Lost Cards: 1988-89 OPC Richard Brodeur

(Before reading, press play and enjoy the mood music)

  The diminutive Richard Brodeur, 5'7", was a fan favorite during his time with the Vancouver Canucks.  He backstopped the 1982 Canucks all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals against the New York Islanders.  The Canucks stormed their way through the play-offs, only losing two games through the first three rounds.  The Cinderella story fell short as the juggernaut Islanders swept the Canucks in the Finals.
  Brodeur was originally drafted by the New York Islanders in the 7th round of the 1972 draft but opted to sign with the Quebec Nordiques of the fledgling WHA.  Brodeur won an Avco Cup, the WHA league championship, with the Nordiques in 1977.  When the WHA folded in 1979, the Islanders, who still owned Brodeur's rights, struck a deal with Nordiques.  The Islanders left Gerry Hart unprotected in the expansion draft and then sent goalie Goran Hogosta to the Nordiques for Brodeur.
  Brodeur saw limited action in two games during his single season with the Islanders, as third string goalie behind Billy Smith and Chico Resch.  Prior to the 1980 waiver draft, the Islanders, instead of risking losing Brodeur for nothing, traded him to the Canucks in a deal that include a swap of 5th round picks.  Brodeur was the Canucks top goalie for the next several seasons.  The Canucks were a fairly bad team during those several seasons.  In a division with the Gretzky and Oilers, Dionne and the Kings, Hawerchuk and the Jets, and McDonald and the Flames, Brodeur and the Canucks goalies found themselves basking in the red light quite often.  Brodeur led all NHL goalies in most goals allowed twice, 1985 and 1986.
  Although the Canucks suffered through much of the 1980s, Brodeur will be most remember for his superb playoff run in 1982.  Brodeur became expendable in 1987, when the Canucks acquired Kirk McLean, who would also lead the Canucks to a Stanley Cup final.  Brodeur was traded to the Hartford Whalers for another goalie, Steve Weeks.
  Brodeur played six games for the Whalers, as well as four in the play-offs.  After failing to make the team out of training camp in 1989, Brodeur hung up his skates after playing several games in the AHL.  Post retirement, Brodeur became an accomplished artist.
  Richard Brodeur never made the cut for the 1988-89 OPC set. Here's the 1988-89 OPC Richard Brodeur card that might have been.

1988-89 OPC #266 Richard Broduer

Lost Rookies: 1984-85 OPC Michel Petit

  Last year I got an e-mail request for a Michel Petit 1984-85 OPC Card.  I never got a reply back from the person requesting the card, but after I realized that card would fit perfectly into the Lost Rookies, I made it anyways.
  Petit, a tough stay-at-home defender, played 16 seasons in the NHL from 1982 to 1998, including six seasons with the Vancouver Canucks.  Petit played for 10 different teams in his career.  In his last three seasons, Petit played on five different teams.  When Petit retired, he held the record for most franchises played for, a record since broken by Mike Sillinger.
  Petit played for a lot of bad teams during his injury plagued career, including the historically bad 1989-90 Quebec Nordiques.  In 1990-91, he had a league worst plus/minus of -34, splitting time between the Nordiques and Toronto Maple Leafs.  During his sixteen seasons, Petit played in the play-offs five times.  Four times his team was eliminated in the first round.  Petit did play two games in the 1997 Stanley Cup with the Philadelphia.  Petit got to play after multiple injuries to Flyers defencemen depleted the team.  The Flyers were swept by the Red Wings in those finals.
  Michel Petit would have a rookie card with the "New York Rangers" in the 1987-88 OPC set.  A card in which had his name misspelled.  For a player who had a 16 year career, Petit only had cards in 7 years, including no cards with his last seasons/teams.  Below is what a 1984-85 OPC Michel Petit rookie card may have been.

1984-85 OPC #400 - Michel Petit (RC)

Lost Rookies: 1981-82 OPC Tim Tookey

  I have been sitting on this post draft for a few years.  Originally I was planning on sending this card out to get signed via TTM.  Maybe even try to score an interview.  The blog has been largely dormant for the past few years, so my original hopes of getting interviews are long gone.  Now I just wonder who actually read this.  Regardless, I still a few cards I haven't shared, and perhaps will make a few new ones as well.
  Tim Tookey was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2008, AHL Hall of Fame that is.  A skilled offensive threat, Tookey was never able to secure a roster spot in the NHL.  He played in parts of seven NHL seasons while playing for five different teams.
  His best season came was his rookie season in 1980-81, in which Tim netted 23 points in 29 games.  The points and games were both career bests for Tookey.  Tookey had cups of coffee in Quebec, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Los Angeles, before retiring from professional hockey in 1995.  He spent the majority of his professional career as a Hershey Bear in the AHL.  In the AHL, Tookey topped 100pts in a season three times and was league MVP in 1987.
  A highlight in Tookey's NHL career came in a 10-4 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on November 21, 1981.  Tookey, and teammate Denis Maruk, both recorded Hat Tricks in that game.
  Tim Tookey never had a NHL card.  Below is a custom 1981-82 OPC rookie card of Tim Tookey.

1981-82 OPC #398 - Tim Tookey (RC)

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Added July 11, 2021

  Although Tookey played for five different franchises, he played very few games with each during the 1980s, making quality pictures of Tim difficult to find.  I did find one of him as a Nordique, so here's another Tookey card.

1983-84 OPC Tim Tookey