Big Week

Frank Udvari, Paul Baxter and Mike Keenan

Hall of Famer Frank Udvari's only autograph card.  The market for this card faded quickly, I remember one going for almost $40 and I picked this one up for only a couple bucks.  Going into my "oddball" binder, Udvari was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1973.  Paul Baxter's first and only autograph is from a set I really like.  Panini did a great job on these cards.  Baxter had 409 penalty minutes during the 81/82 NHL season, second most all time in one year. Mike Keenan, he only has a couple autographs and they aren't easy to find so I was extremely happy to get this for a bargain price.  He was head coach of the 1994 Stanley Cup winning New York Rangers.

Dennis Hextall, Frederick Cassivi, Matt Carkner and Kevin Dallman

A member of one of hockey's most famous families Dennis Hextall scored 503 points in only 681 games between the Rangers, Kings, Seals, North Stars, Red Wings and Capitals.  Cassivi played 13 NHL games between Atlanta and Washington.  Carkner's career is a great story because he took the long, unconventional route to the NHL, playing many years of pro hockey before earning an NHL spot.  Kevin Dallman is a current KHL star who has played for the Bruins, Blues and Kings.

Jim Dowd, Sergei Kostitsyn, Scott Thornton and Guillaume Latendresse.  

Jim Dowd made his NHL debut for the 91/92 New Jersey Devils and won a Stanley Cup with the team in 1995.  He went on to play 700+ NHL games for the Canucks, Flames, Islanders, Oilers, Wild, Canadiens, Avalance and Flyers.  Kostitsyn began his career with the Habs but blossomed into an NHL threat with the Nashville Predators.  If you include the playoffs then Scott Thornton retired with over 1000 NHL games to his credit.  He's first cousins with Joe Thornton.  Latendresse was once a top prospect for the Habs but in 2009 was trade to the Wild, in Minnesota he has been plagued by injuries.

Yann Danis, Curtis Sanford and Manny Fernandez. 

 I especially enjoy adding new goalie autographs to my collection.  Danis has dressed for the Canadiens, Islanders, Devils and Oilers.  Sanford spent time in the NHL with St. Louis and Vancouver.  Fernandez has all but vanished from the face of the earth since putting up a couple strong seasons in Minnesota.

Robert Lang, Roman Hamrlik, Glen Murray, Adam Foote, Steve Begin and David Legwand

In 2004 Robert Lang was an NHL All-Star and when he was traded from Pittsburgh to Detroit that season it he was leading the NHL in points, the first time the point leader has ever been traded.  Hamrlik was the first overall pick in 1992 and has played well over 1250 NHL games.  Glen Murray had a career year in 02/03 when he scored 44 goals and 92 points playing with Joe Thornton.  Foote won the Stanley Cup in 1996 and 2001 as well as an Olympic gold in 2002.  Begin played just under 500 NHL games.  Legwan, who was the Predators first pick, 2nd overall, in 1998, holds numerous franchise records as he's still with the team.  

Teemu Laakso and Artem Anisimov.

Laakso has patrolled the blue line for over a dozen games in Nashville and is still in the team's system.  Anisimov is currently a full time Ranger who provides the team with solid secondary scoring.  

Kyle Kos, Bryan Allen, Cory Cross, Jan Bulis, Rick Berry and Pavel Brendl. 

Kos is an oddball pickup as he never played in the NHL.  Allen has spent a decade in the NHL playing for Vancouver, Florida and Carolina.  05/06 was Cory Cross' last year in the NHL and he split it between 3 teams, Edmonton, Pittsburgh and Detroit.  He is best known for playing many years in Toronto.  Bulis played over 500 NHL games suiting up for the Capitals, Canadiens and Canucks.  Rick Berry played just under 200 games between Colorado, Pittsburgh and Washington.  Brendl was the 4th overall pick of the 1999 NHL draft and was once one of the top prospects in the world.  He only managed 78 NHL games between Philly, Carolina and most recently the 05/06 Pheonix Coyotes.  

Patrick Boileau

My only TTM autograph this week, Patrick Boileau.  He had RCs in 02/03 releases but no autograph.  In 48 NHL games he also suited up for the Capitals and Penguins.