The hockey world stopped to pay tribute to Guy Lafleur over the last two weeks. In some NHL arenas, it was a tribute on the jumbotron. In others, it meant more. In Ottawa, for example, the Senators hosted the Montreal Canadiens the day after the hockey legend's passing. There was a moment of silence and a tribute, and there was not a dry eye in the house. As I stood there, … [Read more...] about Drafts, Trades and Head Transplants: Guy Lafleur’s Domino Impact On 1971-72 O-Pee-Chee Hockey
Frank Mahovlich
1959-60 Parkhurst: Two Solitudes on Cardboard
Back in 1945, respected Canadian author Hugh MacLennan wrote a novel entitled Two Solitudes and it addressed the tensions between French and English Canadians through a mythological lens. A decade-and-a-half later, those tensions were readily apparent on the ice as the Stanley Cup champion Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs battled for NHL supremacy - a rivalry which … [Read more...] about 1959-60 Parkhurst: Two Solitudes on Cardboard
1958-59 Parkhurst Highlights Hockey’s Greatest Rivalry
If a kid in Canada wanted to get a hockey card featuring a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs or Montreal Canadiens in the 1950s, they only had one option. The 1958-59 Parkhurst set was the place to get them and while the company did not need bells and whistles to grab those nickels from youngsters, a stick of gum was at least part of the offering. While the 1958-59 Topps set … [Read more...] about 1958-59 Parkhurst Highlights Hockey’s Greatest Rivalry
1963-64 Parkhurst Closes Chapter in Hockey Card History
Regarded by most vintage hockey card collectors to be one of the visually striking sets ever made, 1963-64 Parkhurst marked the end of the company's run of releases which captured the imagination of Canadian kids who wanted to worship their heroes and chew plenty of gum along the way. With the exception of the 1956-57 season, Parkhurst hockey cards and the closely associated … [Read more...] about 1963-64 Parkhurst Closes Chapter in Hockey Card History
1957-58 Parkhurst: Hockey Cards Make a Comeback
During the 1956-57 season, Canadian kids were probably pretty disappointed to discover that there were not going to be any new cards of their hockey heroes to collect. While the reasons for this situation are a bit murky due to the ravages of time, the cards and Zip Hockey Gum returned the next year with the 1957-58 Parkhurst set - one of the hobby's underrated gems. Canadian … [Read more...] about 1957-58 Parkhurst: Hockey Cards Make a Comeback