set to 1989-1990 when Topps and its Canadian subsidiary O-Pee-Chee had the hockey card market to themselves for the last time, with one notable omission.
All possible issues from the notorious missing 1956-57 season when no regional, minor league, coins, posters or photo sets can be found will stay missing. Like a lover or family member that has cruelly betrayed us, the picture in the portrait frame and space on the mantle will remain empty and we will talk about them no more. Parkhurst’s 1994 `Missing Link’ set has provided mock ups of what such cards may have looked like.
2. There must be biographical information and/or statistics on back of the issue. The lack of such information effectively excludes most, but not all, food, mail-in, regional cards, coins and photos. Players must also be shown in a team uniform.
3. If are the gaps or interruptions in a player’s rolodex that the `Great Never Were’ set will attempt to redress, in other words the cards BETWEEN their first and last official issue. Therefore even if a player had years of professional hockey experience prior to receiving a first card, these years will not be made up. Similarly no cards will be made up for players with years after their last official card.
4. A player’s last card can exist in the post 1989-90 years, but no missing card will be made up in those years.
5. Each considered player cannot have more than two cards and none in consecutive years with the same brand. This means that there will still be gaps in a player’s set.
The `Great Never Were ’ set will be limited to 66 cards which represents the third most common set limit in all the sets issued between 1951-52 and 1989-90. (Topps/O-Pee-Chee had 12 264 card set, O-Pee-Chee (only) 10 396 card sets and Topps/-O-Pee-Chee 9 66 card in that time period).
The `Great Never Were’ set despite its ostensible purpose is not complete and strongly reflects my interest in the intersection of the WHA and NHL in the 1970’s There are many players that will not have a `made up’ missing issue and there will be still be incomplete `runs’ of players that have up to two new cards .
Card #1: 1968-69 O-Pee-Chee George Armstrong
After an uninterrupted run dating to start of the `Silver Age’, the longtime Toronto captain was left off the 216 twelve team 1968-69 set. His sub- par 62 game 34 point season in 1967-68 may have had something to do with it. Armstrong is also missing from 1969-70 Tony Esposito’s rookie year set, which can’t be included here as per criterion #5, but appears one last time in the 1970-71 set.
Card #2: 1967-68 Topps Andy Bathgate
The speedy winger and winner of Lady Byng trophy played 60 games with NHL’s Redwings in 1966-67, garnering 31 points and was left off the 132 card six team 1967-68 set.
Card #3: 1969-70 O-Pee-Chee Andy Bathgate
Bathgate signed with Vancouver Canucks of the Western Hockey League who he played with before his NHL years prior to the 1968-69 season. His last card in a NHL Pittsburgh Penquins uniform in the 1970-71 set and for whom he played an impressive 76 games that season, his last, do not include his two years of WHL service. It is a little known fact that Bathgate also played 11 games with Vancouver Blazers of WHA in 1973-74 after being their head coach the previous Year.
Card #4: 1967-68 Topps Bob Baun
The bruising Toronto rearguard is memorable for having played with a heavily taped up broken ankle in the 1963 Stanley Cup finals. Baun’s stay-at-home style of play was a key component in the Leaf’s success in the 1960’s. In 1966-67, Baun was injured for part of the season as well as being in coach Punch Imlach’s doghouse and scored only 10 points in 54 games.
Card #5: 1967-68 Topps Leo Boivin
The hulking defenseman who played 1050 games in NHL over 19 seasons had a solid 69 game season with Detroit in 1966-67 but is missing from the Derek Sanderson rookie year set.
Card #6: 1957-58 Parkhurst Johnny Bower
The first phase of Bower’s NHL career ended abruptly in 1956-57 with his two games backstopping the Rangers. After one year with the Cleveland Barons of the AHL, Bower would have several outstanding years with Toronto.
Card #7: 1966-67 Topps Gerry Cheevers
Gerry’s rookie card from 1965-66 lists his 72 game season with the Niagara Falls Flyers of the OHL in 1964-65. However he played only 7 games for Boston in 1965-66 with a GAA of 6.00 and was omitted from the 132 six team Bobby Orr rookie year set. Cheevers does have a makeup card in Parkhurst’s 1995 `Parkies 1966-67’ set.
Card #8: 1974-75 O-Pee-Chee Roger Crozier
The Calder Trophy winning and All star had 4 wins in 12 games in 1973-74 with Buffalo Sabres but returned for one more card in the 1975-76 Clark Gillies, Bryan Trottier rookie year set, warranting this issue to fill out his card set. Crozier finished his career with a remarkable 1.17 GAA and three wins in three games with the sad sack Washington Capitals in 1976-77 which has to remain un-carded.
Card #9: 1955-56 Parkhurst Alex Delvecchio
The holder of the longest tenure with one team who played for one team in the NHL, Delvecchio has a Topps and Parkhurst 1954-55 card. However since Parkhurst only issued Montreal and Toronto players and Topps had no issue in 1955-56, he is missing this year.
Card #10: 1966-67 Topps Gary Dornhoefer
The Bruin/Flyer fan favourite with the oft-maligned last name, Dornhoefer played 10 games in 1965-66 scoring one goal and was left off teammate Bobby Orr’s rookie year set. Dornhoefer is also missing a 1967-68 third year card.
Card #11: 1973-74 O-Pee-Chee Gary Doak
One of Beantown’s bruising rear guards in their banner years, Doak played only 5 games in 1972-73 after returning to Boston from Detroit and was left of the small 264 18 team 1973-74 O-Pee-Chee card set. However Doak stormed back in the 1973-74 season with 69 games played and made his way on cardboard again in the Denis Potvin rookie year set.
Card #12: 1970-71 O-Pee-Chee Dick Duff
A 2006 Hall Of Fame inductee, Dick Duff split the 1969-70 season between Montreal and Los Angeles playing 42 games and was left off the Bobby Clarke rookie year 264 card 12 team set. He received one more card in O-Pee-Chee’s 1971-72 set and retired with 1030 games of NHL service under his belt. The 1970-71 Dad’s cookie issue #25 even though it lists Duff’s 1969-70 stats is safely ignored since all players are depicted wearing Players Association jerseys.
Card #13: 1976-77 O-Pee-Chee Ron Ellis
The speedy Leaf winger retired for two years after a productive 74-75 campaign before coming back for three more seasons with Toronto. His 1975-76 O-Pee-Chee card announces his retirement on the front. A made up card in the Trottier rookie year set could say STILL RETIRED on the front.
Card #14: 1977-78 O-Pee-Chee WHA Bill Flett
The hard drinking, young dying Broad St Bully favourite with the most unruly beard ever depicted on a hockey card spent two and a half years with Edmonton of the WHA, none of which is recorded on cardboard in the three consecutive missing cards in his rolodex. The missing middle card of the three would list his respectable 72 game 62 point 1976-77 season.
Card #15: 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Ted Green (Third Series)
There are also three consecutive cards missing in Terrible Ted’s cardography. His one goal 54 game 1971-72 season kept him off a hockey card the following year. He was one of four Bruins who had their name inscribed on the Stanley Cup in the spring who jumped to the new WHA league.
Card #16: 1973-74 Quaker Oats Ted Green
Ted played a full 78 games with New England Whalers in 1972-73, even garnering an all star team selection. This is the first appearance of a `Never Was’ card from a food product, the underappreciated Quaker Oats 50 card set, which like the other food product to be considered here was available through the mail in perforated paneled sheets. The 1973-74 Quaker Oats set is chock full of data on the back and are the only cards documenting the WHA’s first year of existence.
Card #17: 1967-68 Topps Glenn Hall
One of the most enigmatic omissions from an equally enigmatic figure Hall won the Vezina Trophy and was on the Second All- Star team in 1966-67, both of which are carded in the Jacques Lemaire rookie year set. However his regular card is missing in action.
Card #18: 1962-63 Topps Doug Harvey
After many years of Topps and Parkhurst cards and Norris trophies, Harvey ran into a rough patch in the 60’s playing and managing for 5 teams in 2 leagues and is missing 6 cards in a seven year period. Something documenting his 69 game 30 point season in 1961-62 would go a little to redress this oversight. Harvey’s 70 game campaign with St Louis in 1968-69, when he helped the Blues to the Stanley Cup final, has to remain un-carded since he retired after their playoff run.
Card #19: 1961-62 Parkhurst Charlie Hodge
The co-Vezina trophy award winner has four consecutive missing card after three straight Parkhurst issues to open up his rolodex. The 1960-61 campaign when he posted a 2.47 GAA in 30 games with Montreal is the most noteworthy of the four.
Card #20: 1972-73 0-Pee-Chee Gordie Howe
The first of Mr. Hockey’s two retirement years is documented with a special card in O-Pee-Chee’s 1971-72 set and a regular card in Topps 1971-72 issue. Howe patiently waited out the initial hubub over the new WHA league bidding his time so he could play together with his two sons. Considering the importance of Howe and the only three series set in hockey’s Silver Age, surely a second retirement card can be shoehorned into the 1972-73 set.
Card #21: 1973-74 Quaker Oats Gordie Howe
Howe does not appear in the 50 card Quaker Oats WHA set since it depicted players with a full season under their belt in the new league. Gordie could be made to usurp Jim Wiste #1 slot, book ending this key card set with another great from the game – card #50 Bobby Hull.
Howe is also missing a 1978-79 card issue when O-Pee-Chee put out a NHL player only set.
Card #22: 1955-56 Parkhurst Harry Howell
The last defenseman to win the Norris trophy before Bobby Orr’s eight year run, the Hamilton, Ontario native has two rookie cards in 1954-55 but is missing that important second year card when Topps sat the year out and Parkhurst produced a Canadian teams only set.
Card #23: 1978-79 O-Pee-Chee Bobby Hull
The `Golden Jet’ run of cards came to crashing end after 20 straight years, dating from his 1958-59 rookie card. His fine 77 game 117 point season with Winnipeg Jets can surely be fitted into O-Pee-Chee’s NHL only Mike Bossy’s rookie year set, even if it means making up a card from the rival league.
Card #24: 1955-56 Parkhurst Red Kelly
The four time Lady Byng Trophy appeared in both 1954-55 sets. Since Parkhurst concentrated on Montreal and Toronto players and Topps had no set in 1955-56, a missing card documenting Kelly’s 70 game, 45 point 1954-55 season is presented here.
Card #25: 1966-67 Topps Red Kelly
Kelly would spend many years coaching in NHL,only one season of which was carded, the 1974-75 Dennis Potvin rookie year set in which 15 other coaches are depicted. Kelly’s last year as a player, the 1966-67 season when he had 38 points in 61 games is debuted here.
Card #26: 1977-78 O-Pee-Chee WHA Dave Keon
Of the two missing cards in the speedy winger’s rolodex, a 1977-78 WHA issue would encapsulate his most productive year in professional hockey, the 1976-77 season, which he split between the Minnesota Fighting Saints and the New England Whalers, scoring 90 points.
Card #27: 1962-63 Topps Orland Kurtenbach
The centerpiece of the early Vancouver Canuck franchise, the popular winger is missing a second year card putting in a mere 8 games in the 1961-62 season. His impressive 87 point campaign with San Francisco Seals of the Western Hockey league in 1962-63 brought him back to the big leagues and Topp’s 1963-64 set.
Card #28: 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Andre Lacroix (Third Series)
The all time WHA scorer who never missed a game in the league played only 51 games for Chicago Black Hawks in 1971-72 scoring 11 points, probably accounting for his omission in the third series of O-Pee-Chee’s 1972-1973 set. Lacriox is also missing a 1978-79 card when no WHA set was issued.
Card #29: 1988-89 O-Pee-Chee Guy Lafleur
When Lafleur played his first game with New Rangers at the start of the 1988-89 season, it had been exactly 3 and three quarter seasons, since he last suited up in the NHL. Although it could not have be known at the time, Lafleur’s fine season with Rangers in 1988-89 could be presaged in the 264 card set from that year set with a glowing announcement of his return.
Card #30: 1981-82 O-Pee-Chee Guy Lapointe
The two time all-star played in 33 games scoring 10 points in 1980-81 and apparently didn’t warrant inclusion in the 1981-82 396 card set in which 19 other Montreal players were represented.
Card #31: 1968-69 O-Pee-Chee Ross Lonsberry
A second year card is missing for another Broad Street favorite in the 1968-69 216 card 12 team set. He played 19 games for Boston in 1967-68 scoring 4 points.
Card #32: 1961-62 Topps John McKenzie
After an impressive debut with Detroit in 1959-60 season for which he was rewarded with a 1960-61 Parkhurst rookie card, `Pieface’ languished in the AHL for three years. However in 1960-61, he got in 16 games with the Red Wings scoring 4 points.
Card #33: 1974-75 O-Pee-Chee WHA John McKenzie
Despite having a prominent place in O-Pee-Chee 1972-73 Third Series and a point a game campaign in 1973-74 with WHA’s Vancouver Blazers which moved from Philadelphia, MacKenzie was left off the 66 card 1974-75 O Pee-Chee WHA set.
McKenzie could also be given a card in 1973-74 Quaker Oats set due to his 78 point season as player/coach with Philadelphia Blazers in 1972-73.
Card #34: 1967-68 Topps Pete Mahovlich
The all important second year card is missing from the tallest person to play in the NHL for many years, despite being in a Montreal Canadien uniform for nearly half a year in 1966-67.
Card #35: 1969-70 O-Pee-Chee Pete Mahovlich
Frank’s bigger brother 30 game 4 point season in 1968-69 kept him off 12 team 1970-71 Bobby Clarke rookie year set in which 15 other Detroit players were represented. Pete would soon be back in Montreal where he would have his best years.
Card #36: 1955-56 Parkhurst Doug Mohns
`Diesel’ Doug with his 22 season career has two rookie cards from 1954-55 but Parkhurst went to a Canadian team only set the following year while Topps had no product at all.
Card #37: 1988-89 O-Pee-Chee Andy Moog
The William Jennings trophy winning 18 year career veteran was injured in 1987-88 playing only 6 games with this new team, the Boston Bruins and was left off the 264 card Brendan Shanahan rookie year set. A 1988-89 Moog is available in Action Magazine Edmonton Oiler’s 10th anniversary 164 count set.
Card #38: 1960-61 Topps Eric Nesterenko
The hardworking winger who is featured in famous Chicago writer Studs Terkel’s book `Working’ and who was an actor, stockbroker and university lector in his post playing days suited up 61 times for the Blackhawks in 1959-60 but is missing a second year card in the Stan Mikita rookie year set.
After playing in Switzerland in 1972-73, Eric tried his luck in the WHA, putting in 29 games with the 1973-74 edition of the Chicago Cougars.
Card #39: 1959-60 Parkhurst Bob Nevin
Another unheralded veteran with 18 years and 1128 games of NHL experience, the longtime Ranger is missing a second and third year Parkhurst card. The best one to make up would be his 2 games with the Leafs in 1958-59, since he spent the following year entirely with the Rochester Americans of the AHL.
Card #40: 1973-74 O-Pee-Chee Bob Nevin
Nevin’s 66 games and 18 points with the Minnesota North Stars in 1972-73 is un-carded but he appeared three more times, finishing off an impressive career playing 77 games in 1975-76 with Edmonton Oilers of the WHA.
Card #41: 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Murray Oliver
The 1127 NHL game veteran had a 77 game 56 point season in 1971-72 but was left off the 1972-73 set. Murray is unique in hockey card history for a having a stamp in the rare 52 dual panel Topps 1960-61 insert set which covered all 6 NHL teams and a rookie card in the 1960-61
Parkhurst set which depicted only Montreal, Toronto and Detroit players.
Card #42: 1983-84 O-Pee-Chee Terry O’Reilly
The popular lanky Beantown winger was injured in the 1982-83 season appearing in only 10 games and was left off the 396 Scott Stevens rookie year set in which 15 other Bruins are depicted.
Card # 43: 1966-67 Topps Bernie Parent
The nationally distributed 108 paneled 1965-66 Coca Cola set is one of the five hockey card brands in `The Silver Age’ included here, not only because they include ample statistics , including playoff totals which is found on no other cards in the entire 51-52 – 88-89 period, but
because of the presence of a Bernie Parent card three years before his O-Pee-Chee/Topps debut.
It is almost scandalous that in 39 game for Boston in 1965-66 when Parent shared goaltending duties with Eddie Johnston, he is not represented in Bobby Orr‘s rookie year set in where 17 other Bruins are depicted. 1995 Parkhurst `Parkies 1966-67’ does have a Parent makeup card.
Card #44: 1972-73 0-Pee-Chee Bernie Parent (Third Series)
Parent was the first person to sign with the WHA and among the earliest to return to NHL but is missing in the third series of the 1972-73 set. He won 33 games with Philadelphia Blazers, the most in WHA that year.
Card #45: 1973-74 Quaker Oats Jacques Plante
Plante’s played 40 games for Boston and Toronto in 1972-73 but jumped to the WHA at the end of the year. He was the Quebec Nordiques head coach for all 78 games in 1973-74 before returning to goaltending duties, the next two years with the club. The Quaker Oats set is expanded in scope here to accommodate new WHA sign-ons as well as a coach.
Card #46: 1967-68 Topps Noel Price
After two Parkhurst cards to start off his career Price is un-carded 9 straight years, the record for the greatest number of years between card issues. Of those missing years, 1966-67, when Price played in 24 games scoring 3 points is the most noteworthy.
Card #47: 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Bob Pulford
The longtime employee of the Black Hawk organization and 1000 game NHLer is an odd case because he is stated as the Los Angeles Kings coach despite wearing the captain’ jersey s in his last card in the 1974-75 O-Pee-Chee set. Of the two missing cards before his final `coach’ card, the 37 points in 73 games Pulford had in 1971-72 with the Kings make the 1972-73 card the best one to make up.
Card #48: 1955-56 Parkhurst Dean Prentice
The 1378 game NHL veteran seems to have competely flown under the radar of collectors over the years, not even rating semi star status in price guides. A second year card is therefore necessary, especially considering his full 70 game season in 1954-55.
Card #49: 1971-72 O-Pee-Chee Dean Prentice
Prentice played 69 games and had 38 points with Pittsburgh in 1970-71 and is missing in the Guy Lafleur rookie year set but bounced back with 47 points in 1971-72, which found its way on his last card in the 341 card 1972-73 set. Prentice would have two more partial seasons with the North Stars and finish his career with 22 years of NHL service. Prentice is also available in newspaper Toronto Sun’s 294 issue photo set from 1971-72 for those who insist on having a complete run of Dean Prentice product.
Card #50: 1975-76 O-Pee-Chee WHA Norm Ullman
After many productive years with Detroit and Toronto including the 1974-75 season in which he played the whole season, Ullman jumped to the Oilers of the WHA.
Card #51: 1969-70 O-Pee-Chee Mickey Redmond
The two-time 50 goal season scorer, Redmond was part of one the biggest trades in NHL history when half way through the 1970-71 season he
was traded from Montreal to Detroit for Frank Mahvolich. Part of the reason he is missing from the 264 card 12 team 1970-71 set in which 18 other Canadiens are depicted may have been his meager 24 points in 65 games in the 1968-69 season.
Following hard on Prentice and Ullman’s 20 plus years in NHL Redmond’s 8 seasons is one of the shortest on record here.
Card #52: 1967-68 Topps Jim Roberts
The big grinned rear guard who went back and forth with Montreal and St Louis in his career played 3 games scoring 3 goal with no assists in the 1966-67 season and is missing from teammate Jacque Lemaire’s rookie year set.
Card #53: 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Derek Sanderson (Third Series)
The handle- barred moustache favourite jumped to Philadelphia Blazers of new the WHA and played 8 games for them before returning to Boston for 25 games in 1972-73. Of the third big name NHLers who signed with the Blazers, only John McKenzie made it in O-Pee-Chee’s fabled Third Series.
Card #54: 1981-82 O-Pee-Chee Serge Savard
Despite playing 77 games with Montreal in 1980-81 the rangy defenseman is missing in the 396 card Paul Coffey rookie year set.
Card #55: 1955-56 Parkhurst Terry Sawchuk
The troubled goalie with 103 career shutouts is missing like many others a 1955-56 card issue when Parkhurst shut out 4 American teams from their collation that year.
Card #56: 1967-68 Topps Terry Sawchuk
Like fellow goalie and eccentric Glenn Hall, Sawchuk’s absence from the 1967-68 set is equally perplexing considering his fine 15-5 record 2.81 GAA with the Leafs in 1966-67.
Card #57: 1965-66 Topps Eddie Shack
`The Entertainer’ apparently didn’t amused Topps enough this year after a desultory 14 point season in 1964-65 with the Maple Leafs.
Card #58: 1965-66 Topps Dallas Smith
Bobby Orr’s principal defense partner, the stay-at-home rearguard didn’t play in NHL for nearly four entire seasons after an impressive 1960-61 season for which he was duly rewarded in Topps 66 card 1961-62 set. Smith scored 30 pts in 70games with the San Francisco Seals of WHL in 1964-65 and would find his way back on cardboard in Bobby Orr’s rookie year set.
Card #59: 1973-74 Fred Stanfield O-Pee-Chee
Despite a 78 game, 20 goal 78 point campaign in 1972-73 the popular Bruin was left off by the 1973-74 Larry Robinson rookie year set.
Card #60: 1963-64 Topps Pat Stapleton
Second and third year cards are missing in this rugged defenseman’s cardography. He played 21 games with 3 assists with Boston in 1962-63, making the 1963-64 issue the suitable makeup card.
Card #61: 1973-74 Quaker Oats Pat Stapleton
The long time Blackhawk defenseman jumped cross town to WHA’s Cougar for the 1973-74 season which is documented in the 1974-75 WHA O-Pee-Chee set. However in four more years in WHA Stapleton is not present in the remaining three O-Pee-Chee WHA sets.
Card #62: 1965-66 Topps Allan Stanley
The Norris trophy winning stalwart defensemen with many years of fine service in his dossier already is missing from 132 card 6 team Gerry Cheevers rookie year set despite playing a solid 64 games with Toronto in which 15 other Buds are depicted.
Card #63: 1967-68 Topps Ron Stewart
The 22 season veteran with 1353 games to his name, Stewart tallied 24 points in 56 games with Boston in 1966-67 but was left off the 132 issue 6 team Derek Sanderson rookie year set.
Card #64: 1973-74 Quaker Oats Marc Tardiff
The second highest WHA scorer netted 25 goals in 75 games for Montreal in 1972-73 before jumping to Los Angeles Sharks for the 1973-74 season. An expanded Quaker Oats set continues to announce new WHA players. Tardiff is also missing a 1978-79 issue like other WHA veterans.
Card #65: 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee Doug Wilson
The high scoring defenseman who scored 39 goals one year while patrolling the Blackhawk’s rear end played only 56 games scoring 26 points in 1978-79 and was left off Wayne Gretzky’s rookie year set.
Card #66: 1964-65 Topps `Tallboys’ Lorne Worsley
At the very end of our `Great Never Were’ set a missing card is finally found in one of the most popular sets of The Silver Age. The `Gumper’ played only played 8 games in 1963-64 after arriving in Montreal from New York and was left from the 110 card oblong shaped set.