1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Bill Lesuk #245 Rookie Card Los Angeles Kings

Description

1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Bill Lesuk #245 Rookie Card Los Angeles Kings Add a championship-connected rookie to your vintage collection with the 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Bill Lesuk #245 Rookie Card Los Angeles Kings. Lesuk stands in the Kings’ original gold uniform against a crisp green background, holding his stick beneath the team’s classic crown shield. The full-length pose, warm tan frame and vertical Los Angeles Kings lettering deliver the unmistakable look of O-Pee-Chee’s colourful 1972-73 release. Recognized as Lesuk’s rookie card, #245 offers an affordable entry point into collecting a player whose career touched both Stanley Cup and WHA championship history. Lesuk’s value was rooted in versatility and responsible two-way play. The Moose Jaw native began his professional career in the Boston organization and appeared with the Bruins during their 1969-70 Stanley Cup season, including two playoff games. He later joined Philadelphia before a major January 1972 trade sent him, Serge Bernier and Jim Johnson to Los Angeles. Lesuk subsequently played for the expansion Washington Capitals and then moved to the WHA’s Winnipeg Jets, where his defensive work complemented one of the league’s most dynamic offensive teams. He won three Avco Cup championships with Winnipeg in 1976, 1978 and 1979, then remained with the Jets when the franchise entered the NHL. The Hockey Scouts Foundation summarizes his 1970 Stanley Cup connection, three WHA titles and later career in scouting [1](https://hockeyscoutsfoundation.com/team/bill-lesuk/). That unusually broad résumé gives this Kings rookie appeal to Bruins, Flyers, Kings, Capitals, Jets and WHA collectors alike. The reverse adds period detail with card number 245, Lesuk’s position and measurements, a cartoon calling him a powerful forward, and a bilingual account of his checking and scoring ability. His NHL record through 1971-72 appears below. This is explicitly an original Canadian O-Pee-Chee bilingual biography/statistics back, not a puzzle back. The “O-P-C” and “Printed in Canada” marks remain visible, and published set checklists identify both Lesuk and neighbouring card #244 Len Fontaine as rookies [1](https://www.cardboardconnection.com/1972-73-o-pee-chee-hockey-cards). The supplied scans show four intact, generally square corners with light touches, most noticeable at the upper-left and lower-left. The left edge has the expected rough O-Pee-Chee cut, while the bottom edge displays a thin line of whitening and a few tiny fibre chips. The front retains strong green, gold and purple colour. A few minute print dots and light surface specks are visible, but there is no obvious scuff through the player image. The reverse has even cream toning, minor edge wear and several faint age spots without writing, paper loss or wax residue. Centering appears approximately 50/50 left to right and 50/50 top to bottom. No definite crease, wrinkle, pinhole or indentation is visible in either image, although the protective sleeve limits assessment of gloss and very fine bends. A conservative EX-MT 6 estimate reflects the card’s strong visual balance, square appearance and apparently crease-free structure. Minor corner touches, edge roughness, natural toning and small print imperfections keep it below Near Mint. This is a sharp raw example with excellent eye appeal, appealing franchise colours and a player story that spans four major professional championships. Grade Estimate: EX-MT 6