Thursday, March 15, 2012

Gump and Chuck

Gerry Lowrey
ITG/Famous Fabrics made a little typo on this one, spelling Gerry’s name Jerry.  Gerry Lowrey was born in 1906 and died in 1979.  He played 211 NHL games starting with the 1927 Toronto Maple Leafs.  I don’t usually pick up cards like this because they are out of my price range but this one was won for very cheap. 
Dave “Tiger” Williams, Lorne “Gump” Worsley and Chuck Rayner
2 Hockey Hall of Fame goalies and Tiger Williams, who holds the NHL record for most ever career penalty minutes with 4, 421! Rayner won the Hart trophy with the Rangers in 1950, he lost his NHL job to non other than Mr. Worsley in 1953.  Gump would go on to win the Calder, 2 Vezinas and 4 Stanley Cups.
Terry Ruskowski, Bryan Watson and Curt Brackenbury
This is Ruskowski’s first autograph, Watson’s second (he had a Tough Times /250) and Brackenbury’s first.  Ruskowski was a longtime WHA and NHL player who captained the Blackhawks, Kings and Penguins.  Watson had a lengthy career, playing nearly 900 NHL games in which he first played for the 1963 Montreal Canadiens.  Brackenbury was one of the Oiler’s early tough guys picked up to protect Gretzky.  He had a better career in the WHA.
Andre Dupont, Brian Sutter and Ron Ellis
Dupont was a prominent member of the Broad Street Bullies, winning the Stanley Cup in 1974 and 1975.  Sutter will forever be remembered as a member of his famous family but he was also a great player, St. Louis even retired his number.  Ron Ellis played over 1000 NHL games, all with Toronto.  He was a member of the 67 cup winning team.
Harold Snepsts and Anton Stastny
Snepsts never won a Stanley Cup but had a solid NHL career as a blueliner, amassing over 1000 games.  Anton scored over 250 NHL goals.  His brothers Peter and Marian were both great players and his nephews Yan and Paul both played in the NHL. 
Ron Low and Mike Rogers
Low was never a star goalie but did manage to stick around the league for a dozen years.  He won 2 Cups as an assistant coach with the Oilers.  Mike Rogers spent 6 years in the WHA before the NHL merger, he then scored 3 100 point seasons in the NHL, finishing his career with 519 points in 484 games.
Paul Szczechura and Trevor Smith
Both Szczechura and Smith have played 9 games in the NHL this year, Szczechura with Buffalo and Smith with Tampa.  These Cup Rcs are the only autographs for each player.
Jonas Holos
Holos is only the sixth Norwegian to play in the NHL and was a member of their 2010 Vancouver Olympic team.  Holos played 39 games for Colorado last year but has since left for Europe.  Holos only has one other autograph, a Dominion RC that was a redemption and seems to be rather limited.
Guillaume Lefebvre, Sebastien Centomo and Pascal Pelletier
My personal favorite three cards of this post.  All cards are authentic autograph releases from the team, serial numbered on the back /100.  None of these players have an autograph release from any of the big companies.  Lefebvre first played in the NHL in 01/02 with Philly and last played a game for the 09/10 Bruins. Centomo appeared in two periods for the 01/02 Toronto Maple Leafs.  Pelletier played 6 games for the 07/08 Bruins and 7 games for the 08/09 Blackhawks.
Patrik Carnback, Petr Taticek and Trevor Halverson
Carnback played 6 games with the 92/93 Montreal Canadiens and then most of 3 season for the Mighty Ducks.  Taticek, the 9th overall pick of the 2002 draft, only played in 3 games for the 05/06 Panthers.  Halverson appeared in 17 games for the 98/99 Washington Capitals. 
Zack Stortini and Stephen Gionta
Stortini spent all but 1 game this season playing for Nashville’s AHL team.  He did enjoy over 250 games with Edmonton.  This card is notable because UD never released a Stortini autograph.  This Gionta is actually the gold version /25 and was obtained for about a buck, cheaper than the regular version.  Stephen is indeed the brother of Brian. 
Mikko Koskinen and Nathan Marsters
Koskinen appeared between the pipes for 4 games with the Islanders, he has since gone to Europe.  Marsters never got official NHL time in net but did dress as a backup for the Ducks in an official NHL in 2006.  His story is rather sad, passing away in 2009 after an automobile accident. 
Yannick Weber and Jonathon Blum
Weber has graduated to the NHL and has spent the entire season with the Canadiens.  Blum has been up and down between the Predators and their AHL team.
Garth Snow, Damian Rhodes and Fred Brathwaite
Snow is destined to be remembered as that guy who was promoted from backup goalie to General Manager of the Islanders.  Rhodes played for the Leafs, Senators and Thrashers.  He is one of only ten goalies to be credited with scoring a goal.  Brathwaite enjoyed his best years in Calgary with the Flames.
 Oleg Petrov and Todd Warriner and Carlo Colaiacovo
Petrov was a member of the 1993 Montreal Canadiens but did not play enough games to have his name on the Cup.  As a Maple Leafs Warriner scored the first NHL goal in the Air Canada Center in 1999.  Carlo is having a great season this year in St. Louis with fellow former Leaf Alex Steen. 
Wayne Primeau, Kevin Stevens and Igor Larionov
Centerman and brother of Keith, Wayne Primeau played well over 700 games in the league without ever scoring more than 10 goals in a season.  Kevin Stevens won 2 Stanley Cups with the Penguins and enjoyed back to back 50 goal seasons.  Three time Cup winner Larionov was inducted into the HHOF in 2008.
Steve Sullivan, Eric Daze and Andrew Brunette
Sullivan is having a good season with the Penguins, on pace for almost 50 points.  Daze scored 38 goals and was an NHL all-star in his last full season but back problems ended what could have been a great career.  Currently a Blackhawk, Brunette has been a consistent scoring threat ever since his debut in 1995.
 Cory Sarich, Ben Clymer and Ossi Vaananen
Sarich and Clymer won the Stanley Cup with the Lightning in 2004.  Vaananen won a silver medal on the 2006 Finnish Olympic team. 
David Tanabe, Craig Adams and Jesef Vasicek
Tanabe’s career ended early because of concussion problems.  Adams won the Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006 and Penguins in 2009.  Vasicek passed away far before his time on the KHL plane crash. 
Rico Fata, Jeff Shantz and Jarkko Ruutu
The Flame’s 6th overall pick of the 1998 draft, Fata only played 27 games for Calgary.  He last played in the NHL for the 2007 Capitals.  Shantz played full seasons in Calgary and Chicago.  Ruutu was a solid NHL player for many years and won a silver medal in the 2006 Olympics with Finland. 
P.J. Stock, Vitaly Vishnevski and Pascal Trepanier
Stock has graduated from NHL player to CBC commentator.  Vishnevsky was a mainstay on the Anaheim blueline for half a dozen years, helping them reach the Cup final in 2003.  Trepanier played for the Avalanche, Ducks and Predators.
Sean Hill, Niklas Sundstrom and Brett Clark
Hill was a member of the 01/02 Carolina Hurricanes who made a Cinderella run to the Cup final.  Sundstrom’s best season was a 24 goal, 52 point year for the 96/97 Rangers.  Clark currently plays for the Tampa Bay Lightning, this has remained his only autograph. 
Anton Volchenkov, Lynn Loyns and Steve Eminger
Volchenkov is in the second year of his 25.5 million dollar contract with the New Jersey Devils.  Loyns last played in the NHL with the 05/06 Calgary Flames.   Eminger is having a good year in New York with the Rangers. 
Kristian Huselius, Steve Webb and Blake Sloan
Injuries have limited Huselius to only 2 games this year in Columbus.  He had a 34 goal, 77 point outburst in 06/07 playing with Iginla in Calgary.  Leafs fans may remember Webb from the old playoff rivalry with the Islanders.  Sloan was a depth player for Dallas, Columbus and Calgary. 
Scott Walker, Alexander Korolyuk and Craig Conroy
Longtime Predator Scott Walker currently coaches in the OHL, having last played for the 2010 Washington Capitals.  Korolyuk played nearly 300 NHL games and still plays overseas.  Conroy played over 1000 NHL games and was captain of the Calgary Flames.
Nathan Perrott, Joe Paterson and Derek Meech
These cards are from team released autograph sets but since they don’t have  any special markings to differentiate them from the base set I don’t consider them certified autographs and will put them with my index cards.  Perrott last played in the NHL for the 05/06 Dallas Stars but I remember his for playing part of a season in Toronto.  Before becoming a coach Paterson played for the Wings, Flyers, Kings and Rangers.  Meech is notable for getting his name on the Cup as a member of the 2008 Red Wings and for playing on this years new generation Winnipeg Jets. 
Larry Patey
Patey played over 700 NHL games, mostly for the Blues between 1975 and 1984. 
Larry Popein
Popein spent 7 season as a center for the Original 6 New York Rangers.  He left the league for a number of years before returning to play a season with the expansion Oakland Seals.
Dick Cherry
Dick played 144 more NHL games than his brother Don, who you might have heard of. A little water damage on this one. 
Jim Bartlett
Bartlett was New York Yankee owner George Steinbrenner’s chaufer for 20 years after his hockey career ended. 
Sergei Bautin
After playing the better part of two years in Winnipeg from 92-94 Bautin also played one game for the Red Wings and Sharks. Scanner cut this one off a bit. 
Jason Jaffray
Jaffray has played 13 games this season for the new age Winnipeg Jets.  He’s also seen time with Calgary and Vancouver. 
Clay Wilson
Another current player with no autograph release, Wilson has played in 33 NHL games, 2 for this years Calgary Flames. 
Phil Von Stefenelli
From 1994-1997 Von Stefenelli played 27 games for the Boston Bruins and 6 for the Ottawa Senators.
Nelson DeBenedet
DeBenedet is notable for being the first Italian born player in the NHL.  He signed this one twice, I request that the players sign on top of the faded logo so he probably read the letter after signing.  

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