1972 O-Pee-Chee Dave Keon #209 NHL Action Card Toronto Maple Leafs

Description

1972 O-Pee-Chee Dave Keon #209 NHL Action Card Toronto Maple Leafs Dave Keon was the heart and mind of the Toronto Maple Leafs through the early 1970s, and this 1972 O-Pee-Chee Dave Keon #209 NHL Action card captures a Toronto vs. Chicago battle with the red NHL ACTION banner and the white star badge identifying the Toronto Centre. The front photo shows the Maple Leafs in their white home sweaters battling Black Hawks defenders in front of the net, framed by the classic 1972 O-Pee-Chee tan border. By the 1971-72 season, Keon was in his 13th NHL year and had become the Maple Leafs' captain, a role he held through the 1976-77 season, and the card's own bilingual back makes that clear. It describes Dave as the Captain of the Maple Leaf hockey club and one of the most popular players with the Toronto fans, and it notes that starting his 13th season in the NHL, Dave has won the Calder Trophy and the Conn Smythe Trophy, and that he gives 100% effort at all times. Those honors are well deserved. Keon won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's top rookie in 1965-66, was the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the most valuable player of the 1967 Stanley Cup playoffs, and captured the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's most valuable player in 1969-70 after leading the league with 130 points. In 1971-72 he was one of the league's top point producers with 116 points, and his playmaking from the centre position anchored a Leafs club that regularly challenged for the division title. As a 1972 O-Pee-Chee Dave Keon #209, the card is a key piece for 1972 OPC sets and a highlight for 1970s Toronto Maple Leafs team sets. The reverse is the Canadian O-Pee-Chee bilingual back, printed in Canada, and not a US puzzle back. It carries the O. P. C. copyright, the large orange DAVE KEON name panel, and a bilingual biography in English and French about his captaincy, his honors, and his standing with the Toronto fans. the front shows light surface scuffing and minor handling marks, the corners are fairly sharp with slight roundness at the top left, the edges show light wear without significant edge chipping, the centering is acceptable for the era, and the back is clean with light age toning and no noticeable printing defects. The grade is conservative because sleeve pressure in a binder can mask fine surface marks and vintage O-Pee-Chee paper is prone to corner softening over five decades. This is an authentic 1972 O-Pee-Chee Dave Keon #209 NHL Action card and a cornerstone piece for 1972 O-Pee-Chee collections, 1970s Maple Leafs sets, and Keon single-card pursuits. Grade Estimate: EX 5