Randomness

Well, now the Leafs are officially eliminated and can get ready for next season. With Jussi Rynnas replacing Gustavsson in tonights game, the Leafs already had Ben Scrivens play his first game this year and Reimer's first game was last season. So much for Burkie's plan of building from the goal out. And truculence. Let's start again. He did get Lupul and Gardiner though.

Rynnas also becomes the fifth player to wear number 40 for the Leafs, joining Kelly Fairchild, Ken McRae, Marc Moro and Tie Domi.

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The Norfolk County Sports Hall of Recognition are adding four new members.

Jim Adams Sr., Rita Kalmbach, John “Jake” Ireland and Ryan VandenBussche will be inducted at the next recognition dinner, slated for July 2013.

In ‘92, he was drafted by the Leafs,  went on to play with the Rangers, Blackhawks and Pens. After a successful career in the NHL, Ryan continues to strive to be the best at what he does. Now a real estate agent, he has made many connections through his travels and is always promoting Norfolk County. (Norfolk County! Norfolk County! Norfolk County!) Of course, Ryan’s love for his hometown brought him back to raise his own family there. Today he participates in a lot of charity work in his community and across the globe, while he enjoys playing hockey, golfing, and boating with his family.

TeamVandenBussche.com

Now I thought when I first read this it was this July. Now I have more than a year to wait to try getting his auto IP. Or I could try writing to his office.

And for you fellow hockey players or parents of players, check put this site

http://www.integralhockey.com/

If you're tired of shelling out BIG $$$$$ for composite sticks, here's an alternative.

Bye for now

March 22

  I started my little "What autographed item do I have for someone celebrating their birthday? I didn't know how successful I would be but here is the final tally for the year.

January--26/32

February--24/29

March--29/31

April--22/30

May--24/31

June--24/30

July--25/31

August--23/31

September--23/30

October--22/31

November--23/30

December--24/31

289/366 or 79%.

Some people try to collect autographs of 500 goal scorers or HOF'ers. I never intended to have this collection but I think I'll try to finish it off. Only 77 to go.

Dave H over at
http://waxstainrookie.blogspot.ca/

was wondering about my unpleasant autograph experience with Mr.Orr. This was back around 5 years ago.

In partnership with Hockey Canada, the Chevrolet Safe & Fun Hockey program was developed for parents, minor league players and coaches that's designed to help today's hockey enthusiasts develop a positive attitude towards healthy competition, co-operative teamwork, fair play and grace under pressure.
Three of hockey's greatest ambassadors - Bobby Orr, Mike Bossy and Cassie Campbell are the faces of the program. There would be  a contest where 100 kids would be chosen to participate. I had read where it was taking place and brought some items to be autographed.
See my Jan 22 post on my Bossy experience. (4 cards signed) Got Cassie on two cards. Since I didn't have any cards of Bobby I wanted signed, I brought a pair of game used Bobby Orr Rally shoulder pads. (game used----by me). They were to start at 1:00. He started coming out of the dressing room at 12:59. "Sorry, can't sign. Gotta be on the ice." Even though he was signing as he came out for one of the newspapers sportswriters, his son and his son's friend. I was the only one still there and  that's what I got. The only time I get to "meet" him and that was the result. Bossy signed, Campbell was good looking and I've already forgotten the other fellows name.

On a happier note (for a Leaf fan anyway)

Bell Centre memorabilia owner charged with fraud

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/03/01/bell-centre-memorabilia-owner-charged-with-fraud

Hello Harold.

March 21--Jim Kyte

Jim Kyte

Selected by Winnipeg Jets round 1 #12 overall 1982 NHL Entry Draft.

Kyte was an inspiration to deaf and hearing-impaired hockey players throughout his pro career, because he was the NHL's only player who wore hearing aids during games and the first legally deaf player to play in the NHL. To protect his hearing aids, Kyte wore a helmet that had special flaps covering the center of his ears. Born with a hereditary hearing deficiency that caused degeneration of his audio nerve, Kyte began slowly losing his hearing as a 3-year-old. Throughout his career Kyte was very active in charitable causes involving hearing impairment. He learned sign language even though it wasn't necessary for him to communicate, and during off-seasons in his early NHL career, he worked with deaf and hearing-impaired children at a special camp run by Stan Mikita in Chicago. He also ran his own summer hockey school for deaf and hearing-impaired kids in Toronto. He eventually opened the Jim Kyte Hockey School for the Hearing Impaired in Ottawa, a business which he continued to run after his retirement.

 Forced to retire in summer of 1998 due to a concussion suffered in a 1997 off-season automobile accident. He was unable to play during the 1997-98 season and chose not to keep pursuing comeback. He continued to suffer post-concussion syndrome for many years after his retirement.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1982-1996 WIN, PIT, CGY, OTT, SJ 598 17 49 66 1,342 CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1984-1995 Winnipeg, Calgary, S.J. 42 0 6 6 94

Received this blue ink signed card TTM.

March 20--Bobby Orr

Bobby Orr

The Boston Bruins went to unusual lengths to land the small prospect. Players as young as 14 could be put on a 4-name future negotiation list.  When Orr was 14, Boston made arrangements for him to play with the Oshawa Generals in the metro Junior A League.

Orr won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in 1967. He would end up winning the Norris Trophy as best defenseman for 8 consecutive years. In 1970 he became the first player in history to win down four individual trophies in one season. He won the Norris, Art Ross (Top scorer), Hart (MVP) and Conn Smythe (MVP in playoffs). He ended up with 3 Harts and 2 Smythe Trophies, as well as two Stanley Cup rings.

Orr finished his career with 270 goals and 915 points in 657 games.  He remains as the only defenseman to lead the NHL in scoring. He held 12 individual records at the time of his retirement. He was voted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.

Not much to say that has already been said.

Somehow, I pulled from packs of 95/96 Parkhurst SR5 Super Rookie and its companion, the autographed version. Couldn't get one IP even though at the time I was the only one there. That was the only time I had the opportunity and it was not pleasant. Anyhoo, Happy Birthday Number Four.

March 19--Lyle Moffat

Lyle Moffat

Signed a free-agent contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1971.

He played a total of 23 games with the Maple Leafs over those four years.

In 1975 signed with the Winnipeg Jets of the WHA playing with the club for four years before the Jets and three other teams from the league merged with the NHL for the 1979-80 season. Moffat remained on the Jets roster and in his one complete season in the NHL scored ten goals and 19 points in 74 games. He played one more year of professional hockey in 1980-81 with the Tulsa Oilers before retiring.

Received these blue ink signed cards TTM.

March 18--Bob Nevin

Bob Nevin

He entered the Toronto Maple Leafs' sphere of influence with the Shopsy's peewee team and was eventually a junior standout with the OHA's Marlboros.

Nevin's childhood dream of playing for the Leafs came true at the conclusion of the 1957-58 season when he was called up for a 4 game stint. However the next two seasons Nevin would spend apprenticing in the minor leagues with AHL Rochester.
In February 1964 he was part of the package assembled to acquire star forward Andy Bathgate from the New York Rangers.

Nevin played over seven years in New York and topped the 20-goal mark five times. He helped the Blueshirts become one of the top outfits in the NHL and registered 107 points in 1970-71. A respected leader on the ice and in the dressing room, Nevin began a six-year run as team captain in 1965-66. His finest season for New York came in 1968-69 when he scored 31 goals playing on a line with Dave Balon and Walt Tkaczuk.

In May 1971, Nevin was sent to the Minnesota North Stars for Bobby Rousseau and provided leadership and sound two-way play for his new club. On June 13, 1973, he was claimed by the Los Angeles Kings in the Reverse Draft and hit the 20-goal mark for the first time in three years. The next year he registered a personal best 72 points as the Kings set a franchise record with 105 points. Nevin scored 55 points the next season before jumping to the WHA. After playing thirteen games for the Edmonton Oilers in 1976-77, the classy veteran retired after breaking his collarbone.

In 1128 NHL games, the 4 time all star game representative scored 307 goals, 419 assists for 726 PIM. He added 16 goals and 34 points in 84 career playoff games.

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

March 17--Craig Ramsay

St. Patricks Day and my middle daughters birthday. She was kind of the genesis for my autographed birthday card of  the day last year. Coming to an end soon.


Craig Ramsay

Selected by Buffalo Sabres round 2 #19 overall 1971 NHL Amateur Draft.

Once "Rammer" caught on full-time with the Buffalo Sabres in 1972-73, he played ten-straight seasons with perfect attendance. During that time he became one of the league's premiere defensive forwards. Ramsay didn't have a great amount of natural ability. He wasn't very fast and wasn't a great stickhandler or shooter by NHL standards. But he was a smart player who worked hard. He was an intense competitor who did a lot of hard work that went unnoticed by the average fan but to his teammates he was invaluable. Craig showed up night after night shutting down the opposition. You didn't see Ramsay make many mistakes
For his fine defensive play Craig was awarded with the Selke Trophy in 1985. He also finished as the runner-up for the Selke Trophy on three other occasions. He was also selected to play in the 1976 All-Star game.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1971-1985 Buffalo 1,070 252 420 672 201

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1973-1985 Buffalo 89 17 31 48 27

Received these blue sharpie and one red ink signed cards IP at the NHLSloPitch tourney.
And you just have to love those sideburns.

March 16--Al MacAdam

Al MacAdam

Selected by Philadelphia Flyers round 4 #55 overall 1972 NHL Amateur Draft.

Al MacAdam was the pride of the province from the mid-'70s to the mid-'80s, and perhaps the greatest Prince Edward Islander of all time. Affectionately known by teammates as "Big Al" or "Mac," he was an extremely talented skater and two-way player who could always be counted upon to show up to every game and to produce solid numbers for his teams .

In 1973-74, while playing with the Flyers' AHL affiliate, the Richmond Robins, MacAdam was elevated to the parent club and got into five regular season games and one playoff game as the Flyers marched to their first Stanley Cup. Although Al MacAdam's name is not engraved on the Cup, he did receive a Stanley Cup ring for contributing to the Flyers' ultimate victory. It was his only Stanley Cup, but MacAdam seldom takes the ring out of the jeweler's box, feeling he really didn't contribute enough to the Flyers' Stanley Cup victory to wear it.

MacAdam's career took him from Philadelphia to the California Golden Seals, to the Cleveland Barons (where he and a teammate initiated a strike threat after not being paid by the bankrupt management), to the Minnesota North Stars and finally, ending in Vancouver with the Canucks. In 1977 and 1979, he represented Canada at the World Championships.

MacAdam's most productive season was 1979-80 when he scored 42 goals and 51 assists for Minnesota. During the playoffs that season, MacAdam had two series winning goals. One knocked the Leafs out of the first round, while the second eliminated the Canadiens from round two. That season, Al MacAdam was awarded the Masterton Trophy, emblematic of perseverance through the course of the season.

 

Received these blue ink signed cards TTM. He also included his business card. This was a 13/13 success. Could this happen today?

March 15--Stewart Gavin

Stewart Gavin

Selected by Toronto Maple Leafs round 4 #74 overall 1980 NHL Entry Draft.

After a brief tryout, the Leafs dispatched him to the New Brunswick Hawks of the AHL to refine his game.

Over the next two campaigns, Gavin picked up an increasing number of games with the Leafs. But it wasn't until 1983-84 that he became an NHL regular. At that time, he became the Blue and White's designated checker and penalty killer. But the team was stuck on a losing track year in and year out. In 1985, the team sought to bolster its defensive corps by surrendering Gavin to the Hartford Whalers in exchange for blueliner Chris Kotsopoulos.

As a Whalers, Gavin attained his best overall results. He continued to excel at his defensive game while lifting his offensive numbers to a personal best 55 points in 76 contests during his first season with the club. But in 1988, he was claimed on waivers by the Minnesota North Stars. There he continued to perform as a defensive forward until he blew out his knee in 1993. On the advice of his doctors, he retired for a season to work as a scout, but discovered that his knee was responding better than anticipated.

In 1994-95, he staged a comeback with the Toronto Maple Leafs that led him only as high as a minor-league stint with Kansas City and Minnesota before he packed it in for good in 1996.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1980-1993 Toronto, Hartford, Minn. 768 130 155 285 584

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1983-1992 Toronto, Hartford, Minn. 66 14 20 34 75

Received these black sharpie signed cards TTM.





Also included the Junior Whalers team issued card.

The blue sharpie signed Leafs alumni card received IP. This was about 5 years ago. I was working in downtown Toronto and took the GO train out of Union Station. Apparently before some Leaf home games, they has a Leaf alumnus signing outside the ACC. I happened to be walking by, saw the opportunity gto get an autograph and jumped on it. Never saw or heard of another  chance and I'm not working downtown anymore.



March 14-Nedomansky update plus

Update on Vaclav Nedomansky from last year's birthday post.  Signed business card that he sent along with my signed cards.

The Toronto Star newspaper held a contest of sorts to design a jersey for the Leafs’ Winter Classic game against Detroit on Jan. 1, 2013. Read about and see the submissions below.

http://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/article/1144871--toronto-maple-leafs-third-jersey-here-are-star-readers-winning-designs

Nazem Kadri helped pick the best idea for a Maple Leaf uniform for the 2013 Winter Classic against Detroit, as submitted by readers

They also are having a poll.

Vote for the best Leafs goalie of all-time


Who is the best Maple Leaf goalie of all time?
These two Leafs giants were almost predestined for this final battle. No. 1 Turk Broda vs. No. 2 Johnny Bower, the two winningest and most storied backstoppers in Leafs history. Who's the best? You decide.
Here's how we arrived here.
FIRST ROUND
No. 1 Turk Broda 76% over No. 16 Terry Sawchuk 24% | No. 2 Johnny Bower 92% over No. 15 Jacques Plante 8%
No. 3 Felix Potvin 97% over No. 14 Ken Wregget 3% | No. 4 Curtis Joseph 86% over No. 13 Al Rollins 14%
No. 5 Mike Palmateer 74% over No. 12 Ed Chadwick 26% | No. 6 Harry Lumley 59% over No. 11 Allan Bester 41%
No. 7 Lorne Chabot 74% over No. 10 George Hainsworth 26% | No. 8 Ed Belfour 73% over No. 9 Bruce Gamble 27%
QUARTER-FINALS
No. 1 Broda 81 % over No. 8 Belfour 19 % | No. 2 Bower 90 % over No. 7 Chabot 10 %
No. 3 Potvin 66% over No. 6 Lumley 33% | No. 4 Joseph 65 % over No. 5 Palmateer 35 %
SEMIFINALS
No. 1 Broda 60 % over No. 4 Joseph 40 % | No. 2 Bower 79 % over No. 3 Potvin 21 %

Today's poll:

#1 Turk Broda vs. #2 Johnny Bower

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When you register in The Canadian Tire Hockey School, you can design your own hockey card.  Here's what mine looks like.

http://www.canadiantirehockeyschool.ca/

 

 

 

March 13--Petri Skriko

Petri Skriko

Selected by Vancouver Canucks round 8 #157 overall 1981 NHL Entry Draft.

Nicknamed "The Streak" because of his streaky scoring exploits, Skriko was a consistent 30 goal threat in the NHL. Though most of his goals came in bunches followed by long dry spells, Skriko scored 38, 33, 30 and 30 goals in 4 years with the Vancouver Canucks. When he wasn't scoring in bunches, he was, to put it bluntly, below average. A suspect defensive player with little muscle to work the boards, Skriko accomplished little when he wasn't scoring.
Petri quickly dropped off the NHL scene once he left Vancouver. His short stint in Boston was followed by brief appearances in Winnipeg and San Jose. Ultimately, he returned home to Finland, where he represented the country once again at the 1992 Olympics and in the Finnish Elite League.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1984-1992 VAN, BOS, WIN, SJ 541 183 222 405 246

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1986-1991 Vancouver, Boston 28 5 9 14 4

Received  these blue ink signed cards TTM. He also included two cards from team set.

March 12--One year later

So it was one year ago that I posted my first birthday post. I had blogged infrequently before this but had an idea, To see if I had any autographs of a player celebrating their birthdate. I didn't actually start a daily post until March 22 but this was the day the idea was born. I'll give the monthly and yearly totals in a few days. Now I'll have to find something else to blog about. I'll show some autographed stuff that didn't make the cut. I'll show some other things I've  picked up along the way. I'll tell some stories, give my opinions and who knows, I might come up with some other project.

Looking back at that post, I did not add any autographed cards. Here they are.

Received these blue ink signed cards TTM.

Also included this tag that I guess hung off his furniture that he sold.

March 11--Ken Baumgartner

Ken Baumgartner

 

Selected by Buffalo Sabres round 12 #245 overall 1985 NHL Entry Draft.

Ken Baumgartner was told he wasn’t good enough to play hockey at the junior level, let alone in the NHL. That only inspired "Bomber" to prove the "experts" wrong.

Bomber was never confused with the more skilled players on any team he played on, even before he made it to the junior level.
A defenseman until he reached the NHL, Baumgartner had little tangible skill according to scouts. His skating was horrendous, despite hard work to improve it. Below average speed and mobility made it easy for better skaters to burn the large blueliner. He had a poor shot, always rushing his release which resulted in an easy save or a wide shot. Although Ken was good at reading the oncoming attack, his lack of patience hindered him. He quickly would lose his composure and positioning as he wanted to flatten the puck carrier. That of course resulted in a big hit by Baumgartner, but usually not before the forward dished the puck off to a wide open teammate resulting in a great scoring chance against his team. He was a punishing hitter, although it took him a long time to learn how to be an effective hitter. He was also a willing fighter, often initiating fisticuffs. Make no mistake about it, fighting is the reason Bomber made it to the NHL, and the reason he stuck around so long.
The odds were against Ken Baumgartner ever making the NHL. There were far more talented players through out history who were not good enough to stick in the league. But the desire to succeed, the willingness to sacrifice, and the heart and effort that Ken showed earned him a lengthy NHL career.

NHL Totals were   696   GP, 13  G, 41 A,   54 TP  2242 PIM

Received this blue sharpie signed card IP at Leaf training camp in Hamilton.

March 10--Mike Bullard

Mike Bullard

 

Selected by Pittsburgh Penguins round 1 #9 overall 1980 NHL Entry Draft

Bullard made his NHL debut with the Pens at the end of the 1980-81 season. His return the following year marked the start of a very solid five plus seasons in Pittsburgh highlighted by exceeding the 30-goal plateau three times, including a career-high 51 markers in 1983-84.

Bullard was traded to the Calgary Flames midway through the 1986-87 season. The following year, he put up the best numbers of his career, 108 points in one season. But the Flames saw a chance to pry Doug Gilmour away from the Blues, so they used Bullard as collateral.

But he lasted only 20 games in St. Louis before being dispatched to the Flyers where he continued to put up solid numbers. In 1990, however, he decided to try his hand at playing hockey in Switzerland. He liked the experience although the NHL always remained his top priority. So when an opening surfaced with the Leafs, he was quick to traverse the Atlantic for one final season in the big leagues.

After a flat campaign in Toronto, though, Bullard left the NHL for good to pursue a lengthy career in Switzerland and Germany

Mike Bullard was named Coach of the Year (11/12) after leading the Brantford Golden Eagles to a first-place finish during the regular season in the Greater Ontario Junior 'B' Hockey League.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1980-1992 PIT, CGY, STL, PHI, TOR 727 329 345 674 703

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1981-1989 Pittsburgh, Calgary, Phila. 40 11 18 29 44

Received these blue ink signed cards TTM.

Also included this blue ink signed postcard.

March 9--Phil Housley

Phil Housley

Selected by Buffalo Sabres round 1 #6 overall 1982 NHL Entry Draft.

That year, he made his NHL debut on October 6 against the Quebec Nordiques.He played for the Buffalo Sabres, Winnipeg Jets, St. Louis Blues, Calgary Flames, New Jersey Devils, Washington Capitals, Chicago Blackhawks, and Toronto Maple Leafs.
Olympics: 2002 (silver medal)
Canada Cup: 1984 (fourth place), 1987 (fifth place)
World Cup of Hockey: 1996 (first place)
World Championships: 1986 (sixth place), 1989 (sixth place), 2000 (5-8 place), 2001 (fourth place), 2003 (13th place)

Housley is the second leading scorer amongst U.S.-born players, with 1,232 points (338–894).

Housley was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004 and on February 7, 2007, he was inducted into the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1982-2003 BUF, WIN, STL, CGY, NJ, WAS, CHI, TOR 1,495 338 894 1,232 822

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1983-2003 Buff., Winnipeg, STL, Calg., Wash., Chi., Tor. 85 13 43 56 36

Received these blue ink and black sharpie signed cards IP at NHL SloPitch tourney



March 8--Tracy Pratt

Tracy Pratt

Born in New York City where his father, Hall of Famer Babe Pratt, had played with the Rangers.

Pratt finally made it the NHL when the Oakland Seals selected him in the Expansion Draft of 1967. He lasted for only 34 games before dropping down to the minors again until the Pittsburgh Penguins gave him his first full-time NHL stint in 1969-70. His stay with the Pens was short, however, as the Buffalo Sabres claimed him during the Expansion Draft of 1970.

In 1973, he hit the road again, this time to Vancouver where he tended to the Canucks' blueline until he was sentenced to join the struggling Colorado Rockies in 1976-77. But as was so often the case for Pratt, he was judged to be expendable and, as such, was passed on to Toronto where he retired in 1977 after playing only 15 games.

Received these blue ink signed cards TTM.

March 7--Terry Carkner

Terry Carkner

Selected by New York Rangers round 1 #14 overall 1984 NHL Entry Draft.

Carkner managed to stay in the NHL for more than a decade though defensive ability and toughness.

He played 1986-87 on Broadway. That turned out to be his only season there, for he was traded to Quebec in September 1987. In Quebec, though, the pattern repeated itself, and a year later he was sent to Philadelphia where he stayed for five years.

As a member of the Flyers, Carkner established himself as one of the fearless and toughest players on a team loaded with size. His career year offensively came in 1988-89 when he scored eleven goals and helped the team reach the semi-finals. In 1993, he was traded again, to Detroit for Yves Racine and a 4th-round draft choice, and after two years with the Winged Wheel he was given his outright release.

Free to do as he wished, Carkner signed with Florida where he played the final four years of his career, helping the miracle Panthers reach the 1996 Stanley Cup finals before losing to Colorado.

Carkner has played for Canada at both the World Juniors (a silver medal in 1986) and World Championships (fourth place in 1993). He retired in 1999.

CAREER NHL STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1986-1999 N.Y. Rangers, Quebec, Phila., Detroit, Florida 858 42 188 230 1,588

CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS Years Teams GP G A TP PIM 1987-1997 NYR, PHI, DET, FLO 54 1 9 10 48

Received this black marker signed postcard TTM.

March 6--22 players

No autos to share for any of the 22 players with today as their birthdate.

 

Leafs recall Jay Rosehill to ‘defend teammates if that’s called upon’

With Mike Brown having a reaction to stiches in his hand, that might open the door for Rosehill to play against the Bruins tonight.

I say Rosehill vs Shawn Thornton about 4 minutes into the game.

 

Bruins Sign Goaltender Marty Turco

Turco will be placed on waivers and if he clears waivers, he will join the Bruins on Wednesday, March 7. Please also note that if he does clear waivers, he will not be eligible to play in the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs as he is joining the club after the Trade Deadline. And what if Rask isn't ready for the playoffs. Just wondering.





And as Trish Stratus says "Go Leafs Go"