1987/88 O-Pee-Chee Wax Pack

Time to open a 1987/88 O-Pee-Chee hockey wax pack. I picked this up a few months ago and have had it displayed on a shelf in my den next to the 1984/85 OPC wax pack. I'll open that one soon. In this set, the big card is the Luc Robitaille rookie card. Other nice cards are rookies of Adam Oates, Ron Hextall, Mike Vernon, Vincent Damphousse and Rick Tocchet. There are many more rookies in this set, just not many more desirable ones.
First card in the pack is future Hall of Fame, Dino Ciccarelli. Unfortunately, it's attached to the piece of gum and it is not going to pried off any time soon.
Next card is a rookie! A rookie Michael Thelvan, with his last name spelled wrong. He played two more years with the Bruins and represented Sweden in the 1987 Canada Cup.
Yay, another rookie! Another Bruin rookie! It's Greg Johnston. He would play parts of two more seasons with Boston, then have a few stints with Toronto before going to Germany to play for ten years.
Well, at least I got a Maple Leaf in a second year Russ Courtnall. Rusty topped the Leafs in points the previous season with 73 points. After a disappointing 87/88 campaign, he was infamously traded to Montreal for John Kordic. He would play for ten more seasons finishing with 297 NHL goals and 744 points.
Next card is the serviceable near-star, Rob Ramage. He would of course be traded to Calgary then Toronto, becoming the Maple Leafs captain. 
Well, here's a pretty good rookie card. Craig Simpson, never did get a card issued after his true rookie season  of 1985/86. Traded from Pittsburgh for Paul Coffey early in the 1987/88 season, Simpson would end up with the highest career Shooting Percentage in NHL history. His 23.66 is a full percentage point ahead of Charlie Simmer at 22.34. Had 43 goals in 59 games in 87/88 after being acquired by the Oilers and helped them to their 4th Cup victory. In 1990 he topped the league with 31 playoff points on the way to his 2nd and final Cup before back issues forced him into early retirement. Amazingly, Simpson also tops the NHL in career PLAYOFF Shooting Percentage with a rate of 33.96 over 67 career post-season games.
And finally, we pull a Duane Sutter. He helped the Islanders to four straight Cups in the early 1980's, producing a respectable 45 points over 72 games those four playoffs.
Overall, not the greatest vintage pack ever, but as always there are many memories brought back.

Comments

Bilko said…
Nice Craig Simpson Rookie
May 10, 2021 at 5:09 AM
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