Thursday, November 22, 2012

Fletcher, Watt and 54 More NHLers


With this batch of BAP autographs my want list is really thinning out.  For goalie certified autographs I need less than a couple dozen.  
Mark Laforest and Jeremy Duchesne
I thought Mark Laforest was one of the oddest names on the Broad Street Boys checklist.  He only played 105 NHL games and his two seasons in Philly were spent as a backup goalie.  He made his NHL debut for the 85/86 Red Wings and last played for the Senators in 1994.  It’s his first and only certified autograph. 
Jeremy Duchesne’s father, Gaetan, played over 1000 NHL games.  Jeremy saw much less time in the league.  He played 17 minutes of a contest for the Flyers on April 1, 2010. 
Brian Finley and Jamie McLennan
Brian Finley appeared in 1 NHL game for the 02/03 Nashville Predators, 1 game for the 05/06 Preds and 2 games for the 06/07 Boston Bruins.  He was drafted 6th overall by Nashville in 1999 but never came close to being the franchise netminder he was projected to be. 
Current TSN analyst Jamie McLennan floated around the NHL for over a decade and played over 250 games.  He suited up for the Islanders, Blues, Wild, Flames, Rangers and Panthers.  In 1996, while in the Islanders organization, he came down with a disease that was so close to killing him that the doctors told him “We better call your parents, you might not make it.”  After nearly a week in a delirious state he emerged with his life and would win the 1998 Bill Masterton trophy after returning to the NHL.  Read the full story here.
Nikos Tselios and Justin Hocking
A cousin of Chris Chelios, Nikos Tselios played 2 games for the 01/02 Carolina Hurricanes.  This is his only certified autograph and is from a set that can be tricky to find cards from. 
Justin Hocking played 1 NHL game for the Los Angeles Kings in April of 1994.  Some of these old Classic autographs are hard to find. 
Jamie Macoun and Steve Larmer
Defenseman Jamie Macoun played in well over 1000 NHL games.  He won a Stanley Cup with the 1989 Calgary Flames and was later traded to Toronto with Doug Gilmour in 1992.  He won a second Stanley Cup with the 1998 Detroit Red Wings. 
After winning the 1983 Calder Trophy Steve Larmer would go onto play a great career that saw him dress in over 1000 games.  He spent nearly his whole career in Chicago as their go-to offensive forward with Denis Savard.  Larmer scored 40+ goals in the NHL 5 times.  Shortly after leaving the Hawks he won a Stanley Cup with the 1994 New York Rangers. 
Ed Olczyk and Bob Rouse
After being drafted 3rd overall by the Blackhawks in 1984 Ed Olczyk jumped directly into an NHL career that lasted until 2000.  He was a member of the 1994 New York Rangers Stanley Cup winning team and was Sidney Crosby’s first NHL coach. 
Defenseman Bob Rouse saw over 1000 games of NHL action.  He was a member of the Red Wings squad that captured back to back Stanley Cups in the late 90s. 
Cam Russell and Craig Janney
Cam Russell was a Chicago Blackhawk for a decade and then retired as a Colorado Avalanche in 1999.  Since 2008 he has been general manager of the Halifax Mooseheads. 
Playing with Shanahan and Hull on the 92/93 St. Louis Blues Craig Janney led the team in scoring with 24 goals and 106 points.  He was known as one of the best set up men in the league during his prime, second only to Adam Oates. 
Jaroslav Bednar and Pavel Rosa
Between 2001 and 2004 Jaroslav Bednar played over 100 NHL games between the Los Angeles Kings and Florida Panthers. 
Pavel Rosa played 36 NHL games, all for the Los Angeles Kings between 1998 and 2004. 
Niclas Havelid and Pavel Trnka
Niclas Havelid spent 9 seasons in the NHL.  Someone actually took the time to post a great summary of his career on wikipedia.
Through 7 NHL seasons Pavel Trnka played over 400 games while dressing for the Mighty Ducks and Panthers. 
Ivan Ciernik and Colin Forbes
Ivan Ciernik’s NHL career spanned from 1997-2004 but he was mostly a minor leaguer who would get called up on numerous occasions to give him 92 career games in the league. 
Colin Forbes made his NHL debut for the 96/97 Philadelphia Flyers and last played for the 05/06 Washington Capitals.  He was a bottom line player who also saw time with the Lightning, Senators and Rangers.
Kip Miller and Martin Straka
This gives me a trio of Miller bros autographs as his brothers Kevin and Kelly were also prominent NHLers.  Kip, the 1990 Hobey Baker award winner, bounced around the league from 1990 to 2004 while playing nearly 500 games. 
Martin Straka had a few very productive NHL seasons as a result of playing mostly with Jaromir Jagr.  He had a 95 point season with the 00/01 Penguins and put up a couple 70+ point season post lockout with the Rangers.  He won an Olympic Gold medal with the 1998 Czech team.
Doug Lidster and Marty McInnis
After making his NHL debut in 1984 Doug Lidster was a full time Vancouver Canuck for nearly a decade.  He then went on to win a Stanley Cup with the 1994 New York Rangers and another with the 1999 Dallas Stars. 
Between the Islanders, Flames, Mighty Ducks and Bruins Marty McInnis managed to play over 800 NHL games. 
Chris Neil and Chris Conner
Chris Neil has been an Ottawa Senator since 2001.  He's a bottom line grinder who isn't afraid to drop the gloves.  He's approaching 2000 career penalty minutes.  
Since making his debut with the Dallas Stars in 06/07 Chris Conner has played over 150 games.  He's also suited up for the Penguins and Red Wings.  This particular card is notable for being Conner's only autograph.  
Devante Smith-Pelly and Mike Iggulden
Devante Smith-Pelly played 49 games for the Anaheim Ducks as a rookie in 2011/12.  Beware of his signature cards as he used an auto-pen on many of his pack inserted autographs for both Upper Deck and Panini. 
An undrafted Cornell graduate Mike Iggulden would go onto play 1 game for the San Jose Sharks in 07/08 and 11 games for the Islanders in 08/09.
Kevyn Adams and Matt Jones
Current Buffalo Sabres assistant coach Kevyn Adams played over 600 NHL contests.  He was a member of the Carolina Hurricanes 2006 Stanley Cup winning squad. 
Between 2005 and 2008 defenseman Matt Jones suited up in over 100 games for the Phoenix Coyotes.
 Kamil Piros and Jeff Jillson
Kamil Piros has 28 games of NHL experience, all but 3 with the Atlanta Thrashers.  He last played in the league for the 03/04 Florida Panthers. 
A 1999 first round pick by the San Jose Sharks Jeff Jillson registered just under 150 NHL games over his career.  He last played in the NHL for the 05/06 Buffalo Sabres.
Rob Zettler and Mike Craig
Rob Zettler broke into the NHL with the 88/89 Minnesota North Stars and has been around the league ever since.  After retiring as a player in 2002 he moved behind the bench and spent much time as an assistant coach for the Sharks and Leafs. 
Mike Craig played for the Stars, Leafs and Sharks. He scored 71 goals and 168 points in 423 regular season games.  
Yanick Dupre and Jan Hlavac
Yanick Dupre played 35 games for the Philadelphia Flyers in the mid 90s.  His career was ended early when he was diagnosed with leukemia and died a year later in 1997. 
In just under 450 NHL games Jan Hlavac donned jerseys from the Rangers, Flyers, Canucks, Hurricanes, Lightning and most recently the 07/08 Predators.
Brad Church and Robert Dome
Washington’s first round draft pick of 1995, Brad Church played 2 games for the team in 1997/98. 
Between 1997 and 2000 Robert Dome played 52 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins and scored 7 goals and 14 points.  He also played 1 game for the 02/03 Calgary Flames.
Darryl Shannon and Troy Mallette
Darryl Shannon broke into the league with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1988/89 and remained in the NHL until he left as a Montreal Canadien in 2001 with well over 500 games played. 
Troy Mallette spent 8 seasons in the big leagues and retired with almost 500 games played in 1997.
Josef Beranek and Matt Cullen
A veteran of well over 500 NHL games Josef Beranek won an Olympic Gold medal with the 1998 Czech team. 
Current Minnesota Wild forward Matt Cullen has played over 1000 games and won a Stanley Cup in 2006 with the Hurricanes. 
Dave McLlwain and Niklas Andersson
Dave McLlwain played over 500 NHL games while dressing for the Penguins, Jets, Islanders, Sabres, Leafs and Senators. 
Between 1993 and 2001 Niklas Andersson played 164 NHL games scoring 29 goals and 82 points.  He played for the Nordiques, Islanders, Sharks, Predators and Flames.
Chad Kilger and Brent Sopel
The Anaheim Mighty Ducks drafted Chad Kilger 4th overall in 1995.  He immediately jumped into the NHL but never scored more that 17 goals a year in a dozen NHL seasons. 
Brent Sopel had a long NHL career and won a Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010.
Mike Komisarek and Filip Kuba
The Habs picked defenseman Mike Komisarek 7th overall in 2001 and he developed into an elite player with the club.  He hasn’t been the same player since signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2009, he was coming off an All-Star year with the Canadiens. 
For over a decade Filip Kuba was a valuable defenseman who could contribute offensively.  He won an Olympic bronze medal with the 2006 Czech team.
Perttu Lindgren
Finish centerman Perttu Lindgren saw 1 game of NHL action with the 2009/2010 Dallas Stars. 
Dean Defazio and Jimmy Jones
Dean Defazio played 22 games for the 1983/84 Pittsburgh Penguins. 
In the 1970s Jimmy Jones spent a couple years in the WHA with the Vancouver Blazers and then spent a couple years in Toronto with the Maple Leafs. 
Joe Contini and Mike Laughton
Between 1977 and 1979 Joe Contini played 67 games for the Colorado Rockies.  He also made a brief 1 game appearance with the Minnesota North Stars in 1980/81.
Mike Laughton was one of many players who broke into the NHL after the 1967 expansion.  Laughton was a member of the original Oakland Seals and remained with the club until their move to California in 1971.  After leaving the NHL Laughton would play 3 full seasons in the WHA before retiring.
 Dean Kennedy and Steve Andrascik
Defenseman Dean Kennedy had a long NHL career that saw him play well over 700 NHL games.  He was a low scoring but strong defensive player who was a underatted player on the clubs he dressed for.  
Steve Andrascik’s NHL career consisted of a 1 game appearance for the New York Rangers during the 1972 playoffs.  He would later play a couple seasons in the WHA. 
Jim Murray
Jim Murray played half a season, 30 games, for the original LA Kings in 1967/68. 


A couple hockey autographs of guys who didn't play in the NHL,

Cliff Fletcher and Tom Watt
Long time NHL General Manager Cliff Fetcher was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder in 2004.
Tom Watt spent time as an NHL head coach for the Leafs, Canucks and Jets.  

2 comments:

  1. Just a simple question, Your blog title is "Hockey Ink in the Mail" confusing at first but cards from eBay do come in the mail but are not ttm's. Are the last blank white cards custom TTM? Also for a compliment I am jealous because I am a big goalie person playing goalie myself and collecting cards of them. So Overall you have a really nice and blog that fun to read and see all the different autographs that you have collected.

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  2. Thanks for the comment! Yup the last cards are all custom TTM, I try to use a simple consistent design.

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