1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Jean Ratelle #12 Hockey Hall of Fame New York Rangers

Description

1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Jean Ratelle #12 Hockey Hall of Fame New York Rangers Jean Ratelle was the silk to the GAG line's sandpaper, and this 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Jean Ratelle #12 Hockey Hall of Fame New York Rangers card presents the elegant center in a crisp posed portrait that ranks among the most attractive images in the 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee hockey set. Ratelle's 1971-72 season was a masterpiece, as he piled up 46 goals and 109 points, won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for the second time, and carried a point streak past 30 games before a broken ankle interrupted his MVP style campaign, then returned in time to help drive the Rangers to the Stanley Cup Final. The historical context is rich. Ratelle centered Rod Gilbert and Vic Hadfield on the famous Goal-A-Game line that made the early 1970s Rangers one of the most exciting teams in sports, and Madison Square Garden became the place to be in New York, with Ratelle's smooth stride and pinpoint passing winning over even neutral fans. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1985, and his later trade to Boston in the Phil Esposito blockbuster only deepened the legend. The reverse of this card is a true Canadian O-Pee-Chee bilingual back printed in English and French with the O. P. C. printed in Canada imprint, not a puzzle back, and the back text highlights his face-off expertise and his climb to long predicted stardom. As a Hall of Fame center and a cornerstone of any Rangers or GAG line collection, this single is one of the most searched player cards in the entire release. this is one of the cleaner examples in the sheet, with four sharp corners, edges free of chipping, centering that lands at a pleasing 60/40 with a touch more border on the left, and a glossy surface that shows strong original gloss with only the faintest handling marks under angled light. The orange field is vivid and free of print snow, and the tan borders show only minimal even toning. We always grade conservatively because OPC cards of this era commonly reveal subtle corner wear under magnification, and this card nonetheless secures EX-MT 6, a grade that suits a Hall of Fame center card that displays beautifully. Grade Estimate: EX-MT 6