Sept 30--9 Players

So I end the month on an empty note, 9 players, no autos.  The final tally is 23/30 for September. To bring August up to date, here is from Aug 28

Andy Bathgate

Andy Bathgate was a hockey stylist--an athletic, graceful skater who handled the puck with skill and flash. Known for his blazing, accurate shot, he was one of the first men to use the slapshot to overpower goaltenders. Bathgate was a creative playmaker on the ice and often did the unexpected, throwing off opposing defenders with imaginative feints and passes. He accomplished all of this wearing heavy knee braces, the result of a serious injury during his first shift as a junior player in Guelph, Ontario. That injury required a steel plate to be inserted in his left knee to repair the damage.

Received these blue ink signed cards TTM.

Brendan Shanahan is the NHL's new dean of supplemental discipline, and also heads up a new, expanded department aimed at enhancing player safety.

Shanahan told the CBC that the NHL may have to examine whether fighting has a place in the game.

Shanahan made the comments Thursday in an interview conducted for the next episode of Mansbridge One on One.

Peter Mansbridge's interview with Brendan Shanahan for Mansbridge One on One will be broadcast Saturday at 5:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. ET on CBC News Network, and on CBC-TV on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. ET.

It will be interesting to hear his views, he of 97 scraps over 21 seasons. And I'm assuming that the NHL shares his views.

Andy Bathgate is closely associated with one important hockey innovation. The first originated on November 1, 1959. Bathgate sent one of his harder shots toward goalie Jacques Plante of the Montreal Canadiens. The puck struck the All-Star goalie in the face, and opened a gash that required stitches. When Plante returned to the ice, he was wearing a mask, a piece of equipment now universally used. Andy’s final career numbers were 1069 games, 349 goals, 624 assists and 973 points

A smooth player and class act, Andy Bathgate was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1978

Sept 29--Mike Pelyk

Mike Pelyk

Selected by Toronto Maple Leafs round 3 #17 overall 1964 NHL Amateur Draft.

To watch Mike Pelyk skate as a junior for the Toronto Marlies in 1967 was to assume that he would be a prize on any NHL blueline. He moved with ease from point A to anywhere on a set of wheels worthy of a Corvette. And when he got where he wanted to be, he could dish out tough defense and chip in with timely offense.

His transition to the majors with the Toronto Maple Leafs was less auspicious, however. His flashes of brilliance were usually followed by defensive lapses that could only be cured through the acquisition of maturity and experience. Pelyk spent six-and-a-half seasons pursuing those qualities while delighting and frustrating Leaf fans and management along the way. His skating style was not unlike that of Frank Mahovlich. He could cover so much ice with so few strides that from the stands he appeared to be a floater with insufficient perspiration on his face. As such, he often became the object of the Garden's boo birds.
But as the Leafs turned the corner into the 1970s, Pelyk's maturing process appeared a little more like a feast than a famine. By 1973-74, he was finally looking like a blueliner worthy of acclaim. But no sooner than kids were no longer embarrassed to assume his name in a road-hockey game, the real Pelyk jumped to the WHA.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1967-1978 Toronto 441 26 88 114 566

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1969-1978 Toronto 40 0 3 3 41

Received these blue ink signed cards TTM.

Return envelope dated 1987. Now how many of these do you think there are in existence. Coupons for a free quarter pound single hamburger from Wendy's authorised (signed) by Mike Pelyk. I think they might be three 1/1's.

Sept 28--Don Edwards

Don Edwards

Selected by Buffalo Sabres round 5 #89 overall 1975 NHL Amateur Draft
Selected by San Diego Mariners round 10 #135 overall 1975 WHA Amateur Draft.

To say he was a steal would be a huge understatement. Edwards had a highly successful eleven-year NHL career that included stops in Buffalo, Calgary, and Toronto. Many felt his size--or lack of it--would be a major problem in the NHL.

What many find to be incredible about Don Edwards is that he did not start playing goal in hockey until he was 13, when he was able to prove to his father that he first knew how to skate properly. At 12, he was an all-star forward for his team in Binbrook, Ontario and by the following season he was their all-star goalie.

His late uncle Roy was also an NHL goalie with Detroit and Pittsburgh.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS Years Teams GP W-L-T GAA SO SV% 1977-1986 BUF, CGY, TOR 459 208-155-74 3.32 16 n/a

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS Years Teams GP W-L GAA SO SV% 1977-1984 Buffalo, Calgary 42 16-21 3.44 1 n/a

Received this blue sharpie signed card IP.

Sept 27--Jay Bouwmeester

Jay Bouwmeester

Selected by Florida Panthers round 1 #3 overall 2002 NHL Entry Draft.

 He was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team in 2003 and played seven seasons in the Panthers organization before being traded to Calgary in 2009. He holds the longest active "iron man" streak in the NHL, having appeared in 424 consecutive regular season games, and has played in two All-Star Games.

He played for the Panthers later that year. Bouwmeester played for Team Canada in the 2003 Men's World Hockey Championship in Finland and helped the team go on to win the gold medal. He was also named to the 2004 World Championship team that won the gold medal again. In September of 2004 Bouwmeester played for Team Canada at the World Cup of Hockey. Canada won the tournament. On February 8, 2006, Hockey Canada announced Bouwmeester would be added to the 2006 Olympic lineup in place of injured defenceman Scott Niedermayer. Bouwmeester is a young up-and-comer with tremendous offensive upside. He is a skilled and speedy player with good defensive sensibilities, allowing his teammates the time and space to get up ice.

Received this blue sharpie signed magazine IP at the NHL Draft in Toronto.

Sept 26--19 Players

So, what should we post today. I have nothing for any of the NINETEEN players with today as their birthdate. Should I pontificate on the upcoming provincial election. No, my wife already did that. You can check it out here if you are interested. At least I'm mentioned in an article not sports related.

http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2930773&auth=PAT%20KAWAMOTO&archive=true


The Toronto Maple Leafs announced Sunday that the hockey club has reduced its’ training camp roster by 14 players. Toronto’s current training camp roster now stands at 29 players (17 forwards, nine defencemen, and three goaltenders).
Getting down to crunch time. Three more pre-season games to go before the real games begin. Bandwagon jumpers, on your mark, get set....

The 2011 Mastercard Memorial Cup Tournament has been over for over 3 months now.  Received an e-mail from them thanking the volunteers once again. They also mentioned Now it’s time for our 2011-12 Ontario Hockey League home opener and we’d like to say thanks to you all one more time by inviting you and a guest to see the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors open the season against the Owen Sound Attack on Friday, Sept. 30 at 7:35 p.m. at the Hershey Centre. We’ll give you the details of how we’d like to acknowledge you all then.They want a reply if you are going and they will acknowledge us somehow. I'm going, first off, I love hockey, it's free and maybe some swag. On a related note

 The Paul Henderson Jersey Homecoming Tour will be coming to Mississauga on Friday, September 30th, 2011 at Tomken Arena located at 4495 Tomken Road. 
Join the MHL as we celebrate the career and leadership of Paul Henderson with the naming of Tomken Rink #1 in his honour.  There will be a memorabilia trailer open to the public from 4pm until 9pm. Paul Henderson himself will be in attendance from 5:30pm - 7:30pm.  MHL games will start at 6:00pm and the Paul Henderson Rink Dedication Ceremony will take place at 7:00pm.

Maybe theres some connection here. One never knows.

Sept 25--16 Players

Since I have nothing for any of the 16 players who have today as their birthday, this from Aug 27, when I was on holidays and didn't post, here is

Robin Burns

Left-winger Robin Burns played nearly 200 NHL games in the 1970s. He was a decent goal scorer whose career statistics would have been better if his time was spent with better teams.

The Montreal native played a year with Notre Dame de Grace before joining the Montreal Junior Canadiens in 1964-65. He was a solid grinder for three years in junior then played two seasons in the CHL with the Houston Apollos. After spending a year with the Montreal Voyageurs of the AHL, Burns was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins by the Montreal Canadiens.

Burns played sparingly for the Pens during his three years with their organization. Much of his time was spent with the Hershey Bears of the AHL where he led all playoff scorers with ten goals in 14 games while helping the club win the Calder Cup in 1974. Burns received his best shot to play in the NHL after he was claimed by the expansion Kansas City Scouts in June 1974. He scored 31 goals in two seasons and was a major boost to the club's power play. He also provided grit and leadership but the young team struggled and only looked good when compared to their expansion cousins, the Washington Capitals. Burns retired after being phased out when the club retooled prior to its move to Colorado in 1976.

He founded the ITECH hockey brand in 1984 with the launch of his innovative fully clear facial visor, a first in the hockey protective industry. He was the cousin of former NHL coach Pat Burns.

Blue ink signed card TTM.

Return envelope

Letter from Lisa apologizing for the delay, dated Jan 1986.

Sept 24--Dan Maloney

Dan Maloney

Selected by Chicago Blackhawks round 1 #14 overall 1970 NHL Amateur Draft

"I never counted the number of fights I've been in or how many I won or lost. It doesn't matter how many fights you win, anyway. It's how many times you show up for them that counts." - Dan Maloney

On November 5, 1975 in a game between Detroit and Toronto, Dan pounced on Maple Leafs defenseman Brian Glennie from behind. He dropped Glennie with a punch, hit him several more times, then repeatedly lifted and dropped Glennie by the scruff of his neck, causing his head to strike the ice. Glennie was hospitalized with a concussion.

Dan was charged with assault to cause bodily harm for his attack. He was the first NHL player charged under the 1976 crackdown on hockey violence ordered by Ontario Attorney-General Roy McMurtry. Dan was eventually acquitted of the charges by a jury in this widely publicized two-week Toronto trial in the summer of 1976.

 He was acquitted but was banned from playing in Toronto for two seasons.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1970-1982 CHI, LA, DET, TOR 737 192 259 451 1,489

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1971-1981 Chicago, L.A., Toronto 40 4 7 11 35

Dan Maloney

Sales Representative

241 Minets Point Road
Barrie, Ontario, L4N 4C4

Office: (705) 739-1300
Fax: (705) 739-1330

Received these blue ink signed cards IP.

Sept 23--Christian Bordeleau

Christian Bordeleau

Bordeleau started his National Hockey League career with the Montreal Canadiens in 1969. He also played for the Chicago Black Hawks and St. Louis  Blues. He left the NHL after the 1972 season and would also play in the World Hockey Association for the Winnipeg Jets and Quebec Nordiques. He won the Stanley Cup in 1969 with the Montreal Canadiens.

In May, 1970 the Canadiens traded Bordeleau to St. Louis for cash. In his one full season in Missouri he tallied 53 points in 78 games. Midway through the 1971-72 season he was dealt to the Chicago Blackhawks. He finished the year with Chicago but felt he was not getting the ice-time necessary to develop his skills. In February, 1972 he was selected by the Los Angeles Sharks in the WHA's General Player Draft. The new league offered large salaries and the prospect of more ice time for players like Bordeleau, who jumped at the chance. In the summer of 1972 his WHA rights were traded to the Winnipeg Jets where he played for just over two years. In the league's first year Bordeleau and the Jets advanced to the championship finals, losing to the New England Whalers.
The Quebec Nordiques obtained Bordeleau in a trade with the Jets in December, 1974 and he remained with the club through the 1978-79 season when the WHA folded. He surpassed 100 points in two of those years with Quebec. In 1977 the Nordiques won the Avco Cup, beating the Winnipeg Jets in a close seven-game series.
Bordeleau's brothers, J.P and Paulin, also played in the NHL.

NHL Totals

205

38

65

103

82

19

4

7

11

17

Received these blue ink signed cards TTM.

Index card and business card.



Sept 22--Ron Stackhouse

Ron Stackhouse

Selected by Oakland Seals round 2 #18 overall 1969 NHL Amateur Draft

In 1970-71, Stackhouse joined the Seals on a full-time basis. He was paired with Carol Vadnais and the duo clicked. From that point on, he began to solidify all aspects of his game. He played with an offensive orientation, could skate well for a big man, possessed a solid, low shot from the point, and grew to become a fearless shot-blocker.
Early in his second campaign with the club, the Seals couldn't resist making a grab for the offensively prolific Tom Webster. As an exchange, they sent Stackhouse to Detroit where he continued to improve his game during each of his winters in the Motor City. His place on the roster seemed secure, however, until he had a mysterious falling out with the club's management,a conflict he never fully understood. Nonetheless, he was dispatched in short order to Pittsburgh in 1974.
With the Pens, Stackhouse reached the peak of his blueline proficiency.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1970-1982 Oak/Cal., Detroit, Pittsburgh 889 87 372 459 824

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1975-1982 Pittsburgh 32 5 8 13  38

 

 

 

 

Received these blue ink signed cards TTM

 

Return envelope with 80's postmark.

Sept 21--16 players/Bill Derlago/Leafs

Leafs lose to Flyers, Gnashing of teeth starts

Now 1-1 in the pre-season but I can just hear the fans on sports radio here down on the Leafs already. Anyhow,

The Maple Leafs will unveil their third jersey at the regular season opener on Oct. 6. The re-designed alternate (pictured below) will look very much like the jersey the club wore at Maple Leaf Gardens on May 2, 1967 - the night it last hoisted the Stanley Cup. The 12-point maple leaf is identical to that worn by the team from the start of the 1967 playoffs to the end of the 1969-70 season. The striping is also identical to the '67-'70 version, though larger on both the jersey-bottom and sleeve





16 players share today as their birthday.

One of the hardest things in trying to keep this "project" going is trying to remember if I have any autographed items. It's easy to find out the birthdate and list of any cards. Now it's up to me to remember what I have and how I filed it. I had started to put every card of the player together in sheets. Then, I changed my mind and did by year. Of course, now I have to check both as it's still being sorted-the card could be lost in transition. Today, I thought I had Matti Hagman. I checked and I don't but I remember now it was Jaroslav Pouzar. I knew I had autographs of an Oiler who was European with not many cards. From my previous posts, it is fairly evident a lot of my stuff was obtained in the 80's. There was OPC and there was Topps. Maybe some team issued sets. But not a lot of choice. Magazines (eg The Hockey News) and newspaper clippings were other options. My little custom index cards. I once saw a kid getting Wayne Gretzky's autograph--on his arm. Could have been one more for me. Drats.

From Aug 25

Bill Derlago

Selected by Vancouver Canucks round 1 #4 overall 1978 NHL Amateur Draft

A long NHL career was predicted for the talented centreman when the Vancouver Canucks picked him up 4th overall in the 1978 Amateur Draft. He hit the ice amidst expectations that he would do unto the Canucks as he had done unto the Wheat Kings.

But a knee ligament injury early in his first campaign threw a wrench into his career aspirations. It wasn't until year two that he finally got going, albeit not to a high enough pitch to satisfy the powers of Canuck-land. Derlago was dispatched, along with Rick Vaive, to the Toronto Maple Leafs in February 1980.

But despite Derlago's steady output over his five-plus seasons with the club, questions about his desire and self-discipline were raised. He avoided all of the exercise regimes and extra practices that might have raised his game to that height. He went overseas to play in Italy for one season before hanging up his blades in 1988.

Derlago currently resides in Concord, Ontario, and operates a Chrysler dealership

Bill Derlago
Seven View Chrysler
2685 Hwy 7
Concord, ON L4K 1V8
Canada

CAREER NHL STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1978-1987 VAN, TOR, BOS, WIN, QUE 555 189 227 416 247

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1980-1986 Toronto, Winnipeg 13 5 0 5 8

Got these black sharpie signed cards IP at a Leaf Alumni function. I also crossed paths with him at the 2000 NHL All-Star dinner in Toronto. I was working the doors at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre where it was held. After the dinner was over, he was leaving with some friends feeling pretty "happy". He came over and shook my hand and thanked me for putting on a wonderful event. Atta boy, Billy D.

Sept 20--Guy Lafleur

Before we get to Flower, all is well in Leafland. We now have hockey, hockey and more hockey as opposed to hockey. Leafs beat Sens last night in pre-season(wonder why they're not called exhibition games anymore) and the plans for the parade are well under way. I was listening to The Fan 590 radio going to work yesterday and they were discussing Sundays NFL games and taking calls. Of course, Bob from Newmarket wanted to discuss the fourth line on the Leafs. On Leafs TV, I can watch and listen to Bob (Big Daddy) McGill rehash the Leafs victory. Now we're back to normal and I'm loving it.

Now todays birthday post is brought to you by

Guy Lafleur

Selected by Montreal Canadiens round 1 #1 overall 1971 NHL Amateur Draft.

Known as one of the greatest right wingers ever to play the game and one of the most exciting offensive players of all time, Lafleur was also known as "le Demon Blond" (the Blond Demon) for his long hair, wild rushes down the ice and booming shot.

In 1988 he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, but he believed he could still play and his love for the game hadn't diminished. He signed with the New York Rangers and played one year there, scoring 18 goals and getting 27 assists in 67 games, thus becoming only the second player after Gordie Howe to play in the NHL after being inducted into the Hall of Fame.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1971-1991 Montreal, NYR, Quebec 1,126 560 793 1,353 399

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1972-1989 Montreal, N.Y. Rangers 128 58 76 134 67



No, these  aren't the 2011 Parkhurst Champions Hockey wire photo autographed cards. These are the actual wire photos that newspapers used to receive. Got these signed IP in Toronto.

Sept 19--Don Beaupre

Don Beaupre

Selected by Minnesota North Stars round 2 #37 overall 1980 NHL Entry Draft.

Netminder Don Beaupre enjoyed a solid NHL career that spanned parts of 17 NHL seasons. He was known for cutting down the angles well and utilizing a cat-like glove hand

Beaupre is the owner and president of an aerial lift equipment company in Minneapolis.

http://www.beaupre-inc.com/about.html

CAREER NHL STATISTICS Years Teams GP W-L-T GAA SO SV% 1980-1996 Minnesota, Wash., Ottawa, Toronto 667 268-277-75 3.45 17 .885

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS Years Teams GP W-L GAA SO SV% 1981-1996 Minn., Wash., Tor. 72 33-31 3.35 3 n/a

Recieved this blue ink signed card IP at NHL SloPitch Tournament.



Sept 18--Darryl Sittler

Darryl Sittler

Selected by Toronto Maple Leafs round 1 #8 overall 1970 NHL Amateur Draft.

Sittler had an incredible year in 1975-76. On February 7, 1976, he produced the greatest offensive game in the history of the National Hockey League, guaranteeing his place in the record books even after Wayne Gretzky had come and gone. Toronto was hosting the Boston Bruins, a team on a seven-game winning streak. The Bruins had recently reacquired Gerry Cheevers, but coach Don Cherry wanted to give the goalie a rest before his upcoming Boston homecoming and started rookie netminder Dave Reece instead. The Leafs beat up the Bruins 11-4, but Sittler was the big story. He had two assists in the first period, three goals and two assists in the second and another hat trick in the third. The total of six goals and four assists set a league record for points in one game that had previously been held by Maurice "Rocket" Richard with eight.

The big night helped Sittler become the first Leaf to reach the 100 mark in scoring in a season, collecting 41 goals and 59 assists. But he wasn't finished. During the playoffs in April against the Philadelphia Flyers, Sittler scored five goals in one game, tying the playoff record. In September, during the Canada Cup in Montreal, Sittler would make headlines again with his scoring ways. This time it wasn't the quantity but the quality and the timeliness that made the impression. In overtime of the second game of the best-of-three finals versus Czechoslovakia, Sittler held onto the puck on a partial breakaway until Czech goalie Vladimir Dzurilla committed himself and an opening presented itself. The goal secured the championship and made Sittler an overnight hero in Canada.

Darryl Sittler finished his 15-year playing career in Philadelphia and Detroit before being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1989.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1970-1985 TOR, PHI, DET 1,096 484 637 1,121 948

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1971-1985 TOR, PHI, DET 76 29 45 74 137

Received this blue ink signed puck IP. Had it inscribed for my daughter's birthday.



Sept 17--Scott Arniel

Scott Arniel

Selected by Winnipeg Jets round 2 #22 overall 1981 NHL Entry Draft.

In his four and a half seasons with the Jets he averaged almost 20 goals a year, but after early playoff exits each year to the powerful Oilers , Arniel was traded in the summer of 86 to Buffalo where he again provided only mediocre play. In four years there, his production slipped, and the Sabres sent him back to the Jets with Phil Housley, Jeff Parker, and a 1st-round draft choice for Dale Hawerchuk and a 1st-round draft choice. Arniel was traded after another season to Boston and played a handful of games with the Bruins in 1991-1992 before being sent to the minors for the rest of his blading days.

Played on first Canadian team to win a gold medal at World Junior Championships in 1982.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1981-1992 Winnipeg, Buffalo, Boston 730 149 189 338 599

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1982-1990 Winnipeg, Buffalo 34 3 3 6 39

Received these blue ink signed cards IP



Sept 16--Larry Sacharuk

Larry Sacharuk

Selected by New York Rangers round 2 #21 overall 1972 NHL Amateur Draft.

The former Saskatoon Blade began playing briefly with the Rangers in the 1972-73 season. He spent the majority of this year and the next with the American Hockey League's Providence Reds where he where he was awarded the minor league Player of the Year from the Hockey News in 1974. He then spent one season, 1974-75, with the St. Louis Blues where he enjoyed his best NHL season recording 42 points.
After being traded back to the Rangers in 1975, Sacharuk spent two more seasons with New York and the AHL New Haven Nighthawks. He signed as a free agent with the World Hockey Association's Indianapolis Racers. From there he spent 1979-80 with the Birmingham Bulls of the Canadian Hockey League and then traveled to Austria where he finished his career in 1982.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1972-1977 N.Y.Rangers, St. Louis 151 29 33 62 42

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1975 St. Louis 2 1 1 2 2

 Received this blue ink signed card TTM.

Return envelope from 1988.



Sept 15-King Kong

King Kong




Nicknamed "King Kong",Jerry Korab made a solid reputation for himself in the tough 1970's-era NHL as an imposing physical defenseman




Jerry Korab

The native of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario played two years with the Chicago-sponsored St. Catharines Black Hawks of the OHA. He played two seasons of minor pro in the IHL and WHL before suited up for the Hawks as a rookie in 1970-71.

Korab played physically on defence while getting a chance to rush with the puck and shoot more from the point. He hit double figures in goals four times and helped the Buffalo Sabres reach their first Stanley Cup final in 1975. He was picked to play in the 1975 and 1976 NHL All-Star Games and was a popular figure at the Memorial Auditorium.

Korab retired with 455 career points in 975 carrer games with 1629 PIM.

Korab currently owns and operates Korab Inc., a packaging service located in Bellwood, IL.

Address: c/o Korab Inc.,3000 Washington Blvd. #4, Bellwood, IL 60104

Received these blue ink signed cards IP at one of the Molson NHL SloPitch tournaments. The good thing was that depending on conditions (weather, number of fans, popularity of player), they would sign multiples. The ten above attest to that fact. As Sal (at Puck Junk)http://www.puckjunk.com/index.php mentioned in his comment in my previous post, there were some no shows from the provided list. But if you even had a minimum of say five players per team, you would have over 100 NHL'ers to hound. Back before the internet days, you would not know the rosters. I would go by the previous year's program and pull cards of players I thought would appear. Once there, it was like a gummy Venus de Milo. Who to start with. Can I get him later. For Sal, a true Chris Chelios story. I've got his 84/85 and 85/86 cards signed so it would have been in 1986. I approached him either before or after a game when he was walking by himself. I had 3 cards for him to sign. (2 RC's and 1 2nd year). As he was signing with black sharpie, he commented on why I needed 2 of the same card signed. He opined that I was going to sell it. I was going to say something but just smiled and thanked him. He was like that even in the early days. Have a lot of memories, some faded, that I'll have to share in the future.

Sept 14--Brad Palmer

Brad Palmer

Selected by Minnesota North Stars round 1 #16 overall 1980 NHL Entry Draft

In his first full season with Minnesota, 1981-82, he notched a respectable 22 goals and 45 points However the 1982 Entry Draft drastically affected Palmer's budding career. A young phenom named Brian Bellows was considered to be the best player available and was widely expected to go 1st overall to the Boston Bruins, who acquired the pick from the Colorado Rockies. The North Stars however drastically covetted Bellows and were prepared to do whatever it took to get him in a Minnesota uniform. The Stars first acquired the 2nd overall pick from Detroit in one trade. Then they traded Palmer along with Dave Donnelly to the Boston Bruins in exchange for "future considerations." Palmer and Donnelly were essentially given to the Bruins in exchange for Boston's promise not to select Bellows. Instead, Gord Kluzak went first overall in that Entry Draft.

Kluzak was a fine defenseman but had his career robbed by serious knee injuries. Donnelly never amounted to much, and Palmer quickly fizzled out in Boston. Bellows went on to a career spanning over 1000 games, nearly 500 goals and 1000 points. Needless to say it wasn't a great deal for the Bruins.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1980-1983 Minnesota, Boston 168 32 38 70 58

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1981-1983 Minnesota, Boston 29 9 5 14 16

Received this blue ink signed card IP.

Program from the 1983 Molson NHL SloPitch Tournament signed on front by Brad Palmer, Larry Melnyk, Joe Curran, Frank Caprice and unknown.

Check out the team roster page. 19 teams present plus Oldtimer, Officals and Media. The only drawback was games being played at the same time at three locations in three different cities. You kind of had to check the schedule to determine which team you wanted to see and map out a plan to drive around to the next park. There was a "Breakfast with the Star" Saturday and Sunday where you sat in the same room as whomever of the players showed up. I don't remember how many of these they had (too lazy to look it up) but it was an annual event that I attended for a few years. Great time to get autos. Hard to believe this was almost 30 years ago. Sort of like a mega mall. One stop autograph collecting.

Sept 13--Don Simmons

Don Simmons

In January of 1957 he made his NHL debut with Boston when he was purchased from Springfield of the AHL.

Simmons made nearly 250 appearances for three different NHL clubs in the 50s and 60s. He was also known as a durable competitor in the minors during a pro career that lasted nearly 20 years.

Simmons was the first Goaltender to adopt the face mask after Jacques Plante introduced it in 1959. He was a rarity in his day in that he caught with his left-hand.

Received blue ink signed card TTM.

Return envelope but can't read the postmarked date. Late 80's though.


Three days till Leaf training camp opens. I'm stoked. Where else but in Leafland (otherwise known as Southern Ontario) would they televise live games from the rookie camp tournament. And people will actually watch. And the Leafs finish at 2-1. And And And HOCKEY