For a player who played 16 NHL seasons, 815 career games,and over 3146 PIM,
Tim Hunter was severely under serviced in the trading card market. Hunter had a total of eight base cards made of him during his career, which included the hockey card boom of the early 1990s. He played parts of nine seasons, 432 career games and led the NHL in PIM twice before Pro Set and OPC gave him a RC during the
1990-91 sets. Here's my version of a 1984-85 OPC Tim Hunter rookie card.
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1985-85 OPC Tim Hunter (RC) |
Hunter's best years were with the Calgary Flames. He played a huge role in the Battle of Alberta and was a fan favourite during his time in Calgary. Tim won a Stanley Cup with the Flames in 1989.
The hobby continued to ignore Tim Hunter later in the 1990s. Hunter played for three teams after the Calgary Flames, and except for an insert card produced after the season after he retired, no cards were made of him. Hunter was left unprotected in the expansion draft on 1992. The Tampa Bay Lightning selected him but the next day traded him to the Quebec Nordiques for future considerations.
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1992-93 Fleer Ultra Tim Hunter |
Hunter, who became the second player to ever to wear #65, only played half a season with the Nordiques before being picked up off the waiver wire by the Vancouver Canucks. Hunter spent three and half season with the Canucks, including the 1994 Stanley Cup finals.
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1992-93 Fleer Ultra Series 2 Tim Hunter |
Hunter finished his career with a season in San Jose. His last career fight was against
Ken Baumgartner of the Anahiem Ducks. Hunter was third on the all-time career PIM list when he retired. Currently he sits in eighth place. After a decade of being an assistant coach in the NHL, Tim is now the head coach of the Moose Jaw Warriors of the WHL.
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1997-98 UD Collector's Choice Tim Hunter |