Ending 2013 With A Huge Milestone: 50% Complete

36 new NHL autographs to start the new year.  The grand total of unique NHL signatures now stands at 3,553.  Between 1917 and the current day in 2013 7,064 people have played in the NHL. I am officially half way to that number in getting all their autographs.  I'm also trying to get more of my collection scanned and added to the My Collection page here.  Years 1999-2004 will soon be added and continuously updated as will the other seasons.  The goal will be to have every season dating back to the Original 6 years.  Sort of an autograph archives of hockey signatures.  

Mario Lemieux

Some may find it odd that with 3,500 different hockey autographs in the collection it has taken this long to add one of the game's best players in Lemieux.  The more autographs a player has on the market the lower that signature tends to be on my wantlist.  Over the years I would have bid on dozens, possibly hundreds, of Lemieux autographs but with low opening bids.  Finally my work paid off and I snagged this one under market value.  As soon as I free this card from its 2013 Leaf Best of Hockey case it will become more desirable and I'm sure that is the reason I got it for such a good deal.  

Bobby Clarke

Bobby Clarke is an NHL legend.  The long time captain of the Philadelphia Flyers won 2 Stanley Cups, 3 Hart Trophies, a Lester Pearson, Masterton, Selke and Lou Marsh as Canadian male athlete of the year.  The 8 time NHL all-star was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1987.

Mark Pavelich

Mark Pavelich will best be known for his part in Team USA's 1980 miracle run to a gold medal.  He went on to play 350+ NHL games between the New York Rangers, Minnesota North Stars and San Jose Sharks.

Mike Modano

One of USA's best all time hockey players, Mike Modano retired in 2011 with well over 500 NHL goals scored.  He played in 8 NHL all-star games and won an Olympic silver medal with Team USA in 2002.  He helped the Dallas Stars win the Stanley Cup in 1999.

John Tavares

Drafted first overall in 2009 by the NY Islanders, John Tavares was a junior sensation.  He's played five full seasons with the Islanders and is emerging as an NHL superstar. 

Roberto Luongo

Selected 4th overall by the New York Islanders in 1997, Roberto Luongo has played 750+ NHL games between the Islanders, Panthers and Canucks.  He's a 2 time NHL all-star, former captain of the Canucks and winner of the 2011 William Jennings trophy.  He's best known for leading Team Canada to an Olympic gold medal in 2010.

Cam Ward

Cam Ward has played almost 500 games for the Carolina Hurricanes but his best season with the team was his first.  As a rookie in 2005/2006 he guided the Hurricanes to a Stanley Cup.  He was awarded the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP in the process.

Miikka Kiprusoff

In 2005/2006 Miikka Kiprusoff won the William Jennings trophy and Vezina trophy as the league's best netminder.  He recently retired after having played well over 600 NHL games between the Sharks and Flames.  He helped Team Finland win a bronze medal at the 2010 Olympics.

Dany Sabourin

Dany Sabourin saw time in 59 NHL games between the Calgary Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins and Vancouver Canucks.

Thomas Greiss

Since 2007 Thomas Greiss has played 50+ NHL games between the San Jose Sharks and Phoenix Coyotes. He has played in the 2006 and 2010 winter Olympics for Germany.

Kent Simpson

Kent Simpson recently played a single period for the 2013/14 Chicago Blackhawks.  I actually had this one lying around already but since he just made his debut, and gets added to my grand total, I decided to include it in the mail post. I have a rather large collection of certified junior autographs but i don't post them here when they come in.

Denis Tolpeko

Russian Denis Tolpeko played 26 games for the 2007/2008 Philadelphia Flyers.  This KHL autograph is his only certified signature on the market. 

Bobby Ryan

Drafted second overall in 2005, behind Crosby, Bobby Ryan scored 30+ goals in a season for the Ducks four times.  The current Ottawa Senator won a silver medal with Team USA in the 2010 Olympics.

Jay Harrison
Drafted by the Maple Leafs in 2001, Jay Harrison made his NHL debut with the team during the 2005/2006 season.  He has played nearly 300 NHL games between the Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes.  This remains his only certified autograph.

Luke Adam

Newfoundlander Luke Adam was a second draft pick by the Sabres in 2008.  He has played 84 games with the team since 2010.  His father Russ also played in the NHL.

Taylor Chorney

Since 2009 Taylor Chorney has played 59 games for the Edmonton Oilers and 2 games for the St. Louis Blues. His father Marc also played in the NHL.

Quinton Howden

Quinton Howden was a first round draft pick by the Panthers in 2010.  He was on the 2011 and 2012 Team Canada world junior teams, winning a bronze and silver medal.

Brendan Smith

A first round pick by the Red Wings in 2007, defenceman Brendan Smith is nearing the 100 games played mark.

Mats Zuccarello

Only the seventh Norwegian to play in the NHL, Mats Zuccarello has emerged as a scoring threat for the Rangers, scoring 60 points in just over NHL 100 games.

   

Brad Fast
A Michigan State University alumni, Brad Fast is a member of the 'one game wonders' club.  He played a single NHL game for the 2003/2004 Carolina Hurricanes, scoring a goal.  

   

Steve Brule
Steve Brule played in a total of 3 NHL games.  He played a game in the playoffs for the 1999/2000 New Jersey Devils and 2 regular season games for the 2002/2003 Colorado Avalanche.  His single game with the Devils got him his name on the Stanley Cup as they claimed the trophy in 2000.

    

Ian MacNeil

Ian MacNeil played 2 games for the 2002/2003 Philadelphia Flyers.

  

Eric Landry

Between 1997 and 2002 Eric Landry played 68 NHL games between the Calgary Flames and Montreal Canadiens. 

Ab DeMarco jr.

Between 1970 and 1979 Ab Demarco played 350+ NHL games while dressing for the Rangers, Blues, Penguins, Canucks, Kings and Bruins.  He also spent a season in the WHA playing for the Edmonton Oilers.  His father, also called Ab, had a long career in the NHL as well.

Graeme Nicolson

Defenceman Graeme Nicolson played 1 game for the 1978/1979 Boston Bruins, 41 games for the 1981/1982 Colorado Rockies and 10 games for the 1982/1983 New York Rangers.

Al MacNeil

Sydney, Nova Scotia native Al MacNeil played over 500 games in the NHL between 1956 and 1968.  As a coach he won the Stanley Cup with the 1971 Montreal Canadiens.  As director of player personnel he later claimed two more Stanley Cups, in 1978 and 1979, both with the Habs.  Unfortunately he did not sign the card on top of the faded logo as I requested.

Guy Trottier

Guy Trottier, no relation to Bryan, played 100+ games in both the NHL and WHA.

Tom Miller

Between 1970 and 1975 Tom Miller played over 100 NHL games between the Detroit Red Wings and New York Islanders. 

Tim Ecclestone

Between 1967 and 1978 Tim Ecclestone played over 700 games in the NHL. He spent time with the St.Louis Blues, Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs and Atlanta Flames.

Bill Hajt

Bill Hajt spent his entire career playing for the Buffalo Sabres.  Between 1973 and 1986 he played, including playoffs, nearly 1000 games with the club.  His son Chris also played in the NHL.

Stan Gilbertson

Stan Gilbertson played well over 400 NHL games in the 1970s.  He had to retire early when he lost part of his leg in a car accident.

Brian Wilks

Between 1984 and 1989 Brian Wilks played 48 games in the NHL for the Los Angeles Kings.

Paul Mulvey

Between 1978 and 1982 Paul Mulvey played 225 NHL games while dressing for the Capitals, Kings and Penguins.  He was a tough customer who saw over 600 minutes in the penalty box over that span.  His brother Grant also played in the NHL.

John English

Defenceman John English played 3 games for the 1987/88 Los Angeles Kings.  In just 3 career NHL games he has 1 goal and 4 points. 

Rich Nantais

Between 1974 and 1977 Richard Nantais played 63 games for the Minnesota North Stars.

Steve Langdon

Steve Langdon played 7 games for the Boston Bruins in the 1970s.  

To end the post, as usual, a few more hockey autographs of people who never played in the NHL.

Floyd Lahache

Floyd Lahache played 11 games in the WHA for the 1977/1978 Cincinnati Stingers.  The defenceman recorded 3 assists. 

Doug Lindskog

Doug Lindskog played 2 games for the 1976/1977 WHA's Calgary Cowboys.  He was drafted by the Cowboys as well as the NHL's St. Louis Blues.

Dunc Rousseau

Dunc Rousseau was a member of the Winnipeg Jets from 1972-1974.  He played 150+ games for the club through two seasons.

Matt Pavelich

In 1987 Matt Pavelich became the first linesman to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.  He worked over 1,700 regular season NHL games over a 30 year period.  His brother Marty played in the NHL.

Passing the 3,500 Autograph Mark With 59 New NHL Signatures

59 New autographs added since the last mail post, bringing the grand total of unique NHL signatures to 3,517.  The Geraldine Heaney autograph is the highlight of this post for me, its her only certified autograph so far and is extremely hard to find. New autographs of players who made their debuts between 2005 and 2011 have been added to the 'year in autographs' pages, I'll keep them updated and be adding new years soon.

Ted Kennedy

Hockey Hall of Famer Teeder Kennedy has an impressive resume.  As a Toronto Maple Leaf he won the Stanley Cup 5 times, claimed the Hart Trophy in 1955 and served as the Leaf's captain for 8 years.

Frank Mahovlich

Hockey Hall of Famer Frank Mahovlich was a 15 time NHL All-Star who has his name on the Stanley Cup 6 times.  He won the Calder as rookie of the year in 1958 and retired in 1978 after 4 years in the WHA.  A member of the 1972 Summit Series, he scored over 500 career goals in the NHL. Later in life he entered the political scene and spent many years as a Senator in Canada.  

Mats Sundin

Drafted 1st overall by the Nordiques in 1989, Mats Sundin was recently inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.  He was a 9 time NHL All-Star and won an Olympic Gold medal with team Sweden in 2006.  He will, however, best be remember by a generation as the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs, a title he held for 11 seasons.

Saku Koivu

Saku Koivu spent 10 seasons as captain of the Montreal Canadiens.  He's a two time NHL All-Star who won the 2002 Bill Masterton Trophy and the 2007 King Clancy Memorial Trophy.  Internationally he has won four Olympic medals playing with Team Finland.

Owen Nolan

Born in Ireland but raised a Canadian, Owen Nolan played over 1200 games in the NHL.The 1st overall pick by the Nordiques in 1990, Nolan would go on to appear in 5 NHL All-Star games and was the cover boy for EA Sports' NHL 2001.  His most notable career accomplishment is winning an Olympic Gold medal with team Canada in 2002.

Vitaly Yeremeyev

Russian goalie Vitaly Yeremeyev appeared in 4 games for the 2000/2001 New York Rangers. 

Cory Schneider

Since 2008 Cory Schneider has played well over 100 NHL games between the Vancouver Canucks and New Jersey Devils. In 2011 he and Luongo shared the Williams Jennings Trophy. 

Jake Allen 

Jake Allen has played 16 games for the St. Louis Blues since 2012.  Internationally he won a silver medal with Team Canada's 2010 World Junior  team. 

Olivier Michaud

Oliver Michaud played in 1 game for a total of just 18 minutes in net for the 2001/2001 Montreal Canadiens.  This rare junior autograph, limited to only 100 copies, was on my wantlist for a long time and I was happy to finally find one for my collection.

Robin Lehner

Swedish goalie Robin Lehner has played just shy of 40 NHL games since 2010 but is destined to become the Senator's future #1.

Brian Foster 

Brian Foster appeared in 1 game for the 2011/12 Florida Panthers, seeing just 5 minutes of playing time.  His only certified autographs comes from a Heroes & Prospects update set so its rather limited.

Jussi Rynnas

Signed as an undrafted European unknown, Jussi Rynnas managed to play in 3 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs before returning to Finland in 2013.

Mike Murphy

Mike Murphy appeared in 2 games with the 2011/12 Carolina Hurricanes. As a Belleville Bull he was the 2009 OHL and CHL goalie of the year.  

Jeff Zatkoff

After spending half a dozen years in the Los Angeles Kings system Jeff Zatkoff recently made his NHL debut with the Pittsburgh Penguins.  He's played 6 games for the 2013/14 Penguins.

Brad Thiessen

An undrafted Northeastern University grad, Brad Thiessen saw action in 5 games with the 2011/12 Pittsburgh Penguins. 

Thomas Vanek

A 2 time NHL All-Star, Thomas Vanek has scored 40+ goals in a season twice.

Jeff Carter

Jeff Cater has scored well over 250 NHL goals since making his debut in 2005.  A 2009 NHL All-Star, he helped Los Angeles win the Stanley Cup in 2012. 

Johan Franzen

Including playoffs Johan Franzen has played well over 600 games with the Detroit Red Wings since 2005.  He won the Stanley Cup with the Wings in 2008.

David Clarkson

David Clarkson spent the first half a dozen years of his NHL career with the New Jersey Devils before recently signing with the Maple Leafs.  

Dennis Wideman

Since 2005 Dennis Wideman has played 600+ career NHL games between the St. Louis Blues, Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, Washington Capitals and Calgary Flames. 

Jakub Kindl

Czech Jakub Kindl is entering his fourth season as a full time member of the Detroit Red Wings.  

Pat Maroon

Pat Maroon has played a handful of game for the Ducks since 2011 and is a regular on the team this year.

Peter Holland

The 15th overall pick of the 2009 NHL draft, Peter Holland was recently traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs.  Thus far he has played just shy of 40 career games between the Ducks and Leafs. 

Max Sauve

Maxime Sauve played 1 game for the 2011/12 Boston Bruins. 

Colby Robak

Defenseman Colby Robak has played in 19 games for the Florida Panthers. 

Brandon Manning

Undrafted D-man Brandon Manning has played 10 games for the Philadelphia Flyers since 2011.

Cody Goloubef

Cody Goloubef has played a dozen games for the Columbus Blue Jackets.  He won a gold medal as a member of Team Canada's 2009 world junior team.  

Mike Glumac

Between 2005 and 2008 Mike Glumac played 40 games for the St. Louis Blues, scoring 7 goals and 13 points.  He was signed by the Blues as an undrafted Miami University grad.  

Ryane Clowe

Newfoundlander Ryane Clowe spent 8 seasons as a member of the San Jose Sharks before recently playing with the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils. Playoffs included, he has played well over 500 NHL games and has scored over 300 points.  

Zach Redmond

A Ferris State Alumni, Zach Redmond was an Atlanta Thrashers draft pick who made his NHL debut with the Winnipeg Jets in 2012.

Michal Jordan

Czech defenceman Michal Jordan played 5 games for the 2012/13 Carolina Hurricanes.

Dmitry Orlov

I accidentally scanned this one a little crooked.  Since 2011 Russian Dmitry Orlov has played 69 games for the Washington Capitals.

Ryan Garbutt

An undrafted Brown University alumni, Ryan Garbutt is entering his third season as a full time member of the Dallas Stars.

Andrew Joudrey

A 2003 Washington Capitals draft pick, Andrew Joudrey played 1 game for the 2011/12 Columbus Blue Jackets.  

Alexander Burmistrov

Drafted 8th overall in 2010, Alexander Burmistrov joins the long list of Russians drafted high but who failed to make an impact at the NHL level.  After 3 seasons in Atlanta/Winnipeg Burmistrov left for the KHL in 2013.

Matt Fraser

Since 2011/12 Matt Fraser has played 13 games for the Dallas Stars, scoring 1 goal and 3 points.  He's currently with the Bruins organization but has yet to play for the parent club.

Kevin Shattenkirk

A first round draft pick in 2007, Kevin Shattenkirk is an offensive defenceman who has played 200+ NHL games since 2010 between the Avalanche and Blues. 

Kyle Clifford

A member of LA's 2012 Stanley Cup championship team, Kyle Clifford is entering his fourth season as a full time Los Angeles King.  

Jannik Hansen

Danish right winger Jannik Hansen has scored 150+ points in nearly 400 games with the Vancouver Canucks since 2007.

Jonathan Ericsson

Jonathan Ericsson made his NHL debut with the 2007/08 Detroit Red Wings, playing 8 regular season games for the team that season.  They went on to win the Stanley Cup and although Ericsson was awarded a Cup ring and was in the official team championship picture, his name was not engraved on the trophy.  He's still a Red Wing and has played well over 300 games for the club.

Tomas Plihal

Between 2006 and 2009 Tomas Plihal played 93 games for the San Jose Sharks.  He scored 7 goals and 16 points.  

Karl Alzner

Drafted 5th overall in 2007, Karl Alzner has played over 300 games for the Washington Capitals.

Marcus Johansson

Swedish centerman Marcus Johansson has become a reliable secondary scorer for the Washington Capitals.  Entering his fourth season in the NHL, he's already recorded well over 100 points for the Caps.

Mark Pysyk

Buffalo's first round pick from the 2010 NHL draft, defenceman Mark Pysyk has played in nearly 50 NHL games and is currently a regular on the Sabres. 

Milan Jurcina

Between 2005 and 2012 Milan Jurcina played well over 400 NHL games between the Bruins, Capitals, Blue Jackets and Islanders. He has represented Team Slovakia twice at the winter Olympics.

Andrei Loktionov

Russian Andrei Loktionov has played well over 100 NHL games between the Los Angeles Kings and New Jersey Devils. 

Brandon Bollig

Tough guy Brandon Bollig is entering his third season with the Blackhawks.  He won the Stanley Cup as a member of the team in 2013.

Mikael Backlund

Since making his debut in 2008/09 Mikael Backlund has played nearly 200 games for the Calgary Flames.

Scottie Upshall

Drafted 6th overall by the Predators in 2003, Scottie Upshall has played for the Preds, Flyers, Coyotes, Blue Jackets and Panthers.  Currently an assistant captain in Florida, Upshall has scored 100+ career goals and 200+ career points in the NHL.

Tavis Hansen

Tavis Hansen played 1 game for the 1994/95 Winnipeg Jets and then 33 games for the Phoenix Coyotes between 1996 and 2001.

Alex Grant

Alex Grant was drafted by Pittsburgh in 2007 but recently made his NHL debut with the 2013/14 Anaheim Ducks.  He scored a goal in his first NHL game. 

Mike Siklenka

Mike Siklenka has played 2 career NHL games.  1 for the 2002/03 Philadelphia Flyers and 1 for the 2003/04 New York Rangers. 

Doug Doull

Doug Doull is one of very few players to make the NHL after playing Canadian University hockey, he spent 3 years playing for Saint Mary's University in Nova Scotia.  He was a tough customer who dressed in 35 games for the 2003/04 Boston Bruins and 2 games for the 2005/06 Washington Capitals. 

Don Caley

Don Caley played half a game for the 1967/68 St. Louis Blues.  He retired from hockey to become a dentist.  

Derek Laxdal

Between 1984 and 1991 Derek Laxdal scored 12 goals and 21 points in 68 career NHL games. He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Islanders.  He's currently head coach of the WHL's Edmonton Oil Kings.

Doug Kostynski

Between 1983 and 1985 Doug Kostynski scored 3 goals in 15 games for the Boston Bruins. 

Jack Lynch

Between 1972 and 1979 defenceman Jack Lynch played for the Penguins, Red Wings and Capitals.  He scored 130 points in 382 career NHL games.

Bob Gladney

Newfoundlander Bob Gladney played 1 game for the 1982/83 Los Angeles Kings and 13 games for the 1983/84 Pittsburgh Penguins. 

Jerome Engele

Between 1975 and 1978 Jerome Engele played 102 games for the Minnesota North Stars.  He's currently the assistant coach of the WHL's Saskatoon Blades. 

Some addition hockey autographs, Heaney being my favourite addition of the whole post. 

Geraldine Heaney

I've had this card on my wantlist for a long time.  Its a rare 1998 Esso postcard sized autograph, its certified on the back.  These are very rare and I'm still looking for the Nancy Drolet.  In 2013 Geraldine Heaney became just the third female ever to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.  She was a member of Team Canada's women's team from 1990 to 2002, winning Olympic silver in 1998 and Gold in 2002.

Jeremy Smith

Jeremy Smith appeared as a backup goalie in 1 NHL game with the Nashville Predators.

Ross Smith

Its ironic that almost immediately after buying a Ross Smith autographed picture one of my mail requests comes back.  I'll likely keep this one for my collection and let the other go.  Ross Smith played 15 games for the WHA's 1974/75 Indianapolis Racers.  Smith was also an actor in the best hockey movie ever made, Slapshot.