Oct 31--Bob Manno

Bob Manno

Selected by Vancouver Canucks round 2 #26 overall 1976 NHL Amateur Draft

Selected by Quebec Nordiques round 2 #19 overall 1976 WHA Amateur Draft

He played parts of five seasons on the Canadian West Coast before he was cut free. The Toronto Maple Leafs signed him as a free agent in September 1981, and Manno proved to be a valuable commodity in blue and white.

The Leafs had a young defense--including Jim Benning, Fred Boimstruck, Bob McGill and Craig Muni--and were forced to use the young blueliners too much, too soon. But Manno rose to the challenge and enjoyed a 50-point season--the best of his career. He was chosen to play in the NHL All-Star Game in 1982. But that was the sole season Bob Manno would play in Toronto.

He played in Italy the next season, only to be lured back to the NHL to play for Detroit. But after two seasons with the Red Wings, Bob Manno left to play in Italy once again, beginning with the 1985-86 season. In fact, Manno played for Italy in the 1992 Olympic Winter Games.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1976-1985 Vancouver, Toronto, Detroit 371 41 131 172 274

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1979-1985 Vancouver, Detroit 17 2 4 6 12

 

Received these blue ink signed and black sharpie signed cards IP. Two different times, both at the NHL SloPitch Tourney.

Oct 30--Cal Gardner

Cal Gardner

After three years of junior hockey in Winnipeg during the early forties, Cal Gardner entered the military for the duration of World War II.

Fresh out of the service in 1945, he joined the New York Rovers of the EHL. There he joined forces with wingers Rene Trudel and Church Russell to form the "Atomic Line". Together, they seared their way across the league as Gardner netted 73 points in 40 games.

How could New York Rangers GM Lester Patrick resist such prospects? With his club in the dumps, he couldn't. So he brought the Atomic lads to Broadway. Their collective impact, however, was minimal at best and only Gardner survived beyond three seasons.

After a little more than two campaigns in New York, he was sent to the Leafs,home of the highlights of his career. Over the next four years Gardner, known as "Pearly", notched 163 points in 247 games, made two All-Star game appearances and, celebrated three Stanley Cup victories.

In 1952, he joined the lowly Blackhawks for one season before settling in for the duration with the Boston Bruins.

After leaving the NHL, Gardner bounced around the minors with the Springfield Indians, the Providence Reds, the Cleveland Barons of the AHL and the Kingston Frontenacs of the EPHL.

Years later, Gardner's two sons, Dave and Paul followed their father's path to the NHL.

Received  these blue ink signed cards TTM. For what its worth, I also have autos of his two sons, Dave and Paul.

Oct 29--Mike Gartner

Mike Gartner




Selected by Washington Capitals round 1 #4 overall 1979 NHL Entry Draft.

He started his professional career playing in the WHA as an underager with the Cincinnati Stingers in 1978–79. He played on a line with Mark Messier and had a successful campaign, finishing second to Wayne Gretzky for Rookie-of-the-Year honors.
Gartner was respected on ice and off. A devoted Christian, he spent countless hours at youth hockey camps and prepared himself for life after hockey, serving as a key member of the National Hockey League Players' Association Negotiating Committee during both labour disputes in the 1990's and as NHLPA President during the latter part of the decade. Following his retirement on August 26, 1998, he decided to spend his time in the Toronto area, coaching and working with the NHLPA's Goals & Dreams Foundation, a testament to his abilities as a communicator and educator in both hockey and life.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1979-1998 Washington, Minn., NYR, Toronto, Phoenix 1,432 708 627 1,335 1,159

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1983-1998 Washington, Minn., NYR, Toronto, Phoenix 122 43 50 93 125

Received these black sharpie signed cards IP. This was during the 1987 Canada Cup in Hamilton. He was on a payphone in the hotel lobby and I got him to sign after he was done his call.



Oct 28--Gary Nylund

Gary Nylund

Selected by Toronto Maple Leafs round 1 #3 overall 1982 NHL Entry Draft.

Gary Nylund appeared to be the complete package on defence when he joined the NHL in 1982. The 6'4" hulk was a punishing hitter whose mobility and passing ability far exceeded most big men in the game. A knee injury suffered as a rookie curtailed his development and he ended up being a solid role player in eleven NHL seasons rather than a star.

 After some years as a volunteer firefighter in British Columbia after his retirement from hockey, Nylund became a professional firefighter. He was involved in a major July 31, 2001, fire at a paper products warehouse on Annacis Island, in which he went back into a building burning to rescue two of his trapped colleagues, who were buried under some of the warehouse's cardboard boxes. In June 2003, Nylund and two other firefighters received British Columbia's prestigious Medal of Bravery for their efforts in the warehouse rescue

CAREER NHL STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1983-1993 Toronto, Chicago, NYI 608 32 139 171 1,235

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1986-1990 Toronto, Chicago, NYI 24 0 6 6 63

Received these black sharpie signed cards IP. NHL SloPitch Tourney in Niagara Falls.

Oct 27--Brian MacLellan

Brian MacLellan

MacLellan signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Kings in 1982.

MacLellan, who won a Stanley Cup with the Calgary Flames in 1989, had a 10-year NHL career in which he skated for the Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers, Minnesota North Stars, Flames and Detroit Red Wings. A forward who played 606 NHL games, MacLellan recorded 172 goals, 241 assists and 413 points. MacLellan also won a silver medal with Team Canada at the 1985 World Championship in Prague.

Brian MacLellan enters his seventh season with the Washington Capitals and second as the team’s assistant general manager, player personnel. MacLellan, who served as a pro scout for the Capitals from 2000-03 and then was promoted to director of player personnel, assists and advises vice president and general manager George McPhee in all player-related matters. MacLellan also oversees the club’s professional scouting staff and works closely with the team’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Hershey Bears, who won the Calder Cup in 2006.

Received these black sharpie autos IP. Niagara Falls NHL SloPitch tourney.

Oct 26--12 Players/Pack rip??

Getting near the end of the month. Hopefully I have autographed material to stay around 75% for October. 5 more days. 

 Without further adieu, this will not be a pack rip. Or a tin opening. Will just be viewing a

88/89 OPC rack pack

A 264 card set with Nieuwendyk, Shanahan and Hull rookie cards.

OPC minis 46 card set

I don't remember where I picked this up at-I believe it was at Zellers department store. I can remember they had these prepacks with like 20 cards for $4.00 or something to that effect. Those I can see plainly as they all had a 81/82 Dennis Savard Topps RC showing. Didn't buy any so I think I bought this instead. Don't even remember what year. The gum is not stuck to the card and moves freely. Bonus. Craig Simpson OPC mini. Regular cards showing are Jari Kurri, Scott Arniel, Ulf Dahlen,

Ron Sutter, Borje Salming and Brian Hayward.

Since I already have a couple of sets, don't need any more singles lying around. I'll just keep this puppy in its custom made cello wrap display.

Would you open or not.

Oct 25--Wendel Clark

Wendel Clark



Selected by Toronto Maple Leafs round 1 #1 overall 1985 NHL Entry Draft.


He helped Canada’s national team take the gold medal at the 1985 World Junior Hockey Championships.
If there was a list of the most popular Toronto Maple Leaf players of all-time, one could be certain that the name Wendel Clark would be right near the top. The former Maple Leafs' captain was idolized by thousands of hockey fans, and held a status, which was nothing short of legendary during more than a decade of service with the blue and white.
Clark is now employed by the Toronto Maple Leafs Hockey Club as a community ambassador and public relations. He can be seen at virtually all Leaf home games, usually with his wife Denise and children. The Toronto Maple Leafs honoured the former captain by raising his legendary number 17 to the rafters on November 22, 2008, at the Air Canada Centre. He owns two restaurants, Wendel Clark's Classic Grill and Sports Lounge, in both Oakville, Ontario and Vaughan, Ontario, and resides in King City


Link to Wendels official site.
http://www.wendelclark.ca/

CAREER NHL STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1985-2000 Toronto, Quebec, NYI, T.B., Detroit, Chicago 793 330 234 564 1,690

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1986-2000 Toronto, Que., Detroit 95 37 32 69 201

Received this black marker signed card IP. This was at Don Koharski's business and he grought Wendel in as a signer. He was there in his cowboy boots, coat and maroon shirt.



Oct 24--Jim Peplinski

Jim Peplinski




Selected by Atlanta Flames round 4 #75 overall 1979 NHL Entry Draft.

 Peplinski was a standout who was drafted by the Atlanta Flames in 1979.

By the time he joined the club, they had already transformed themselves into the Calgary Flames thus making Peplinski an original team member. Over his nine seasons with the club, he established himself as a solid and consistent performer who missed only 21 games during that time, five of which were lost so that he could play in the Calgary Olympics in 1988. During most of his career as a Flame, he was a team leader, skating alongside his co-captain and linemate, Lanny McDonald. Together, they lead the Flames through the great battles of Alberta that were waged against their provincial rival, the Edmonton Oilers.

The sad irony of Peplinski's career is that when the Flames finally won the Stanley Cup in 1989, he was scratched from the club's lineup for the final game. It was one of the toughest decisions ever made by coach Terry Crisp who was choked up at the thought of denying his team captain the final stroke of his long journey to the top.

Peplinski came back for six more games the following season before retiring to the broadcast booth where he established himself as an articulate colour analyst for the CBC. Five years later, however, at age 34, he inexplicably attempted an ill-fated comeback with the Flames that lasted only six games.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1980-1995 Calgary 711 161 263 424 1,467

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1981-1989 Calgary 99 15 31 46 382

Jim Peplinski, Automobile-Leasing King: Peplinski founded and managed Jim Peplinski's Leasemaster National, an automobile-leasing business in Calgary after his first retirement, and he continued to run the company during his brief NHL comeback and after his second retirement. The company was a spin-off of the older Leasemaster company in Calgary, which Peplinski purchased after leaving the NHL in late 1989. Under Peplinski's leadership, Leasemaster expanded to have offices in Edmonton and Toronto, and it became one of the most successful privately-owned car leasing companies in Canada

Received these black sharpie signed cards TTM.

He also signed my mid 80's CIC (or my attempt at one)

Oct 23--9 Players

9 players -NOTHING

This time from the vault, lets look at

97/98 Donruss Priority

HOBBY EXCLUSIVE

Each pack contains 5 cards plus one postcard.

220 card base set with the odd numbers being SP. The packs with the stamps contained the odd numbers and the packs with the postcards the even numbers.

Inserts

Odds are 1:4 packs

Stamp of Approval (220)  #'ed to 100

Direct Deposit (30) #'ed to 3000

Postmaster Generals (20) #'ed to 1500

Stamps (36) Bronze, silver and gold versions

Postcards (36) same players as featured on the stamps

Opening Day Issue (30) #'ed to 1000

Okay,  let's start with the wrapper.

Foil wrapper with Eric Lindros on front.

Back with stated odds for inserts.

Front of cards have colour photo, team name, players name and number along with Donruss Priority stamp in silver foil. Subset 1st class package looks like brown wrapped package addressed to player in care of their team.

# 42 Kevin Stevens

# 96 Stephane Fiset

# 140 Joe Nieuwendyk

# 200 Sergei Samsonov

# 210 Saku Koivu

Backs have  colour photo,card number, player name and number, career stats and brief bio. Subset has brief bio and colour photo with team name.



Received this Wayne Gretzky postcard.

Back of postcard. Card has four diagonal cuts where you would insert the matching stamp.

Another 90's set where the card companies were trying any idea to produce another set of cards.







Oct 22--Scott Lachance

Scott Lachance

Selected by New York Islanders round 1 #4 overall 1991 NHL Entry Draft

If you selected  a defenseman who played over 800 NHL games with the 4th overall draft pick, you should be happy right?

Well, sort of. After watching Eric Lindros, Pat Falloon and Scott Niedermayer go 1-2-3, the New York Islanders selected Scott Lachance 4th overall. In doing so they passed over Peter Forsberg, Markus Naslund, and Brian Rolston.

Lachance went on to play 819 career games, the bulk of that with the Islanders. So while we can not say he was a draft bust, we can say he never really emerged as an elite defender. Expectations were high after strong showings in back to back world junior tournaments and at the 1992 Olympics. But in the NHL the Charlottesville, Virginia native was a depth defender, albeit an underrated one.

Lachance's finesse game relied on his smarts. He made safe clearing passes and, as he matured as a NHLer, strong first passes even when under pressure. He hardly ever attempted much more than a shot from the point. He lacked the skating quickness to ever standout in the NHL, though he had strong balance on his skates which helped in battles with forwards.

Physically Lachance's game was very understated. He did not appear to be big, but he was solidly built and effective in his takeouts. He was effective but never devastating, although he seemed prone to lapses where an attacker would blow right by him. Still, he was a regular penalty killer and a good shot blocker.

Lachance also played with Montreal, Vancouver and Columbus. In 819 career games he scored 31 goals and 112 assists for 143 points.

Received these blue sharpie signed cards IP. This was in Hamilton when they played Montreak in one of those neutral site games the NHL played in the 90's.

Oct 21--11 Players

Nothing today so another pack rip. Nothing too hard this time. Lets do

 

95/96 Fleer Skybox Emotion

 

8 cards per pack. 200 card base set.

Insert ratio

X-cited 1:3 packs

generation N-ext 1:10 packs

N-tense Power 1:30 packs

X-cel 1:72 packs

 

Spokeperson JR.

 

Back of box with gold SEAL OF AUTHENTICITY

Foil pack

Front of cards has  gold foil Skybox logo, players last name and brand Emotion. Silver foil has the emotion over full bleed large player photo.

Backs has two player photos, 94/95 and NHL total stats, number, little writeup and players full name in gold lettering. Prety busy looking.

And now for some EMOTION.

# 17 Brian Holzinger--Front and back. When I think FLUID, I think Holzinger. Not. I think of something liquidy and refreshing.

# 22 Phil Housley--PURSUIT, maybe trivial.

# 63 Igor Somebody--Is CONFUSED an emotion? It says CRUCIAL here but what is crucial is What the heck is his name. Front says Kravtchouk. Back says Kravtchouh. I always thought it was Kravchuk.

# 99 Randy McKay--POSSESSED

under the influence of a powerful force, such as a spirit or strong emotion

Yeah, thats him.

# 133 Eric Lindros--PRESSURE

This was 5 years before his collapsed lung. And what if he flown with the team at the air pressure. HMM

# 162--Brian Bradley--CRUISIN'--Gee, don't know if I'd want to be classed as a FLOATER

# 186 Jim Carey--SMOKIN'

Oops, heres the right image.



# 193 Nikoli Khabibulin--READY





Ready to have his picture taken--and not for a hockey card either.

I wonder if all 200 cards are different. Thats a lot of emotion there. There was also a Jeremy Roenick Exchange Card (comes in packs). Also an offer to receive an exclusive Skybox Emotion NHL Skymotion card featuring Jeremy Roenick--The unique card featured three seconds of actual game footage of JR scoring a goal. The offer for this card expired on June 30, 1996.Send 3 Skybox Emotion NHL trading card pack UPC codes and $25.00. Offer valid until June 30 1996 or while supplies last. Now from that wording, I assume that if there are any still available, the offer is still valid. It's a moot point anyway as I've got 3 UPC codes but not the $25.00.

Well, my pretties, thats it for todays rip.

Oct 20--Guy Chouinard

Guy Chouinard



Selected by Atlanta Flames round 2 #28 overall 1974 NHL Amateur Draft.


At the age of 18, with two years of junior eligibility left, Chouinard played his first five games in the NHL with the Flames but was held off the scoresheet. Rather than return to the Remparts, Chouinard was sent to the Omaha Knights of the CHL where it was felt he would face stiffer competition which would aid in the development of his skills. In 70 games, he scored 28 goals and 68 points.
Chouinard finally got his chance to play in the NHL on a full-time basis in 1976-77, playing 80 games and scoring 17 goals and 50 points. He improved to 28 goals and 58 points the next year but it was the 1978-79 season when he had the year of his life, scoring 50 goals and 57 assists for 107 points. That excellent year was followed by a pair of 31-goal seasons, the second of which came in Calgary, after the club had re-located there for the 1980-81 season.
Chouinard remained with the Flames through the 1982-83 season, but despite being only 26, his best years were already behind him. In 80 games that year, he did scored 72 points but just 13 goals. He finished his NHL career a year later, playing with the St. Louis Blues. After returning for the first nine games of the 1984-85 season in the IHL with Peoria, Chouinard opted to hang up the skates, his heart no longer in the competitive game.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1975-1984 Atlanta/Calgary, St. Louis 578 205 370 575 120

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1976-1984 Atlanta/Calgary, St. Louis 46 9 28 37 12

Received these blue ink signed cards. I don't remember if IP or TTM.



Oct 19--15 Players

For all you new readers, since March I have been posting an autograph of a player who is celebrating their birthday on said day. However, today I have nothing for any of the 15 players who share today as their birthdate.

 So...

Welcome to another installment of ripping a pack...or in this case a can.

This is an unopened can of 97/98 Pinnacle Inside............This is the first time they ever put cards in a can.........Comes with 10 cards in can..................Who could be in there? .......Open it up or just save it the way it is........Time to open it up.

But wait. What's this warning on the lid.

Open with adult supervision. Hmm ...My dog Brodie is here and will stand in as the adult.



Nope, not mine. The cards have been freed with no injuries.



Pavel Bure tin



190 card set. Inserts are

Coaches Collection-90 cards-1:7

Executive Collection-90 cards-1:57

Stoppers-24 cards-1:7

Inside Track-30 cards-1:19

Certified Souvenir-1 card-1:64,800

Cellophane pack of ten cards. Doesn't appear to be any inserts. No special markings or anything.

Front-Colour photo, b &w photo, Pinnacle Inside logo and last name in silver foil, position and tean name

Back-Another colour photo, position, team , position and number, personal stats and brief facts

#30 Sean Burke-Carolina Hurricanes-was 10-1 in first 11 NHL decisions

#33 Danius Zubrus-Philadelphia Flyers-likes North American food

#56 Jose Theodore-Montreal Canadiens-plays guitar

# 59 Jeremy Roenick-Phoenix Coyotes-nickname JR

# 74 Ed Belfour-collects muscle cars

# 112 Mark Recchi-Montreal Canadiens-nickname Reg

# 144 Vitaly Yachmenev-Los Angeles Kings-loves Italian food

# 164 Cory Stillman-Calgary Flames-164 points in 142 minor league games

# 172 Mike Knuble-Offical Pinnacle Rookie Card

# 188 Steve Rucchin-Mighty Ducks of Anaheim-dream car Ferrari

I could also have entered sweepstakes to win one of ten NHL game used pucks from the 97/98 season.

I could also order a can holder to show off all 24 cans.

Nothing to exciting here. I have a few more cans, even one with the gold top.  

At least the Leafs came back to win in a shootout tonight. Hopefully I can finish off the month shwoing some more autographed stuff.