1971-72 O-Pee-Chee Christian Bordeleau #51 Rookie Card St. Louis Blues

Description

1971-72 O-Pee-Chee Christian Bordeleau #51 Rookie Card St. Louis Blues Acquire a piece of expansion-era hockey history with this highly desirable 1971-72 O-Pee-Chee rookie card showcasing center Christian Bordeleau of the St. Louis Blues. This card marks an important milestone in Bordeleau's career, capturing him during his formative NHL years before he transitioned into a major superstar and 100-point scorer in the World Hockey Association later in the decade. Bordeleau was renowned for his slick playmaking skills, blazing speed, and pure hockey intelligence, making his early collectibles highly sought after by vintage hockey hobbyists. The visual design of this card is striking, featuring Bordeleau in the home white Blues uniform contrasted against a deep turquoise oval background with bold orange team branding. This specific card is an original Canadian O-Pee-Chee printing, verified by the distinct bilingual back detailing his early accomplishments with both Montreal and St. Louis in English and French. The physical assessment of this card shows excellent eye appeal, with centering that is remarkably well-balanced for this notoriously tough set, showing only a slight shift toward the right. The corners are quite sharp, exhibiting only microscopic touches of wear at the very tips under magnification. The card edges are clean and straight with minimal chipping along the borders, preserving the integrity of the white card stock. The reverse side features rich, bright green tones with clean ad copy and no signs of staining or surface issues. Given the superior preservation and sharp qualities of this rookie issue, it earns a conservative Grade Estimate: NM 7