1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Dennis Hextall #225 High Number Minnesota North Stars

Description

1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Dennis Hextall #225 High Number Minnesota North Stars Hockey bloodlines do not run much deeper than the Hextall family, and this 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Dennis Hextall #225 High Number Minnesota North Stars card captures the middle link of a three generation NHL dynasty right as he hit his stride. Card #225 falls in the O-Pee-Chee exclusive high number series, meaning it was never issued by Topps in the United States and exists only in the Canadian release, which makes it a meaningfully tougher pull than the low number shared cards. The front features Hextall in the white North Stars jersey, glancing to the side with a grin against the vivid red background that defines this set, with the yellow nameplate and green N logo completing the layout. Dennis Hextall was the son of Hockey Hall of Famer Bryan Hextall Sr., the brother of Bryan Hextall Jr., and the uncle of Flyers goaltending legend Ron Hextall. Acquired by Minnesota from California in 1971, he blossomed into the club's top playmaker, posting 30 goals and 82 points in 1972-73 and a franchise record 62 assists in 1973-74. He was also famously one of the most penalized skaters of his era, racking up more than 300 penalty minutes in the 1971-72 season, a fact the card biography proudly highlights. The reverse is the Canadian O-Pee-Chee bilingual back with the biography printed in English and French, a career record table covering 1968-69 through 1971-72, and a cartoon noting that his brother also plays in the NHL as another part of a brother combination. The front retains bright red color and clean gloss with no creases, wrinkles, or surface scratches observed. Centering is close to even left to right and slightly high top to bottom. The corners show moderate wear for the grade, with the upper left corner displaying visible softening and light rounding and the remaining three corners showing lighter touches. The edges are mostly clean with a hint of fuzzing along the left border and no major chipping. The back shows typical warm toning across the cream stock with clean printing, no marks, and no staining. Taking the corner wear into account against the otherwise strong presentation, a conservative raw estimate is EX 5. This high number card is a smart addition for collectors chasing the complete 341 card O-Pee-Chee set or for fans of the Hextall family legacy. Ships in a protective sleeve and rigid top loader from Alex Collect. Grade Estimate: EX 5