When you take a good look at the hockey career of Mike Walton, you see an under appreciated guy who won and won big. Memorial Cup and Stanley Cup champion. Rookie of the year in two pro leagues. Scoring champion in major league hockey. Yet, his 1965-66 Topps rookie card is valued as nothing more than common.
Mike Walton – Junior Hockey
Walton played three years of junior, on the roster of a different team each year. In 1961-62, he played for Toronto St. Michael’s. However, St. Michael’s dropped its hockey program for 1962-63. In his second year of junior, Mike shifted to the Toronto Neil McNeil Maroons of the Metro Junior A league, a short lived rival to the OHA (predecessor to the OHL). That league and team ceased after 1962-63.
It was with the Toronto Marlboros in 1963-64 that Walton found great success in junior hockey. Over the regular season, Mike scored 41 and assisted on 51 for 92 points over 53 games. He placed seventh in the league for goals, tied for fifth for assists with his 92 points leaving him seventh in race for the Eddie Powers Trophy.
Mike Walton Collection
The Marlboros finished first overall in the eight team OHA. Walton scored six and totalled 15 points as Toronto captured the Robertson Cup as OHA playoff champions. The Marlboros beat the Montreal Junior Canadiens in the finals, nine points to one.
Between George Richardson Cup and Memorial Cup play, Mike added 26 points over 12 games. Toronto captured the Memorial Cup championship, sweeping the Edmonton Oil Kings in a final series held exclusively at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto.
Mike Walton – Minor Pro
Walton’s first year of pro hockey, 1964-65, was spent with the Tulsa Oilers of the Central Professional Hockey League (CPHL). He scored 40 goals and added 44 assists for 84 points over 68 regular season games. Mike was awarded the Ken McKenzie Trophy as the CPHL’s rookie of the year. He placed fifth in the league for goals, tied for ninth for assists and fourth for points. Tulsa reached the finals before bowing out to the St. Paul Rangers in six games. Walton added 13 points over 12 playoff games.
The following year, 1965-66, saw Mike move up a step to the American Hockey League. Walton played 68 regular season games for the Rochester Americans, scoring 35 goals and assisting on 51 for 86 points. He received the Dudley ‘Red’ Garrett Award as the AHL’s top rookie. Mike placed tied for ninth in the league for goals, tied for fifth for assists and tied for fifth for points. The Amerks won the Calder Cup championship with a 4-2 victory over the Cleveland Barons in the finals.
Mike Walton – NHL
He carried on his winning ways into the 1966-67 season. Walton became more of a regular with the Toronto Maple Leafs and played in the playoffs as the Leafs captured their final Stanley Cup championship to date.
In all, Walton played 588 NHL regular season games between 1965-66 and 1978-79 with the Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canucks, St. Louis Blues and Chicago Black Hawks. His numbers were quite decent with 201 goals and 247 assists for 448 points.
He played in an additional 47 playoff games, adding another 24 points. Walton won one more Stanley Cup championship in 1971-72 as a member of the Boston Bruins.
His final year in the NHL came in 1978-79 and Walton just couldn’t find a welcome hockey home. He spent time with the St. Louis Blues, Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks in the National Hockey League, along with the Rochester Americans and New Brunswick Hawks in the AHL.
Mike Walton – WHA
From 1973-74 to 1975-76, Mike took a timeout from the NHL to play in the World Hockey Association. His three years were all spent with the Harry Neale’s Minnesota Fighting Saints.
In his first year in the rebel league, Walton scored 57 goals and assisted on 60 for 117 points over 78 games. He led the league in goals and was fourth in assists. His 117 points led the WHA, earning him the Bill Hunter Trophy.
Mike Walton – Rookie Card
The Mike Walton rookie card appears as number 86 in the 1965-66 Topps set. The Walton hockey card is valued as a common card. The set is better known for the rookie cards of Phil Esposito and Gerry Cheevers. Also featured is the card commemorating Gordie Howe scoring his 600th career goal in the National Hockey League.
Bobby Walton
Mike’s father, Bobby Walton, played four NHL games with the Montreal Canadiens during the 1943-44 season. The senior Walton played 265 games in the AHL with the Buffalo Bisons, Pittsburgh Hornets, Cleveland Barons and Washington Lions.
| Season | Team | Lge | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1961-62 | Toronto St. Michael’s | OHA | 26 | 13 | 11 | 24 | 12 |
| 1962-63 | Toronto Neil McNeil Maroons | OHA | 38 | 22 | 22 | 44 | 32 |
| 1963-64 | Toronto Marlboros | OHA | 53 | 41 | 51 | 92 | 62 |
| 1963-64 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1964-65 | Tulsa Oilers | CPHL | 68 | 40 | 44 | 84 | 86 |
| 1965-66 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 68 | 35 | 51 | 86 | 67 |
| 1965-66 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| 1966-67 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 36 | 19 | 33 | 52 | 28 |
| 1966-67 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 31 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 13 |
| 1967-68 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 73 | 30 | 29 | 59 | 48 |
| 1968-69 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 66 | 22 | 21 | 43 | 34 |
| 1969-70 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 58 | 21 | 34 | 55 | 68 |
| 1970-71 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 23 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 21 |
| 1970-71 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 22 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 10 |
| 1971-72 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 76 | 28 | 28 | 56 | 45 |
| 1972-73 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 56 | 25 | 22 | 47 | 37 |
| 1973-74 | Minnesota Fighting Saints | WHA | 78 | 57 | 60 | 117 | 88 |
| 1974-75 | Minnesota Fighting Saints | WHA | 75 | 48 | 45 | 93 | 33 |
| 1975-76 | Minnesota Fighting Saints | WHA | 58 | 31 | 40 | 71 | 27 |
| 1975-76 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 10 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 9 |
| 1976-77 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 40 | 7 | 24 | 31 | 32 |
| 1977-78 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 65 | 29 | 37 | 66 | 30 |
| 1978-79 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 22 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 6 |
| 1978-79 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| 1978-79 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 14 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| 1978-79 | New Brunswick Hawks | AHL | 7 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| 1978-79 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 26 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 4 |
| 1979-80 | Cologne EC | 1.GBun | 20 | 12 | 19 | 31 | 33 |
| NHL Totals | 588 | 201 | 247 | 448 | 357 | ||
| WHA Totals | 211 | 136 | 145 | 281 | 148 |