Hockey Kazi

March 2--Tom Hanks is not happy

2012-03-02T23:39:00.000-05:00

And not because I don't have anything today for the 21 players whose birthdate is today.
.

No, Wilson is gone.

Even Brian Burke had seen enough. With 18 games left in the Leafs season, Randy Carlyle has been called on to replace Wilson.
Wilson compiled a 130-135-45 record with Toronto and leaves the team sitting fourth on the NHL's all-time list for games coached.

"This was not an easy decision for me to make," Burke said in a statement.

Watch the live Toronto Maple Leafs press conference on sportsnet.ca and Sportsnet ONE at 10 a.m. ET Saturday.

Heard the news on my way home from work on sports radio. They then changed the subject on Wilson firing and took calls. Pretty much everyone applauded the deal and said it should have come sooner. We will see how Randy Carlyle fares.

As Bum Phillips said:

There's two kinds of coaches, them that's fired and them that's gonna be fired."^[

I guess we Leaf fans have the best of both worlds right now.

March 1--Pat Boutette

2012-03-01T23:28:00.000-05:00

Pat Boutette

Selected by Toronto Maple Leafs round 9 #139 overall 1972 NHL Amateur Draft.

Pat Boutette enjoyed a fine 10-year NHL career with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Hartford Whalers and Pittsburgh Penguins. Although he stood at just 5'8" and 175lbs, "Booter" was a feisty right winger who was as good a play maker as he was a goal scorer.
Boutette did not debut in Toronto until 1975-76. He still had 2 years of University left and then apprenticed in the minor leagues for two seasons with the Oklahoma City Blazers.Into his fifth season with the Leafs, Boutette was traded to the Hartford Whalers where, despite his short stay, he scored a personal-best 80 points in 80 games for the struggling Whalers. In 1981, he was dispatched to the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he continued to play his aggressive game in the company of Paul Gardner and Rick Kehoe.

By 1984-85, however, the rugged winger finally began to slow down. His numbers fell off as he was traded back to the Whalers where he played briefly before retiring from the Binghamton Whalers of the AHL at the close of the season.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1975-1985	Toronto, Hartford, Pittsburgh	756	171	282	453	1,354

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1976-1982	Toronto, Hartford, Pittsburgh	46	10	14	24	109

What. Blank cards with no autographs you say.

I guess this is one of the hazards of TTM autographs. He graciously signed all of his cards-----on the back.

Never realized how colourful the backs are when they are all from different years.

Received these blue ink signed cards TTM.

Enclosed his business card unsigned. (even on the back)

Feb 29--Leap year baby

2012-02-29T09:00:00.000-05:00

This ends the month and the final tally is 24/29 or 82%. Strange that some days with 23 players birthdates and I have nothing. Leap year occurs every four years.
There have been 8 players who celebrate their birthdays as a leap year baby. And I have autographs of three of them.

Lets go with.....

Dan Daoust

Dan Daoust was considered too small by most NHL scouts and was not selected by any NHL team coming out of junior, this despite the fact he had three successful years playing with the Cornwall Royals, where he scored over 40 goals in two seasons while recording 103 points in his final season in 1979-80.

The Montreal Canadiens opted to take a chance on Daoust who listed his height and weight as 5'10" and 160 pounds, though he was somewhat smaller. They signed him as a free agent in 1980.

In 1982-83, Daoust was called up to the Montreal Canadiens where he played four games, tallying a lone assist. Soon thereafter, Daoust was off to join the Toronto Maple Leafs, where the bulk of his NHL career would be defined. In 48 games with the Leafs that year, Daoust contributed 18 goals and 33 assists for 51 points. He had high expectations for himself the following year, and he came through as promised. In 78 games, Daoust averaged almost a point per game, scoring 18 times while assisting on 56 others for 74 points. In 1984-85 he played in 79 games, but his production dropped a bit to 54 points. It turned out to be a sign for things to come. In 1985-86, he managed just 20 points in 80 games.

Daoust played a total of eight years in Toronto, becoming a fan favourite along the way. Despite his lack of size, he was always willing to stick his nose into a scrum. The final numbers for Daoust read 522 games played, 87 goals, 167 assists, 254 points, and 544 minutes in penalties.

Received these autos IP. IT would appear it was three different times as I have a blue ink, black sharpie and blue sharpie sig. Most likely at NHL SloPitch tourney in different years.

Blue ink signed The Hockey News. One good thing getting these signed is you get one huge autograph.

Feb 28--Hockey Night in Brantford

2012-02-28T09:38:00.000-05:00

Nothing for the 23 players who have today as their birthdate.

So I'm thinking ahead to Hockey Night in Brantford on Aug 15 2012 to raise funds for the United Way.

http://www.hockeynightinbrantford.ca/sponsorship.htm

Maybe ROY??? Adam Henrique will be there. I got last years Calder winner Jeff Skinner at the Memorial Cup.

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Today is Trade Deadline Day. This has somehow become must see TV, internet, radio and just about every media platform. Each station seems to have a zillion experts who will try to break any trade story and then dissect it to death. And yes. I'll be keeping up to date to see what my Leafs will do. A number one goalie? A top six forward? A tumble from the top eight playoff teams (a 1-7-1 record), several players in slumps, a pending roster shakeup and the usual fan and media pressure has unsettled the dressing room.
=======================================================

Saturday’s pre-game ceremony against the Capitals celebrated the 50th anniversary of the 1962 Stanley Cup champions, the first of 3 in a row. I was a mere lad of 10 and thought this would go on forever. Maybe we should sign some of these guys up for this years stretch run.

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Back in the day, I used to take my youngest daughter to card shows and stores. She used to have good luck picking up some inserts and some of the better cards. We were out Sunday and went to a dollar store for some things. They had some packs of 11/12 Score so I had her pick me out a pack.

So I got a base card of Trevor Gillies and the Gold Rush parallel. Well, odds of 1:36. Too bad it wasn't somebody else but still....
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Labeled an outcast by his brainy family, a bouncer overcomes long odds to lead a team of under performing misfits to semi-pro hockey glory, beating the crap out of everything that stands in his way.

Slapshot, Youngblood, Happy Gilmore.......

Violence in hockey? Probably won't pay to see this at the theatre but maybe rent when it comes out on video.

Half the game is mental; the other half is being mental. ~Jim McKenny

And how is your day going?

Feb 27--Mike Kaszycki

2012-02-27T23:05:00.000-05:00

Mike Kaszycki

Selected by New York Islanders round 2 #32 overall 1976 NHL Amateur Draft
Selected by New England Whalers round 4 #38 overall 1976 WHA Amateur Draft.

He was a spectacular junior scoring star. After helping the Toronto Marlies win the Memorial Cup in 1975, Kaszycki joined the Soo Greyhounds and rewrote the OHA record book by scoring an amazing 170 points - 51 goals and 119 assists. Despite his scoring prowess, Kaszycki never really caught on with the Islanders, who were soon to begin their Stanley Cup dynasty with 4 consecutive championships. But he would be traded to Washington in December 1979.Kaszycki could never keep a roster spot in either Washington or Toronto soon after that. This despite lighting up the American Hockey League with seasons of 118 and 110 points. He won the league scoring title, MVP and sportsmanship trophies, as well as first all star team designation.
Despite his forgotten career, Kaszycki does go down in history for a unique incident. Back on June 1st, 1979 the NHL grandfathered in a clause that made helmets mandatory for all new players in the league. Established players, like Kaszycki, were told they would be allowed to continue to play without a helmet, so long as they signed a waiver. Kaszycki never did sign his, and it was brought to the referees attention in the middle of a game in 1981. Kaszycki was forced to leave the game as he was declared ineligible to play, and he was forced to play the rest of his career with a helmet.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1977-1983	NYI, Washington, Toronto	226	42	80	122	108

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1978-1980	N.Y. Islanders, Toronto	19	2	6	8	10

Received this blue ink signed card IP at the NHL SloPitch tourney.

Feb 26--Larry Bolonchuk

2012-02-26T22:36:00.000-05:00

Larry Bolonchuk

Selected by Vancouver Canucks round 5 #67 overall 1972 NHL Amateur Draft.

He gained the respect of those on his team and other opponents as a strong defensive player who took care of business in his own zone.

He did dress for 15 games with the Canucks that fall of '72 but the majority of his season was spent in the minors with the Seattle Totems.

In the summer of 1974 Bolonchuk was claimed by the Washington Capitals in the Expansion Draft. But in his first three years in the Capitals' organization he was called up for only ten games. He finally had a breakthrough season in 1977-78 when he suited up for 49 games with Washington but still seemed to be a fringe player at best. Given the fact the Capitals were still one of the worst teams in the NHL at the time, it was clear if Bolonchuk couldn't make it in Washington he was not going to be picked up by any other team.

Bolonchuk played another two years in the minors but was never called back to the NHL. He retired after the 1979-80 season at the age of 28.

As of 2010, Bolonchuk was employed as a Senior Fire Prevention Officer with the Winnipeg Fire Department.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1972-1978	Vancouver, Washington	74	3	9	12	97

Received these blue ink signed cards TTM.

Return envelope postmarked 1986.

Feb 25--King Clancy

2012-02-26T08:28:00.000-05:00

King Clancy

King," a nickname inherited from his equally outstanding athletic father (a football star), joined the Ottawa Senators at the young age of 18, and soon became a regular. He quickly established himself as one of the NHL's elite. Playing along sign George Boucher, Clancy helped the Sens win Stanley Cups in 1924 and 1927.

Clancy was an outstanding rushing defenseman, totaling 136 goals and 143 assists before retiring early in the 1936-37 season.

Following his retirement as a player, he then became a referee for 11 years. He returned to coach the Leafs from 1953 to 1956, then moved up to become assistant manager, although he did return for a stint as interim coach in 1971-72.
King Clancy eagerly accepted the Maple Leafs position as a good- will ambassador almost until his death in 1986.

Got these blue ink signed The Hockey News IP. This was during a taping of Don Cherry's Grapevine TV show during the 80's.

Feb 24--Time Tunnel--Sept 27 1986

2012-02-24T09:13:00.000-05:00

Since I have no autographed items for any of the 19 players with today as their birthdate, lets take a trip back to Saturday Sept 27 1986.

Souvenir program with $1.00 price tag.

The host and presenters welcome messages to fans.

Boston Bruins lineup.

Washington Capitals lineup.

Now, I don't remember actually going to this game and I don't remember where I got the program.I don't remember doing any autograph hounding. I don't remember what I had for lunch yesterday. Most things I have I can put a story to but this eludes me. While trying to find information on this, I saw the exact same program on Kijiji for $40.00.

Now we jump into the Delorean to Feb 2007.

Attention Messier Fans - Free Limited Edition Mark Messier commemorative cards available across Canada at more than 1,100 Rexall family of pharmacies locations

EDMONTON, Feb. 21 /CNW/ - On Tuesday, February 27 2007 a historic event in
hockey will take place - Mark Messier's No.11 banner will rise to the top of
Rexall Place in Edmonton joining the retired numbers of Oilers teammates such
as Wayne Gretzky. Two Edmonton-based companies, Rexall and COLD-fX, are not
only partnering to present additional events in honour of the hockey legend in
Edmonton on February 26 and 27. Rexall and COLD-fX are also offering free Mark
Messier commemorative cards from coast to coast, exclusively at Rexall family
of pharmacies beginning February 24.
The glossy commemorative homecoming cards depict a collage of favourite Mark Messier Oilers moments and the back of the card lists career highlights
and statistics spanning from 1976 to 2004.
Visit www.rexall.ca for your nearest Rexall family of pharmacies location
- Rexall, Pharma Plus, Medicine Shoppe, Guardian and I.D.A. Quantities are
limited.

Now I didn't know of this giveaway. I had to go to Pharma Plus to pick up a prescription. While I was waiting I walked around and saw these cards for the taking. I saw. I took. Free is always good. You never know when something will pop up so I'm always on the look out. Not a Messier fan but anything HOCKEY rules. Now some memories are floating back.

I had Portuguese chicken for lunch yesterday.

Feb 23--Jim Thompson

2012-02-23T08:14:00.000-05:00

Jim Thomson

The Winnipeg native was a junior standout in Toronto with the St. Michael's Majors for two years. He spent most of his first pro season in 1945-46 with the AHL's Pittsburgh Hornets before joining the Maple Leafs on a full time basis the next year.

In all, "Jeems" supplied toughness and leadership on the Toronto defense for eleven seasons. He was regarded as one of the league's toughest foes and placed on the NHL Second All-Star team in 1951 and 1952. He also participated in seven All-Star Games and was an integral part of Stanley Cup wins in 1947, 1948, 1949 and 1951. During the 1956-57 season he spent time as the Leaf's captain. Prior to the 1957-58 schedule, Thomson was traded to the Chicago Black Hawks for cash. The deal was a result of Thomson's involvement with Ted Lindsay's attempt to found a player's association. He suited up for 70 games in the Windy City and helped solidify the team's blueline before retiring at the end of the regular season.

Received this blue ink signed card TTM.

Feb 22--Pat Lafontaine

2012-02-22T08:28:00.000-05:00

Pat Lafontaine

Selected by New York Islanders round 1 #3 overall 1983 NHL Entry Draft.

Joined N.Y. Islanders for balance of 1983-84 season after competing in 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo.

Lafontaine was the next generation of Islanders greats. He was the guy expected to take the torch from Mike Bossy and Bryan Trottier and company. He was the top player in the post-championship era on Long Island.

But it wasn't until a 1991 trade to Buffalo in exchange for Pierre Turgeon that Lafontaine blossomed into one of the greatest players in the league. Finding a unique chemistry with Alexander Mogilny. Lafontaine erupted with 46 goals and 93 points in just 57 games in 1991-92. In his second season, 1992-93, he challenged Mario Lemieux for the NHL scoring title when he tallied 53 goals and 148 points. Mogilny shared the league lead in goal scoring with an amazing 76!

Reconstructive knee surgery caused Lafontaine to miss much of the 1993-94 and half of the 1994-95 season. When he did return, he was honored as the Bill Masterton trophy winner for his dedication and perseverance to the game. But in 1996-97 tragedy struck again. Pat only played in 13 contests as he was sidelined with post-concussion syndrome. Lafontaine wanted to play despite not having clearance from the Sabres doctors. Lafontaine demanded to be traded to a team who had doctors that would clear him to play. On September 29, 1997 he was traded to the New York Rangers.
Lafontaine made his return, but was always one hit away from having to retire for his own good. After 67 games which saw Lafontaine score 23 goals and 62 points, Lafontaine collided with one of his old teammates, and suffered his 5th serious concussion.

In June of 2003, LaFontaine was selected to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Received these at two different IP signings. The RC in thin black marker was at the NHL SloPitch tourney while the two blue sharpie ones obtained at Don Koharski's business during the 90's.

Feb 21--Larry Melnyk

2012-02-21T22:55:00.000-05:00

Larry Melnyk

Selected by Boston Bruins round 4 #78 overall 1979 NHL Entry Draft.

Larry Melnyk was a rugged stay-at-home defenceman on four different clubs in the 1980s and '90s. He played his position well in his own zone and moved the puck up to his forwards with a minimum of difficulty. Melnyk split the 1980-81 season between the NHL and the AHL's Springfield Indians. The next year, he played 48 games and helped the team reach the seventh game of the Adams Division finals. In March 1984, he was sent to the Edmonton Oilers for another defenceman, John Blum. He was strictly a role player for the star-studded club but did see action in twelve playoff games when they won the Stanley cup in 1985.

The New York Rangers acquired Melnyk in December 1985 to add more grit to their blueline. He spent nearly two years there before he was sent to the Vancouver Canucks for Michel Petit. Melynk was his usual steady self on the West Coast and was on hand in 1989 when the club came within an overtime goal of upsetting the Calgary Flames in the first round of the playoffs. He retired after playing 67 games for Vancouver in 1989-90.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1980-1990	BOS, EDM, NYR, VAN	432	11	63	74	686

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1982-1989	BOS, EDM, NYR, VAN	66	2	9	11	127

Signed my CIC in blue ink TTM.

Also signed this newspaper clipping I sent in blue ink.

Feb 20--21 Players

2012-02-20T21:51:00.001-05:00

Nothing today for the 21 players with today as their birthdate.

I feel shame.

On the other hand, it gives me an opportunity to share another item from my vault.

Now Kevin over at Kev...Kaberle...Cards, a new blog, http://mostlyhockeysportscards.wordpress.com/

shared a weird find from his Tomas Kaberle collection. I was going to write about this set anyway, so I guess this is a good a time as any.

Toronto Maple Leafs 2002/03 Medallion Collection

In conjunction with The Toronto Sun newspaper, this promotion started on Sunday Feb 9. In that issue, you could get a free Toronto Maple Leafs Medallion Album.

Starting Feb 10 and running to March 5, you could collect 24 medallions. This would cost you $2.59 plus taxes and coupon from the paper. Paper in Toronto was $0.50. This was also limited to while supplies last.

Album front cover

Inside back page where you could insert medallion.

Now each days coupon had an image of the medallion of the day. They weren't in any order that I could discern. So my scans will be in alphabetical order.

Nik Antopov Wade Belak Ed Belfour

Aki Berg Shayne Corson Tie Domi

Tom Fitzgerald Travis Green Paul Healey

Jonas Hoglund Rik Jackman Tomas Kaberle

Trevor Kidd Jyrkki Lumme Bryan McCabe

Alyn McCauley Alex Mogilny Robert Reichel

Mikael Renberg Gary Roberts Mats Sundin

Robert Svelha Darcy Tucker TML Heritage Logo

As you can tell from the header card, there are 24 medallions to collect.

But wait. There is now a special offer coupon to collect FOUR (4) addional players that were acquired later in the season.

Doug Gilmour Phil Housley

Owen Nolan Glen Wesley

There we have all 28 medallions and album now for your viewing pleasure. Check back later for more promotions like this that were run in other years.

Looking at these and I didn't remember that some of these guys were Leafs.

Feb 19--Randy Gregg

2012-02-19T10:27:00.000-05:00

Randy Gregg

Gregg attended the University of Alberta to work toward a medical degree, and playing hockey was a secondary priority. He received a contract offer from the New York Rangers but rejected it to spend the year with the Canadian national team, and captained Canada's entry at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid.

Following the 1980 Olympics, Gregg took the unusual step of signing in Japan as a player-coach, and spent two full seasons playing there. He was at last convinced to accept an NHL offer by his hometown Edmonton Oilers, and joined the team for the 1982 playoffs, appearing in 4 games.

Gregg appeared in 474 NHL games, recording 41 goals and 152 assists for 193 points along with 333 penalty minutes. He also appeared in 137 playoff games, totaling 13 goals and 40 assists for 53 points.

Following his retirement, Gregg completed his residency training program at the University of Alberta. He is presently a family physician, operating a successful sports medicine practice in Edmonton.

Received these blue ink signed cards TTM.

He included this blue ink signed paper photo.

Return envelope with enclosed note.

Feb 18--Dick Duff

2012-02-18T23:06:00.000-05:00

Dick Duff

During his third and final year of junior with St. Mike's Majors, Dick led the team in scoring once again with 53 points, but also made his NHL debut, joining the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 10, 1955 for the first of three games with the parent club. Later that season, the Majors beat the Regina Pats to collect the Memorial Cup for 1955. Dick led the Majors in scoring that season.

In 1955-56, the 19-year-old Duff landed a full time spot with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Duff played with Toronto, Montreal, Los Angeles, Buffalo and the New York Rangers during an 18-year career that ended in 1972. He won a total of six Stanley Cups with the Maple Leafs and the Canadiens, was a seven-time All-Star and finished his career with 283 goals and 572 points in 1,030 games. Through 114 playoff contests, Dick scored 30 goals and 49 assists

On November 13, 2006 he was inducted into Hockey Hall of Fame.

Received these items signed IP, gold paint pen card abd blue sharpie postcard. Obtained as a Mr.Sub grand opening. I thought I would get there before the 11:00 appearance but that was not necessary. I was the only one there. I got my items signed, talked to him and had free sub samples. After about 1/2 hour, someone else came in so I left. This was in 1996 so a good ten years before he was named to the HHOF.

Feb 17--Luc Robitaille

2012-02-17T23:29:00.000-05:00

Luc Robitaille

Selected by Los Angeles Kings round 9 #171 overall 1984 NHL Entry Draft.

The Kings got a bit "lucky" when "Lucky Luc" Robitaille's career blossomed following his draft year. Doubts of his skating ability still plagued him but he managed to shake that reputation in 1987 as he won the Calder trophy as the National Hockey League's best rookie. Robitaille made up for any skating deficiencies with one of the most accurate shots in NHL history. He was a regular leader in shooting percentage, thanks to a number of reasons. He worked himself into high percentage scoring areas, often down low and in tight. Though a defender might have been draped all over him, he always kept his stick unchecked. He would release his shot in the blink of an eye, usually just burying passes and rebounds with no backswing at all.
He reached the 500-goal milestone in a game against the Buffalo Sabres on January 9, 1999. Only the sixth left winger in league history to reach the plateau, Robitaille scored the goal in his 928th NHL game, making him the 12th fastest ever to accomplish the feat.
With 557 of his 668 career NHL goals coming in a Los Angeles uniform he retired as the Kings all time leading goal scorer. He later became the fifth King to have his jersey #20 retired, joining Gretzky, Rogie Vachon, Marcel Dionne and Dave Taylor.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1986-2005	LA, PIT, NYR, DET	1,380	658	720	1,378	1,133

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1987-2003	LA, PIT, NYR, DET	159	58	69	127	174

Received these black sharpie autos IP. Don't remember where but I believe at the NHL SloPitch tourney.

Feb 16--Darcy Rota

2012-02-16T08:43:00.000-05:00

Darcy Rota

Selected by Chicago Blackhawks round 1 #13 overall 1973 NHL Amateur Draft
Selected by Houston Aeros round 1 #9 overall 1973 WHA Amateur Draft.

In the early years with the Hawks, he was tossed onto a line with Stan Mikita and Cliff Koroll. In such company, Rota became a steady scorer from day one. Several seasons later, he jumped to a line with Dale Tallon and Chico Maki where he continued to be a consistent performer.

In 1979, however, the Hawks couldn't resist the opportunity to get their hands on Tom Lysiak of the Atlanta Flames. The two clubs cooked up a blockbuster trade that swept Rota down to Georgia along with Phil Russell and Ivan Boldriev.

Rota's career with the Flames lasted little more than a season before he was traded to the Vancouver Cancuks in 1980. On the West Coast, he turned his offensive game up to his personal-best level, netting 81 points during the 1982-83 campaign. The following season, however, he suffered a serious spinal injury that raised talk of wheelchairs and retirement. But after neck surgery, the wheelchair was ruled out while retirement was ushered in.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1973-1984	Chicago, Atlanta, Vancouver	794	256	239	495	973

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1974-1984	Chicago, Atlanta, Vancouver	60	14	7	21	147

Received these blue ink signed cards TTM.

Feb 15--Marty Dallman

2012-02-15T21:08:00.000-05:00

Marty Dallman

Selected by Los Angeles Kings round 4 #81 overall 1981 NHL Entry Draft.

Dallman spent two seasons with the Kings farm club in New Haven then signed a free agent contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1986. The 1986-97 was also spent entirely in the minors but the following year Dallman got quick cup of coffee in the NHL.
The Leafs summoned Dallman for two games and he responded with an assist. Though much of the next season was spent in the minors yet again, Dallman did return to the Leafs roster for four more games but he was unable to register a point.
With his Leaf contract up Dallman headed to Austria to continue his career and played five seasons there. While in Austria he became a citizen and represented the country in both the World Championships and the 1994 Olympic Games.
After playing a handful of games in Switzerland during the 1994-95 season Dallman returned to North American and played with the East Coast Hockey League's South Carolina Stingrays. Dallman returned to Austria the next season then moved on to Britain's Superleague to play for the Nottingham Panthers.
For Dallman's final season as a player he returned to North America and signed a deal with the Albilene Aviators of the Western Professional League. Dallman had an outstanding season scoring 30 goals and 67 points in 59 games. Dallman left the ice but remained with the Aviators becoming the team's head coach following his retirement as a player.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1988	Toronto	6	0	1	1	0

Signed my CIC in blue ink TTM.

Included this colour postcard unsigned.

Feb 14--Walt Poddubny

2012-02-14T08:18:00.001-05:00

Walt Poddubny

Selected by Edmonton Oilers round 5 #90 overall 1980 NHL Entry Draft.

Poddubny reported to the Oilers camp and put in a solid performance. But the club's all-star lineup was too hard to crack, so he was dispatched to the minors in Wichita where he spent most of the next two seasons, biding his unhappy time.

The Leafs picked him up in exchange for Laurie Boschman in 1982. Poddubny's first full season with the Leafs was quite productive. He nailed down 59 points in 72 games. But then once he was established, criticisms began to surface that he was a floater, guilty of inconsistent play. Then the injury bug struck, forcing him to miss many games during the seasons that followed. By 1985-86, Poddubny's knees were wobbly as he was sent to St. Catharines of the AHL to work things out. He balked at the idea and was then traded to the New York Rangers.

The Rangers made the right move. Poddubny was reborn as a goal scorer. He hit the ice and promptly potted a career-high 40 goals and 47 assists in 75 games. His numbers were similar the following year. In 1988-89, Poddubny was traded to the Nordiques where he continued to put up impressive numbers. But after only one season, he was traded to his final NHL stop, the New Jersey Devils.

In Jersey, Poddubny's knees finally succumbed to the duress of NHL play. His games played and offensive numbers fell off dramatically, leading to his retirement in 1991. He sat on the sidelines for two years and then attempted a comeback with the Worcester Ice Cats of the AHL. He lasted only 34 games and then quit for good.
It turns out Poddubny's story after the NHL is quite sad. He tried to stay in the game, partly for financial reasons but mostly because he could never deal with the game being taken away from him. But after mixed results coaching in the low minor leagues, he returned home to Thunder Bay and has been living in his sister's basement. He lost his marriage and found friendship in the form of the bottle.
His story is probably not completely uncommon, especially amongst the many players who are forgotten about not long after they have left the ice if not earlier. (d 3/21/09)

CAREER NHL STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1981-1991	EDM, TOR, NYR, QUE, NJ	468	184	238	422	454

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1983-1987	Toronto, N.Y. Rangers	19	7	2	9	12

Received these black sharpie signed cards IP at NHL SloPitch tourney.

Feb 13--Mats Sundin

2012-02-13T09:15:00.000-05:00

Mats Sundin

Selected by Quebec Nordiques round 1 #1 overall 1989 NHL Entry Draft.

Sundin played his first four seasons in the NHL with the Quebec Nordiques. He was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1994, where he played the majority of his career, serving 11 seasons as team captain. At the end of the 2007–08 NHL season, Sundin had been the longest serving non-North American born captain in NHL history. Sundin last played for the Vancouver Canucks in the 2008–09 season before announcing his retirement on September 30, 2009. Consecutively he played 13 of his 18 NHL seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He appeared in the NHL playoffs in 10 seasons.

Excluding his rookie season, the shortened lockout season and his half season with the Vancouver Canucks, Sundin scored at least 70 points in every season of his career, played at least 70 games in every season, and led the Leafs in points in every year he was with the team except 2002–03, when Alexander Mogilny beat him by seven points. On October 14, 2006, Sundin became the first Swedish player to score 500 goals. He is the Leafs' franchise all-time leader in goals (420) and points (984).

Over his career, Sundin averaged just over a point per game (1349 points in 1346 NHL games).

Internationally, Sundin won three gold medals with Sweden at the World Championships and a gold medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin

Received these blue sharpie signed cards IP. The Leafs held training camp in Hamilton during the early 2000's. I waited until he, Todd Warriner and Alyn McCauley were done eating at McDonalds and got two signatures of each. I could have gone searching for more players but this wait was worth it.

Feb 12--26 Players

2012-02-13T09:00:00.000-05:00

Another dark day without anything from the 26 players with today as their birthdate.

This gives me a chance to show off some other non-autographed related items.

Now, one day after the Leafs honoured Mats Sundin by raising a banner with his jersey number to the ACC rafters

Mats, his wife and parents watching the ceremony

Mats with wife Josephine

and one day before his birthday

How about a Mats Sundin growth chart.

I guess the Leafs could have used him against the Canadiens. He was tied for top Leaf point getter in the game.

Feb 11--Ed Shack

2012-02-12T17:15:00.000-05:00

The Entertainer

At the time the Biltmores were a feeder team for the NHL New York Rangers.

From 1952 to 1957 he played in Guelph before making the move to the New York Rangers farm team in the AHL, the Providence Reds.

After only one season in Providence, he was called up to New York where he was expected to become a scorer. Shack was not living up to expectations and when the Rangers tried to make a trade in 1960 with the Detroit Red Wings that involved Red Kelly, the transaction was cancelled when Kelly refused to report to New York. He was finally traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs later that year.

Moving to the Leafs was a resurgence for Shack as he fit in with the team right away. In his first full season with the team, the Leafs brought home the Stanley Cup and won three in a row from 1961-62 to 1963-64. Shack scored a Cup-winning goal and later told the press that the puck had gone off his behind and that he was just trying to get out of the way! Shack won another cup with Toronto in 1967 before being traded to the Boston Bruins the next season.

Shack moved around to several other teams including the L.A. Kings, Buffalo Sabres, and Pittsburgh Penguins before ending up back in Toronto as a Leaf. He retired from the game with four Stanley Cup rings and having made three consecutive All-Star appearances from '62 to '64.

Eddie Shack is one of the most colorful characters in a long list in NHL history.
Eddie's personality, desire and fearlessness made him a crowd favorite.It was Eddie's magnetic personality that the fans remember most. "We want Shack" was a regular chant in Maple Leaf Gardens. Eddie, living up to his nickname "the Entertainer," would occasionally stand up from his spot on the bench and lift his arms to encourage the fans to do chant louder! Another favorite move of his was to entertain the fans even when the game was over. If he was called as one of the game's three stars, he'd enthusiastically rush out to center ice, do his trademarked pirouette, and then enthusiastically skated off! The fans loved it! The fans loved him!

Received these IP at two different events

Nice 70/71 OPC deckle edge with tape damage on back along with "Bob" 's name and Eddie's sig.

Front and back of postcard for Eddies golf course. This is probably one of the photos of the year in 1971.

Feb 10--Steve Konroyd

2012-02-11T19:07:00.001-05:00

Steve Konroyd

Selected by Calgary Flames round 2 #39 overall 1980 NHL Entry Draft.

Steve Konroyd was a sound positional defenceman who could also make crisp outlet passes to his forwards.

Beginning in 1981-82, Konroyd played nearly five years as a regular on the Flames' blueline. His steady play made him an asset for Canada when they won the silver medal at the 1985 World Championships. The Flames were competitive during this period but were overshadowed by the success of the Edmonton Oilers. Prior to the trading deadline in 1986, Konroyd and Richard Kromm were sent to the New York Islanders for Stanley Cup veteran John Tonelli.

Konroyd solidified the Islanders' defence for nearly two and a half years until he was traded to the Chicago Black Hawks in November 1988. Now that he was no longer as mobile as in his younger days, the close checking style of the Hawks suited his game. Konroyd was a solid defender on Chicago when they led the NHL in regular season points in 1990-91. Following the Hawks first round upset at the hands of the Minnesota North Stars, Konroyd joined team Canada at the 1991 World Championships and won another silver medal. Halfway through the next season he was traded to the Hartford Whalers for sniper Rob Brown. Konroyd later served as a role player for Detroit, Ottawa, and Calgary before retiring in 1995.

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CAREER NHL STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1981-1995	Calgary, NYI, Chicago, Hartford, Detroit, Ottawa	895	41	195	236	863

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CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1982-1993	Calgary, N.Y. Islanders, Chicago, Hartford, Detroit	97	10	15	25	99

Received these blue ink signed cards IP at NHL SloPitch tourney.

Feb 9--Chris Nilan

2012-02-11T19:00:00.000-05:00

Chris Nilan

Selected by Montreal Canadiens round 19 #231 overall 1978 NHL Amateur Draft.

Nilan was a regular on the Habs for seven and a half years beginning in 1980-81. He scored a career high 21 goals in 1984-85 playing chiefly on a line with Guy Carbonneau and Bob Gainey. The next season, the fiesty winger scored 19 goals and was a physical force when the Canadiens won the Stanley Cup.

Nilan's reputation was such that he was placed on the Americans' 1987 Canada Cup roster. By January 1988 his deteriorating relationship with coach Jean Perron led to a trade with the New York Rangers. The fiery winger battled injuries during his two full seasons on Broadway.

Nilan was traded to the Boston Bruins in June 1990 for Greg Johnston and helped his new team reach the semi-finals in 1991. Midway through the 1992 season, Nilan got his wish to finish his career in Montreal when his original club picked him up on waivers. He retired in 1992.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1980-1992	Montreal, NYR, Boston	688	110	115	225	3,043

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1980-1992	Montreal, NYR, Boston	111	8	9	17	541

Received these IP two different years at the NHL SloPItch tourney.

Feb 8--Kirk Muller

2012-02-11T18:52:00.000-05:00

Kirk Muller

Selected by New Jersey Devils round 1 #2 overall 1984 NHL Entry Draft.

"Captain Kirk" was the heart and soul of the Devils franchise, with his intensity and strong two-way play. However, New Jersey never became a serious Stanley Cup contender while Muller was with them, and he was traded along with Roland Melanson to the Montreal Canadiens for Stephane Richer and Tom Chorske on September 20, 1991.

Muller quickly became a fan favourite in Montreal, and he helped them win the Stanley Cup in 1993. However his time with the Canadiens was shorter than he would have liked, as he was shocked when he was traded to the New York Islanders during the 1994–95 NHL season. Initially, he was reluctant to report to the Islanders, then played a handful of games in an uninterested manner before team management decided that his poor attitude outweighed his potential contributions on the ice and barred him from the team. Eventually, they recalled him, but Muller refused to report, freeing the Islanders from their contractual obligations to pay him. Ultimately, Muller was traded at a discount to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Muller had his last 20 goal season with the Leafs the next season, but he was traded to the Florida Panthers as the Leafs fell out of the playoff picture.

Muller struggled in Florida, scoring just four goals in the whole 1998–99 NHL season. His last break came when he signed with the Dallas Stars in the middle of the 1999–2000 season.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1984-2003	N.J., Montreal, NYI, Tor., Florida, Dallas	1,349	357	602	959	1,223

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1970-1976	New Jersey, Mont., Toronto, Florida, Dal.	127	33	36	69	153

Received this black sharpie signed card IP at the Gretzky Tennis tourney.

Feb 7--Tim Higgins

2012-02-11T18:45:00.000-05:00

Tim Higgins

Selected by Chicago Blackhawks round 1 #10 overall 1978 NHL Amateur Draft.

Tim Higgins had logged four seasons of junior hockey and one Memorial Cup appearance before being drafted by Chicago in 1978. He spent some time honing his professional skills in the minors before making his NHL debut with the Black Hawks during the 1978-79 season.

By the following season, he had earned a full-time job with the Hawks and tallied 25 points in 74 games. In 1980-81, Higgins had his career best point totals - 24 goals and 35 assists in 78 games. His totals were not far behind the next year when he combined for 50 points in 74 games. His numbers started to fall off somewhat in 1982-83 and deteriorated even more the following season when lack of ice time and disagreements with coaching staff took a heavy toll.

After a trade to the New Jersey Devils in January 1984, Higgins bounced back, scoring 18 goals in 37 games with the Devils. The next two seasons Higgins was again in good scoring form, and he remained with the Devils until the end of the 1985-86 season. In June of 1986 he was traded to Detroit for Claude Loiselle. Higgins played his last two professional seasons with the Red Wings, retiring in 1989 after 706 NHL games.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1978-1989	Chicago, New Jersey, Detroit	706	154	198	352	719

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1979-1989	Chicago, Detroit	65	5	8	13	77

Received these blue ink signed cards TTM plus he included a signed business card.

Feb 6--17 Players

2012-02-11T18:40:00.000-05:00

Nothing for any of the 17 players for todays birthdate. So, it'll be just a liitle bit of this, a little bit of that.

1966 - Stan Mikita played with a helmet for the first time in his NHL career, and scored two goals and an assist as Chicago beat Toronto 3-2.
1990 - Brett Hull becomes 1st son of NHL 50 goal scorer (Bobby) to score 50

2000 - Wayne Gretzky's sweater #99 was officially retired permanently by the NHL, in a pre-game ceremony before the 2000 All-Star Game in Toronto.

Heres a program from the early days (1993) of the NHL Oldtimers (Alumni) tour.

Middle insert of cards of some of the players and referees.

In some form or another, I have autos of 12 of the 18 pictured players.

Feb 5--Jim Storm

2012-02-05T13:22:00.000-05:00

Jim Storm

Selected by Hartford Whalers round 4 #75 overall 1991 NHL Entry Draft.

Left-winger Jim Storm played parts of three seasons with the Hartford Whalers and Dallas Stars in the 90s. He was decent goal scorer who enjoyed most of his success in college and the minors. Storm played in 84 games and scored 7 goals and 15 assists.

Bought this at a card show in the 90's. This was when autographed cards in packs were fairly new and to get one that was numbered 1540/1950 was a big deal. At least I thought so for $1.00.

This address was valid in November 2011.

Jim Storm
2609 Harvest Hill Dr.
Brighton, MI 48114

Feb 4--Denis Cyr

2012-02-04T20:14:00.000-05:00

L'un Denis

Selected by Calgary Flames round 1 #13 overall 1980 NHL Entry Draft.

Played on "Le Trois Denis " line with Denis Savard and Denis Tremblay for Montreal Junior Canadiens from 1977 to 1979. All three players shared the exact same birthdate and grew up in the same neighbourhood in Verdun. What are the odds on that?. He was first draft pick in Calgary Flames history after Atlanta franchise announced its intention to relocate to Calgary.

Cyr wasn't able to continue his scoring prowess with the Flames, and as a result he was traded to the Chicago Black Hawks in 1982 for Carey Wilson. The Hawks were hoping for Cyr to rekindle his chemistry with Denis Savard, who had already established himself as an elite NHLer by this time. However, Cyr still could not secure a permanent NHL position and after a couple of seasons moved on to the St. Louis Blues, and then retired after three seasons in their organization, most of which was spent playing for their minor league affiliate, the Peoria Rivermen of the International Hockey League.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1980-1986	Calgary, Chicago, St. Louis	193	41	43	84	36

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1983-1985	Chicago, St. Louis	4	0	0	0	0

Feb 3--Mark Kirton

2012-02-03T23:09:00.000-05:00

Mark Kirton

Selected by Toronto Maple Leafs round 3 #48 overall 1978 NHL Amateur Draft.

Centre Mark Kirton was a fine skater and playmaker with a combative side that allowed him to handle the physical demands of the NHL. The young pivot enjoyed a solid year with the AHL's New Brunswick Hawks in 1978-79. In 1979-80 he made Toronto out of training camp and scored a goal in two games before being sent down to the farm. The young forward hurt his knee in his second game in Moncton and was out of the lineup for a number of weeks. Rather than hang his head, Kirton continued to work on his weaknesses and averaged a point per game for New Brunswick in 61 contests after regaining his health.

After playing eleven games in 1980-81, Kirton was traded to the Detroit Red Wings for veteran netminder Jim Rutherford. Kirton was traded to the Vancouver Canucks early in 1982-83 for Ivan Boldirev. He proved to be a useful checking pivot for the Canucks in parts of three seasons. Between 1985 and 1989 he played a solid two-way role for the Fredericton Express and Newmarket Saints before retiring.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1979-1985	Toronto, Detroit, Vancouver	266	57	56	113	121

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1983	Vancouver	4	1	2	3	7

His work address is:

Coldwell Banker Home & Family Realty, Brokerage

1515 Rebecca Street, Unit 19

Oakville, ON L6L5G8

Received these blue ink signed cards IP.

Feb 2--Gary Dornhoefer

2012-02-02T08:05:00.000-05:00

Gary Dornhoefer

He played two years of junior with the Niagara Falls Flyers of the Ontario Hockey Association while his NHL rights were owned by the Boston Bruins.

He made his pro debut with the Bruins in 1963-64, playing in 32 games, scoring 12 goals and ten assists. Over the next two years he was inserted into the lineup for just 30 games and was left unprotected in the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft. The Philadelphia Flyers selected him with the 13th pick overall, and from there his career was defined. Fans of old-fashioned, gritty, hard-working hockey players loved the style of Gary Dornhoefer, who will be forever remembered as one of the key figures on the famed "Broad Street Bullies" with the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1970s. The Flyers, called goons by some hockey observers, could also play hockey, and that was what made them special, winning two Stanley Cups in 1973-74 and 1974-75.

Dornhoefer played in 787 games over 14 seasons, scoring 214 goals and 328 assists for 542 points, adding 1291 penalty minutes.

Received these blue ink signed cards TTM.

Feb 1--Jim Jackson

2012-02-01T07:52:00.000-05:00

Jim Jackson

Undrafted and unsigned, the Calgary Flames inked him as a free agent at the start of the 1982-83 season. This came about largely at the insistence of the team's chief scout, Gerry Blair, who was a neighbour of Jackson's and knew of his intense desire to play.Stocky left-winger Jim Jackson played with tremendous heart during his short NHL career. He was a fairly productive scorer in junior and the minors but was relegated to a more defensive role in the big league. Jackson spent two seasons as a role player for a Calgary club that was competitive in the regular season but annihilated in the playoffs by the Edmonton Oilers. Aside from a five-game stint with the Buffalo Sabres in 1987-88, Jackson toiled in the minors the remainder of his career until his retirement in 1990.

In 112 National Hockey games, Jim scored 17 goals and 47 points

Received these blue ink signed cards IP at NHL SloPitch Tourney.

Jan 31--Rick Dudley

2012-01-31T07:33:00.000-05:00

I end up the month of January at 26/31 days or 84%. I'm still amazed that actually have this many autographs. Well one more shortened month and a part month will bring me full circle--one year of birthday posts. But on to today brought to you by

Rick Dudley

Not drafted after playing his final year with the St. Catharines Blackhawks of the Ontario Hockey League

Rick Dudley played with grit, tenacity and determination and it was because of these qualities that he managed to fight his way to the NHL, both literally and figuratively.
Dudley began his playing career with the Buffalo Sabres of the NHL in 1972–73 and played there for three seasons, before switching leagues in 1975–76. He played four seasons in the WHA for the Cincinnati Stingers. On February 4, 1979, Cincinnati traded him to the NHL's Buffalo Sabres, where he remained until the 1980–81 season. During that season, Dudley was released and picked up by the last place Winnipeg Jets on waivers, where he played the remaining 30 games of the season, wearing the number 99.
Dudley is a member of the Cincinnati Hockey Hall of Fame

Received these blue ink signed cards TTM.

He also sent his business card.

Jan 30--Larry Carriere

2012-01-30T07:39:00.000-05:00

Larry Carriere

Selected by Buffalo Sabres round 2 #25 overall 1972 NHL Amateur Draft.

Larry Carriere took an unconventional route to the National Hockey League. While most NHLers in the 1970s came from the Canadian junior leagues, Larry starred as a defenseman at a little known Montreal college called Loyola. At the same time he was majoring in Business Administration. He would begin the 1972-73 season in Buffalo where he was one of two very impressive rookie rearguards that year in Buffalo, as the bruising Jim Schoenfeld also debuted. He was soon relegated to spot duty, and was on the move to Atlanta, Vancouver, and L.A, three trades in less than one calendar year. At this point, Carriere got a good job offer in Toronto out of hockey, and asked the Kings to waive him out of the league with the purpose of signing his retirement papers. They waived him, but he didn't get around to signing off when Buffalo's GM Punch Imlach claimed him.

Carriere agreed to play with the Sabres, and the Kings filed tampering charges. Nothing came of this, and after nine games he retired, only to return for two games with the Leafs a year and a half later before quitting for good at age 27.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1972-1980	BUF, ATL, VAN, L.A. TOR	367	16	74	90	462

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1973-1976	Buffalo, Atlanta, Toronto	27	0	3	3	42

Received these black sharpie signed cards IP at the NHL SloPitch tourney.

Jan 29--Paulin Bordeleau

2012-01-29T14:34:00.000-05:00

Paulin Bordeleau

Selected by Vancouver Canucks round 2 #19 overall 1973 NHL Amateur Draft.
Selected by Toronto Toros round 1 #4 overall 1973 WHA Amateur Draft.

As the youngest of three hockey-playing brothers, by the time Paulin Bordeleau had reached the major junior level he was certainly receiving additional attention from pro scouts, who wanted to see if he was as good, or perhaps even better, than his siblings Christian and J.P.

Bordeleau, like his brothers, was not big physically, which was a concern to NHL scouts but had a strong training camp and made the team roster as a 20-year-old rookie . In 1976 he was lured to the WHA with a large contract offer from the Quebec Nordiques and the opportunity to play with his brother Christian. Following the demise of the WHA after the 1978-79 season, Bordeleau decided to move to France, where he played for eight years and was a member of the 1988 French Olympic Team that competed in Calgary.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1973-1976	Vancouver	183	33	56	89	47

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1975	Vancouver	5	2	1	3	0

Received these black ink signed cards TTM.

Also included this black ink signed index card.

So I have autographs of all three Bordeleau brothers on cards and index cards. Maybe my next project should be to show brother combination autographs.

Jan 28--Jack Egers

2012-01-28T07:33:00.002-05:00

Jack Egers

Selected by New York Rangers round 4 #20 overall 1966 NHL Amateur Draft.

His nickname was "Smokey," a reference to his ability to knock the sap out of the wood of his sticks with his rocket of a slapshot. But injuries really wreaked havoc on his hockey career. Early in his career he quite infamously smacked his head on the ice, resulting in a severe concussion that re-sparked the helmet debate. Egers even admitted he would have used a helmet if it was not for the unspoken peer pressure about not wearing a helmet. Egers also nearly ended up swallowing his tongue and went into convulsions.
Egers joined the fire department after hockey, rising all the way to the title of captain of the Kitchener, Ontario fire department.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1970-1976	NYR, STL, WAS	284	64	69	133	154

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1970-1974	N.Y. Rangers, St. Louis	32	5	6	11	32

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Received these blue sharpie signed cards TTM.

He also included this unsigned 71/72 colour postcard.

Return envelope postmarked 1987.

Jan 27--20 players/ Sal Barry

2012-01-26T23:51:00.000-05:00

Nothing for the 20 players with today as their birthdate.

So its a Happy Birthday to Sal J. Barry

http://puckjunk.blogspot.com/

Lets all share a piece of birthday cake.

Birthday boy Sal.

Somehow I found Sal's blog during the first few days it was live. I've been following ever since and contributed some info. It finally inspired me to start this blog and Sal was kind enough to offer a few suggestions. So, if you haven't visited his site, do it. And if you have, wish him a Happy Birthday. (even though he wears the Black Hawks colours)

Jan 26--Wayne Gretzky

2012-01-26T09:41:00.000-05:00

Wayne Gretzky

and not Fred Barrett, Daniel Berthiaume, Rod Dallman, Mike Fountain, Ivan Hlinka, Martin Lauder, Vic Lynn, Dean Malkoc, Dale McCourt, Scott McKay, Billy McNeill, Dan Newman, Frank Nighbor, Alf Skinner, Glen Skov, and Mark Taylor.

A year before he would have been eligible for the NHL draft, 17-year-old Wayne Gretzky signed up with the Indianapolis Racers of the WHA in 1978 for an unprecedented $825,000.

What is there to say that hasn't already been said.
92 goals in one season.
10 scoring titles, seven in the 1980s.
200 points four times in five seasons.
Four Stanley Cups in five seasons.
NHL MVP nine times in the ’80s.
… He ended his NHL career with 62 scoring records, 894 goals, 1,963 assists and 2,857 points; also, he has nine 50-goal seasons, 15 100-point seasons and career records for playoff goals (122), assists (260) and points (382).

Gretzky played ten games on his birthday during his NHL career, getting at least a point each game:

Year	Opponent	G	A	P
1980	vs. Toronto	0	2	2
1982	vs. St. Louis	1	1	2
1983	vs. Toronto	2	1	3
1985	vs.Pittsburgh	3	1	4
1989	vs. Vancouver	0	1	1
1991	vs. Vancouver	3	2	5
1993	vs. San Jose	0	2	2
1995	vs. St. Louis	1	0	1
1998	vs. Washington	0	1	1
1999	vs. Washington	0	3	3

This is a photo of the winners in a contest to the 1988 Wayne Gretzky Celebtity Tennis Classic. Check out the Philadelphia Flyer golf shirt and socks I'm wearing. At least the late Peter Zezel was impressed by my choice. It was taken by the tournament people and sent by courier. The following summer, Wayne and Janet were at a Brantford Red Sox game (Intercounty League baseball) which he was part owner of. Luckily I lived nearby, grabbed my photo and sharpie and got this signed IP. There was a public school graduation going on across the street from the stadium and some of the kids came over and got autographs. I saw one kid get the cast on his arm signed. One signature never to be seen again. . It was a pretty good day as I was behind the scenes and had an all access pass. Got a couple of Alyssa Milano signatures on teen magazine pictures. Peter Zezel. Kirk Muller. Usually when I was at these events, you were behind the fence and you got whomever came over to sign. This was way better. One of my better IP days. And with my arm around?? Janet, what could top that.

Jan 25--Rick Bowness

2012-01-25T22:50:00.001-05:00

Rick Bowness

Selected by Atlanta Flames round 2 #26 overall 1975 NHL Amateur Draft
Selected by Indianapolis Racers round 5 #62 overall 1975 WHA Amateur Draft.

Rick Bowness was a solid right-winger who skated on four different teams in the 1970s and '80s. His role was more offensive in junior and the minors but his NHL career was spent staying with his man and driving to the net on occasion.Bowness checked effectively and saw time on the power play in Detroit but the Wings opted to go with Vaclav Nedomansky, Danny Grant, Dennis Polonich, and Bill Lochead at right wing. He spent his last half dozen seasons as a pro in the minors or as a role player on the St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets. The veteran winger retired as a player in 1984 after playing two years with the AHL's Sherbrooke Jets.

Received this blue ink signed card TTM.

Received this blue ink signed postcard TTM.

Jan 24--Guy Charron

2012-01-24T23:15:00.000-05:00

Guy Charron

Many critics believed Guy Charron was simply not big enough to play hockey in the NHL, which could explain why he was never drafted.

In 1969-70, Charron played 65 games with the Montreal Voltigeurs of the AHL, scoring 37 goals and 82 points. It was that impressive production which caught the attention of the Montreal brass, who called him up to the big team for five games. In 1970-71, Charron was in the lineup for 15 games, where he scored the first two goals of his NHL career. The Canadiens were showcasing his talent, to see if there was any interest amongst other teams for his services. The Detroit Red Wings acquired him midway through the year and in 24 games, scored eight goals and 12 points.

In his first full NHL season with the Red Wings in 1971-72, Charron tallied nine goals and 25 assists, playing primarily a defensive role with the club. During the following two years he was afforded more freedom to play a more wide-open style, resulting in seasons of 18 and 25 goals, respectively.

Charron remained with the Wings until 1974-75, when he was picked by the Kansas City Scouts in the Expansion Draft. He played two years there, scoring 71 points in the 1975-76 season. In 1976-77, Charron joined the Washington Capitals where he posted some of the best offensive numbers of his career. During that first year he scored a career-high 38 goals and 46 assists for 82 points in 80 games, marking the one and only year he averaged better than a point per game. Charron was also a consistent, reliable performer, who did not miss a Capitals' game during his first three years with the team. His last season with the Capitals, and in the NHL, was 1980-81, when he played 47 games. He returned for another two games during a brief comeback with the New haven Nighthawks of the AHL in 1982-83, before retiring as a player.

Charron retired having played in 734 games, scoring 221 goals and 530 points.

Received these blue ink signed cards TTM.

Jan 23--Jaroslav Pouzar

2012-01-23T08:13:00.000-05:00

Jaroslav Pouzar

Selected by Edmonton Oilers round 4 #83 overall 1982 NHL Entry Draft.

Pouzar came over in 1982, and was expected to finally fill the hole on Wayne Gretzky's and Jari Kurri's left wing. However there was a small problem. Pouzar, who was a veteran of international hockey at age 30, had trouble adapting to the Oilers style of play, which differed greatly from his many years of training in Czechoslovakia.
Pouzar also had tremendous difficulty adjusting to North American life as well. He spoke next to no English and was undoubtedly homesick for much of his stay in the NHL.

Pouzar returned to Europe for the 1985-86 season, playing in Germany, where he would stay until finishing his career some 6 years later.
Pouzar did make a brief reappearance in the NHL in 1987. At the completion of the German League schedule, Pouzar rejoined the Oilers for their Cup run. He played in 12 games plus 5 more in the playoffs.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1982-1987	Edmonton	186	34	48	82	135

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1983-1987	Edmonton	29	6	4	10	16

The Cakovec, Czechoslovakia native is a six-time member of the Czechoslovakian World European Championship team (two gold, three silver and two bronze medals), a two-time member of its Olympic team and a two-time Canada Cup participant.

Received these blue ink signed card TTM.

Jan 22--Mike Bossy

2012-01-22T13:27:00.000-05:00

Mike Bossy

Selected by New York Islanders round 1 #15 overall 1977 NHL Amateur Draft
Selected by Indianapolis Racers round 5 #44 overall 1977 WHA Amateur Draft.

The New York Islanders dynasty in the early 1980's ranks among the greatest teams of all time. Mike Bossy, often playing on one of the most feared lines in hockey history along with Bryan Trottier and Clark Gillies, was a key component of the success enjoyed on Long Island.

Mike Bossy's brilliant career included: 573 goal along with 553 assists for 1,126 points; In playoff action, Bossy tallied 85 goals and 160 points in 129 games; At least 60 goals on five occasions, and seven 100 plus points seasons; Four Stanley Cup rings; he scored the series winning goal in both the 1982 and 1983 Stanley Cup finals making him the only player in NHL history to record Cup winning goals in consecutive seasons; the 1982 recipient of the Conn Smythe Trophy awarded to the playoffs' Most Valuable Player; awarded the Lady Byng Trophy for gentlemanly play three times; A first team All-Star five times and a second team All-Star three times; And his 573 goals also put him high on the NHL's all-time list.

Bossy was also a member of Team Canada in the 1981 and 1984 Canada Cup Tournaments.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1977-1987	N.Y. Islanders	752	573	553	1,126	210

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1978-1987	N.Y. Islanders	129	85	75	160	38

Got these blue sharpie signed cards IP. Bossy worked with CassieCampbell and Bobby Orr on the Chevrolet Safe and Fun Hockey Program. They were in Hamilton a few years ago. Got Cassie to sign a few cards. Bobby was his usual jerkish (is that a word) self. I saw Mike head out a side door during a break. He was having a smoke by the dumpster. I waited until he was done and asked him if he would sign. He said these will probably end up on e-Bay but I told him I needed these to help me complete this set. He appeared fine with that and commented that he didn't want any of the kids to see him smoking, ergo the dumpster spot. I don't know what his habits are like but he was pretty good with me.

Jan 21--Brian Bradley

2012-01-21T12:09:00.000-05:00

Brian Bradley

Selected by Calgary Flames round 3 #51 overall 1983 NHL Entry Draft.

Bradley began his career as a standout in junior with the OHL's London Knights. After three spectacular years with the Knights, and a incredible 1985 World Junior Championships in which Bradley dominated with a 9 goal, 15 point effort.

The Flames sent him to the AHL to work on his game but he did impress with 28 points in 40 games in 1986-87. His defensive game was questioned by coach Bob Johnson and the club was very deep at forward. Bradley joined the Canadian National Team for the 1987-88 season and participated at the 1988 Calgary Olympics. Shortly after the tournament, Bradley was traded to the Vancouver Canucks.

The tricky pivot was a solid playmaker and power play specialist for parts of four seasons in Vancouver. In January 1991, the Canucks sent him to the Toronto Maple Leafs for mobile defenceman Tom Kurvers. His play was up and down on the mediocre Leafs and the club opted to leave him unprotected in the Expansion Draft. Bradley was chosen by the Tampa Bay Lightning and went on to play his best hockey.
In 1992-93, Bradley scored a personal high 42 goals and played in his first All-Star Game. He recorded two more 20-goal seasons and played in the 1994 All-Star Game until injuries began to interfere with his careerBrian Bradley, a two-time All-Star with the Tampa Bay Lightning, announced his retirement on September 23, 1999. He was another victim of the NHL's most dangerous injury heading into the new millennium -post-concussion syndrome.

Received these blue ink signed cards TTM.

Jan 20--Lou Fontinato

2012-01-20T23:36:00.000-05:00

Lou Fontinato

Leapin' Lou Fontinato, so-called because he left his feet when delivering body checks (some claim the "Leapin'" referred to his antics when called for a penalty when he would jump up and down while berating the referee) was a rugged defenseman. He started his career with New York during the 1954-55 season.

"Fontinato did indeed rule the hockey wars - until Howe challenged him that famous night in 1959. It all started ironically enough, when a Detroit player thudded against a young Ranger rookie named...Eddie Shack. Shack, still a season away from joining the Maple Leafs, was a main principal in the proceedings, as Fontinato recalls things. Shack was being his usual rambunctious self, and his aggressiveness was lifting the entire Ranger team. Rangers were winning 4-1 when Detroit's Pete Geogan, a hard hitting defenseman, decided to do something about Shack. He bounced him into the boards so hard that Shack's flying body broke a sheet of protective glass bordering the rink. This set up a chain reaction of events in which Shack later tangled with Howe. Shack wobbled away after getting caught up with Howe's stick and later required three stitches.
Fontinato was the Ranger policeman, the self appointed protector of youngsters like Shack. Fontinato remembers skating over to Howe and saying, "Keep your stick to yourself and lay off Shack." It was his job to issue such threats. Thirteen seconds later, Howe and Shack collided heavily behind the Detroit net. Howe lost his footing as Shack skated away in pursuit of the puck.
Howe was scrambling to his feet when Fontinato came out of nowhere and knocked him down again with a solid check. Sticks and gloves hit the ice, and everyone semed spellbound as Howe and Fontinato rolled and scuffled in the area between the goal and the end boards. Howe snatched Fontinato by the shirt and tagged him with a series of uppercuts. Fontinato got in a few good shots himself, dislocating Howes finger and opening a gash over one of his eyes. Several days later it was also discovered that Howe's ribs were broken. Press accounts of the event varied wildly. According to the New York papers, the confrotation lasted les than a minute and the outcome was indecisive, but a Detroit paper put it a full 3 minutes and declared breathlessly that Gordie Howe was the new heavyweight champion of hockey. What made Fontinato clearly a loser were the photos published in the next day's papers his nose, already broken four times, was mashed and bloody and looked like a rudder swung hard to starboard. Though each played the remainder of the game without incident, after the game Fontinato entered the hospital for surgery on his busted nose. "

Fontinato's career came to an abrupt and violent end in 1963 at the Montreal Forum when he missed a check on left-winger Vic Hadfield of the Rangers behind the Montreal net, slammed head first into the boards, and became paralyzed for a month.

He played in a total of 535 games and scored 26 goals and 78 assists. He had 1247 penalty minutes.

Received these blue ink signed cards TTM.

Return envelope postmarked ????

Jan 19--Ed Kea

2012-01-19T23:22:00.000-05:00

Ed Kea

Kea never played Junior hockey, nor did he play collegiate hockey but he managed to turn professional in 1969 nonetheless. After two years with the Jersey Devils, and stops with the Seattle Totems and the St. Petersburg Suns, he was signed as a free agent by the Atlanta Flames in 1972.

The defenseman made his NHL during the 1973-74 season when he played three games for the Flames, but he was a regular the following season. Kea spent the next five seasons playing his solid, steady game on the Flames blue line before being dealt just prior to the 1979-80 season.

Kea was traded to St. Louis along with Don Laurence and a second round draft pick in exchange for Garry Unger.

With the Blues Kea played three and half seasons before being sent to the minors. During the 1982-83 season St. Louis shipped him to their farm team in Salt Lake. Unfortunately, while toiling for the Salt Lake Golden Eagles tragedy struck. Kea hit his head on the ice during a game and suffered severe head trauma and was left handicapped as a result. Though a series of operations saved his life, Kea's hockey career was obviously over and he retired and spent time with his wife and children.

Sadly, this wouldn't be the only tragedy for Ed Kea and his family. In September 1999 Kea drowned at his family cottage. Kea was just 51 years old.

If he is known at all to new generations of hockey fans it is as Joe Nieuwendyk's uncle.

Received these red ink signed cards TTM.

Also included this signed b/w photo. Signed mostly in blue ink but somehow wrote my name as Steve in red.

Jan 18--Josh Holden

2012-01-18T21:07:00.001-05:00

Josh Holden

Selected by Vancouver Canucks round 1 #12 overall 1996 NHL Entry Draft.

An offensively gifted forward, Holden made his professional debut with the Canucks during the 1998-99 season. Holden went on to play 30 games with the Canucks, while playing the remainder of the season with the club's AHL affiliate in Syracuse. Over the next two seasons the young pivot continued to hone his skills in the minors, while seeing occasional work with the Canucks before being claimed by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2001 Waiver Draft. Upon being claimed by the Hurricanes, Holden went on to play a mere eight games with the club before he was claimed on waivers yet again by this time by Vancouver.

After finishing the 2001-02 season with Vancouver's AHL affiliate in Manitoba, Holden was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the summer of 2002 and over the course of the next two seasons, spent most of his playing time with the club's AHL affiliate in St. John's.

To date, he has only appeared in 60 NHL games, scoring five goals and nine assists.
In 2010, EV Zug of Switzerland's Nationalliga A and Josh Holden announced a long-term contract extension.

Pulled from packs 95 Classic Draft Picks
#2530/5000

Back in the day, it was something to pull a numbered autograph from a pack. This one got the special treatment--rookie card snap tite holder.

But wait, I pulled another auto of the same guy???? These were in a "shoebox" together with other special cards. But it's now nowhere to be found. Que sera sera.

Jan 17--Tim Bernhardt

2012-01-17T07:38:00.000-05:00

Tim Bernhardt

Selected by Atlanta Flames round 3 #47 overall 1978 NHL Amateur Draft.

Bernhardt was a standout for three years with the QMJHL's Cornwall Royals. He led the league with a 3.63 goals against average in 1976-77 and was a member of Team Canada at the 1978 World Junior championships. He was also placed on the QMJHL second all-star team in 1976 and the first team in each of the next two seasons. He was constantly placed in the minors since the parent club had Dan Bouchard and Rejean Lemelin.
In 1982-83 he made six appearances for the relocated Calgary Flames but posted a disappointing 0-5-0 record. He joined the AHL's St. Catharines Saints in 1983-84 and wound up winning 25 games and being voted on to the league's second all-star team. Bernhardt was signed as a free agent by the Toronto Maple Leafs in December 1984 when youngsters Ken Wregget and Allan Bester faltered. Considering he had very little defensive support, Bernhardt's 13-19-4 record and 3.74 goals against average were very impressive.
Bernhardt slipped down the depth chart in 1985-86 when Toronto acquired veteran Don Edwards and Ken Wregget's play improved from the previous year. He remained with the Leafs' AHL affiliate until his retirement following the 1989-90 season.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	W-L-T	GAA	SO	SV%
1982-1986	Calgary, Toronto	67	17-36-7	4.27	0	.866

Received this blue ink signed card TTM.

He also included this blue ink signed postcard.

Jan 16--Another no-show

2012-01-16T08:51:00.000-05:00

Second day in a row, 18 players today-NADA. Today Brantford's own Len Hachborn. This is from the summer when I was on holidays and did not post. Just catching up on Sept 4th birthdate.

Len Hachborn

Selected by Philadelphia Flyers round 9 #184 overall 1981 NHL Entry Draft.

He was called up during the 1983-1984 season and played 78 games for the Flyers before being sent down the Hershey Bears during the '84-'85 season. During his stint with the Flyers, he had 16 goals and 38 assists.

Hachborn was sold to the L.A. Kings in 1985 and played 24 games for his new team during the 1985-1986 season before returning to the AHL. He has since played for a number of teams in North America and Europe and was signed by the Phoenix Mustangs in 1999.

Played left wing on line with Wayne Gretzky growing up in Brantford, Ontario. As 10-year-olds, Hachborn and Brian Croley were playing on Gretzky's line when Gretzky scored 378 goals in 84 games. The goalie on that team was former Red Wing Greg Stefan. I knew his brother's (ex) wife so I got these items signed IP--except I wasn't the person that got them. I also got to see the wedding invitation to Gretzky's wedding as they were invited. Gee, guess I should have asked for that.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1983-1986	Philadelphia, Los Angeles	102	20	39	59	29

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1984-1985	Philadelphia	7	0	3	3	7

Flyers blue ink signed postcard.

Blue ink signed photo with the Maine Mariners. Back in the days of the Cooperalls.

Jan 15--The dreaded "21 players"

2012-01-15T15:39:00.000-05:00

Yup, 21 players with today as their birthdate and me, nothing to show. Made it to the middle of the month though so I'm doing pretty good.

I'm just going to throw out some random things on this cold Sunday.

“Enforcers for the Forces”

Starting yesterday, a group of 18 former NHL fighters who call themselves “Enforcers for the Forces” will begin raffling 150 signed and framed photo montages.

The Leafs-Rangers game Saturday at the Air Canada Centre is Canadian Forces appreciation night. This will be promoted during the game, and is also scheduled to be highlighted during the Hockey Night in Canada broadcast.

The enforcers group includes ex-Leaf scrapper Wendel Clark, former Edmonton Oiler Dave Semenko and Joey Kocur. One of the posters will be raffled each week. The group hopes to generate between $10,000 and $50,000 a week.

The money will be donated to the Military Families Fund, founded in 2007 by Canadian general Rick Hillier, and the Soldier On program, which was created in 2010 to support disabled vets.

The raffle’s website is

www.nhlalumniraffles.org.

"Pizza Time"

So, for this pizza promotion, the specials include The Hat-Trick, The Breakaway and The Overtime. I wonder what Schenner's favourite is. Now, when the grand prize winner has his order personally delivered by Luke, and he spends time with the winner and friends, does he stay and eat your pizza too. Or does he bring his own. Just wondering.

Now, for a look back at advertising from days of yore.

Campbell's Chunky Soup

So this will tie the previous two from above together.

Enforcer + Toronto Maple Leaf=Wendel Clark.

This might have been his first ad for Chunky Soup as I remember a few other TV commercials as well. Expiry date on coupon form is 1991. I never sent away for any of this merchandise but did eat plenty of soup. Hard to believe this is over twenty years old.

Huh.

Cancel

Jan 14--Fred Boimistruck

2012-01-14T15:11:00.000-05:00

Fred Boimstruck

Selected by Toronto Maple Leafs round 3 #43 overall 1980 NHL Entry Draft.

Despite having one year of junior eligibility remaining, Boimistruck earned a roster spot with the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs. In retrospect many of the young players such as Jim Benning and Gary Nylund were thrown into a similar situation as Boimistruck where they were expected to immediately improve a disastrous Maple Leafs team. Instead it ruined their careers, with far too much pressure placed on their young shoulders. Although Boimistruck played 57 games that first year, he was limited to just 26 the following season and was relegated to the minors for the rest of the year. He never again reached the NHL, his confidence totally gone. By their own admission many young players from that early 1980's Leafs' team later admitted they were too young to handle the unrealistic expectations placed upon them by team management.

Received this black sharpie signed card IP. I don't recall off hand but I believe it was at the NHL SloPitch tourney.

Jan 13--Cesare Maniago

2012-01-13T23:01:00.000-05:00

Cesare Maniago

He first arrived in the big leagues via the Western Hockey League's Spokane Comets in 1960-61. He picked up seven games and a 2.57 goals-against average as a backup to future Hall of Famer Johnny Bower, the 1961 Vezina Trophy winner. Exit Maniago to the minors.

The following year, he was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens who had future Hall of Famer Jacques Plante, the 1962 Vezina Trophy holder. Exit Maniago to the minors-- again.

From his 14-game stint in Montreal, Maniago drifted in the minors with seven different clubs from 1963-65. It was at that time that the New York Rangers secured his rights and brought him to Broadway to serve as a backup to future Hall of Famer Eddie Giacomin. At least this time Maniago picked up 34 games before being claimed by the Minnesota North Stars in the Expansion Draft of 1967. He played nine seasons there. In 1976, Maniago was traded to Vancouver where he played out his final two seasons of pro hockey before retiring.

Did you know

He surrendered Boom Boom Geoffrion's 50th goal of the season in 1961 to make him only the second player to score 50 in a season.

Bobby Hull scored his 51st of the season against Maniago in 1966, thus marking the first time a player scored more than 50 goals in a single season.

Stan Mikita scored his 500th career goal against Maniago in 1977.

Received these blue ink signed cards TTM

Return envelope but can't read postmark. As with all my old TTM's, it would be from the 80's.

Jan12--Николай Константинович Борщевский

2012-01-12T22:47:00.000-05:00

Nikolai Borschevsky

Toronto Maple Leafs drafted him 77th overall in the 1992 Entry Draft.

Borshevsky was an outstanding skater - lightning quick and slippery in crowds. Most defensemen had problems keeping him in check. Add to that his sniper's wrist shot, which was doubly scary because of his quick release, and Nikolai caught many goalies unprepared for his shot.
The spunky Borschevsky was not a stereotypical Russian in that he was quite chippy. Not a disturber in the classic sense, Nik nonetheless could get under his opponents skin.
He stepped right in to the Leafs lineup, and contributed 34 goals and 74 points! It looked like the Leafs found a gem, especially after scoring the over time series winning goal in game 7 of the playoffs series vs Detroit.

However Borschevsky's career took a sharp downturn in his sophomore season. Early in the season he ruptured his spleen. The spleen had to be removed in emergency surgery. Nik lost a lot of time in recovery and was never quite the same again.

Received these blue sharpie signed cards IP at Leaf training camp in Hamilton.

Jan 11--Dave Burrows

2012-01-12T07:34:00.000-05:00

Dave Burrows

He spent two seasons in the service of the St. Catharines Blackhawks of the OHA before turning pro with the Dallas Blackhawks and the Portland Buckeroos in 1969-70. He remained in the minors until the Pittsburgh Penguins picked him up in the Intra-League Draft of 1971.

Most people will agree that Bobby Orr is the best defenseman ever. But how about the best pure defensive defenseman? While there are a lot of candidates, one of them would have to be the heavily underrated and under appreciated Dave Burrows.
Burrows wasn't a physically dominating, crease clearing blueliner. Instead he relied on a greater understanding of the game to be in perfect position no matter what scenario he was faced with. He was an expert shot blocker and above all else, was known as one of the best skaters of his time. He amazed many observers with his incredible speed and agility. Some felt he could skate faster backward than most could go forward.
Burrows retired from the National Hockey League in 1981. He scored just 29 goals in 724 games, but was one of the best in the league at his role.Burrows was inducted into the Pittsburgh Penguins Hall of Fame in 1996.

Received these blue ink signed cards TTM

Also included this blue ink signed postcard.

Business card and return envelope postmarked 1987.

Jan 10--Frank Mahovlich

2012-01-10T23:07:00.001-05:00

Frank Mahovlich

Mahovlich entered the league in 1958 and won the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie, beating out another hotshot left winger named Bobby Hull.Frank Mahovlich is synonymous with the golden age of hockey. With his graceful skating, and powerful shots, the Big M led the Toronto Maple Leafs to four Stanley Cup victories. A fifteen time NHL All-Star, he was a natural choice for the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1981. Mahovlich is one of a very select few who would star with Canada's two most cherished sports franchises, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens. He also starred with the Detroit Red Wings.
533 goals and 1103 points, 9 NHL All Star teams and 6 Stanley Cup rings tells you just how good he was.Frank Mahovlich was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1981, and in 1998, in recognition of his years of class on the ice and off, he was appointed to the Canadian Senate by Prime Minister Jean Chretien.

Having trouble uploading images tonight. Will add later.

UPDATE

Received these blue ink signed cards TTM.

Front and back of blue ink signed postcard he included. I believe that's Bobby Clarke's body there and an early Guy LaFleur before he abandoned the helmet.

Return envelope postmarked 1984.

Jan 9--Bruce Boudreau

2012-01-09T22:28:00.000-05:00

Bruce Boudreau

Selected by Toronto Maple Leafs round 3 #42 overall 1975 NHL Amateur Draft

Selected by Minnesota Fighting Saints round 1 #14 overall 1974 WHA Amateur Draft

Boudreau could not agree with Toronto on a contract and joined the Minnesota Fighting Saints of the WHA, making his professional debut in 1975. He was a talented offensive centre whose size worked against him getting the ice time he wanted in the NHL. The diminutive pivot signed on with the Leafs in 1976-77 and scored seven points in 15 games. He played most of his hockey that year with the Dallas Black Hawks and led the CHL with 37 goals. He played 40 games for Toronto as an injury replacement in 1977-78 but remained a farmhand through the 1982-83 playoffs. His best performance in the minors during this time came in 1981-82 when he scored 103 points in 63 games for the Cincinnati Tigers and was placed on the CHL second all-star team.

Boudreau played seven games for the Chicago Black Hawks in 1985-86 after signing as a free agent but was chiefly a minor league stalwart until retiring in 1992.

While playing for the Johnstown (Pa.) Jets in 1975, he appeared in first hockey scene of the movie Slap Shot, wearing No. 7 for visiting team, the Presidents. Paul Newman's apartment in the movie was actually Boudreau's real apartment, picked because it was the most dingy of all the players’ apartments.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1977-1985	Toronto, Chicago	141	28	42	70	46

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1977-1983	Toronto	9	2	0	2	0

Received these blue ink signed cards IP at the NHL SloPitch tourney in Niagara Falls. I have a I think funny story about Gabby there but my wife says I shouldn't reveal it. Happy wife, happy life.

Jan 8--Wally Hergesheimer

2012-01-08T10:01:00.000-05:00

Wally Hergesheimer

The odds against Wally Hergesheimer's success in hockey were as firmly stacked in place as sandbags against a flood. At the start of his pro career with the Minneapolis Millers in 1947, he stood 5' 8" and weighed only 145 pounds. He was also humourously known as "Fingers" because he'd lost his index and middle fingers up to the knuckles of his right hand in a punch-press accident.

"When I made it to the NHL," he recounted, "it was something I never really expected. It was little Wally this and little Wally that?but I just kept going and?everything seemed to fall into place."

By 1951, Hergesheimer was voted the AHL's most outstanding rookie on the strength of his 96 points in 82 games with the Cleveland Barons. The New Rangers brought him on board the following season. He quickly established a reputation for angling his way into the goal crease to cash rebounds into goals. His success earned him the nickname "Garbage Collector."

In 1956, Hergesheimer was traded to the Blackhawks where he played one year before heading to Buffalo of the AHL for a season. 1958 brought one final crack at the NHL that lasted only 22 games. He then played three seasons respectively with Buffalo of the AHL plus Calgary and Los Angeles of the WHL.

Received these blue ink signed cards TTM.

Return envelope postmarked 1988.

Jan 7--Sports collectibles on TV

2012-01-07T21:11:00.000-05:00

In case you hadn't heard

Sports fans and collectors will have a new TV show to watch starting this month on the Discovery Channel. The show will air January 24th, at 8pm EST. It’s a show called All Star Dealers focusing on the dealings of Grey Flannel’s Richard Russek.

And in the collecting vein, on Dec 30/11, BNN had a segment with Brian Ehrenworth of Framework Sports Marketing. (don't forget the link to part two further down the page)

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/video/video-investing-in-sports-memorabilia-part-one/article2287812/

Discovery Channel ,BNN. What's next, Home Shopping Network. (again)

Here in Canada, it's

Just what I need. To buy some more "CLASSIC" cards.

Jan 7--Babe Pratt

2012-01-07T18:51:00.000-05:00

Babe Pratt

As an amateur, Pratt won league titles with the Elmwood Maple Leafs and Kenora during the early 1930’s. In 1936, Pratt turned professional with the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League. His experience on the blueline was instrumental in the Rangers’ Stanley Cup victory in 1939-40 and Pratt was known as one of the hardest-hitting and stingiest defencemen in the league. During the championship season of 1941-42, Pratt and Ott Heller allowed just seventeen goals against through the forty-eight game schedule.

In November of 1942, Pratt was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs. During the memorable 1943-44 season, Pratt was named to the first all-star team, became the first defenceman to assist on six goals in one game, and won the Hart Trophy as the league’s Most Valuable Player. His record of 57 points scored by a defenceman that season stood until 1965. He was also named to the second all-star team during his NHL career. His final Stanley Cup victory took place in 1945 and Pratt retired from competitive hockey in 1947. Walter “Babe” Pratt was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966 and remained active in hockey as the Goodwill Ambassador for the Vancouver Canucks Hockey Club as well as a colour commentator for the Vancouver broadcasts of Hockey Night in Canada.

Received this blue ink signed b/w photo TTM. I guess he sent this instead of signing my index cards since I don't have any. I must have kept only envelopes with a return address or logo. I don't have one to show so the year is unknown except that it was the 80's. This was the time when I was most active in pursueing autos. Another great signature from a HOF'er.

Jan 6--Keith Crowder

2012-01-06T07:43:00.000-05:00

Keith Crowder

Selected by Boston Bruins round 3 #57 overall 1979 NHL Entry Draft.

In July 1978 the Birmingham Bulls of the WHA signed him as an underage free agent. He eventually joined the Bulls team after the Memorial Cup final with the Petes. He immediately showed some toughness on the Bulls team as he picked up 17 Pim's in 5 games and added a goal as well. The WHA of course folded after that 1978-79 season and Keith was taken in the 1979 NHL entry draft by Boston. (57th overall). In 1979-80 he played for Binghamton Whalers (AHL) and Grand Rapid Owls (IHL) to gain some experience. As the 1980-81 season started Keith played for the Bruins farm team in Springfield (AHL). The Bruins called him up on December 13,1980. Keith never looked back from that moment on, and never played another minor league game. Keith was a hard-nosed winger and crowd favourite in Boston for almost a decade in the 1980's. He not only was tough but he could score as well. Keith was a working man's player who often had to do the "dirty work". He didn't mind it though and mixed it with solid and steady offensive production.
It wasn't a spectacular career, but it sure was a very solid one, and an honest and hardworking one. On October 16, 1999 Keith was inducted into the Windsor/Essex County Sports Hall of Fame.

Received these blue ink signed cards I think IP. I don't remember sending to him so it must have been at the NHL SloPitch tourney.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1980-1990	Boston, Los Angeles	662	223	271	494	1,354

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1981-1990	Boston, Los Angeles	85	14	22	36	218

Jan 5--Wayne Rutledge

2012-01-05T19:03:00.000-05:00

Wayne Rutledge

Goalie Wayne Rutledge spent parts of three years with the LA Kings in the 60s and 70s. He was better known as a top star in the WHA and the minors.

Born in Barrie, Ontario, Rutledge played with the hometown Flyers and stayed with the franchise when it moved to Niagara Falls. He bounced around the minors for a few years and was a two-time all-star in the CHL and won the Terry Sawchuk Trophy for allowing the fewest goals in the league with the Minnesota Rangers in 1965-66.

Rutledge then joined the expansion LA Kings and split the goalkeeping chores with the legendary Sawchuk. On October 14, 1967 he backstopped the club to a 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers in its NHL debut. He won 20 games that year and played two more years with the club before he was sent down to the minors. In 1972 he was named to the WHL second all-star team after leading the league in minutes played as a member of the Salt Lake Golden Eagles.

In 1972-73 Rutledge debuted with the Houston Aeros as they took part in the WHA's inaugural season. He was a solid performer for the club through the 1978 season and helped them win the Avco Cup in 1974.

After retiring from hockey Rutledge moved to Huntsville, Ontario, where he raised horses on his farm and also worked for the Dawson and Mirror Glass Company. Rutledge passed away on October 5, 2004, at the age of 62, following a battle with stomach cancer.

Received this blue ink signed card TTM

Return envelope and business card.

Handwritten note dated March 6, 1987

Jan 4--17 Players

2012-01-05T10:14:00.001-05:00

Nothing for the 17 players so a look at some of my other Christmas gifts. I love reading so besides getting a subscription to SI, I also received these hockey books.

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2, 2001

Dick Irvin was nine years old when he saw the final game of the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time. He didn’t know, then, that he would spend most of his professional career watching, describing, and commenting on professional hockey. As the play-by-play announcer for the Montreal Canadiens for some 30 years, and as a member of the CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada broadcast crew for almost as long, Dick Irvin has seen thousands of NHL games. Some he witnessed from an improbably perfect vantage point at the end of the team bench. He saw many more from the broadcast booth in all the storied arenas of the NHL, from the Boston Garden to the Chicago Stadium – but especially from the Forum in Montreal.

In this book, Dick Irvin weaves together strands of hockey history with his own stories of professional hockey’s greatest moments, from the 1940s, through the Original Six era, the rough-and-tussle 1970s, the successive dynasties (Habs, Islanders, Oilers) of the 1980s, to the present age of limitless expansion. Dick Irvin has watched and been close to many of the game’s giants – those on both sides of the boards – and he shares his knowledge and keen insight with the reader. My 26 Stanley Cups is a unique contribution to hockey lore, and for hockey fans, an unequalled treat.

Love reading about hockey history. Have read a few chapters and would recommend this.

HELLO, CANADA AND HOCKEY FANS IN THE UNITED STATES AND NEWFOUNDLAND WELCOME TO DOUBLE OVERTIME

A TOUR OF WILD, WEIRD AND WONDERFUL MOMENTS FROM ALL YOUR FAVORITE TEAMS

* The Maple Leafs: The NHL's most loved (and most hated) team

* West v. East—Where do the best Canadian players come from?

* What team jersey did Ozzy Osbourne wear in a mugshot?

* The greatest fight of all time!

* Vancouver's original hockey brothers

* Philadelphia's Spectrum of Evil!

THE HISTORY OF HOCKEY HAS NEVER BEEN SO FUN!

Glanced through this. There's a chapter for every NHL team.

From the dust jacket, "Brian McFarlane is a media member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and is one of North America's best and most prolific hockey writers. He is the author of more than fifty books, including Stanley Cup Fever, The Best of It Happened in Hockey, Hockey's Glory Days: Stories from the Original Six Era, and the books is his two successful series True Hockey Stories and Brian McFarlane's Original Six. As a broadcaster, Brian spent twenty-seven years with CBC's Hockey Night in Canada, and has also been a commentator with NBC, CBS, and ESPN."

Mr. McFarlane goes over his 27 years in hockey and hockey broadcasting in this interesting book that has a vast number of great photographs. The information contained is interesting and very personal to Mr. McFarlane, making the stories much more endearing that just some second-hand retelling of his experiences

Lots to keep me busy. These will nicely go with my collection of hockey books.

Did you know--Brian's father, Leslie McFarlane wrote under the name Franklin W. Dixon--that's right, of Hardy Boys fame.

Jan 3--Not Bobby Hull

2012-01-04T18:59:00.000-05:00

I could take the easy way out and post my Bobby Hull autos. But a lot of people have them and know about him. I try to post some of the lesser known players so newer hockey fans may learn a little history of the game or something about a player (my sister just told me she read my Norm Ullman post and didn't realize my aunt and uncle were neighbours with him). So today we will look at

Drake Berehowsky

Selected by Toronto Maple Leafs round 1 #10 overall 1990 NHL Entry Draft.

In 16 professional seasons as a player, the former first round pick accumulated 549 regular season games in the National Hockey League scattered between six different teams. Berehowsky was recalled midway through the 1992-93 season by the Maple Leafs.

In April 1995, Toronto shipped him to the Pittsburgh Penguins for defenseman Grant Jennings. He spent some time in the minors with Cleveland (IHL), San Antonio (IHL), Carolina (AHL) and Hamilton (AHL) until joining the young Edmonton Oilers in 1997-98. In 1998, Berehowsky was claimed by the Nashville Predators in the expansion draft. In 1999-2000, he set career highs with 12 goals and 32 points. At the 2001 trade deadline, the Predators dealt him to the Vancouver Canucks where he spent the early part of the 2001-02 season before joining the Phoenix Coyotes midway through the year.

After parts of two seasons with the Coyotes, Berehowsky signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the summer of 2003, his second stint with the club. Upon his arrival, Berehowsky went on to register 21 points (5-16-21) in 47 games before being acquired by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second half of the season for Ric Jackman. He played briefly in Sweden and Germany before retiring following the 2005-06 season.He is currently an assistant coach with the Peoria Rivermen.

Received this blue sharpie signed card IP. This was at Maple Leaf training camp in Hamilton. He was signing everything and for everybody. Too bad I didn't bring more. But then again, what would I do with 10 Berehowsky autographs.

Jan 2--Jimmy Jones

2012-01-02T18:12:00.001-05:00

Jimmy Jones

Selected by Boston Bruins round 2 #31 overall 1973 NHL Amateur Draft
Selected by Vancouver Blazers round 5 #57 overall 1973 WHA Amateur Draft.

Jones played parts of two seasons for the Blazers then played two full years with the Rochester Americans of the AHL.

Jimmy Jones was a checking centre who played two seasons plus a game for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the late 1970s. He formed an effective penalty killing and defensive partnership with winger Jerry Butler in those two years.

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CAREER NHL STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1977-1979	Toronto	148	13	18	31	68

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CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1978-1979	Toronto	19	1	5	6	11

Blue ink signed postcard received TTM.

Return envelope saying returning the hockey cards I requested. I don't have any of his two cards signed so it must refer to the postcard. I'm sure that there were two different ones but I can't seem to find the other. Just found the envelope today as I'm redoing the man cave. Never know what you may find.

Jan 1--Happy New Years and Dave Hunter

2012-01-01T11:54:00.000-05:00

Happy New Years to everyone. Somehow, I have just celebrated the anniversary of this blog started in December 2010. I've had fun doing it and showing off some of my hockey "treasures". With encouragement from Sal at http://puckjunk.blogspot.com/, I started this blog and now have just over 300 posts and 8100 pageviews. I've met a lot of great people and have traded and sold some stuff. I've won some contests with great prizes. I love being part of the community and just staying in touch with what's happening. This year I'm going to try and tidy my posts up as some of them were getting sloppy. This resolution is better than the "I'm going on a diet" one and one I can probably stick to.

So, to continue on with my "Which player is celebrating a birthday and do I have an autographed item", today is brought to you by

Dave Hunter

Selected by Montreal Canadiens round 1 #17 overall 1978 NHL Amateur Draft.

Dave was the first of three Hunter brothers to make it to the NHL, followed soon thereafter by Dale and Mark.

By 1978-79, Hunter was set to turn pro but opted to join the Edmonton Oilers of the WHA, feeling he would have a better chance at cracking their lineup as a 20-year-old rookie. He played 72 games with the Oilers that year, scoring 32 points. With the folding of the WHA at the end of the season, Edmonton and three other clubs were absorbed into the NHL, and Hunter continued playing for the Oilers.

Dave - in typical Hunter fashion, was a mean, extremely physical and effective player along the boards, wearing down the opposition with tenacious forechecking and physical contact.

Dave probably had the least offensive talents in the family but Dave ended up with three Stanley Cup rings compared to Mark's one and Dale's none.

Received this blue ink signed card IP at the NHL SloPitch tourney in Niagara Falls. They had a "Have breakfast with the Stars" event which I attended. Basically, it was a buffet and whichever players came to the dining area were fair game. I got quite a few Oilers, mostly from the 84/85 OPC set.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1979-1989	Edmonton, Pitt., Winnipeg	746	133	190	323	918

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS
Years	Teams	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1980-1989	Edmonton	105	16	24	40	211