1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Bill Mikkelson #79 RC New York Islanders

Description

1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Bill Mikkelson #79 RC New York Islanders Bill Mikkelson holds a special place in hockey history as a member of the inaugural 1972-73 New York Islanders roster, and this rookie card from the 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee set is a must-have for collectors of expansion-era hockey memorabilia. The 1972-73 season saw the Islanders enter the National Hockey League as an expansion franchise, and O-Pee-Chee's Canadian release documented that historic first roster with bilingual English and French text on the reverse, printed in Canada, giving collectors a distinctly Canadian version of the hobby's most important hockey set. Mikkelson, a defenseman who had previously spent time in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization, was selected by the Islanders in the 1972 expansion draft and became part of the foundation of a franchise that would eventually become a dynasty, winning four consecutive Stanley Cups from 1980 to 1983. His rookie card is one of the key cards in the set for Islanders collectors, as it represents the very beginning of the franchise's journey from expansion struggles to championship glory, and the O-Pee-Chee version is particularly sought after because of its larger checklist and Canadian origin. Mikkelson's career also included stints with the Los Angeles Kings and Washington Capitals, and his time with the Islanders coincided with the team's difficult early years, when the club endured a 12-win season that remains one of the most challenging expansion campaigns in league history. The 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee design is celebrated by collectors for its clean portrait photography, bold team colors, and comprehensive bilingual statistics on the reverse, making each card a miniature time capsule of the era. Collectors prize these early Islanders and Flyers cards because they document the foundation of franchises that would later define the decade, and high-grade examples from the 1972-73 set remain increasingly scarce as the hobby continues to grow. The O-Pee-Chee version remains the more complete and desirable release for Canadian collectors, thanks to its extended checklist and bilingual presentation. As with all vintage cardboard from this period, careful storage and handling are essential to preserving the condition and value of these classic hockey cards. The front displays minor corner wear at the bottom left and top right with faint edge whitening along the top border, and the centering is slightly shifted toward the bottom, while the reverse carries its Canadian O-Pee-Chee bilingual back with full career statistics, bilingual biography, and a printed-in-Canada line, free of creases and with only light surface handling visible. Conservative grade estimate explanation: Based on the minor corner wear and slight bottom-heavy centering seen in the photos, this raw rookie card is conservatively graded EX 5. Grade Estimate: EX 5