Lost Rookies: 1988-89 OPC Glenn Healy

  Glenn Healy has become more known as a hockey personality than as a hockey player.  Let's look a closer look at Glenn Healy the hockey player.  Healy attended Western Michigan University in the early 80s and went undrafted by the NHL.  He signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Kings in 1985.  Healy was called up to the Kings in November of 1985, as starter Bob Janecyk was out with injuries.  Healy played his first NHL game on Novermber 25, 1985, when entered the game in relief of Darren Eliot.  The Kings were down 3-0 to the Hartford Whalers when Healy entered the game during the 1st period.  The game ended 9-0.  Shortly after the Kings made a trade for new starter Roland Melanson and Healy was buried on the depth chart.

  Healy spent the majority of his first two professional seasons in the AHL.  In 1987, Healy broke camp as the back-up goalie for the Kings.  He won his first NHL game on October 28, 1987, a 5-2 victory against the New York Rangers.  His first career shutout was against the Vancouver Canucks on February 28th, 1987.  Healy was used sparingly down the stretch, playing 3 of the teams last 13 games, but took over the starting gig in the play-offs after Melanson gave up 9 goals in the play-offs opener against Calgary.  Healy went 1-3 during four play-off games as the Kings were eliminated in the first round.

  Healy began the 1988 season as the back-up but became the starter after Melanson gave up 11 goals to the Calgary Flames on October 16th.  The 1988-89 season was Wayne Gretzky's first season as a King.  As the season progress, there became a glaring weakness with the Kings - the goaltending.  On February 22nd, the Kings traded a package of players, including back-up Mark Fitzpatrick, to the New York Islanders for Kelly Hrudey.  Healy's days as the #1 in LA were over.

1989-90 OPC Glenn Healy

  And so were his days in LA.  Healy was a free agent in the 1989 off-season and was signed by the New York Islanders, who had to give up a 4th round pick as compensation.  The Islanders now had the Kings duo of goalies from the previous season.  Healy and Fitzpatrick, barring injuries, split the crease with the Islanders over the next four seasons.  Both goalies got rookie cards with the Islanders during the 1990 junk wax boom.  Although neither made the premier set of OPC Premier, who instead included Islanders rookie goalie prospect Jeff Hackett.  So I figure I will add an OPC Premier rookie of Healy for the high-end 1990 junk wax collectors.  Healy set a NHL record, since surpassed, by saving 51 shots in a shutout, against the Vancouver Canucks on January 16, 1990.

1990-91 OPC Premier Glenn Healy

  Healy was a key performer in my favourite all-time hockey moment - David Volek's 1993 game 7 overtime winner.  Healy was the Islanders starting goalie during their surprising run in the 1993 play-offs.  The Islanders 1993 Game 7 series win over the two-time defending Stanley Cup Champs Pittsburgh penguins is one of hockey's greatest play-off upsets. 
  Healy was a impending free agent in the 1993 off-season and was unlikely to resign with the Islanders.  Healy was left unprotected in the 1993 expansion draft was selected as the 3rd goalie overall by the Anahiem Mighty Ducks.  Then the next day there was another phase of the expansion draft.  This time, the three older expansion teams, the San Jose Sharks, Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators, were able to pick players from the the two new expansion teams, Anaheim and the Florida Panthers.  This phase was added since the three older expansion teams were historical bad, and were somewhat screwed over in the previous expansion drafts compared to the Ducks and Panthers.  Healy was not protected by the Ducks and was picked up by the Lightning, who then immediately traded him to the New York Rangers, who had lost goalie John Vanbiesbrouck in the expansion draft.  That's four teams in two days for Healy.  He went East coast to West Coast to South Coast to East coast, and in the end just moved across town.
  It was a good move for Healy.  Although he returned to being a back-up goalie, he won a Stanley Cup with the Rangers in 1994.  Healy spent four seasons with the Rangers.  He received his lone career Vezina vote in 1995, in a season he only played 17 games.  Healy signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1997 to serve as the team's back-up.  In 2000, Healy became a frivolity as he became the first known NHL player to be injured by bagpipes.  He was attempting to mend his bagpipes when he cut himself with a pair of scissors.  Healy retired after the 2000-01 season.  Healy was featured sparingly during his last few seasons with the Leafs.  He did get a career capper with Pacific, who were solid in giving players career cappers, in the 2001 set.  I figured I'd do a 2000-01 UD Vintage for Healy since it's a set I really like, and already have a template for.  Not the most flattering picture (someone must be winding up for a slapshot), but surprisingly there was not an abundance of full-body pictures of Healy as a Leaf.

2000-01 UD Vintage Glenn Healy 

  After retiring, Healy was a director in the NHLPA and then a colour commentator for Hockey Night in Canada with CBC.  I would say as a commentator, he was not beloved, but his opinions kept viewers tuned in and kept his career going.  As mentioned earlier, Healy never had a Kings card, so it's fitting that I made him a  Lost Rookie, and in the purple and gold no less.

1988-89 OPC Glenn Healy (RC)

1988-89 OPC Glenn Healy

TTM Success: Derek King

  Selected with the 13th overall pick in the 1985 entry draft by the New York Islanders, Derek King, put together a solid NHL career.  He scored 261 goals in 830 career games.  In 1991-92, King scored 40 goals for the Islanders.  King also played a big role in helping the 1993 Islanders knock off the Pittsburgh Penguins in the playoffs, by collecting eight points in the series.  King would also play with the Hartford Whalers, Toronto Maple Leafs and St. Louis Blues before retiring in 2000.  He is now the coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies. 

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TTM Success: Rich Pilon

  Rich Pilon was a key member of the 1993 New York Islanders play-off run.  He's best remembered for the Kevin Stevens incident in the first period of game 7 of the Patrick Division final.  Stevens has knocked unconscious while attempting to lay a big hit on Pilon.  Stevens' face hit against Pilon's visor, and he was unconscious before he slammed to the ice, face first.  Stevens would need extensive facial surgery.  The Islanders would go on to win the game in overtime, ending the Penguins' chance at a third straight cup.  Before getting all Don Cherry on Pilon, please know that Pilon's career was almost ended in 1989, after getting hit in the eye with a puck, that shattered his orbital bone.  Pilon's entire career was mired by injuries and eventually ended with a wrist injury eight games into the 2001-02 season.  Pilon now lives in Saskatchewan.  He teaches youth the benefits of hockey and the dangers of substance abuse.

TTM Success: Dennis Vaske

  Dennis Vaske  was a stay at home defenceman, scoring 5 goals in 235 career games.  Vaske was part of the 1993 New York Islanders play-off run, which including the upset of the defending Stanley Cup champs, the Pittsburgh Penguins. Vaske, a 2nd round draft pick in 1986, had his career cut short by concussions.  Vaske is currently a coach with the Chicago Fury.

TTM: Steve Junker

  Steve Junker played a total of 8 career NHL games.  A 5th round pick by the New York Islanders in 1991, Junker made his play-off debut in the 1993 play-offs in Game 6 in the Patrick Division Finals vs the Pittsburgh Penguins.  He recorded an assist in that game; his only point scored in the NHL.  Junker would play 5 regular season games for the Islanders in 1993-94 before spending the rest of his career in the minors or in Germany.  Junker is currently the GM and coach for the Castlegar Rebels of the KIJHL, a Junior B league in B.C.

TTM: Vladimir Malahkov

  Vladimir Malakhov played in 712 games over a 13 year career, with his best seasons being during his short stay with the New York Islanders.  Malakhov was an offensive defenceman whose career suffered from injuries and perceived lackluster effort.  Malakhov won a Stanley Cup with the New Jersey Devils in 2000 and was part of the 1993 New York Islanders who defeated the heavily favorite Pittsburgh Penguins in stunning fashion, winning on a overtime goal in game 7.  This return is my third from the 1993 Islanders playoff team.  Malakhov's career finished on a down note as he was suspended by the New Jersey Devils, during his second stint with the team in 2005, for going AWOL.  Malakhov claimed it was for personal and injury reasons.  Although Malakhov would never play in the NHL again, he was traded to the San Jose Sharks the following offseason.  Malakhov signed 3 of 3 for me care of his home.  I can't recognize any part of his name from the autographs.  I checked on his autograph and his certified autos look the same.  I wonder if it's in Russian. 

TTM: Claude Loiselle

Claude Loiselle played 616 games over 13 seasons.  He played on two of the more surprising underdogs stories of the NHL play-offs during his career, the 1988 New jersey Devils and the 1993 New York Islanders.  Loiselle was a  fringe player with the Detroit Red Wings, starting in 1981, until the 1985-86 season when he had a career high of 14 fighting majors and 2.96 PIM per game.  Mr. Loiselle signed 4 cards for me, including an extra Pro Set which I had offered for him to keep.  He then added a 4x6 signed picture.  Unfortunately, he had to fold it in half to fit it in the SASE I sent.  Even  though bent, I was very happy to receive the extra picture.  I sent the request to the Toronto Maple Leafs, where Loiselle works as an assistant general manager.  

TTM: Travis Green

Travis Green played 970 NHL games over 14 NHL seasons.  He suited up for the Islanders, Ducks, Coyotes, Leafs, and Bruins.  In his final NHL season he made return trips to the Ducks and Leafs organizations.  Green also played for Team Canada in the World Championship of Hockey three times, earning gold and silver medals.  Travis Green was also part of the 1992-93 New York Islanders team that defeated the heavily favourite Pittsburgh Penguins in game 7 overtime.  I am going to start trying to collect autographs of members of the 1993-94 Islanders.  The overtime victory over the Penguins is a cherished childhood memory for me.  Mr. Green now works as an assistant coach for the Portland Winter Hawks of the WHL.