1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Dan Maloney #264 Rookie Card Chicago Black Hawks

Description

1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Dan Maloney #264 Rookie Card Chicago Black Hawks Capture the toughness and colour of 1970s NHL hockey with the 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Dan Maloney #264 Rookie Card Chicago Black Hawks. Maloney is shown in the Black Hawks’ white road sweater against a brilliant blue background, leaning on his stick in a pose that projects both confidence and physical presence. The tan frame, yellow name bar and vintage Chicago crest make this one of those cards that instantly looks at home in an old-school hockey display. Number 264 is Maloney’s recognized O-Pee-Chee rookie card, giving it additional relevance for rookie-card collectors and fans of one of the era’s most respected power forwards. Chicago selected Maloney 14th overall in the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft, and he reached the 1971 Stanley Cup Final early in his career. Although remembered as a formidable fighter, he developed into much more than an enforcer. Over 737 NHL regular-season games with Chicago, Los Angeles, Detroit and Toronto, Maloney produced 192 goals, 259 assists and 451 points. He scored 27 goals in consecutive seasons during the mid-1970s, demonstrating the offence that accompanied his rugged style. After retiring as a player, he moved behind the bench and served as head coach of both the Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets. Career summaries record his draft position, four NHL clubs and 451-point total [2](https://timenote.info/en/Dan-Maloney), while his coaching record documents five seasons as an NHL head coach [1](https://www.hockey-reference.com/coaches/malonda01c.html). This rookie card therefore introduces a player whose reputation extended from feared on-ice competitor to long-time hockey leader. The reverse carries card number 264, Maloney’s position and vital statistics, an illustrated note identifying him as Chicago’s first-round selection in the 1970 amateur draft, and his junior and early NHL record. The biography is printed in both English and French. This is explicitly an original Canadian O-Pee-Chee bilingual biography/statistics back and not a puzzle back. The visible “O-P-C” and “Printed in Canada” markings confirm the issue. The 1972-73 set’s bilingual backs, tan borders and bold solid-colour fronts are defining features of the release [4](https://www.cardboardconnection.com/1972-73-o-pee-chee-hockey-cards). The scan shows intact but visibly touched corners, with rounding and whitening most apparent at the lower-left, lower-right and upper-right corners. The left edge has a rough factory cut and intermittent chipping; the right and bottom edges also show small fibre breaks. The blue background and uniform colours remain strong, with only scattered tiny print specks visible on the front. The reverse exhibits noticeable natural toning plus scattered brown age spots or light foxing, particularly in the lower cream area, along with moderate perimeter wear. Centering appears approximately 49/51 left to right and 52/48 top to bottom. No definite full crease, wrinkle, writing, pinhole or paper loss can be seen in the supplied images, but the sleeve and flat scan limit inspection of gloss and fine bends. The conservative VG-EX 4 estimate is driven primarily by the combination of softened corners, chipped edges and reverse foxing rather than any obvious structural damage. The card still presents attractively, remains well centred and offers strong colour, making it a compelling raw rookie for Black Hawks, Red Wings, Maple Leafs and vintage toughness-themed collections. Grade Estimate: VG-EX 4