October, 2019 saw 9 new NHL player autographs added to the collection, raising the grand total to 6,270 unique player signatures, 82% of everyone to ever play in the league.
The month was highlighted by a few great TTM returns, particularly Rich Parent.
I'd long been searching for Rich Parent's autograph so I was thrilled to get this return. From 1997 to 2001 Rich Parent played in 32 NHL games between the St. Louis Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning and Pittsburgh Penguins.
With Parent now added, Brian Eklund is the very last goalie from the past 35 years of NHL debuts who I have left to find. I'm pretty sure I know Eklund's location, but unfortunately he doesn't seem to answer fan mail. The addition of Parent also completes the 1997/98 season of debuts for me.
Dave Reid (b. 1934)
From 1952 to 1956 Dave Reid played 7 NHL games with the Toronto Maple Leafs. There is another, much more well known Dave Reid, who also played in the NHL more recently and with the Maple Leafs. That make it next to impossible to locate this Dave Reid so I was lucky to find his signature on an old program. When I looked through the program I was even happier to see that it was from one of those 7 games Reid played in the NHL.
He goes with the 1952/53 NHL debuts.
Dean Morton
Dean Morton scored a goal in his one and only career NHL game with the 1989/90 Detroit Red Wings. He later returned to the NHL, but in a different uniform. Morton has been an NHL official since 2000, refereeing well over 800 NHL games so far.
The addition of Morton's signatures leaves me with 1 player left to complete the 1989/90 year of debuts.
Pavel Torgayev
Russian forward Pavel Torgayev was 29 when he played his first NHL season with the 1995/96 Calgary Flames. From 1996 to 2000 he scored 6 goals and 20 points in 55 career NHL games between the Flames and Tampa Bay Lightning. Internationally, he represented Russia at the 1994 Olympics and 1995 World Championships.
After years of never getting a success from Russia, I've gotten a few great returns this year. I've long been after Torgayev and his signature completes the 1995/96 season of debuts.
Defenseman Brian White played 2 NHL games with the 1998/99 Colorado Avalanche. He was originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in '94 and spent four seasons at the University of Maine before signing with the Avalanche.
White leaves me with one player left to complete the 1998/99 year of debuts.
From 1968 to 1976 Jean-Guy Lagace played 197 regular season games in the NHL, dressing for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Buffalo Sabres and Kanas City Scouts. He also played a season in the WHA with the 1976/77 Birmingham Bulls.
This was my first time using the Past Pros service. It was the only way I could get Lagace's signature but the service worked as advertised and I'm satisfied.
Lagace's autographs puts the 1968/69 year of debuts at 91%.
From 1928 to 1945 Mush March was a member of the Chicago Blackhawks, playing 759 regular season NHL games with the club. He won the Stanley Cup in 1934 and 1938 with Chicago and in '34 he scored the Cup winning overtime goal.
March goes with my other vintage, 1917-1940, autographs.
From 1983 to 1985 Claude Verret scored 2 goals and 7 points in 14 career NHL games with the Buffalo Sabres. I had tried writing to Verret a few times before but always seemed to just miss him at his location. I was finally able to catch up with him.
Verret is added to the 1983/84 year of debuts.
From 2017 to 2019 defenseman Jaycob Megna played 43 games in the NHL with the Anaheim Ducks. He was recently signed by the Vegas Golden Knights but has yet to play for the team. His brother, Jayson, also played in the NHL.
I sent out a number of requests to current NHL and mostly AHL players recently with Megna being the first return. I'm hoping to have a better year from the AHL this season. Megna goes with the 2016/17 year of debuts.
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Tommy Ivan
From 1947 to 1954 Tommy Ivan was head coach of the Detroit Red Wings, winning the Stanley Cup in 1950, 1952 and 1954. From 1954 to 1977 he was General Manager of the Chicago Blackhawks, winning another Stanley Cup in 1961. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1974.
Ivan and the next few signatures here go with my collection of NHL coaches and GMs who didn't play in the NHL.
Dave Hakstol
From 2015 to 2018 Dave Hakstol was head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers. He's been an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs since 2019. He played some pro hockey in the 90s and was a long time coach of the the University of North Dakota before entering the NHL.
Randy Sexton
Randy Sexton has spent time as General Manager of the Ottawa Senators (93-96) and Florida Panthers (09/10). He's currently assistant GM of the Buffalo Sabres. Sexton served as Director of Amateur Scouting of the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2010 to 2017 and has his name engraved on the Stanley Cup with the Pens.
Tom McVie
Tom McVie spent time as an NHL Head Coach with the Washington Capitals (1975 to 1979), Winnipeg Jets (1979 to 1980) and New Jersey Devils (1991 to 1992). Before becoming a coach, Tom McVie spent nearly 2 decades as a pro hockey player, mostly in the WHL. He sent me an absolutely wonderful return with a bunch of extras.
Ron Fournier spent a decade as an NHL official. He also spent a few years officiating in the WHA. He's now well known in Quebec as a sports radio personality.
Sandra Whyte won Gold at the 1998 Olympics with the Team USA Women's hockey team. She also has a number of Silver medals from the Women's World Championships. Whyte goes with my growing collection of Canadian and American female hockey Olympians and pros.
Beautiful as always!!
ReplyDeleteVery cool!!!
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