74-75 OPC WHA Customs

   I decided to do a few 74-75 OPC WHA style cards.  I believe the guy on eBay I been bitching about, took these off another eBayer.  So I decided to try my hand at them. Pretty simple, other than trying to get the right radius for the rounded corners.

  Gary Simmons is the all-time winningest NHL goalie to be born in Prince Edward Island. He has 30 more wins than the second best goalie, Drew McIntyre, who has zero.

  Jacques Plante will be best remembered for his time with the Montreal Canadiens and for being the first goalie to regularly wear a mask in the NHL.  He did spend 2 1/2 seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs.  Plante led the league in GAA during his first season with the Leafs in 1970-71.  Plante had a 1.88 GAA, the other Leafs goalies combined for a 3.39 GAA.

  Cesare Maniago made a name for himself playing for the Minesota North Stars.  He joined the North Stars for their debut season in 1967.  Before the 1967 expansion, Maniago played briefly with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens and the New York Rangers.  He would retire as a Vancouver Canuck.

TTM: Mike Rogers

Mike Rogers played 13 combined seasons in the WHA and NHL.  His best years coming right after the WHA-NHL merger, when he scored 100+ points for three consecutive seasons.  Roger's NHL rights were own by the Vancouver Canucks.  The Canucks didn't exercise their rights to Rogers since, Harry Neale, Rogers' former coach in the WHA, didn't think Rogers was a NHL caliber player.  Rogers finished his North American hockey career with the same team he started with, the Edmonton Oilers.  After retiring, he played one season overseas in the Swiss league.  Mike Rogers is currently the colour commentator for the Calgary Flames on the radio.  Mr. Rogers signed 3 of 3.  

TTM: Marc Tardif

Marc Tardif split his career between the WHA and the NHL.  While Tardif won two Stanley Cups as a member of the Montreal Canadiens, he had his best seasons with the Quebec Nordiques in the WHA. Tardif twice won the Scoring title and the MVP of the WHA.  He is also the leader in career goals and second in career points for the WHA.  Tardif's number 8 was retired by the Quebec Nordiques.  When the franchise moved to Colorado, his number 8 was un-retired.  Tardif signed two of two c/o his car dealership.

  

Tardif was the victim in one of the first incidents of on-ice violence that led to a police investigation and a guilty verdict or plea.  In a 1976 WHA play-off game between the Quebec Nordiques and the Calgary Cowboys, Tardif was hit by Rick Jodzio.  Tardif, who didn't wear a helmet before the incident, was knocked unconscious when his head hit the ice.  Jodzio jumped on Tardif and started punching him.  There is still much debate over the particulars of the incident.  Various reports of the incident include Jodzio throwing a clean hit; Jodzio viciously high-sticking Tardif, and the Jodzio taking a run that has ranged from 30 feet to 100 feet, depending on the source, to attack Tardif.  Jodzio claims it was a shoulder hit and he stopped punching Tardif as soon as he realized Tardif wasn't moving and then covered Tardif to protect him from the ensuing brawl; a brawl that supposedly went on until the local police took the ice.  Jodzio pled guilty to assault, in order to avoid a trail with a greater charge.  Tardif later sued Lodzio for pain and suffering caused by the injuries.  The resulting injuries caused Tardif to miss out on the 1976 Canada Cup.  The is no video evidence of the incident, but there is some of the brawl.

TTM: Gilles Gratton

Gilles Gratton is known more for his off ice personality than what he did on the ice.  "Gratoony the Loony" once refused to play since the moon was not lined up with Jupiter.  He was also known to growl at opposing players and to hang around the rink in the buff.  What he'll be best remember for is his hockey mask.  Often voted as one of the top hockey masks of all-time, his tiger mask has been attributed helping turning goalie masks from just a piece of equipment, into a work of art.

I sent Mr. Gratton a card and 2 copies of a picture.  He kept a copy of the picture as offered and sent back a signed picture and 2 cards.  He added the New York Rangers card.  He also sent a letter back answering my questions.  Mr. Gratton does not have the Tiger mask.  He left it at the arena when he retired.  It is currently in the HHOF. He has asked for the mask but the HHOF won't release it.  It really is an awesome mask.

  Check out the interview The Score did with Gilles Gratton.  It's funny that the two pictures I used to make my picture to TTM, are both featured in the video.  I guess The Score uses the same search engines as me.