TTM: Jamie McLennan

Jamie McLennan played 254 NHL games over 11 NHL season.  He was a career back-up goalie who had his best season with St. Louis.  In 82 games with the Blues, McLennan was 38-27-8, with a 2.20 GAA.  McLennan is an analyst on TSN, the NHL Network, NHL radio and writes for The Hockey News.  I sent the cards to The Hockey News.  I sent him 2 cards to be signed; he returned 6 signed cards.  Perhaps it was because I forgave him for playing on the NY Rangers.

TTM: Randy Wood

Randy Wood signed four out of four cards for me.  Mr. Wood played 741 games in the NHL over 11 seasons.  His best year was 1989-90 when he scored 24 goals and 48 points.  He played for Team USA in the 1991-92 Canada Cup.  The cards were sent to his home address on November 28th and were received on December 23rd.

88-89 OPC Tribute: Datsyuk, Giroux, and Potvin

  Pavel Datsyuk has won four Lady Byng Trophies, three Frank Selke Trophies and two Stanley Cups.  Datysuk is only one of two NHLers to win both the Lady Byng and Selke trophies.  The other player is card #111.

#73 - Pavel Datsyuk

  Claude Giroux is currently the league's leading scorer, despite missing time with a concussion inflicted by a teammate.  In his first game back from the concussion, Giroux scored four points.  He also sported an awesome porn stache earlier this season.

#74 - Claude Giroux

  Denis Potvin was the the 2nd NHL defenceman to score 100 points in a season and the first to score a 1000 points in a career.  The three-time Norris Trophy winner and four-time Stanley Cup winner, was inducted into the HHOF in 1991.

#114 - Denis Potvin

TTM: Frank Udvari

Frank Udvari was an NHL referee from 1951 to 1966.  In 1966, he became the supervisor of Officials and was inducted into the HHOF in 1973.  Udvari was the referee during the 1955 game when Rocket Richard went postal and was subsequently suspended for the playoffs, inciting the Richard Riots.   Mr. Udvari signed my card and picture.  On top of that he sent a signed 8x10 picture of his HHOF display and a signed biography sheet from the legends of hockey.net.  He paid for the larger envelope and postage.   A generous return from a HHOFer.

Merry Christmas

TTM: Jim Peplinski

Jim Peplinski played 711 games with the Calgary Flames.  He won a Stanley Cup in 1989 and took time off in 1988 to play for Team Canada at the Olympics in Calgary.  He retired in 1990.  He re-retired in 1995 after a six game comeback attempt.  Mr. Peplinski has found success after hockey, running several car dealerships and also being a co-chair for the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship.  I sent Mr. Peplinski one card.  He returned the signed card, a signed 3.5 x 5 card and his business card.

88-89 OPC Tribute: Reimer, Bergeron, and MacInnis

  James Reimer has been a sensation in Leafs Nation.  A 4th round picked in 2006, has come from the ECHL in 2008 to the big time last season, filling Leafs fans with playoff dreams.  Marc-Andre Bergeron may have found a home in Tampa after playing for 6 teams in the past 6 seasons.  Bergeron will be best remembered by Oilers fans by wrecking their best chance at Cup since 1990.

#71 - James Reimer

#72 - Marc-Andre Bergeron

Al MacInnis was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007.  MacInnis was a James Norris trophy in 1999 and won a Conn Smythe in 1989 as part of the the Stanley Cup Champion Calgary Flames.  He is one of 5 defencemen to score 100 points in one season and is 3rd all-time in career scoring for defencemen.  

#114 - Al MacInnis

TTM: Doug Smail

Doug Smail played 845 games in the NHL registering 459pts.  He also played 75 games in Britan, registering 204pts.  Mr. Smail was the first player to ever go straight from the NHL to a Brittish hockey league.  In the NHL, Smail was a defensive specialist, excelling on the penalty kill.  He is the Jets/Coyotes franchise leader in short-handed goals.  He was one of a record six player on the 1984-85 Winnipeg Jets to score 30 or more goals.  His 31 goals in 84-85 are the most goals in one NHL season without a scoring powerplay goal.  Cards were sent c/o The Rocky Mountain Roughriders, where Mr. Smail is a coach.

TTM: Troy Crowder

  Troy Crowder burst onto the scene by bloodying the face of, then undisputed heavyweight champ, Bob Probert.  A legend was born and the highly touted rematches were just as vicious.  Unfortunately, Mr. Crowder would have a long list of injuries that would sidetrack his career.  He attempted numerous comebacks, only to be fell by injuries once again.  There is an excellent interview with Mr. Crowder on Hockeyfights.com.

TTM: Pat Elynuik

Pat Elynuik was part of Team Canada for the 1987 World Juniors Tournament that ended in the Punch Up in Piestany.  Mr. Elynuik would finish his career with 342 point in 506 career games.   Sent: November 28th, 2011   Received: December 16th, 2011

TTM: Don Cherry

  Don Cherry has been involved with hockey for the past 60 years.  From player to coach to analyst.  Although some would agrue he's more of a loudmouth ass than an analyst.  Love him or hate him, no one can argue about his passion for the game of hockey, or the passion he has for his country or fans.
  On October 18th I sent Mr. Cherry one card and a picture, an 88-89 OPC Tribute.  I also included an extra of the picture for him to keep, which he did.  One December 12th, I received my 2 items plus an additional 2 items.  No Hockey TTM collection is complete without a Don Cherry autograph.  Thanks Don.

88-89 OPC Tribute: Carter, Loungo, and Henrique

  After being a key player with the Philadelphia Flyers for several years, Jeff Carter was sent packing to the Columbus Blue Jackets.  There are already rumours of Carter demanding a trade out of Columbus.  Roberto Loungo continues to be a hot topic in Vancouver.  Should he stay or should he go?  Is he hot or cold?  In last years Finals, Loungo was often either the best player on the ice or the worst.  2010-11's Wins leader and Williams Jennings winner is struggling to hold on to his starting job this season.

#70 - Jeff Carter

#71 - Roberto Loungo

  Adam Henrique has been moving up in the rookie scoring race, with 12 points in his last 10 games.  Henrique, a 3rd round darft pick in 2008, centers the Devils top line with Ilya Kovalchuk and Zach Parise.

#129 - Adam Henrique

TTM: Pat Conacher

Pat Conacher played in the NHL for parts of 13 seasons.  He was part of the Stanley Cup winning Edmonton Oilers in 1984 and also helped the Los Angeles Kings to the Cup Final in 1993.  A defensive specialist, Conacher had his best seasons with the Los Angeles Kings.  Mr. Conacher signed 2 of 2.  The cards were sent October 20th and came back December 12th.  Conacher is currently the head coach of the Regina St. Pats of the WHL.

TTM: Gary Bromley

Gary Bromley is best remember for his mask as opposed to any success he had on the ice.  Bromley played 136 NHL games, 67 in the WHA and won an Avco Cup in the WHA.  But it's his mask which inspires the interest in this goalie's career.  Unfortunately, OPC really dropped the ball on Gary Bromley cards.  His 1979-80 card pictures Glen Hanlon and his 1980-81 is actually Curt Ridley.  His mask finally got on a card in an ITG release in 2009-10.

Mr. Bromley signed 1 of 1 and kept the extra picture as offered.  Even even wrote a note thanking me for the picture. A fantastic return.

TTM: David Aebischer

A nice return from the #2 in career win by a Swiss goalie, David Aebischer.  Aebischer last played in the NHL in 2007 with the Phoenix Coyotes.  He spent the last four season playing in the Swiss league before attempting a comeback with the Winnipeg Jets.  Aebischer currently plays with the St. John's IceCaps of the AHL.   I sent out a card and 2 pictures, each picture had an extra copy for Aebischer to keep if he desired.  He returned the card and two copies of each picture signed.  He personalized one copy of each picture.  They were sent October 12th and received November 30th.

TTM: Dave Poulin

Two of two received from Dave Poulin, c/o The Toronto Maple Leafs.  I think he signed the card sideways.  I can't make out his name regardless of which way I hold them.  It's a unique signature.  Dave Poulin won the Frank Selke trophy in 1987 and played in three Stanley Cup Finals,  two with the Flyers and 1 with the Bruins.  All three were against the Edmonton Oilers and Dave's team lost all three.  Poulin played 13 years in the NHL and his team made the play-offs every season.

TTM: Stephane Beauregard

Isn't it strange how a young hockey fan can attach themselves to a player, seemingly at random?  Stephane Beauregard was one of the players I cheered for a young kid.  Beauregard played 5 years in the NHL, but never posting a winning season. Beauregard's biggest claim to fame was being part of the package, along with a 4th round pick (Eric Daze), Buffalo used to snag Dominik Hasek from the Chicago Black Hawks in 1992.

Mr. Beauregard signed both cards with the #30, even though he wore #35 during his one season with Philadelphia.  Never the less, he has one of the nicer signatures I have received back to date.  

The Forgotten: Doug Dadswell

Doug Dadswell played two years for the Calgary Flames, finishing with a 8-8-3 record and a 4.41 GAA.  Dadswell was the back-up to Mike Vernon in 1987-88 when the Flames made the move to trade for a more experienced back-up.  A trade that would send Brett Hull to the St. Louis Blues and bring Rick Wamsley to the Flames.  The Flames would win a Stanley Cup the following season, Brett Hull would go on to become the 3rd highest goal scorer of all-time and Doug Dadswell was out of the NHL by the end of the year. There are not many Doug Dadswell pictures on the internet, so the card's quality is of lower quality than usual.  Doug Dadswell never had a NHL card... until now. If anyone knows of any high quality pics of Dadswell, could you please point the way.  Thank you.

Doug Dadswell Rookie

TTM: Teemu Selanne

Where does Teemu Selanne find the time?  From the reports I have seen he is one of the most popular player to send a TTM and he is also one of the most reliable.  He is also known to occasionally send back an extra card or picture.  How many other active NHLers who are future Hall of Famers are so generous to their fans?   Mr. Selanne signed 3 of 3 in 23 days.  He kept a copy of the picture, as offered.  Thank you Mr. Selanne.

Teemu Selanne

TTM: Mikko Makela

 Mikko Makela scored 265 points in 423 games.  He had his best season in 1987-88, scoring 36 goals and 76 points.  He played with the New York Islanders, Buffalo Sabres, Los Angeles Kings, Boston Bruins and also spent several years playing in Europe.  Mr. Makela is currently a teacher at the Warner Hockey School in Alberta.  I sent two cards on November 3rd and received them back on November 25th. 

88-89 OPC: Kane, Fleury and Hull

Evander Kane has been tearing it up of late for the Winnipeg Jets, with 9 goals in the past 10 games.  Perhaps it has something to do with his jersey number, #9.  

#68 - Evander Kane

The 1st overall pick in the 2003 NHL entry draft, Marc-Andre Fleury has won a Stanley Cup and an Olympic Gold medal, but is he an elite goalie?  The Penguins were a stacked team when they won the Cup and Fleury spent his time in the press box as the 3rd string goalie for Team Canada in the 2010 Olympics.  Fleury has only once finished in the top 10 in GAA or Save Percentage.  Is Fleury this generation's Grant Fuhr?

#69 - Marc-Andre Fleury

  On March 7th 1988, the Calgary Flames traded Brett Hull and Steve Bozek for Rob Ramage and Rick Wamesley.  The Flames would win the Stanley Cup the following year.  Brett Hull would go on to score 741 career NHL goals.  Good Trade?  Would you give back a Stanley Cup to have the top NHL goal scorer of the 90s with no guarantees of winning another Stanley Cup?  Tough call.

#113 - Brett Hull

TTM: Alex Tanguay

After a forgettable year in Tamp Bay, Alex Tanguay returned to the Calgary Flames.  Tanguay finished 2nd on the team in scoring last year and currently leds the Flames in scoring through 24 games.  There is one thing Alex needs to do more of... shoot!  Tanguay has the best shooting percentage of all active players and is 21st all-time with a 18.6 shooting percentage.   Mr. Tanguay signed all three cards I sent.  They were sent on October 27th and received on November 25th.

TTM: Gilles Gilbert

I will admit, I didn't know much about Gilles Gilbert before sending him a TTM, but that's part of the fun of TTM; learning about the players.  I decided to send to Mr. Gilbert after seeing some other TTM returns.  He has one of, if not, the best autograph I have seen.  So when I decided to TTM him, I also had to do some research for my Letter of Request.  Then I had to search for pictures since I wanted to send a custom picture.  In the end, even though he's been retired for almost 30 years, Gilles Gilbert got another fan.  Mr. Gilbert signed all 3 items sent and kept the extra picture, as offered. Sent: November 7th, 2011 Received: November 23rd, 2011

TTM: Edgar Laprade

Edgar Laprade played 10 season with the New York Rangers from 1945 to 1955.  In three of those season, he didn't register a single penalty minute.  Edgar was inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1993.   There was a recently an article on him in the Globe and Mail where autographs ttm is briefly mentioned.  I wonder how many he gets.  The card he signed for me was in the mentioned stack.  I sent the card out on October 26th, and received it on November 22nd.  It was postmarked November 13th.   To check out all my TTMs, there is a link to my TTM Tracker under the Projects widget.

TTM: Basil McRae

3 card return from Basil McRae, all signed with ballpoint pen.  It's hard to be disappointed with any auto you get TTM but they are a lot nicer when signed with a sharpie.  I have read of some TTMers sending a sharpie along with their items, LOR and SASE.  Basil McRae currently runs a Financial Services Firm in London, Ontario.

Sent: November 3rd, 2011 Received: November 23rd, 2011

TTM: Eric Nesterenko

  In 1956, Eric Nesterenko attended classes at the University of Toronto during the week, then on the weekend, he played for the Chicago Black Hawks.  Could you imagine that ever happening in today's NHL?  I sent him a parkhurst card and a 4x6.  I also sent an extra copy of the4x6 for him to keep.  Mr. Nesterenko returned the card and both 4x6s signed.  Thank you Mr. Nesterenko.

TTM: Dale Hunter

  An excellent 3 card return from the NHL's #2 All-Time in Penalty Minutes.  Dale Hunter spent the majority of his career with the Washington Capitals but I will best remember him as a Quebec Nordique.  He played in an era when a rivalry, such as Montreal vs Quebec, meant bad blood, and lots of it.
  While Quebec fans may have been sad to see Dale Hunter go, part of the packaged they received was the Washington Capital's 1st round pick in the 1987 draft.

Sent: October 19th
Received November 21st

c/o London Knights

88-89 OPC Tribute: Kane, Thomas and Smith

 Here comes a long overdue update for the 88-89 OPC Tribute Set.  Patrick Kane has made a name for himself, on and off the ice.  The 1st overall pick from the 2007 NHL draft has made a Sylvain Turgeon card worth more than a dime, won a Calder Trophy, partied hardy, punched a cabbie, harnessed the power of the mullet, and scored the 2010 Stanley Cup winning goal.  If he could learn to use a mouthguard he could be unstoppable.

  Tim Thomas has been finding almost everything stoppable of late.  Thomas is a two time Vezina trophy winner and last year's Conn Smyhte winner from the Stanley Cup Champions, Boston Bruins.  Tim Thomas got a late start in the NHL, only playing NHL 4 games before age 31.  Tim Thomas was originally a 9th round draft pick, 217th overall,  by the Quebec Nordiques in 1994.  He later spent time in the Edmonton Oilers farm system before signing with the Boston Bruins in 2002.  Thomas is  great inspiration for player still toiling in the minors in the mid-20's.

  Craig Smith has been an early surprise contender for the rookie scoring race.  A 4th round pick from 2009,  Smith is currently second in rookie points behind Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.  If Smith keeps his scoring pace up, he could be a finalist for the Calder Trophy.  If not, Smith might best be remembered for his empty net miss.  He had better luck attacking empty nets while playing with Wisconsin.  Ain't Karma a bitch?

 

TTM: Don Beaupre

This return from Don Beaupre was sent out October 26th and was received November 21st.  It was sent to his home but the postmark on the return envelope was from his business address.   Beaupre spent the majority of his career with the Minnesota North Stars and the Washington Capitals before finishing his career with stints in Ottawa and Toronto.   Mr. Beaupre signed both cards and a 4x6 for me.  He kept the extra copy of the 4x6.  It is just as exciting to have a player keep a custom as it is to get it back signed.

TTM Success: Stephane Richer

I remember when Stephane Richer became a household name in the late 80s.  He had two 50 goal years with the Montreal Canadiens in the late 80s.  His is one of only 2 players to have 2 or more 50 goal seasons with the Canadiens.  He never came close to 50 goals again.  He led the New Jersey Devils in scoring in the 1995 Playoffs while wining his second career Stanley Cup.   I sent the letter out on October 5th and received it on November 16th.  I sent Mr. Richer two copies of the picture and offered the extra to him.  He signed and returned both.  He signed even farther outside the auto box on the other copy.

Stephane Richer TTM

 I haven't updated a lot of late.  I had to juggle shifts last week, and this upcoming week, so I could escape to Edmonton for the weekend.  You know you are in tough when Edmonton in late November is considered an escape.  I picked up some cards I want to blog about and found a few TTMs in my mailbox when I returned home today.  So if I can find the time and the gumption, I should have several posts this week.

TTM Sucess: Dickie Moore

I received two returns from Montreal Canadiens HHOFers on November 15th.  The second being Dickie Moore.  Dickie Moore won back-to-back Art Ross Trophies in 1958 and 1959.  In 1959 he set a record with 96 points in a season, which stood for seven seasons.  The Hockey News ranked Dickie Moore as the 4th best Left Winger of all-time.   This was a quick return as I sent it out October 27th and received it on November 15th,  Thank you Mr. Moore.   There are a couple of noteworthy items regarding this TTM.  It's the first look at the Dickie Moore 88-89 OPC Tribute card and it's my first return of a 2006-07 Parkhurst card.  I have about a dozen of those cards out in the mail now and will continue to peck away at the set.  The most exciting part of this return was that Dickie Moore kept the extra copy of the 88-89 OPC Tribute picture.  I double checked the envelope a few times to make sure it wasn't stuck in there.  This is the first time anyone took up my offer of keeping a copy of the picture.  The thought that he tossed the extra in garbage along with the LOR has crossed my mind but screw off Mr Pessimism.  There is a 88-89 OPC Tribute card on Mr. Moore's fridge at this very moment. I can see it now.  Sweet!

TTM Success: Guy Lafleur

88-89 OPC Tribute #103 - Guy Lafleur

Received a nice return from HHOF legend Guy Lafleur.  We sent 3 pictures, plus an extra of each for him to keep if he wished.  He didn't wish it, so he signed all of them and returned them.  So we got 2 copies of each picture.  I say we since my girlfriend picked out Guy Lafleur for the TTM.   She got his autograph back in 2006 (I think) at the Toronto Sportscard Expo.  She then gave that auto to her dad.  Since she wanted an autograph for herself, the third picture we sent to Mr. Lafleur was that of her and Guy together at the show.  Guy inscribed "Amities" on the picture above his name. For the one of the customs, he didn't sign in the box in one picture, but the auto in blue looks sharp against the red jersey.   The pictures were sent out on September 26th and received November 15th.  Thank you Mr. Lafleur.