They were just babies when they appeared on cardboard for the first time as part of the 1970-71 O-Pee-Chee set. However, this trio would become the faces of their franchises for more than a decade. In fact, even today when there’s talk of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers and Buffalo Sabres, most often the names Darryl Sittler, Bobby Clarke and Gilbert Perreault instantly pop up.
All three had their rookie cards in the 1970-71 OPC set. Bobby Clarke played his first year in 1969-70, while the other two were rookies in 1970-71. Therefore, the backs of the Sittler and Perreault cards were void of stats. The only one to make it into the 1970-71 Topps set was Perreault – really odd considering Clarke was a regular with the Flyers the year before.
The similarities in each of these players NHL careers is uncanny:
- All were team captains.
- All came out of the Canadian junior system.
- All are now in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
- All have had their numbers retired (Sittler’s technically isn’t, but is ‘honoured’ by the Maple Leafs).
- All were members of Team Canada at the 1976 Canada Cup.
- All played over 1,000 regular season games.
- All produced at a point per game over their careers.
The Darryl Sittler rookie card appears as number 218 and is valued at $100. After three years with the London Knights, Darryl was drafted eighth overall at the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft. For those in Toronto who love to trash Nazem Kadri (or any other promising prospect that wears a Maple Leafs jersey), you should be reminded that Sittler totalled just 18 points in his first season and 32 the next. However, in 1972-73, Darryl began to blossom into the superstar he is now known as.
Sittler played in the National Hockey League from 1970-71 to 1984-85, mostly with Toronto but spent time with the Flyers and Detroit Red Wings in the later stages of his career. Never a 50 goal scorer, Darryl twice hit the 100 point plateau with 100 in 1975-76 and 117 in 1977-78. He finished his NHL career with 1,121 points in 1,096 games and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1989. It took the Maple Leafs until 2003 to honour his number 27.
The Bobby Clarke rookie card is number 195 and is the highest valued of the three at $120. Bobby played his junior hockey with the Flin Flon Bombers of the WCHL (WHL). In 1987, the trophy awarded to the leading scorer in the WHL was renamed the Bob Clarke Trophy. Clarke was a second round pick of the Flyers in 1969. He played his entire NHL career with the club between 1969-70 and 1983-84.
Three times during his NHL career, Clarke surpassed 100 points in a season (1972-73 – 104, 1974-75 – 116, 1975-76 – 119). Bobby captained the ‘Broad Street Bullies’ to Stanley Cup championships in 1973-74 and 1974-75 – the only two in franchise history. The Flyers retired his number 16 in 1984 and he became a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1987. Clarke ended is career with 1,210 points in 1,144 regular season games.
The Gilbert Perreault rookie card is number 131 in the set and is valued the same as Sittler’s at $100. After three years with the Montreal Junior Canadiens, Perreault was selected first overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 1970. He was the first ever draft pick of the then expansion franchise. Gil played his entire career with the Sabres from 1970-71 to 1986-87. His Sabres met Clarke’s Flyers in the 1974-75 Stanley Cup final but fell to Philadelphia. The Sabres have yet to win a Cup.
Perreault twice suprassed 100 points in a single season with 113 in 1975-76 and 104 in 1979-80. He finished his career with 1,326 points in 1,191 regular season games. In 1990, the Sabres retired his number 11 and he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
The 1970-71 O-Pee-Chee set consists of 264 hockey cards. The complete set is valued at $1500.