Pierre Pilote 1957-58 Topps Rookie Card

With Chris Chelios taking his deserved spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame this weekend, one wonders who takes the nod as the best defenseman in Chicago Blackhawks history, Chelios or Pierre Pilote. It’s a hypothetical question because you can never compare the drastically different eras in which each played. But, over a few beers at a Chicago sports bar the argument could probably rage all night long.

Pierre Pilote – Junior and Minors

Pilote played two years of junior in the OHA with the St. Catherines Teepees in 1950-51 and 1951-52. In the second season, the Teepees placed a modest fifth in the ten team league during the regular season. In the end, St. Catherines reached the Robertson Cup finals before falling to the Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters, four games to one. It would resemble a pattern Pierre would experience on more than one occasion in the National Hockey League with Chicago.

As it was in the day, a defenseman rarely jumped right into the NHL. Pilote was no exception. He played three full years and one split year with the Buffalo Bisons of the American Hockey League from 1952-53 to 1955-56. In his final season, he played about a third of the year with the Black Hawks.

In 1954-55, the pattern continued for teams with Pierre on the roster. The Bisons finished third in the six team AHL during the regular season. Buffalo then turned it up a notch in the Calder Cup playoffs and reached the finals before falling to the Pittsburgh Hornets in six games.

Pierre Pilote – NHL

Between 1955-56 and 1968-69, Pilote played 890 regular season games in the NHL with Chicago and the Toronto Maple Leafs. He scored 80 goals and assisted on 418 for 498 points. Over 86 Stanley Cup playoff games, added another 61 points. All of his career was spent in Chicago, except for the last when he was traded to Toronto.

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Pierre Pilote Collection

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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His only trade in Pierre’s NHL career came in May, 1968. Chicago sent him to Toronto in exchange for Jim Pappin. Pappin had played in the shadows with the Maple Leafs since 1963-64 and became a star when he arrived in Chicago. He carried on with the Hawks until the end of the 1974-75 season.

Pierre took over as team captain in Chicago for the 1961-62 season, taking the reigns from Ed Litzenberger. he remained captain for the duration of his time with the Black Hawks. Pat Stapleton took over briefly after Pilote was sent to Toronto.

For three consecutive seasons, Pilote was the top defenseman in the NHL. From 1962-63 to 1964-65, Pierre was awarded the Norris Trophy. Over his career, he was selected to the First All-Star Team five times and the Second Team on three occasions.

With Chicago, Pierre went to the Stanley Cup finals three times, winning the championship once. Each time, the Black Hawks placed third in the six team NHL. In 1960-61, Chicago beat the Detroit Red Wings in six games for their last Cup win until 2009-10. The following year, the Hawks fell to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the finals in six. In 1964-65, they lost in the finals once again, this time in seven to the Montreal Canadiens.

Pierre Pilote entered the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1975, along with George Armstrong, Ace Bailey, Gordie Drillon and Glenn Hall. His number 3 was retired by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2008. Pilote still ranks sixth all-time for the most career assists in a Chicago jersey.

Pierre Pilote – Rookie Card

The Pierre Pilote rookie card appears as number 22 in the 1957-58 Topps set. The Pilote first hockey card is valued at around five times that of a common card. However, in that rookie rich set, Pierre stands in the shadow of Glenn Hall, Johnny Bucyk and Norm Ullman.

Pierre Pilote Career Stats

Season	Team	Lge	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1950-51	St. Catharines Teepees	OHA	54	13	13	26	230
1951-52	St. Catharines Teepees	OHA	52	21	32	53	139
1951-52	Buffalo Bisons	AHL	2	0	1	1	4
1952-53	Buffalo Bisons	AHL	61	2	14	16	85
1953-54	Buffalo Bisons	AHL	67	2	28	30	108
1954-55	Buffalo Bisons	AHL	63	10	28	38	125
1955-56	Buffalo Bisons	AHL	43	0	11	11	118
1955-56	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	20	3	5	8	34
1956-57	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	70	3	14	17	117
1957-58	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	70	6	24	30	91
1958-59	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	70	7	30	37	79
1959-60	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	70	7	38	45	100
1960-61	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	70	6	29	35	165
1961-62	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	59	7	35	42	97
1962-63	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	59	8	18	26	57
1963-64	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	70	7	46	53	84
1964-65	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	68	14	45	59	162
1965-66	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	51	2	34	36	60
1966-67	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	70	6	46	52	90
1967-68	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL	74	1	36	37	69
1968-69	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL	69	3	18	21	46
	NHL Totals		890	80	418	498	1251