Former Red Wings Forward Roberto Remembered For Groundbreaking Trading Card

As an NHL player, former Detroit Red Wings right-winger Phil Roberto earned an inscription on the Stanley Cup. He drew an assist on Jean Beliveau’s 500th NHL goal. In junior, he won a Memorial Cup.

However, it was his photo on a piece of cardboard that would prove to be his claim to fame.

In the 1973-74 O-Pee-Chee NHL trading card set, Roberto – then with the St. Louis Blues – is depicted fighting with New York Islanders goalie Billy Smith. It was the first time in hockey trading card history that an NHL fight was depicted on a card.

Roberto, who played for the Red Wings from 1974-76, died Wednesday. He was 76 years old.

The Red Wings acquired Roberto on Dec. 30, 1974 from the Blues in exchange for Red Berenson.

A couple of months after joining the Red Wings, Roberto fired a hat-trick to lead Detroit to a 5-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

“I’ve been playing a lot for the Wings,” Roberto said at the time. “That’s the difference.

“You can’t improve sitting in the stands like I was with St. Louis.”

At the time, Roberto was skating on a line with future Hall of Famer Marcel Dionne and 50-goal scorer Danny Grant.

“I’m playing with the two best hockey players on our team,” he said.

First Red Wings Season Was Good For Roberto

Roberto scored nine goals in his first 21 games with the Red Wings. He was playing a physical brand of hockey that had some Detroit watchers comparing his punishing play to that of Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay. He’d finish the 1974-75 season with 13 goals. However, Roberto would prove to be a one-year wonder with the Red Wings.

In December 1975 Roberto wound up serving a four-game NHL suspension after earning a match penalty for spearing Vancouver Canucks forward Don Lever in the throat with his stick.

Later that season, after scoring one goal in 37 games, Detroit was dealing Roberto to the Kansas City Scouts for Fred “Buster” Harvey.

Roberto won a Stanley Cup with the Montreal Canadaiens in 1970-71 and enjoyed a 20-goal season for the Blues in 1972-73. He overcame a career-threatening injury suffered off-ice when a glass door fell on him. Roberto’s arm was deeply gashed. As a result, he was suffering nerve damage.

He was a Memorial Cup winner with the Niagara Falls Flyers in 1967-68.