In 1986, the number of inductees into the Hockey Hall of Fame was a little slim at just three. It was a working class trio that weren’t superstars but still have a place today in the hearts of their hometown fans.
Leo Boivin
Leo Boivin got his first taste of the National Hockey League in 1951-52 when the Toronto Maple Leafs called him up from the AHL’s Pittsburgh Hornets for two games. With Pittsburgh, the defenseman helped the Hornets to a Calder Cup championship that season, winning the final series in six games over the Provindence Reds. The following year, Boivin was a regular in the NHL, never to look back.
Leo played NHL hockey from 1951-52 to 1969-70 with the Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins and Minnesota North Stars. The bulk of his career was spent with Boston. Boivin finished with 1,150 regular season games played while contributing 322 points from the blue line.
Never a Stanley Cup champion, Leo played in three finals. In both 1956-57 and 1957-58, the Bruins came up against the mighty Montreal Canadiens. The first year saw the Habs take the Bruins in five with Boston winning two the following year. Boston shipped Boivin to the Detroit Red Wings midway through the 1965-66 season. The Red Wings made it to the finals that season but, once again, it was Leo’s nemesis, the Montreal Canadiens that won the Stanley Cup.
The Leo Boivin rookie card appeared as number 34 in the 1952-53 Parkhurst set. The card is valued at a modest $60, the same value as a semi-star or goalie. The set consists of 105 hockey cards with a complete collection valued at $7000.
Dave Keon
Dave Keon also got his start with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Unlike Boivin, Keon stuck with the club for a decade and a half. Dave played in the National Hockey League from 1960-61 to 1974-75, all with the Toronto Maple Leafs. After a five year stint in the World Hockey Association, Keon returned to the NHL for three seasons as a member of the Hartford Whalers, retiring after the 1981-82 season.
In his rookie season, Keon scored 20 add totalled 45 points over 70 games with the Maple Leafs and was named the league’s top rookie, earning the Calder Memorial Trophy. It wasn’t the only individual hardware he would earn over his career. He was the recipient of the Lady Byng Trophy in consecutive seasons, 1961-62 and 1962-63. Keon was also named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP in 1966-67.
With Toronto, Dave was a Stanley Cup champion 0n four occasions. From 1961-62 to 1963-64, Toronto won three consecutive Cups, beating Chicago once and Detoit twice. 1966-67 was, of course, the last time Toronto won the Stanley Cup. The Maple Leafs knocked off the Montreal Canadiens in six games with Keon being named the MVP.
He came close to one more pro championship in 1977-78 with the New England Whalers. The Whalers reached the WHA’s Avco Cup finals before being swept by the Winnipeg Jets.
The Dave Keon rookie card appears as number 5 in the 1961-62 Parkhurst set and is valued at $250. The set consists of 51 hockey cards and a complete collection is valued at $1600.
Serge Savard
Serge Savard played his first NHL games in 1966-67 as a call-up to the Montreal Canadiens from the Houston Apollos of the CPHL. Savard appeared in two games that season but would be a regular by the following year. Serge played with the Habs until the end of the 1980-81 season then finished off his NHL career with two years as a member of the Winnipeg Jets.
Savard was a member of the Canadiens for eight Stanley Cup championships, although he didn’t appear in any playoff games in 1970-71. In 1968-69, the blue liner was named the recipient of the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Canadiens swept the St. Louis Blues for the second consecutive season.
The Serge Savard rookie card appears as number 4 in the 1969-70 O-Pee-Chee set and is valued at $50. The set consists of 231 hockey cards and a complete collection is valued at $2000.