November 3rd, 1979 or later

Putting a timeline to the 1979 O-Pee-Chee Hockey print run using player trade dates, card images and events as markers

Working out the timeline for the print run is made harder with no variations to delineate a print run from updates, in that there is only one version of every 1979 OPC card. If we could map variations, then we’d really have something. So, the only empirical knowledge we have are trade dates and how they are reflected in the card design, a distinction not shared in the Topps version.

Methodology

The approach to determining the timeline was simple; record when every trade occurred (for a player with a card) and compare the trade to the cards to see if any there are any differences, thinking that the timeline might reveal itself when I came to the point when trade statements weren’t being added to the card design. This finally did happen on November 2nd, 1979 – the three trades between the Rockies and the Rangers consisting of Barry Beck, Pat Hickey and Mike McEwen – each card updated with a traded statement. But the players with cards in the next trade, on November 13, 1979 between the Blues and the Penguins – Bob Stewart for Blair Chapman – had no traded statements, each in their old uniform on their old team’s card. Bingo.

Observations

As the table below reveals, the distinct periods of time in 1979 / 80 in which each status dominates also reveals that they didn’t pay attention to certain player’s cards. In going back a few years, the series includes a number of players who enjoyed a number of seasons in the NHL throughout the mid-late 70’s, but who’s image was still pulled from the WHA or CHL archives rather than send a photographer out to take a new picture. Also interesting to note is that the last trades made and recorded with the correct layout and wearing the correct jersey on the correct card are Wayne Dillon and Barry Melrose, traded to the Jets and pictured playing at home in Winnipeg against Boston. According to their schedule that year, they played Boston twice in 1979, once in each city, and the home game was on Friday, October 26, 1979, which was when this picture must have been taken. This was also the last weekend before the suggested print run period. Since no other players with cards are reflected in their correct jerseys after this date, this was the last picture taken for the set. Other than images of players from Expansion teams (which consists mostly of images from ’75 – ’78 seasons), a disproportionate number of images were taken when teams were hosting the Washington Capitals.

A second print run?

When we talk about having a card from the first print-run, what we are really saying is “when the first batch of cards were printed” or “in the earliest days of the print-run”, because after comparing the cards to the trade schedule, there is no clear evidence of the company doing anything to the series after November 13, 1979.

“In 1974 Topps changed its release strategy. No longer were cards released in series, but all at once. From 1974 until 1992, Topps would release brands in this fashion, with two small exceptions in 1974 and 1976, when Topps issued its first traded sets. Topps’ rationale for this change from multiple series to a single series is visible on an advertisement on a Topps wax box in 1974, which explains that making all cards from the set available in a pack will Keep Topps baseball exciting and selling all season long. – Artie Zillante, Chair, Professor of Economics, November 25th, 2007.

June 1978 – November 1980

1979 O-Pee-Chee Hockey Series Trade Table

A timeline table of players who were traded and also had a card in the 1979 / 80 OPC series

LEGEND: New Card / New Photo | New Card / Old Photo | Old Card | TIMELINE EVENT

June 15th, 1978

OPC ONLY
New Card / New Photo
Bob Stewart
North Stars > Blues

June 16th, 1978

OPC ONLY
New Card / New Photo
Thomas Gradin
Black Hawks > Canucks

August 8th, 1978

OPC ONLY
New Card / Old Photo
Bob L. Murdoch
Minnesota > Blues
(’78 Cleveland Barons jersey, NHL Rookie Card, CHL since ’71, 54 games with Blues, returned to CHL until ’80)

August 8th, 1978

TOPPS: Kings card
Dale McCourt
Detroit > LA
** ACTUAL TRADE DATE **
Awarded as compensation to LA for signing restricted free agent Rogie Vachon by Detroit

October 5th, 1978

OPC ONLY
New Card / New Photo
Walt McKechnie
North Stars > Maple Leafs

October 9th, 1978

OPC ONLY
New Card / Old Photo
Pierre Bouchard
Montreal > Washington
(claimed from Montreal in ’78 Waiver Draft, NHL voided trade and he retired in protest, later joined Capitals March 16, ’79)

November 9, 1978

Photo taken for the Gretzky rookie card, Springfield Mass., against the New England Whalers at the Springfield Civic Center. Bruins photographer Steve Babineau was there to get a shot of Gordie Howe but took a number of images from that game which made the OPC print run.

December 29th, 1978

TOPPS: Same card
OPC: New Card / New Photo
Dennis Ververgaert
Canucks > Flyers

December 29th, 1978

OPC ONLY
New Card / Old Photo
Kevin McCarthy
Flyers > Canucks

January 16, 1979

TOPPS: Same card
OPC: New Card / New Photo
Richard Mulhern
Flames > Kings

January 16, 1979

TOPPS: Same card
OPC: New Card / New Photo
Bob J. Murdoch #276
Kings > Flames

March 12th, 1979

OPC ONLY
New Card / Old Photo
Jocelyn Guevremont
Sabres > Rangers
(’78 Sabres jersey)

May 24th, 1979

Curt Bennett
New Card / New Photo
Blues > Flames

June 7th, 1979

TOPPS: Same card
OPC: New Card / New Photo
Phil Myre
Blues > Flyers

June 7th, 1979

TOPPS: Same card
OPC: New Card / New Photo
Blake Dunlop
Flyers > Blues

June 9th, 1979

OPC ONLY
New Card / Old Photo
Barry Gibbs
Blues > Islanders > Kings

June 9th, 1979

OPC ONLY
Terry Richardson
Blues > Islanders
(another trade to come)

June 13th, 1979

OPC ONLY
New Card / New Photo
Don Kozak
Canucks > Hartford > Springfield
(from expansion)

June 14th, 1979

OPC ONLY
New Card / New Photo
Terry Richardson
Islanders > Whalers

Friday, June 22nd, 1979

The NHL Expansion (WHA Merger)

For a complete list of the players introduced / claimed back, please see Wikipedia

June 25th, 1979 or later

The Topps Print Run

The date when the final Topps card was updated.

June 28th, 1979

OPC ONLY
New Card / New Photo
Barry Melrose
Nordiques > Jets
(photo: Oct. 26, 1979)

June 28th, 1979

OPC ONLY
New Card / New Photo
Jamie Hislop
Jets > Nordiques

July 2nd, 1979

OPC ONLY
New Card / Old Photo
Bill Lochead
Rockies > Rangers

July 9th, 1979

TOPPS: no statement
Ken Dryden
(retires)

July 25th, 1979

OPC ONLY
New Card / New Photo
Wayne Dillon
Rangers > Jets
(photo: Oct. 26 1979)

August 1st, 1979

TOPPS: Nordiques card
New Card / Old Photo
Richard Brodeur
Nordiques > Islanders

August 3rd, 1979

TOPPS: Pittsburgh card
New Card / Old Photo
Pete Mahovlich
Penguins > Detroit

August 3rd, 1979

TOPPS: Detroit card
New Card / Old Photo
Nick Libett
Detroit > Penguins

August 9th, 1979

OPC ONLY
New Card / Old Photo
Dave Semenko
North Stars > Oilers
(old photo, ’78 Oilers jersey)

Thursday, August 9, 1979

The NHL Entry Draft

The NHL selected 126 players for entry, to be conducted after the NHL-WHA merger. The four WHA teams had joined the NHL on the condition that they be placed at the bottom of the draft order, as opposed to the top of the order, the usual for expansion teams. Also, the minimum draft age was lowered from 20 to 18 to coincide with the merger causing three years of draft picks in the same draft resulting in the best draft classes in history. No player drafted has a hockey card in the 1979 OPC series.

August 16th, 1979

TOPPS: Flyers card
OPC: New Card / Old Photo
Wayne Stephenson
Flyers > Capitals

August 22nd, 1979

TOPPS: Kings card
OPC: New Card / Old Photo
Dale McCourt
Wings > Kings > Wings
COURT CASE RESOLUTION McCourt’s restraining order Sept. 18, 1978 froze trade until resolved. He never played for LA but Topps had airbrushed a Kings uniform card.

August 22nd, 1979

TOPPS: Detroit card
OPC: New Card / Old Photo
Andre St. Laurent
Red Wings > Kings

August 30, 1979

TOPPS: Canadians card
OPC: New Card / Old Photo
Pat Hughes
Canadiens > Penguins
Discover the printing error that contaminated numerous Gretzky rookie cards

August 30, 1979

TOPPS: Pittsburgh card
OPC: New Card / Old Photo
Denis Herron
Penguins > Canadiens

October 5th, 1979

TOPPS: Sabres card
OPC: New Card / Old Photo
Rene Robert
Sabres > Rockies

October 5th, 1979

TOPPS: Rockies card
OPC: New Card / Old Photo
John Van Boxmeer
Rockies > Sabres

October 10th, 1979

OPC ONLY
New Card / Old Photo
Don Laurence
Flames > Blues

October 10th, 1979

OPC ONLY
New Card / Old Photo
Ed Kea
Flames > Blues

October 10th, 1979

TOPPS: Blues card
OPC: New Card / Old Photo
Garry Unger
Blues > Flames
(rights only)

October 23rd, 1979

OPC ONLY
New Card / Old Photo
Bobby Lalonde
Flames > Bruins

October 26th, 1979

OPC: New Card / New Photo
Winnipeg Arena: Date of the last photos taken for the print run; Jets (3) v. Bruins (2). For the Melrose / Dillon cards to be correct, the print run must have happened after this date.

October 30th, 1979

TOPPS: Detroit card
OPC: New Card / Old Photo
Greg Carroll
Detroit > Whalers
(Free Agent Released July ’80; 6 games with Springfield, 71 with Hartford ’79-’80)

November 2nd, 1979

TOPPS: Rockies card
OPC: New Card / Old Photo
Barry Beck
Rockies > Rangers

November 2nd, 1979

TOPPS: Rangers card
OPC: New Card / Old Photo
Pat Hickey
Rangers > Rockies

November 2nd, 1979

TOPPS: Rangers card
OPC: New Card / Old Photo
Mike McEwen
Rangers > Rockies

Saturday, November 3rd, 1979 or later

O-Pee-Chee finalizes the print run

The point where trades are no longer being recorded

November 13th, 1979

Bob Stewart
Old Card
Blues > Penguins

November 13th, 1979

Blair Chapman
Old Card
Penguins > Blues

December 7th, 1979

Gord Lane
Old Card
Capitals > Islanders

December 7th, 1979

Mike Kaszycki
Old Card
Islanders > Capitals

December 10th, 1979

Bobby Schmautz
Old Card
Bruins > Oilers

December 10th, 1979

Per-Olov Brasar
Old Card
North Stars > Canucks

December 13th, 1979

Dave Farrish
Old Card
Nordiques > Maple Leafs

December 21st, 1979

Ron Sedlbauer
Old Card
Canucks > Black Hawks

December 21st, 1979

Harold Phillipoff
Old Card
Black Hawks > Canucks

December 27th, 1979

Pat Boutette
Old Card
Toronto > Whalers
(no statement – image taken either December 30, ’78 or March 28, ’79; standing next to Tom Rowe in a ’78-’79 Capitals jersey)

December 27th, 1979

Bob Stephenson
Old Card
Whalers > Toronto

December 30th, 1979

Joel Quenneville
Old Card
Toronto > Rockies

December 30th, 1979

Lanny McDonald
Old Card
Toronto > Rockies
(no statement – image taken either December 30, ’78 or March 28, ’79)

January 2nd, 1980

Jack McIlhargey
Old Card
Canucks > Flyers

January 4th, 1980

Kris Manery
Old Card
Minnesota > Canucks

There are 34 additional trades between January 4th and the end of August, ’80, which is when Topps would have gone to print for their 1980-81 series. None of the following trades have updated cards in the ’79 OPC run.

January 10th, 1980: Dave Hutchison Toronto > Chicago (toronto card), Pat Ribble Chicago > Toronto (chicago card)
January 17th, 1980: Alan Hangsleben Whalers > Capitals (whalers card) Tom Rowe Capitals > Whalers (capitals card)
February 8th, 1980: Ivan Boldirev Flames > Canucks (flames card) Darcy Rota Flames > Canucks (flames card) Don Lever Canucks > Flames (canucks card) Brad Smith (no card)
February 10th, 1980: Richard Mulhern off waiver from LA > Toronto (LA card)
February 16th, 1980: Pat Ribble Toronto > Capitals (chicago card) Mike Kaszycki Capitals > Toronto (islanders card)
February 18th, 1980: Tiger Williams Toronto > Canucks (toronto card) Jerry Butler Toronto > Canucks (toronto card)
February 25th, 1980: Bobby Schmautz Oilers > Colorado (still bruins card)
February 27th, 1980: Bobby Hull Jets > Whalers (jets card, “Chicago” Jersey)
March 3rd, 1980: Walt McKechnie Toronto > Rockies (toronto card)
March 10th, 1980: Jerry Korab Buffalo > LA (buffalo card) Butch Goring LA > Islanders (LA card) Bill Harris Islanders > LA (islanders card) Bill Harris Islanders > LA (islanders card)
March 11th, 1980: Don Murdoch Rangers > Oilers (rangers card) Cam Connor Oilers > Rangers (oilers card) Ron Low Oilers > Quebec (Quebec card, capitals jersey)
June 6th, 1980: Randy Holt LA > Flames (no card but in penalty minutes card) Garry Unger Flames > LA (flames card blues jersey)
June 10th, 1980: Dave Shand Flames > Toronto (flames card)
June 11th, 1980: Barry Dean Flyers > Oilers (flyers card) Mike Palmateer Toronto > Capitals (toronto card) Robert Picard Capitals > Toronto (capitals card)
July 1st, 1980: Jean Pronovost Flames > Capitals (flames card)
July 15th, 1980: Gilles Gilbert Bruins > Detroit (bruins card) Rogatien Vachon Detroit > Boston (detroit card)
August 6th, 1980: Gord Smith Jets > Rangers (jets card)
August 21, 1980: J.Bob Kelly Flyers > Capitals (Photo Actually Bob Kelly, wrong team)

TOPPS PRINT RUN
September 4th, 1980: Al Smith Whalers > Rockies (whalers card)
September 15th, 1980: Andre Dupont Flyers > Quebec (flyers card)
October 6th, 1980: Richard Brodeur Islanders > Canucks (islanders card, “Chicago” jersey)
October 30th, 1980: Bill Stewart Buffalo > Blues (buffalo card)
November 11th, 1980: Jere Gillis Canucks > Rangers (canucks card)
November 21st, 1980: Jack McIlhargey Flyers > Hartford (still canucks card)