Stan Mikita – Chicago Black Hawks
Stan Mikita, obviously, led the Chicago Black Hawks with 87
points. Mikita played his entire NHL career with the Black Hawks from 1959-60
to 1979-80, contributing a total of 1,467 regular season points and winning the
Art Ross Trophy four times. As for the Black Hawks, the team finished fourth in
the newly formed East Division and lost to the Montreal Canadiens in the
Stanley Cup semi-finals.
Phil Esposito – Boston Bruins
Phil Esposito was in his first year with the Boston Bruins
after coming over from the Black Hawks and his offensive juices were just
starting to run. He led the Bruins with 84 points and finished second in the
NHL behind Mikita. In the coming seasons, Esposito would win the Art Ross
Trophy on five occasions between 1968-69 and 1973-74. Boston qualified for the
post season for the first time since 1959 but lost in the first round.
Gordie Howe – Detroit Red Wings
Gordie Howe led the Detroit Red Wings with 82 points and
placed third in the league. Howe had been a Red Wing since the 1946-47 season
and would play with the club until the end of 1970-71. Detroit had a
dismal season in 1967-68, finishing last in the East Division and out of the
post season. In fact, just the Oakland Seals finished with a worst record in
the NHL that season with 47 points to Detroit’s 66.
Jean Ratelle – New York Rangers
Jean
Ratelle led the New York Rangers, a team that had a great regular season,
finishing just four points behind the Montreal Canadiens for first overall.
Yet, the Rangers were upset in the opening round by Chicago, a team that
finished fourth in the East. Ratelle’s 78 points placed him fourth in the
National Hockey League. Jean had just one more point than long time Rangers
teammate Rod Gilbert.
Jean Beliveau – Montreal Canadiens
Jean Beliveau led the Montreal Canadiens with 68 points
while playing in just 59 of Montreal’s 74 regular season games. Beliveau played
his entire NHL career with Montreal, from 1953-54 to 1970-71. He won the Art
Ross Trophy in 1955-56. Jean led the Habs to a Stanley Cup victory by sweeping
the Bruins in the first round and taking the Black Hawks in five in the second
round before sweeping the St. Louis Blues to capture the championship.
Mike Walton – Toronto Maple Leafs
Mike Walton led the Toronto Maple Leafs with just 59 points.
Toronto went from winning the Stanley Cup in 1966-67 to not qualifying for the
post season in 1967-68. Walton played in the NHL from 1965-66 to 1978-79 with
the Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canucks, St. Louis Blues and Chicago
Black Hawks. Mike also played three years in the World Hockey Association with
the Minnesota Fighting Saints and was awarded the Bill
Hunter Trophy as the WHA’s top scorer in 1973-74.
