Months of Mail - April, May & June

A total of 19 new NHL player autographs added these past 3 months. The grand total of unique NHL player autographs in my collection now stands at 7,859 for 94% of everyone to ever play in the NHL. 

                      Alex Singbush (d. 1969)

Defenseman Alex Singbush spent one season in the NHL playing 32 games with the 1940-41 Montreal Canadiens. 

                        Ossie Asmundson (d. 1964)

Ossie Asmundson won the Stanley Cup in his first season in the NHL with the 1932-33 New York Rangers. He went on to play over 100 games in the NHL between the Rangers, Red Wings, St. Louis Eagles and Montreal Canadiens.

              Francis "Mickey" Blake (d. 2000)

Mickey Blake played 10 games in the NHL during the 1930s between the Montreal Maroons, St. Louis Eagles and Toronto Maple Leafs.

                      Chuck Shannon (d. 1974)

Chuck Shannon played 4 games in the NHL with the 1939-40 New York Americans.

                       Norman Mann (d. 1994)

From 1936 to 1941 Norm Mann played just over 30 games in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

                       Eddie Convey (d. 1969)

From 1930 to 1933 Eddie Convey played 36 games in the NHL with the New York Americans.

              James "Babe" Donnelly (d. 1968)

Babe Donnelly spent 1 season in the NHL, playing 34 regular season and 2 playoff games with the 1926-27 Montreal Maroons.

                        Don Willson (d. 1967)

From 1937 to 1939 Don Willson played 22 games in the NHL with the Montreal Canadiens and recored 9 points. 

                        Harvey Teno (d. 1990)

Goalie Harvey Teno guarded net in 5 NHL games with the 1938-39 Detroit Red Wings.

                        Glenn Brydson (d. 1993)

From 1930 to 1938 Glenn Brydson played nearly 300 regular season games in the NHL. He played for the Montreal Maroons, St. Louis Eagles, New York Rangers and Chicago Blackhawks. 

                      John Wilkinson (d. 1970)

Defenseman John Wilkinson played 9 games in the NHL with the 1943-44 Boston Bruins.

                          John Sleaver (d. 2001)

John Sleaver played 13 games in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks during the 1950s.

                           Julian Klymkiw (d. 2022)

Thanks to Ty from Manitoba for helping me with this. He was able to get Kymkiw in person before the former goalie passed away. Klymkiw played 1 games in the NHL with the 1958-59 New York Rangers. He had been the Red Wings trainer and was used in an emergency situation by the Rangers.

   Rod Morrison (d. 1998)

Rod Morrison spent 1 season in the NHL, playing 34 games with the 1947-48 Detroit Red Wings. He had a productive season, scoring 8 goals and 15 points.

                Bernie Ruelle (d. 1995)

Bernie Ruelle scored 1 goal in 2 career NHL games with the 1943-44 Detroit Red Wings.

                   Antero Lehtonen

Antero Lehtonen spent one season in the NHL, scoring 21 points in 65 games with the 1979-80 Washington Capitals. He represented Finland multiple times at the World Championships.

                        Dusan Pasek (d. 1998)

Dusan Pasek came to the NHL in 1988 as a season Czech pro. He spent one season in the NHL with the 1988-89 Minnesota North Stars. His short career in North America and his untimely death made his signature difficult to find. This one came from a team signed pennant. It was the last autograph I needed to complete the 1988-89 debut autographs.

                    Akira Schmid

Schmid was one of last autographs I needed from 2021-22 debuts. He's played in the NHL with the New Jersey Devils and Vegas Golden Knights. 

                              Isaak Phillips

Another of the last autographs I needed from the 2021-22 year of debuts, Phillips has played 58 games in the NHL between the Chicago Blackhawks and Winnipeg Jets.

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                          Eddie Powers (d. 1943)

From 1924 to 1926 Eddie Powers was head coach of the NHL's Toronto St. Patricks. He had a long career in hockey that included working with the Maple Leafs team that won the 1942 Stanley Cup. This and the next couple of autographs go in my collection of NHL GMs and coaches who never played in the league.

                        Myles Fee

Myles Fee spent time as video coach with the Oilers and Sabres before being promoted to assistant coach with the Florida Panthers in 2023. He has won the Stanley Cup twice as assistant coach with the Panthers. 

                   John McLean

Not to be confused with the former NHL player of the same name, this John McLean served as an NHL assistant coach with the 2023-24 Bruins.

                     Jerry Olinski (d. 2008)

After a short pro hockey career Jerry Olinski made it to the NHL in the 1950s as a referee. He goes into my collection of NHL officials autographs.

Months of Mail - January, February and March 2026

The over two decade long quest for a signature of every current and former National Hockey League player continues with 14 new NHL player autographs added to start 2026. 

The grand total of unique NHL player autographs in my collection now stands at 7,840 for 94% of everyone to ever play in the NHL. 

                            Herb Stuart (d. 1981)

Goalie Herb Stuart played 3 games in the NHL with the 1926-27 Detroit Cougars. I have a soft spot for goalies and with so few left on my wantlist, its always great to add a new netminder.

                         Patsy Callighen (d. 1964)

Patsy Callighen spent one season in the NHL, playing 36 regular season and 9 playoff games with the 1927-28 New York Rangers. The defenseman recorded 0 points in his 45 total NHL games.  He's most notable for helping the Rangers win 1928 Stanley Cup.

                           Ernie Kenny (d. 1970)

Ernie Kenny played half a dozen NHL games with the 1930-31 New York Rangers and another 4 games with the 1934-35 Chicago Blackhawks. He was held pointless in his 10 career NHL games.

                        Hal Picketts (d. 2002)

Hal Picketts spent one season in the NHL, playing 48 games with the 1933-34 New York Americans.

                      Eric Pettinger (d. 1968)

From 1928 to 1931 Eric Pettinger payed just over 100 total games in the NHL. He suited up for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators. His brother, Gordon, also played in the NHL.

                     Clarence Schmidt (d. 1997)

Minnesota native Clarence Schmidt had a short two year professional hockey career that saw him play 7 games in the NHL with the 1943-44 Boston Bruins. He scored 1 goal in the NHL. He has no relation to legendary Bruin Milt Schmidt. 

                  Irwin "Yank" Boyd (d. 1979)

From 1931 to 1944 Yank Boyd played 97 regular season games in the NHL, scoring 10 goals and 20 points. He played for the Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings. Born in Pennsylvania, he was the only American born player in the NHL when he made his debut with the 1931-32 Bruins.

                Doug "Andy" Anderson (d. 1998)

Doug Anderson played 2 games in the NHL, both during the Stanley Cup finals with the 1953 Montreal Canadiens. He never played a regular season games in the NHL. The '53 Canadiens went on to win the Stanley Cup but Anderson's name was left off the trophy.

                     Bill "Red" Anderson (d. 1991)

Red Anderson played pro hockey from 1934 to 1943. In his very last pro season he was recalled to the NHL by the Boston Bruins during the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Bruins dressed Anderson for one game, his only appearance in the NHL and at the very end of his career. 

                          Hal Cooper (d. 1977)

Hal Cooper played 8 games in the NHL with the 1944-45 New York Rangers.

                   Norm Calladine (d. 1988)

From 1942 to 1945 Norm Calladine played 63 games in the NHL with the Boston Bruins. He was a productive player who scored 19 goals and 48 points with the Bruins.

                  Johnny Holota (d. 1951)

From 1942 to 1946 Johnny Holota played 15 games in the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings. He scored 2 goals in the NHL. Holota's career ended abruptly when he died tragically young in a 1951 car accident.

                    Sid McNabney (d. 1957)

Sid McNabney played 5 games in the NHL, all in the playoffs with the 1951 Montreal Canadiens. Cancer killed him in 1957, he was just 28.

                           Wayne Ramsey

Wayne Ramsey played 2 games in the NHL with the 1977-78 Buffalo Sabres. Unfortunately, I have to believe he wants absolutely nothing to do with his past hockey carer. He never acknowledged any of my numerous requests over the years and I've never heard of anyone getting his autograph during his later life. He was the very last autograph I needed for 77-78 season of debuts so I was thrilled to finally find his autograph, signed when he was with the 1978-79 Toledo Goaldiggers.

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Also added some new autographs of NHL "backup only" goalies and NHL coaches who never played in the league. 

                              Jim Baxter

Jim Baxter dressed in 5 NHL games as a backup goalie over 2 season with the 1977-78 and 1978-79 Detroit Red Wings. He never saw any time in net so isn't in the NHL record books.

                          Richard Martens

Goalie Rick Martens dressed in 1 NHL game as a backup goalie with the 1978-79 Vancouver Canucks. 

                   Reid Cooper

Reid Cooper dressed in 1 NHL game as a backup goalie with the Washington Capitals on April 13, 2023 against the New Jersey Devils. He's somewhat notable for being the first and only goalie to wear #97 in the NHL.

                 Samuel Richard

Samuel Richard dressed in 1 NHL game as an emergency backup goalie with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He suited up for the 2022-23 Maple Leafs in a game against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Gardens.

                    Matt Onuska

Matt Onuska dressed in 1 NHL game as a backup goalie with the 2022-23 Toronto Maple Leafs. The game came April 11, 2023 against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

                      Calle Clang

Calle Clang has dressed in 3 NHL games as a backup goalie with Anaheim Ducks over 2 NHL seasons.

                      Bill LaForge (d. 2005)

Bill LaForge's first and only stint in the NHL was with the 1984-85 Vancouver Canucks. He lasted 20 games as the team's head coach before being dismissed. 

                       Scott Ford

Scott Ford is in his second season as an assistant coach with the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets. He was hired by the team in 2024. He's a former professional player who spent lots of time in the AHL.

Last mail post of 2025

Added some great autographs to finish the year. With six new signatures the grand total of unique NHL player signatures in my collection now stands at 7,826 for 94% of everyone to ever play in the NHL. 

                         Butch Paul (d. 1966)

I was thrilled to find a Butch Paul autograph for a steal of a deal. Classic Auctions recently had a team signed '64-65 Red Wings program listed but they failed to notice the Paul autograph on the program. Lucky for me, I take a very close look at all the team signed stuff. The autograph didn't scan well but you can click to enlarge and its very clear in hand. Butch Paul played 3 games in the NHL with the 1964-65 Detroit Red Wings. He died tragically young in a 1966 car accident, he was only 22. He was the last autograph I needed to complete the 1964-65 year of debuts.

                     Dan Olesevich (d. 1983)

A long time Detroit Red Wings trainer and practice goalie, Dan Olesevich is most notable for appearing in one NHL game as an emergency goalie with the 1961-62 New York Rangers. He signed this "Ollie" Olesevich, his nicknamed while he played in the 50s. Like the Paul autograph, it is clear to see in person and if you click to enlarge, you can see it much better. He was the very last autograph I needed to complete the 1961-62 year of debuts.

                         Bert Gardiner (d. 2001)

Goalie Bert Gardiner played in the NHL with the New York Rangers, Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins. From 1935 to 1944 he played 144 regular season NHL games. Gardiner lived a long life after hockey but moved to California, away from the game and his autograph proved rather difficult to find. 

                Henry "Hank" Lehvonen (d. 2022)

Defenseman Hank Lehvonen played 4 games in the NHL with the 1974-75 Kansas City Scouts. He was one of the last autographs I needed from the '74-75 year of debuts. 

                         Tom Polanic (d. 2019)

From 1969 to 1971 Tom Polanic played 19 games in the NHL with the Minnesota North Stars. Polanic was the very last guy I needed for the 1969-70 year of debuts. 

                   Quinton Byfield

The LA Kings drafted Quinton Byfield 2nd overall in 2022. He's already had two 20 goal season in the NHL. Byfield was of the last autographs I needed from the 2020-21 Year of Debuts. 

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The last two autographs go in my collection of NHL backup autographs. 

                             Ron Marlow

Goalie Ron Marlow dressed in 3 NHL games as a backup goalie with the 1973-74 New York Islanders. 

                    Mike Parson

Mike Parson dressed in 1 NHL game as a backup goalie with the 1992-93 Boston Bruins.

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