1972-73 O-Pee-Chee WHA - Norm Beaudin

Here's another card from the recent package from 1967ers. While the package was mostly baseball, there were a couple of hockey cards included as well. This particular card was very much appreciated...

In January, my WHA Card of the Month was my very first '72-73 O-Pee-Chee WHA card, Bobby Sheehan of the New York Raiders. I've decided I'm going to pursue the entire high-series WHA run, and now I can cross another card off the want list. Norm Beaudin is card #290, the very first WHA card in the '72-73 O-Pee-Chee set.

Beaudin had a stellar year in 1972-73, the best of his professional career. He scored 103 points playing with Winnipeg on a line with Hall-of-Famer Bobby Hull. He added another 28 points in just 14 playoff games, with the Jets reaching the Avco Cup Finals, where they lost to the New England Whalers. He played a couple more seasons with Winnipeg, but his production slowly waned and he was done with professional hockey just a few years later.

As for the Jets, they were one of the success stories of the WHA. With teams coming and going every year, Winnipeg maintained a franchise throughout the existence of the WHA, winning the league's championship in both of its final two years. They were one of the four teams eventually absorbed by the NHL, and despite losing their franchise for a good long time, the city of Winnipeg once again has an NHL team to root for. The Jets are looking pretty good lately too, maybe the city will be lucky enough to see some playoff hockey in the franchise's first year back.

Two down from this set, fifty to go!