Hockey Ink In The Mail: February Forever Rivals

I've managed to acquired 81 new autographs since the last post. It was an excellent couple of weeks for TTM returns. I'm getting ever so close to 3, 000 unique NHL autographs.

Fleming MacKell and Brit Selby

As a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs Fleming MacKell won 2 Stanley Cups, in 1949 and 1951. As a Boston Bruin he was a first team NHL All-Star in 1953. This is his first certified autograph card.

Brit Selby is most notable for winning the 1966 Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year. He played a few games for the 1967 Toronto Maple Leafs but was not part of their Stanley Cup run. He was an original Philadelphia Flyer and retired after a couple years in the WHA.

Dan Daoust and Jim Roberts

I was surprised to see Dan Daoust included in this set. He did put up a 74 point season in 1983/84 but his production fizzled out quickly. He played 8 seasons in Toronto.

Jim Roberts finally gets his first certified autograph. He won 5 Stanley Cups win the Montreal Canadiens; 1965, 1966, 1973, 1976 and 1977. He also reached the Stanley Cup finals as a St. Louis Blue 3 times; 1968, 1968 and 1970. He retired with over 1000 NHL games played and then spent over a dozen years in the league as a coach.

Mike Brown (b. 1979) and Ramzi Abid

A couple rare Bowman junior autographs. Mike Brown played 34 NHL games while dressing for the Vancouver Canucks, Anaheim Mighty Ducks and Chicago Blackhawks. A tough customer, he dropped the gloves 16 times during his short NHL career.

Ramzi Abid’s NHL career lasted between 2002 and 2007. He saw 70 games of action over that span between the Coyotes, Penguins, Trashers and Predators.

Mikael Tellqvist and Dan Blackburn

Mikael Tellqvist saw over 100 games of NHL action while dressing for the Leafs, Coyotes and Sabres. He won an Olympic Gold Medal in 2006 as Lunqvist’s backup for team Sweden.

Drafted 10^th overall in 2001 Dan Blackburn’s bright NHL career was cut short by a shoulder injury. He only played 2 season for the Rangers.

Geoff Sarjeant and Bill Ranford

Goeff Sarjeant played 4 games for the 1994/95 St. Louis Blues and another 4 NHL games for the 1995/96 San Jose Sharks.

Bill Ranford recently claimed his 3^rd Stanley Cup, this one as a goalie coach for the LA Kings. The other two came as an Edmonton Oiler goalie. He was an NHL All-Star, Canada Cup winner, Canada Cup MVP and Conn Smythe winner.

Aleksander Suglobov and Tomas Popperle

Aleksander Suglobov played 2 games for the New jersey Devils and 16 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs between 2004 and 2007.

Tomas Popperle saw 2 games between the pipes for the 2006/07 Columbus Blue Jackets.

Ivan Vishnevskiy and Frazer McLaren

A 2006 first round pick of the Dallas Stars, Ivan Vishnevskiy saw only 5 games of NHL action.

Between 2009 and 2013 Frazer McLaren saw a handful of games for the San Jose Sharks but was mostly an AHL player. Since being claimed off waivers by the Toronto Maple Leafs this season he appears to be a legitimate NHL player.

Timo Helbling and Ryan Carter

Timo Helbling played 9 games for the 2005/06 Tampa Bay Lightning and 2 games for the 2006/07 Washington Capitals.

Ryan Carter broke into the league during the 2007 playoffs, appearing in 4 games for the eventual Cup winning Anaheim Ducks. It was enough to get his name on the trophy. He has been an NHL regular since then and returned to the Stanley Cup finals with the 2012 New Jersey Devils.

Joel Perrault and Brad Richardson

From 2005/06 to 2011/12 Joel Perrault played 96 NHL games, mostly dressing for the Phoenix Coyotes but he also saw time with St. Louis and Vancouver.

Brad Richardson has developed into a full time NHL defenseman since being traded from the Avalanche to the Kings in 2008. He helped LA win the 2012 Stanley Cup.

Justin Falk and Tommy Wingels

Since breaking into the NHL with the 09/10 Minnesota Wild Justin Falk has developed into a full time member of the team.

Centerman Tommy Wingels made his NHL debut with the Sharks in 2010/11 and is currently a full time member of the San Jose team.

Brian Salcido and Kris Chucko

Colorado College alumni Brian Salcido played 2 games for the 2008/09 Anaheim Ducks.

A 2004 first round draft pick, Kris Chucko played 2 games for the 2008/09 Calgary Flames but was forced to retire at age 25 due to concussion problems.

Keaton Ellerby and Ryan Parent

A 10^th overall pick of the Florida Panthers from the 2007 NHL draft, he never fulfilled his potential with the Panthers and has since been traded to the LA Kings, were he currently holds a roster spot.

Ryan Parent has played for both the Philadelphia Flyers and Vancouver Canucks since breaking into the league in 2007.

Dylan Olsen and Corey Elkins

A 2009 first round draft pick, Dylan Olsen has played 28 games for the 2011/12 Chicago Blackhawks.

Undrafted Ohio State University grad Corey Elkins suited up for 3 NHL games with the 2009/10 Los Angeles Kings and scored 1 goal.

Akim Aliu and Thomas Hickey

Akim Aliu has played 3 games with the Calgary Flames but is poised to see more NHL action this season.

The Los Angeles Kings drafted Thomas Hickey 4^th overall in 2007 but he did not get his first taste of NHL action until being claimed by the 2012/13 New York Islanders.

Patrick Eaves and Mark Streit

Patrick Eaves has been an NHL regular since breaking into the league with the 2005/06 Ottawa Senators. His father Mike also played in the NHL.

The current captain of the New York Islanders, Mark Streit is one of the NHL’s premier offensive defensemen.

Niclas Bergfors and Justin Mercier

A 2005 first round draft choice of the Devils, Niclas Bergors landed in Atlanta as part of the Kovalchuk trade. He showed flashes of potential but has since left the NHL. He scored 35 goals and 83 points in 173 games between the Devils, Thrashers, Panthers and Predators.

Justin Mercier picked up a goal and an assist in his 9 game NHL career with the 2009/10 Colorado Avalanche.

James Wisniewski and James Sheppard

James Wisniewski played in Chicago, Anaheim, New York and Montreal before landing a big 6 year 33 million dollar contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2011.

Forward James Sheppard was drafted 9^th overall in 2006 by the Minnesota Wild. He never lived up to expectations and was traded to San Jose for a 3^rd round pick in 2013 after 3 full seasons in Minnesota. He’s currently occupying a bottom line role for the Sharks.

R.J. Umberger and Alex Tanguay

Drafted 16^th overall by the Canucks in 2001, RJ Umberger burst into the NHL in 2005/06 with the Philadelphia Flyers, scoring 20 goals as a rookie. He has played nearly 600 games since then, all while with Philly and the Columbus Blue Jackets.

A former NHL All-Star, Alex Tanguay has won the Calder Trophy and a Stanley Cup.

Keith Yandle

Keith Yandle is entering his seventh season as of one of the Coyotes premier defenseman.

Lee Stempniak and Fredrik Sjostrom

Lee Stempniak is currently playing in his 8^th NHL season. His best year was a 27 goal outburst with the 2006/07 St. Louis Blues.

Between 2003 and 2011 Fredrik Sjostrom saw 500+ games of NHL action.

Nick Boynton and Petr Svoboda (b. 1980)

A former NHL All-Star, Nick Boynton retired in 2011, a year after winning the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks. He spent over a decade in the NHL.

This particular Petr Svoboda played 18 games with the 2000/01 Toronto Maple Leafs.

Rob Blake and Marcus Ragnarsson

Rob Blake’s impressive resume includes a James Norris Trophy, Stanley Cup, Olympic Gold Medal and numerous All-Star appearances.

Marcus Ragnarsson played 9 full seasons in the NHL. He was named to the 2001 All-Star team as a member of the San Jose Sharks.

Neal Broten and Per-Johan Axelsson

Neal Broten won an Olympic Gold Medal with the 1980 USA Miracle team. He then went on to win the 1981 Hobey Baker and play a 1000+ NHL game career that included 2 All-Star appearances and a Stanley Cup in 1995.

PJ Axelsson was a full time member of the Boston Bruins from 1997-2009. He won an Olympic Gold Medal with Team Sweden in 2006.

Dave Ellett and Jeff Finley

Defenseman Dave Ellett made 2 All-Star appearences in a career that saw him play well over 1000+ NHL games through 16 seasons.

Between 1987 and 2004 Jeff Finley quietly played over 700 NHL games. Over that time he dressed for the Islanders, Jets, Coyotes, Flyers, Rangers and Blues.

Sven Butenschon and Jan Vopat

Between 1997 and 2006 Sven Buteschon played 144 NHL games. He saw time with the Penguins, Oilers, Islanders and Canucks.

Jan Vopat split his 128 NHL game career between the LA Kings and Nashville Predators. His last season in the NHL with the Predators, 1999/2000, was cut short by a rare rash on his legs. He never recovered back to the NHL form and retired the following season.

Pauli Jaks and Frank Caprice

Switzerland born Pauli Jacks saw 1 game, 40 minutes of action, for the 1994/95 LA Kings.

Between 1982 and 1988 Frank Caprice played 102 NHL games, all for the Vancouver Canucks.

Mario Lessard and Ryan Bach

Between 1978 and 1983 Mario Lessard was LA’s #1 and most used netminder. He represented the team at the 1981 NHL All-Star game and retired at the end of the 1983/84 season with 260 games played.

Ryan Bach saw time between the pipes on 3 occasions for the 1998/99 Los Angeles Kings. He’s currently goalie coach for the ECHL’s Colorado Eagles.

Mike Brown (b. 1985) and Triston Grant

My second Mike Brown autograph of this post, but different players. Although this Brown is much more famous and has had a career of 250+ NHL games he has yet to receive a certified autograph.

Scrapper Triston Grant played 8 games for the 2006/07 Philadelphia Flyers and 3 games for the 2009/10 Nashville Predators.

Raymond Sawada and Joe Callahan

Between 2008 and 2011 Raymond Sawada played 11 games for the Dallas Stars and scored 1 goal. The Cornell grad was a second round draft pick from 2004.

Yale alumni Joe Callahan made his NHL debut with the 2008/09 New York Islanders and has since suited up for the San Jose Sharks and Florida Panthers.

Matt Koalska and Louis Robitaille

University of Minnesota graduate Matt Koalska played 3 games for the 2005/06 New York Islanders.

Undrafted forward Louis Robitaille saw 2 games of NHL action with the 2005/06 Washington Capitals.

Allan Rourke and Mike Stutzel

Between 2003 and 2008 Allan Rourke played 55 games in the NHL. He made his debut with the Hurricanes but later played for the Islanders and Oilers.

An undrafted Northern Michigan University grad, Mike Stutzel played 9 games for the 2003/04 Phoenix Coyotes.

Joel Prpic and Mike Gaul

Joel Prpic played a handful of games for the Boston Bruins and later received 3 games of play with the eventual Stanley Cup winning 2000/01 Colorado Avalanche.

Mike Gaul played 1 game for the 1998/99 Colorado Avalanche and 2 games for the 2000/01 Columbus Blue Jackets.

Wayne Dillon and Paul Pooley

Wayne Dillon played 2 full seasons of WHA hockey with the Toronto Toros before being drafted 15^th overall in 1975 by the New York Rangers. He then jumped to the NHL and would see time with the Winnipeg Jets along with the New York Rangers.

Between 1984 and 1986 Paul Pooley played 15 games for the Winnipeg Jets. He has since spent many years coaching college hockey.

Trent Kaese and Bruce Dowie

Trent Kaese played 1 game for the 1988/89 Buffalo Sabres.

Goaltender Bruce Dowie appeared in 2 games for the 1983/84 Toronto Maple Leafs.

Murray Kuntz and Neil Labatte

Murray Kuntz scored 1 goal in a 7 game stint for the 1974/75 St. Louis Blues.

Neil Labatte played 22 games for the 1978/79 St. Louis Blues and a further 4 games for the 198/82 St. Louis Blues.

Dave Michayluk and Ben Hankinson

Between 1981 and 1983 Dave Michayluk scored 2 goals in 14 games for the Philadelphia Flyers. A prolific minor league scorer, his only other taste of the NHL did not come again until the 1992 NHL playoffs. He was lucky enough to dress 7 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins, who won the Stanley Cup and got Michayluk’s name engraved on the trophy.

In the mid 1990s Ben Hankinson played 45 NHL games, dressing for the New Jersey Devils and Tampa Bay Lightning. He played 8 regular season games for the 1995 Cup winning Devils but was traded midway through the season.

Petr Sykora (b. 1978) and Peter Ahola

There are 2 Petr Sykora’s who have played in the NHL, this is the lesser known one. He played 2 games for the 1998/99 Nashville Predators and 10 games for the 2005/06 Washington Capitals.

Finnish defender Peter Ahola made his NHL for the 1991/92 LA Kings. He remained in North America until 1994, seeing additional NHL time with the Penguins, Sharks and Flames.

Stewart Gavin and Brian Curran

Right winger Steward Gavin spent 13 season in the National Hockey League. He was a member of the Leafs, Whalers and North Stars.

Unfortunately Brian Curran did not read my letter and failed to sign in the card’s intended spot. Between 1983 and 1994 he played over 400 NHL games, dressing for the Bruins, Islanders, Leafs, Sabres and Capitals.

Tom Martin (b. 1947) and Dale Kushner

Tom Martin played 3 games for the 1967/68 Toronto Maple Leafs. He is better known for his 3 full seasons in the WHA with the Ottawa Nationals and Toronto Toros.

Dale Kushner did not have a bad marker, this is actually his full signature as I’ve seen other examples. One of the worst in my collection. Most of his 84 NHL games were with the Philadelphia Flyers but he made his NHL debut for the 1989/90 New York Islanders.

Hank Monteith and Mike Siltala

Between 1968 and 1971 Hank Monteith played 77 games for the Detroit Red Wings.

Mike Siltala played 3 games for the Washington Capitals in the early 1980s and 4 games for the New York Rangers in the late 1980s.

Dan Lambert and Selmar Odelein

Dan Lambert saw 29 games of NHL action with the Quebec Nordiques in the early 1990s. He scored 6 goals and 15 points. He lead the Swift Current Broncos to the 1989 Memorial Cup, winning tournament MVP.

Selmar Odelein played 18 games with the Edmonton Oilers in the late 1980s. His 12 regular season games for the 1988 Stanley Cup winning Oilers was not enough to get his name on the Cup.

On top of the 81 NHL autographs I've also added a couple other hockey signatures: