Two Famous Fabrics

Gerry James

James won a Memorial Cup and played 174 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs but amazingly he is more notable for winning 4 Grey Cups with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.  Stole this card with my opening bid.

Bob Froese

Like the James I won this card with only an opening bid, about 10 bucks!  Froese, a former goalie, won the Jennings trophy in 1986 with the Flyers.  Also like James, he doesn't have a certified autograph outside of Cuts.  After retiring from hockey Froese became a Pastor.  

Steve Carlson and Dave Hanson

Panini has done a great job in going outside of the box for some interesting vintage autographs.  Someone there likes Slap Shot and I am very happy to add these two legends to my collection.   Before these were released I was scared that I'd have to pick up one of those ugly Limited cards in which Dave Hanson is rocking a tuxedo.  

Larry Jeffrey and Willie O'Ree

Upper Deck's commemorative 1967 Leafs set produced two new autographs, Jeffrey and Brian Conacher. Picked up the Jeffrey when the seller accepted my best offer.  These have really dried up, print run was not big.  This is my second O'Ree autograph but first card, the other is a Beehive.  

Pierre Pilote, Dickie Moore and Steve Shutt

Not only was I able to land three new Hall of Famer autographs to my collection this week but I was able to do so for only a couple bucks each.  I've thrown low bids on autographs of these guys many times and this time wasn't outbid.   Persistence pays off.  

Rich Sutter, Andrew Desjardins and Alex Urbom

The Sutter puts me close to having the entire family but the other two cards are more notable.  Both Desjardins and Urbom's only autographs came in Dominion so I'm happy to cross both off my list.  Desjardins is a full time Shark while Urbom is bouncing around the Devils and AHL.

Brad Staubitz, Jay Rosehill and Chris Mueller

Staubitz had to wait four years after his NHL debut to get his first autograph, a rare occurrence in today's market.  It could end up being his only one so I quickly picked one up.  Rosehill was an impulse buy from an optimistic Leaf fan.  I've been following these Score Muller autographs since released because it's his only autograph, an rather limited.  Set collectors drove prices up for a while but I finally snagged one for cheap.  In a shot time they will be virtually impossible to find.  

Matt Martin, Derek Smith and Johan Motin

Kudos to Panini for not including the same scrub rookies in every release (ahem..UD).  For Martin and Smith, their only other autographs come in the Cup.  Johan Motin has a redemption for a Cup rc autograph but I doubt it will ever be made since he's gone to Europe.  There's a good chance this Rookie Exclusives, limited to only 100, will be his only auto.

Michael Funk, Nate Thompson and Mike Blunden 

Funk's only other graph is featured in UD the Cup.  For my mission I try to avoid Cup RCs whenever I can because I like storing my collection in binders, thick cards I don't do well in binders.  Like Funk, this is Thompson's only autograph outside of his Cup RC.  Thompson and Blunden, who has many graphs, are both current NHLers but Funk, the former Sabre, appears to be retired.  

Jesse Schultz, Karri Ramo and Yan Stastny

Schultz played on 2 games for Vancouver.  Ramo played served as a backup in Tampa for a couple seasons.  Yan is best known for his last name but did not become the star player his bother is.  

Shane O'Brien, Matt Lashoff and Janis Sprukts

O'Brien is the only NHL calibre player here.  Lashoff could see some game in Toronto this year.  Sprukts left the NHL after only 14 games with Florida.  

Barry Trotz, Frank Doyle, Duff Goldman, Mark Wells and Bob Suter

Doyle, who on made an appearance as a backup, is the only one here who saw any kind of NHL action as a player.  Panini has produced some great stuff in the small life for my collection.  The Behind the Bench autographs were a great idea and many have sold very well, too well for me.  Even being the great coach he is Trotz received no market love because of his post in Nashville.  The Duff Goldman was only purchased because it was so cheap.  Wells and Suter mean I can cross two more names off the 1980 Miracle team.   

Joey Crabb

This is basically an oversized card, authenticated by ITG and Dr. Price on the back.  So far its Crabb's only autograph but he looks to have a card in the upcoming Heroes and Prospects set.  

To end, a few TTM autographs of players who never received a certified autograph.

Glen Cressman

Cressman played 4 games for the 1956/57 Montreal Canadiens.  

Mark Vermette

Played 67 games for the Nordiques in the late 80s and early 90s.  

Ed Sandford

My favourite TTM autograph of the week.  Sandford played 500 games for the Bruins back in the 40s and 50s.  

Eddie Joyal

Joyal played a number of years in the NHL and WHA.

Nathan Deobald

Deobald was an emergency backup for the Oilers.  A University of Calgary Dinos third string goalie and art drama student when he got the call, you can read his story here.

Miles Zaharko

The picture on the index card I sent to Zaharko, taken from Legends of Hockey, was not of Zaharko so he was kind enough to add this signed picture.