Lost Rookies; 1983-84 OPC Jacques Cloutier

  The diminutive Jacques Cloutier, who is 5'7', played 12 NHL seasons but didn't get a rookie card until into his ninth season, when Junk Wax exploded.  He spent the majority of his career with the Buffalo Sabres, but never had a card while with them.
  Cloutier was star goalie in the QMJHL and the top underage goalie prospect in the draft.  In the two seasons leading up to the draft, Cloutier had 46 wins and 58(!!) wins for the Trios-Rivieres Draveurs.  He ranks 1st and 2nd in for most Wins in a QMJHL season by a goalie.  He is also the QMJHL career leader in wins with 142.  The Buffalo Sabres drafted Jacques in the 3rd round, 55th overall in the 1979 draft.  He was the fourth goalie drafted and the first underage.  (Fun Fact: Every goalie drafted in 1979 played at least a dozen games.) 
  Cloutier had a disappointing 1979-80 season in the QMJHL, only winning 27 games. After back-to-back 1st team All-Star selections, he was demoted to the 3rd team All-Star.  Cloutier turned pro in 1980-81 but did not make the NHL until the 1981-82 season.  He was called up after Bob Sauve was traded to Detroit.  Cloutier made the most of his opportunity while backing up Don Edwards.  He won his first start on December 20, 1981 against the Hartford Whalers.  Jacques went 5-1-0, .916, and 2.52 before a shot during practice broke his collarbone, causing him to miss the rest of the season.

1982-83 OPC Jacques Cloutier

  Cloutier started the 1982-83 season as the Sabres back-up but digressed from his hot start the previous season.  He finished the season in the minors after going 10-7-6, .858, and 3.50.  On the brightside, Cloutier backstopped the Rochester Americans to a Calder Cup championship in 1983.  On the downside, the Sabres drafted goalie Tom Barrasso fourth overall in the 1983 draft.  The 18 year old Barrasso made the team and became an instant star.  Cloutier played a single NHL over the next two seasons.  During the 1984-85 season, a season-ending injury forced Cloutier to the bench, were he acted as an Assistant Coach for the Rochester Americans.
  Cloutier began the 1985-86 season in the minors was was called up in December.  He earned his first career shutout on March 23, 1986, stopping 30 shots against the Philadelphia Flyers.  The following season he broke camp as the back-up but briefly overcame Barrasso as the starter.  Barrasso struggled early in the season, but eventually got his game together as Cloutier struggled later in the season.  Cloutier played 40 games that season.  His highest single season total as a Sabre. He went 11-19-5, .869 and 3.72.

1989-90 OPC Jacques Cloutier

  Cloutier lost his back-up gig on the Sabres during the 1987-88 season to Darren Puppa.  Although it was Puppa who bounced back and forth between the NHL and AHL, it was Puppa who took over when Barraso was injured in the play-offs. 

1988-89 OPC Jacques Cloutier

  Cloutier started the 1988-89 season in the minors.  He was called up in November after the Sabres traded Barrasso to the Penguins.  Cloutier was once again the Sabres back-up.  That was until starter Darren Puppa went down with a season-ending injury in January.  Cloutier became the starter and held off challenges from Darren Eliot, Darcy Wakaluk, before the Sabres acquired Clint Malarchuk from the Washington Capitals.  Cloutier was the goalie who had to come off the bench to play after Malachuk had his neck cut by a skate.  In his first career play-off start, Cloutier shutout the Boston Bruins.  The Sabres gave him a rest the following night, but he returned to play the final three games of the series.  The Bruins won 4 games to 1.

1989-90 OPC Jacques Cloutier

    With the return of Puppa, and now with Malarchuk also in the fold, Cloutier was the odd man out.  Near the end of the 1989 training camp, he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks to be reunited wth his AHL coach, Mike Keenan.  He set career bests across the board during the 1989-90 season with 43 games played, 18 wins, 3.09 GAA and two shutouts.  His season was cut short with a knee injury in March.  The Blackhawks made the Campbell Conference final but lost the Edmonton Oilers.  Cloutier did return to play a few games but was already pushed down the depth chart by rookie Eddie Belfour. 
  Cloutier was finally noticed by the card companies, as set sized ballooned with the start of the Junk Wax era.  He had four rookie cards in 1990-91. 
  Seldom used by the Blackhawks during the 90-91 season, Cloutier was traded to the Quebec Nordiques for Tony McKegney at the end of January, 1991.  The Nordiques finished last overall and won the Eric Lindros sweepstakes. Perhaps the trade was too late, but Cloutier did not appear in any of the update sets as Nordique.  I always like OPC Premier so I mocked up a card of Cloutier.

1990-91 OPC Premier Jacques Cloutier

  Cloutier played the next three seasons with the Nordiques but frequently battles injuries.  He retired after the 1993-94 season.  Upon retiring, Cloutier took a job as the Nordiques goalie coach.  He was a coach with the Quebec/Colorado franchise from 1994 to 2009.  He won Two Stanley Cups with the team, in 1996 and 2001.  He is now coaching in the KHL.
  I made Jacques a 1983-84 Lost Rookie.  You may have noticed above, there was a 1982-83 one done as well.  The reason I went with the 1983-84 design was that I was already mostly finished the back when I realized, I could have easily made him a 1982-83 instead.  I stuck with the 83-84 since it was basically done and out of the 1980s sets, this is the one I have made the least of.

1982-83 OPC #399 Jacques Cloutier (RC)

1982-83 OPC #399 Jacques Cloutier (RC)

Lost Rookies: 1983-84 OPC Brian Hayward

 Brian Hayward was part of the NHL's best one-two goalie punches in the late 80s.  Brian was the 1B to Patrick Roy with the Canadiens, but that wasn't enough for Brain, he wanted more.
  Hayward didn't play junior hockey, instead he played with Cornell University in the NCAA.  Like most college players, he went undrafted.  He signed as a free agent with the Winnipeg Jets in the summer of 1982.  Brian was called up in January and pushed incumbent back-up Ed Staniowski to the minors.  It took Hayward a bit longer to gain the #1 spot in the crease.
  As the Jets broke training camp in 1984, they traded away incumbent #1, Doug Soeteart to the Montreal Canadiens.  The Jets started the season with Hayward, and fellow 24 year old, Marc Behrend.  They split games early on, as Behrend was hot, but as he cooled, Hayward took over.  Hayward finished second in the league with 33 wins and was 5th in Vezina voting.  He ended the season on a personal 12 game unbeaten streak, going 10-0-2, .902, and 2.86.  It was good enough to get a headshot in the 1985-86 set.  Although, I feel the front of the card needed an upgrade.

1985-86 OPC Brian Hayward

  He followed that up with a dud.  In the 1985-86 season, Hayward went 13-28-5, .843, and 4.80.  In four seasons, Hayward's GAA went from 3.71 to 4.87 to 3.83 to 4.80.  Sensing inconsistency, the Jets traded Hayward to the Montreal Canadiens for another struggling goalie, Steve Penney.  OPC caught the trade in time to have Hayward in his Canadiens uniform and matching headband for the 86-87 set. 
  Hayward joined rookie sensation, Patrick Roy, in Montreal and the duo became the elite goalie pairing of the late 1980s.  They played a time share but both wanted to be number one.  The competition between them helped the duo capture three consecutive Jennings trophies.  In his first season with the Canadiens, Hayward led the NHL with a 2.82 GAA.  In his first three seasons with the Canadiens, he finished in the top five for GAA each season.  Hayward was even the Canadiens goalie in the 1987 play-offs after Roy got blown out in Quebec.  OPC had Hayward in warm-up gear for most of his OPC cards with the Canadiens, so I made a reskin for his 87-88 OPC.

1987-88 OPC Brian Haywrd

  Although the pairing worked great for the Canadiens, it was not always amical.  Hayward and Roy both wanted to be the starter.  They were also roommates.  There are stories of Hayward staying up late at night watching TV on the evenings before Roy was scheduled to start, but early to bed on the nights he was scheduled.  Implying Hayward was not above dubious tactics to get the edge on Roy.  As the season progressed, Roy continued to improve and became the main starter in the play-offs.  Roy won the Vezina in 1989 and during the 1990 season approached coach Pat Burns and made a case to be the clear  #1 starter.  Roy also petitioned and got himself a new roommate.
  Up until Feb 1st, Roy had started 29 games compared to Hayward's 25.  Roy was 16-11-2, .907 and 2.64.  Hayward was 10-10-4, .883, and 3.20.  For the rest of the season, Roy started 23 games, and Hayward 4.  Roy's play improved once was the clear #1, enough so he won his second consecutive Vezina trophy.  It was also the only season that the Hayward-Roy combo did not win the Jennings trophy.
  The time share was over and Hayward knew we he was no longer goalie 1B for the Canadiens.  Hayward.  Roy started the 1990-91 season firmly entrenched as the teams #1 goalie.  Hayward responded by going home and demanded a trade.  He claimed the Canadiens promised him a shot at playing half the games and that team had reneged.  Brian firmly believed he was #1 goalie quality and wanted the chance to show it.  It took a month into the season before Hayward was traded to the Minnesota North Stars for Jayson More.  Unfortunately for Hayward, North Star incumbent Jon Casey was not going to give up the crease so easily.  Hayward was once again on the wrong side of a 1A-1B platoon.  Even worse, Casey took over in the play-offs and led the team to a surprising Stanley Cup finals run.
  A bit of hockey oddity, the Minnesota North Stars became two teams after the 1991-92 season, the Minnesota North Stars and the San Jose Sharks.  Although only a handful of NHLers would be dispersed to San Jose.  Brian Hayward was left unprotected by the North Stars and he was selected by the Sharks in the dispersal draft.  Later that day,  the defending Campbell Conference champs North Stars, and the Sharks participated in an expansion draft.  In that draft, the Sharks selected Jayson More third overall.  An odd twist to the Hayward-More trade tree.

1992-93 Fleer Ultra Brian Hayward

  Hayward stunk in San Jose.  Part of this was due to a back injuries which cost him most of the 91-92 season and ended his career in 92-93.  Part of this was due to the Sharks stinking.  In his second season with the Sharks, and last in the NHL, Hayward posted a 2-14-1, .856 and 5.55 stat line.  His save percentage and GAA were worst in the league for goalies with 10+ games played.  He retired after the 1992-93 season.
  Hayward had a single card as a Jet.  He procured a rookie card in the 1985-86 OPC set.  Let's jump a few years ahead and give Hayward a rookie card in the 1983-84 OPC set.

1983-84 OPC #398 Brian Hayward (RC)

1983-84 OPC #398 Brian Hayward (RC)

/

Lost Cards: 1988-89 OPC Pat Riggin

  Pat Riggin was a Baby Bull.  In 1978 the Birmingham Bulls of the WHA in desperate need for players, and players on the cheap, signed six junior age players to their roster.  It was the final season of the WHA and the Bulls were not one of the teams to merge into the NHL.  The six junior players they signed would all be available in the NHL Entry draft, since no team held their rights.
  Riggin was the first goalie drafted in the 1979 NHL Entry draft, at 33rd overall to the Atlanta Flames.  Riggin played 25 games in his rookie season and also racked up a pair of shutouts, while playing behind Dan Bouchard (Lost Cards).  It was Riggin's only season in Atlanta, but not his final as a Flame.  The Flames struggled in the standings and financially, and the franchise was sold for a then record $16 million in 1980.  The new owners moved the team to Calgary and OPC responded by with a dreadful airbrush treatment of the entire team, colouring over the Flames logo on each card.  Riggin never got a card in the 80-81 set, so below is a card of Riggin as an Atlanta Flame.

1980-81 OPC Pat Riggin

  It did not take long for Riggin to takeover as the #1 goalie in Calgary.  He played 42 games in 1980-81 and helped the team make the Stanley Cup semi-finals.  He received a rookie card in the 198-82 set and although his card did not need it, he was part of my 1981-82 Goalie Reboot project. The following season Riggin played in 54 games, but the team was swept in three games in the first round of the play-offs by the Vancouver Canucks.  On draft day 1982, the Flames made a pair of deals to improve their crease.  They acquired two time All-Star Don Edwards (and previous Lost Card recipient) from the Sabres, and also traded Riggin to the Washington Capitals.
  The Capitals were going through a changeover themselves.  Riggin joined the team as the franchise began to focus on defence.  It paid off for Riggin as he led the league in GAA, 2.67, and shutouts, 4, in the 1983-84 season and also shared the William J Jennings trophy with creasemate Al Jensen.  Riggin was a Second Team All-Star and finished third in Vezina voting.  The following season, Riggin finished second in the league in GAA, 2.98.  With the exception of injuries, Riggin and Jensen were goalies 1A and 1B for the Capitals.  Riggin did end up on the short end of the cards, as Jensen was featured in the 1983-84 set but Riggin was left out.  Here's a 83-84 of Riggin for the Riggin fans.

1983-84 OPC Pat Riggin

  Although the Capitals played well and climbed the standings each season, they could not beat the New York Islanders in the play-offs.  They lost to the Islanders in three straight seasons, winning only 4 of the 14 playoffs games played between 1983 and 1985.  After bowing out in the 1985 play-offs, Riggin joined Team Canada at the World Hockey Championships, where he helped the team win a Silver medal.  In his first game, they defeated the U.S.A. and Riggin made some comments that were regarded anti-American.  In particular, he said he was "sick and tired of Americans coming to the NHL and taking our jobs."  Not the wisest of rants for a goalie playing in America's national capital and on a team that rostered the most American players in the league, including team captain, and two-time Norris winner, Rod Langway.  Riggin acknowledged the controversy in pre-season and stated "I am going to have to get off to an excellent start to get the fans behind me again."  Riggin did not get off to an excellent start.  In 7 games, he went 2-3-1, with a 3.75 GAA and a .826 save percent.  He was traded to the Boston Bruins for Pete Peeters.  OPC was not to press yet and Riggin got a "Now With..." card in the 1985-86 set.  His last card during his career.
  Riggin had a decent season in Boston but his stats fell a bit after leaving the defensive-centric Capitals.  Although he was the main starter throughout the year, he was benched in favour of rookie Bill Ranford after a game one loss in the play-offs.  The following season, Riggin found himself as the odd man out as the Bruins went with Ranford and Doug Keans (a previous Lost Rookie) between the pipes.  Somehow OPC must have seen the writing on the wall as Keans got a card in the 1986-87 set, but Riggin did not.  So in my quest to be the favourite blog of Pat Riggin fans, here's right to that wrong.

1986-87 OPC Pat Riggin

  As mentioned, Riggin found himself as the odd man out in Boston, and soon found himself out of Boston.  After being sent to the AHL, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in February of 1987 for goalie Roberto Romano.  Riggin played two seasons with the Penguins, posting respectable numbers, considering he played with the Penguins in the 80s.  Over two seasons, Riggin played 39 games, was 15-14-7 and had a 3.65 GAA.   Riggin was never able to takeover as the #1 goalie and was sent down to the AHL in Januray of 1988.  Riggin never returned to the NHL and retired at the end of the season.
  I have read that Riggin burned too many bridges while playing in the NHL, but the anti-american comment is only bridge I can find burned.  He was one of the top goalies in the mid-80s but put up average numbers outside Washington.  Riggin became a race horse trainer after retiring.  I previously had a TTM success with Riggin.  And now I present a Lost Card of Pat Riggin, a 1988-89 OPC.
  Hold on a sec.  I just noticed something about the stick.  Riggin uses a Wally goalie stick for the majority of his career, which you can see in the pictures above.  While he was in Pittsburgh, there are pictures of him using the Wally, but also pictures of the Louisville.  Also, the Penguins jersey made a minor change for the 1987-88 season, which was changing the collar on home jersey from black to gold.  You can compare the slight difference to this picture.  So based on the stick and jersey, I know I can find an actual picture from his final NHL season and thus best suited for the 88-89 card, although I would have preferred a higher res picture.  The original picture I was using, with Riggin in the black away photo, just looks older.  As well, the helmet looks different in the pictures, but the helmet used in his 87-88 OPC looks the same as the picture of Riggin in a home jersey with the black collar.  Although I could just ignore the difference and still used the older picture on the 1988-89 design.  OPC themselves often used, or reused, older pictures.
  So after a bit of editing, I made yet another Pat Riggin Card.  So including the 1981-82 reboot card, that's six I have done for Riggin.  I think I deserve an honorary spot in the Pat Riggin fan club by now.   So here's a 87-88 OPC and then the lost card of the 1988-89 OPC.  Do You think I made the right call in switching the pictures?

1987-88 OPC Pat Riggin

1988-89 OPC #271 Pat Riggin

1988-89 OPC #271 Pat Riggin

Lost Cards: 1988-89 Pierre Larouche

  Pierre Larouche is one of eight players, and the first, to score 50 goals with two different teams.  Pierre is also one of seven players* to score 40+ goals with three different franchises.  A highly skilled scorer, "Lucky" Larouche was often considered aloof, self-centered and a defensive liability.
  Pierre set records for points, 251, (since broken) and assists, 157 (still a record), while playing for the Sorel Esperviers in the QMJHL in 1974.  The Montreal Canadiens had four picks within the top 12 in the 1974 Amateur draft and it seemed like a good fit for the top rated Quebecois in the draft.  The Habs passed on Larouche twice, at the 5th and 7th, spots before the Pittsburgh Penguins drafted Larouche 8th overall.
  Larouche finished second in Calder voting in 1974-75 and then recorded career highs in goals, 53, assists, 58 and points,111, while finishing 5th in league scoring during his sophomore season.  Pierre followed it up with a lackluster 63 points in 65 games.  A one way player, Larouche claimed that  "if they want me to play defense, they can me another $150,000."  The following season, the Penguins traded Pierre in a four "Peter" trade for another player who former 100pt scorer who had fallen from grace, Pete Mahovlich of the Montreal Canadiens.
  Pierre Larouche was now a Montreal Canadien, but so was coach Scotty Bowman.  Bowman and Larouche clashed over Larouche's easy-going style and lack of defence.  Larouche won two cups in Montreal but was not a factor in those Cup runs, only playing in 11 of 32 play-off games, and netting 7 points.

  The stars aligned for Larouche in 1979-80.  Bowman had vacated the head coaching job in Montreal, Pierre was moved to the top line with Guy Lafleur and Steve Shutt, and he had relatively good health, playing in 73 games.  Larouche scored 50 goals, becoming the first player to score 50 goals with two different franchises. The next season, injuries and perceived indifference returned to Larouche's play, as he netted 53 points in 61 games.  During the 1981-82 season, Larouche was back in the doghouse.  Rumour is the Habs management became incensed when a grinning Larouche, a happy-go-lucky guy, wore a fur coat and Cuban cigar on a road trip with the team.  Larouche had been scratched the previous three games and would be scratched for another two, when the Habs traded Larouche to the Hartford Whalers in a deal for draft picks.

Even in this video, Larouche does not speak like the typical cliché player.

  Although Larouche was a point-per-game player in Hartford, 90pts in 83gp, Pierre was limited due to injuries and the Whalers missed the play-offs in back-to-back seasons.  The New York Rangers signed Larouche as a free agent in 1983 offseason.  Larouche scored 48 goals in his first season as a Ranger.  Larouche is the only player in history to score 45+ goals with three different franchises.  Injuries and perceived indifference caught up to Larouche again.  After netting 63 points in 65 games in 84-85, Larouche, and Mike Rogers, the top two scoring forwards on the Rangers, were sent to the minors to begin the season. Believed to be a message to the rest of the team, new coach Ted Sator sent the veterans to the AHL to begin the season.  Larouche was particularly distressed since the team promptly gave away his number 10 to rookie Kelly Miller and also separated him from the other verteans, by sending him to play for the Philadelphia Flyers AHL team, Hershey Bears, as compensation for the Rangers hiring Ted Sator.  The Rangers finally recalled Larouche in January, and he scored 9 goals in his first 10 games, and 20 in 28 games for the season.  He led the Rangers in play-off scoring as the team defeated the conference's top two teams, the Philadelphia Flyers, 110pts, and the Washington Capitals, 107pts,  but lost to the eventual Stanley Cup winners, the Montreal Canadiens in the Wales final.

The return Broadway and Larouche addressing his critics

  Larouche scored 63pts in 73 games the following season.  10 games into the 1987-88 season, Pierre suffered a career ending back injury.  He officially retired during the 1989 training camp.
  Larouche's final card was part of the 1985-86 OPC set.  I used the 1988-89 OPC set as his final career card.  Larouche had reclaimed his #10 jersey after Kelly Miller was traded to Washington.

1988-89 OPC #267 Pierre Larouche

1988-89 OPC #267 Pierre Larouche

  I mocked up a 86-87 OPC design to commemorate his triumphant return and to capture his time in jersey #24.  Also partially fills the void OPC left in its sets, a la Pierre.

1986-87 OPC Pierre Larouche

  And while we are at it,  OPC skipped Pierre in the 1983-84 set, as he only played 38 games due to injuries.  So here is another missing Larouche card filled.

1983-84 OPC Pierre Larouche

*And the other players to score 40 with three different teams: Frank Mahovlich, Joey Mullen, Dino Ciccarelli, Pat Verbeek, Brendan Shanahan, Alexander Mogilny and Marian Hossa.  Now name the franchises...

Lost Rookies: John Wensink

  By 1976, Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito had both played their last games as Boston Bruins.  Being unable to replace that level of skill, the Bruins head coach, Don Cherry, went in another direction, they became big and bad.  While not the biggest, John Wensink may have been the baddest.
  Wensink was drafted  by the St. Louis Blues in the 7th round, 102nd overall, in the 1973 draft.  Wensink played a total of three NHL games with the Blues.  A back injury, suffered in the minors, during the 1975-76 season sidelined Wensink for a season and a half.  The Blues would not resign Wensink, allowing him to become a free agent in 1976.
  Wensink never had a card with Blues.  Here's my version of a John Wensink rookie.

1974-75 OPC #397 John Wensink (RC)

  Wensink signed with the Boston Bruins prior to the 1976 season.  He previously played in Rochester of the AHL under Bruins head coach Don Cherry, becoming one of Cherry's favourite players.  Wensink scored his first career goal against the St. Louis Blues on February 1st, 1977.  Interesting fact, HHOFer Bernie Federko also scored his first career goal in the same game.  Wensink's signature moment came the next season against the Minnesota North Stars on December 1st, 1977.  Check out the recent ESPN's 30 for 30 feature covering Wensink and the incident.

  As mentioned in the video Wensink started scoring more goals and getting into less fights.  He scored 16 goals in 1977-78, and 28 in 1978-79 but would only score 22 in the next 211 games before retiring.  Cherry claimed that since Wensink fought less, opponents feared him less.  The space that opened up while opponents feared him, had now closed and that Wensink could never regain that edge that made him so feared.
  Before the 1980 season, he was claimed off waivers by the Quebec Nordiques.  Wensink was often a healthy scratch while in Quebec.  This led to a peculiar deal during the 1981 preseason.  The Nordiques loaned Wensink to the Philadelphia Flyers.  He played two preseason games with the Flyers before NHL deemed it to be illegal.  Wensink would be released and signed with the Colorado Rockies. 
  Wensink played two years for the franchise; one year in Colorado, and then a second year as the team moved and renamed themselves the New Jersey Devils.  After retiring from the NHL, Wensink was a player/coach in the Netherlands. Today, he is active with the St. Louis Blues alumni and coaching youth hockey.  Here's what a John Wensink final year card may have looked.

1983-84 OPC #397 John Wensink