Before there were lockouts and strikes: Rick Kehoe

During one of my bitch fests a few weeks ago, I moaned about what I thought were the good old days, and how I was going to start writing posts about players that played before there were lockouts and strikes.

I figured it's finally time to put up or shut up.


The one caveat for these posts...the cards will be pre-1994.  Yes, I know there was a baseball strike in 1981, but if I restrict myself that much, I'll run out of material quickly. 

Besides...my blog, my rules...(defiant...aren't I??).  I'll also try to keep the hometown bias out of the equation and keep the posts free of the Blue and White. 

Got a card you want me to feature in this series?  Let me know....

OK, after saying all that, here's the first card in the series.

1979-80 OPC # 109, Rick Kehoe:

This Blue and White doesn't count

Rick was a solid NHL-er, scoring 30+ goals 5 times, including a career best 55 in 1981-82.  What's interesting about his career stat line is that Rick had 3 other seasons where he scored 29 goals.  I could see that happening once to a guy, but 3 times?

It would have been interesting to see what would have happened if Rick's career wasn't cut short just 6 games into the 84-85 season from a neck injury.  Rick's career goal total at that time was 371, and at age 33 if he could have played a few more years in the league, 500 goals could have come into play.  Especially since the Penguins had drafted some young French Canadian kid named Lemieux, who just happened to start his career in 84-85.

Scary stat:  His 20 Power Play goals in 81-82 only ranked 4th in the league. (Bossy led the league that year with 28).

Before there were lockouts and strikes, there was Rick Kehoe.

Thanks for reading, Robert