1968-69 OPC Puck Stickers #1 Stan Mikita

The first card in this insert set of 21 puck punch-outs from O-Pee-Chee was the finishing piece to my set. Chicago center Stan Mikita is most often credited with the creation of the curved stick blade in the 1960s...a guy named Hull took quick advantage of the innovation.

One of the NHL's most penalized players during his early years, Mikita went on to win the Lady Byng Trophy in 1967 and 1968. His reform is rumored to be the result of his young daughter asking, "Mommy, why does daddy spend so much time sitting down?" She had just seen dad take a seat in the penalty box during a televised road game.

Only Nicklas Lidstrom, Alex Delvecchio and Steve Yzerman had a longer career playing for only a single team.