The Expansion Years, 1967-1992

A Prestige Booklet containing three stamp designs of different sporting eras will be issued on October 9, 1992 to mark the 75th anniversary of the National Hockey League. With informative text and illustrations, the 25-stamp booklet covers three outstanding eras of the league's history: first the early years (1917-1942); the six-team years (1942-1967); and the expansion years (1968-1992). The first stamp shows hockey-related artifacts like an early puck, a stick and a pair of goalie skates. The player is Babe Siebert from the Montreal Maroons. The next stamp displays the crests of the six teams competing between 1942 and 1967. The vignette portrays Claude Provost and Terry Sawchuck. The third illustrates Jacque Plante's famous goalie mask, his last. Expansion teams have been added several times since the original 1967 thrust. And although Canadians like Wayne Gretsky, considered the "Great One", still dominate the league, each year more players are being drafted from European countries. The Stanley Cup championship are truly more than ever the World Series of ice hockey.