Lost Cards: 1988-89 OPC Willi Plett

  Willi Plett is the career leader in all statistical categories for players born in Paraguay.  Willi Plett is the only player born in Paraguay to play in the NHL.  His parents immigrated from Russia to Germany and then to Paraguay after World War II.  Willi born in 1955, moved with his family to Canada in 1956.

  Drafted in the 5th round, 80th overall, in the 1975 Draft, by the Atlanta Flames, Plett made his debut on December 17, 1975 against the Minnesota North Stars, notching two shots on goal in a 3-2 loss.  Plett played 4 games for the Flames in 1975-76, without scoring a point or a penalty minute.  He spent the majority of the season with the Tulsa Oilers of the CHL.  Plett had 9 points in 9 play-off games as the Oilers won the Adams Cup as CHL Champions.

  Plett made a big impact with Flames in 1976-77, culminating with winning the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie.  Willi began the season in the CHL but was recalled after scoring 12pts and 68 PIM in 14 games.  His first career NHL goal came against Gary Simmons of the Cleveland Barons on November 12, 1976 in a 3-3 tie.  Plett scored 7 goals and 7 assists in his first 10 games.  For the season, Plett scored 33 goals, 56 points and 123 PIM.  He led the Flames, and all NHL rookies in goals.  

  Plett was rewarded with a fitting rookie card from OPC, with him pictured sitting in the penalty box.

  The next three seasons were a bit of a disappointment for Plett, as his scoring totals dipped from his rookie season.  He had 43 points in both 77-78 and 78-79 before dropping to 32 in 80-81.  In the same stretch his PIM increased each season, a trend that would continue during his tenure with the Flames franchise.  The Flames were a disappointment in Atlanta as well.  Although they were better than .500 in the regular season during Plett's four seasons, the team lost in the first round each year, going a cumulative 2-10 in those four play-offs.  Off the ice, the situation was more dire, as the team struggled to have 10,000 home attendance for its games and were playing in an out-of-date arena.

  The team was sold and relocated to Calgary for the 1980-81 season.  OPC gave the team the airbrush treatment for its set, removing the logo from the jerseys.  A few seasons later when the Colorado Rockies moved to New Jersey, OPC took a set of early or pre-season photos and had all the players in their new uniforms.  I'm going to give Plett the Rockies/Devils treatment and update his 1980-81 card in a Calgary Flames jersey.

1980-81 OPC Willi Plett

  The move to Calgary seemed to energize the team and Plett.  In Calgary's first NHL game, Plett a goal and two assists.  Plett set, or tied, career highs in several categories, including goals, 38, and points, 68.  He seemed to particularly like playing in Calgary, scoring 25 goals and 46 points in 38 home games.  The Flames finally won a play-off round, with Plett scoring the series winner in double-overtime, as they advanced all the way to the Conference Final.  Plett had 12 points in 15 play-off games.

  There was a dip in Plett's scoring the next season, as he dropped to 21 goals and 57 points.  Plett set a Flames record, since broken, with 288 PIM.  The Flames as a team regressed, as they dropped from 92 points to 75 in the regular season, and were swept in the first round by the Vancouver Canucks.

  In the 1982 offseason, Plett, along with a 4th round draft pick, was traded to the Minnesota North Stars for Steve Christoff, Bill Nyrop, and a 2nd round draft pick.  It's a unremarkable trade as neither of the draft picks amounted to anything, Nyrop opted to play in Germany instead of Calgary and Christoff was dealt away after a season.  

  Plett score a goal and assist in his first game as a North Star and two minutes into his in second game, he got suspended for 7 games for a retaliatory lumberjack chop with his stick to the back of Greg Stefan's head.  Plett finished the season with 25 goals, 39 points, 170 PIM in 73 games.  Prior to this season, Plett had increased his PIM total in each of his 6 full seasons as a Flame.  Plett had a card in the 1983-84 OPC set.  It turned out to be his last during his career.

  Decreasing PIM was a trend that found Plett being a healthy scratch from the Stars line-up early in the 1983-84 season.  Plett and coach Dave Mahoney were having differing views as to Plett's style of play and amount of ice time.  16 games into the season, Plett had 6 points and 25 PIM.  Frustrated by Plett's decreasing truculence, Plett was benched.  Plett must have hot the message.  After retruning to the line-up, Plett had 33 points and 291 PIM in 55 games.  He set a career high with 316 PIM during the 1983-84 season.  

1984-85 OPC Willi Plett

  The following season was marred by injuries for Plett.  He missed time due to shoulder and groin injuries, which would resurface during the rest of his NHL career.  In 47 games, Plett scored 14 goals, 28 points and 157 PIM.  He had a good play-offs, scoring nine points and 67 PIM in nine games.

1985-86 OPC Willi Plett

  The 1985-86 season saw the continued decline of Plett's offensive numbers, while shoulder injuries continued to limited him.  Plett scored 10 goals, 17 points and 231 PIM in 59 games. 

1986-87 OPC Willi Plett

    The trend continues as Plett fails to score double-digits in goals for the first time in his career.  He has 6 goals, 11 points and 261 PIM in 67 games played.

1987-88 OPC Willi Plett

   Plett's time in the Black and Blue Norris Division had taken a toll on him.  In the 1987 offseason, the North Stars signed up and coming enforcer Basil McRae as a free agent.  As the beginning of training camp, Plett was traded to the New York Rangers.  Plett never played a regular season game with the Rangers, as he seemed a bit hesitant to fight during the preseason.  He was left unprotected for the waiver draft and was picked up by the Boston Bruins.  

  Plett set career lows in goals, assists and points, while racking up 170 PIM in 65 games.  Willi had a bit of a resurgence in the 1988 play-offs, with points and 74 PIM in 17 games.  The Bruins lost in the Stanley Cup final against the Edmonton Oilers.  Willi retired in the 1988 offseason.  

  His career started out with a lot of promise.  He was one of the top power forwards in the game at the turn of decade in 1980.  Injuries and age caught up with him.  Willi was the NHL career play-off PIM leader when he retired.  He is currently 5th on the list.  

  OPC/Topps dropped Willi pretty quickly after his trade to the North Stars.  It's really surprising he didn't get a card in the 19854-85 set, the last of the decade to have 396 cards.  By the time he was in Boston, he was shell of his former self and had been long off of OPC's radar.  I did this picture and design used on another blog, but it didn't give Willie an authentic 1988 OPC treatment as it didn't list his entire career stats on the back.  With the lack of an official career caper and missing in action in the OPC sets for the last half of his career, I decided I would do a Lost Card career caper of Willi Plett.  

1988-89 OPC #274 Willi Plett

1988-89 OPC #274 Willi Plett

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

The Lost Page: 85-86 OPC #265-273

  I have reached a minor milestone in the Lost Cards.  I have my first full sheet of cards from a single set.  As a set collector, I have many binders full of nine pocket plastic sheets, so that's why the number 9 is a milestone.

  Here's a much higher quality view of the cards, sans plastic protector.

  You might notice the three cards in the middle have watermarks on.  A few years ago I switched computers but never properly backed up all my files.  So I lost about a year or so worth of files, which included many customer cards.  I redid the Butch Goring, since I will eventually print it off for my one star, one sheet personal project, but I haven't had the urge to redo the others I lost.

  For those of you checking them off at home, want to check out a card in more detail, or want to read a bit about the player featured, here are the original posts

• 265 - Perry Berezan (RC)
• 266 - Chris Nilan
• 267 - Butch Goring
• 268 - Ken Strong (RC)
• 269 - Jeff Brubaker (RC)
• 270 - Yves Courteau (RC)
• 271 - Dave Gagner (RC)
• 272 - Ken Solhiem (RC)
• 273 - Todd Charlesworth (RC)

  Time for me to solicit some feedback.  If you could add only one card above to the original set, which card would you select, and why?  Is there a player missing from the 85-86 set that you can make a strong case for including?  I might be inclined to add him.  

Lost Rookies: 1985-86 OPC Yves Courteau

  Long time, no post.  I have this sitting in the draft folder, so I may as well share it or it may never see the light of day.  

  Yves Courteau, a former #1 overall pick in the QMHL in 1980, made an impressive NHL debut with the Calgary Flames in 1984, assisting on two goals in his first NHL game.  He was never able to secure a full-time position in the NHL and eventually retired due to injury.
  Yves went into the 1982 NHL Entry draft as a projected top ten pick but fell to second round and was drafted 32nd overall by the Detroit Red Wings. While Yves enjoyed his best seasons in junior, playing alongside Mario Lemieux, the Red Wings traded Yves to the Calgary Flames.
  Yves made a successful NHL debut on October 13, 1984, collecting two assists.  He scored his first career goal ten days later.  Even with the early success, Yves never secured a full-time job in the NHL.  After two season in the Flames organization, Yves was traded to the Hartford Whalers.  In his second training camp with the Whalers, Yves suffered a shoulder injury, that would eventually cause him to retire.
  Yves never earned a NHL card.  Here is my version of a 1985-86 OPC Yves Courteau rookie card.

1985-86 OPC #270 Yves Courteau (RC)

1985-86 OPC #270 Yves Courteau (RC)

Lost Rookies Tim Hunter

  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.

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.
 

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.

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.

1997-98 UD Collector's Choice Tim Hunter

TTM Success: Perry Berezan

  Perry Berezan scored one of the biggest goals in Calgary Flames history, and he did it while sitting on the bench.  Yes, we are talking about the Steve Smith own goal of 1986. 

You can see him on the bench at the 1:24 mark of the video on the bench.  Originally there was so much confusion, the refs gave the goal to Lanny McDonald.  It would be eventually correct and it was the game-winning goal in game 7 of the Smythe division final.  It was the only Stanley Cup the Oilers didn't win in a five year period.  Berezan was never able to crack the Flames line-up full-time and he was traded to the Minnesota North Stars at the 1989 trade deadline.  The Flames would go onto win the Cup that year.  Berezan would play a few seasons for the North Stars and then a few more for the expansion franchise, San Jose Sharks, before retiring in 1993.

I Would Love Not to Hate This Card

    I was browsing eBay and I came across this card.

  This is the type of card I have been looking for.  I remember cheering for the Calgary Flames in the late 80s.  I remember watching Steve Smith's gaffe, the Monday Night Miracle and Brian Skrudland's overtime goal in 1986.  It was bitter disappointment.  I lived near Edmonton at the time and my favorite team was the New York Islanders, followed closely by whoever was playing the Oilers.  After that play-off run, the Flames became my Campbell Conference team. 
  In 1989, the Flames were a powerhouse.  Gretzky was out of Edmonton and it seemed the time was right for another deep play-off run.  The Flames almost never made out of the first round.  It took a puck off the skate of Joel Otto in overtime of game seven for the Flames to beat the Vancouver Canucks, a team that was 43 points behind the Flames in the regular season standings.
  The second round would have the Flames face their old nemesis, Wayne Gretzky, but without the supporting cast he had in Edmonton, The Great One couldn't hold back the Flames.  Gretzky had points on nine of the Los Angeles Kings eleven goals.  The Flames would sweep the Kings in four games.
  The Campbell Conference final would match the Flames up with an unlikely foe.  Back in 1989, the first two rounds was within each division.  The other division in the Campbell Conference was the lowly Norris division.  In the regular season, the Detroit Red Wings won the division with 80 points, but it was the cinderella Chicago Black Hawks who won in the play-offs.  The Black Hawks had 66 points in the regular season, the lowest of all play-off teams.  They were dispatched by the Flames in five games.
  Then came the rematch, Calgary Flames versus the Montreal Canadiens.  By far, the top two teams in the regular season and play-offs.  The Canadiens had beaten the Flames in 1986, and early on, the series was looking just like that one.  The Flames won the first game and then would lose the the next two.  In 1986 Skrudland won Game 2 in overtime for the Canadiens, in 1989, Ryan Walter would be an OT hero in Game 3.   Unlike 1986, the Flames had a deeper team and found a way to win the next three games, including two in Montreal, to win the Stanley Cup.

   There were alot of great players on the 1989 Flames.  First off, you have the four Hall of Famers on the card, Joe Mullen, Doug Gilmour, Al MacInnis and Lanny McDonald.  Then you also have Theo Fleury, Mike Vernon, Gary Suter, Joe Nieuwendyk, Hakan Loob, Rob Ramage and Joel Otto.
  I really wanted that Fab Four Fabrics card but I can't stand cards that should players in one team's jersey but then includes a jersey piece that is from another team.  Mullen's piece is from a St. Louis Blues jersey and McDonald's appears to be from a  Toronto Maple Leafs jersey, or considering it's Upper Deck, an alumni game.  I checked eBay for another one and I did find another, but this time Gilmour's jersey was black.  Must have been from his short-lived Black Hawks days.
  So I fixed the card.  This is how it should look like.  Four jersey pieces that all appear to be Flames jerseys.  

  What do you think?  Does matching the player picture to the jersey piece colour factor into your decision to buy a card? 

2012-13 Fleer Retro with 1992-93 Fleer Ultra Retro

  I am excited about the insert sets in 2012-13 Fleer Retro.  In particular, I love the 92-93 Fleer Ultra Insert set. I don't think I'll be busting a box at $200+.  I got suckered in by Panini Signatures, so I learned my lesson, for the time being.  I am planning on going to the Toronto Sports Card Expo and I will definitely be hunting down the new 92-93 Fleer Ultra inserts.  I have some good childhood memories with that set.  In the meantime, I put together a template and fired out some cards for guys who weren't part of the set.

Steve Ott

Brandon Prust

Chris Neil

Kevin Westgarth

Matt Martin

Brian McGrattan

TTM Success: Wes Walz

  Wes Walz had to leave the NHL to become a more complete player.  Walz played 169 games with four franchises over parts of six NHL seasons.  Unable to find a full time role in the NHL as a playmaker, Walz left to play in Switzerland.  After 3+ seasons in Europe, Walz returned to the NHL to play for the expansion Minnesota Wild.  He played a key role in Minnesota on the penalty kill.  He score a franchise record 7 shorthanded goals in 2000-01 and is also the franchise career leader in SHG with 14.  Walz was a finalist for the Frank Selke trophy, as top defensive foward in 2003. 

1981-82 OPC Reboot: Sabres and Flames

Buffalo Sabres

 The Sabres would be one of three teams to only use two goalies during the entire season.  The Sabres had a good reason.  They finished 3rd in the league for fewest goals against and both goalies finished in the top five for best GAA.  In the previous season, 79-80, the pair combined to win the Vezina Trophy.  At that time the Vezina trophy was given out to eligible goalies, 25+ games played, on the team with the lowest goals against.  Both Sabres goalies would get a card in the 81-82 set.

Rk        Player Pos Age GP  W  L T/O  GA  GAA SO  MIN
1    Don  Edwards   G  25 45 23 10  12 133 2.96  3 2700
2      Bob  Sauve   G  25 35 16 10   9 111 3.17  2 2100
      Team Total         80 39 20  21 244 3.05  5 4800

1981-82 OPC #21 Don Edwards

 Don Edwards would have nine OPC cards and he beat the odds.  Only four cards had him without his helmet.  Even his rookie card has him in full gear and a semi-action shot...  I guess.  The reboot is a clear winner here.

1981-82 OPC #23 Bob Sauve

 Other than the picture, there is an obvious difference.  In the 81-82 OPC set, Sauve is given the Red Wings treatment, while in mine, he is still a Sabre.  Sauve started the season as a Buffalo Sabre.  He was traded to the Detroit Red Wings on December 2nd, 1981 for a conditional draft pick.  His Topps card has him as a Sabre, but since OPC is released later in the season, they made Sauve a Red Wings card.  So what did the Sabres get as the conditional draft pick?  Bob Sauve....  huh?
  I give the reboot the win.  I am not a fan of cards where the uniforms don't match the card.  Also, I give my card a +1 for featuring a Buffalo Sabre in a white uniform.

Calgary Flames

    The 81-82 set was the first opportunity for the Calgary Flames to get into the cards.  They had moved from Atlanta before the 80-81 season had started.  In response to the move, OPC made some tremendously ugly cards, paining over the Atlanta Flames logo on the jerseys and mainly using head shots.  On a side note, the Flames had another one of the oddest team sets.  The 1983-84 OPC set has all the Flames wearing Molson sponsored practice jerseys.
  The Flames entered the season with three goalies.  They kept Pat Riggin and Reggie Lemelin , who both had thier rookie cards in the 1981-82 set, but traded away the last remaining original Atlanta Flame to another Canadian team.  He'll make an appearance later in the set.

Rk           Player Pos  Age GP  W  L T/O  GA   GAA SO  MIN
1        Pat  Riggin   G  21 42 21 16   4 154  3.83  0 2411
2    Reggie  Lemelin   G  26 29 14  6   7  88  3.24  2 1629
3      Dan  Bouchard   G  30 14  4  5   3  51  4.03  0  760
         Team Total         80 39 27  14 293  3.66  2 4800

1981-82 OPC #37 Pat Riggin (RC)

    1981-82 is Pat Riggin's rookie card and only card as a Flame.  His 25 games played in 79-80 wasn't enough to crack the 80-81 set.  In two season with the Calgary Flames, Riggin would play Riggin would be traded to Washington after the 81-82 season and would get the airbrush treatment by OPC.  He would win a William Jennings trophy with the Capitals in 1984.  I think my rebbot edition might be the inferior card.  True, it is an action shot, but it's a low resolution.  The original card, while not an action shot, is one of the few that has the goalie in full equipment.  I am giving the original OPC version a narrow win in this match up.

1981-82 OPC #44 Reggie Lemelin (RC)

  Continuing the theme of goalies who won a trophy by being on the team with the lowest goals against that season, I present a reboot of Reggie Lemelin's rookie card.  Lemelin's teams made the Stanley Cup finals three times; losing each time.  Lemelin would win his William Jennings in 1990 as a Boston Bruin.  His creasemate from that season will have his rookie card rebooted in a later post.
  The reboot is back on a winning side.  Clear win on this one.  Lemelin is in action and in a home white uniform.  That is how it should be done.  Compare that to Lemelin doing a warm-up skate looking at...  what is he looking at?  Did they even have the kiss cam back in 1981?

The Lost Rookies: Perry Berezan

  Perry Berezan played 242 games through 6 seasons before getting a rookie card. When Berezan made it into the league, OPC had just went from a 396 card set to a 264 cards, making the set line-up harder to crack.  Even though he "scored" one of the most goals in NHL history, he still couldn't crack the OPC line-up.  Injuries, and the Flames depth, also played a role. After playing 55 games in 85-86, he only played 24 and 29 games in the following seasons.  It would take a trade to the Minnesota North Stars and the 1990 hockey card boom before Berezan would get a rookie card.  Below is what a 1985-86 Perry Berezan's rookie card might have looked like.

1985-86 OPC #265 Perry Berezan RC

1985-86 OPC #265 Perry Berezan RC Back

 

TTM Success: Nikolai Borschevsky

  Nikolai Borschevsky was a 28 year old rookie when he debuted with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1992.  Borschevsky was one of the many Russians who took advantage of the dissolution of the USSR to cross the pond and take their shot at the NHL.  While Borschevsky's career only lasted 162 games, he will forever have a place in Maple Leaf history.  In his rookie season, Borschevsky finished 4th in rookie scoring with 74 points.  He led the Maple Leafs in goals, 34, and +/-, 33.  The moment a generation of Leafs fans will never forget, is Borschevsky's game 7 overtime winner against the Detroit Red Wings in the Norris division semi-final. His game 7 tip-in paved the way for the Leafs to make their deepest play-off run since the 1977.  After a very promising rookie season, Borschevsky, who was only 5'9' and 180lbs, began to run into a serious of injuries, including a ruptured spleen.  The injuries, NHL lockout, and trades marred his final seasons in the NHL.  He scored 1 goal in his last 39 games while playing for three different teams in his final two NHL seasons.  Borschevsky returned to Russia to play two more seasons before retiring. 

TTM: Dana Murzyn

  A member of the All-Rookie team in 1986, Dana Murzyn played 838 career games while playing for three NHL franchises, the Hartford Whalers, Calgary Flames and the Vancouver Canucks.  While Murzyn would play the bulk of his career with the Canucks, his greatest moment came with the Calgary Flames as he was part of the Stanley Cup champs in 1989.  Murzyn spent his career as a crease clearing defenceman, with his best two scoring seasons (26 and 28pts) coming with the Hartford Whalers during his first two NHL seasons.  Mr. Murzyn signed three of three and also returned the extra copy of the custom card signed.  This return also set a personal TTM record as it became my quickest return ever, at 15 days.

TTM: Todd Simpson

  Todd Simpson played for seven teams during a ten year NHL career.  He was a crease clearing defenceman who set a career high with 15 points in 2001-02 while playing for the Phoenix Coyotes.  He served as the captain of the Calgary Flames for three seasons.  One of Simpson's achievements during his career was a Gordie Howe Hat Trick against the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in 1998.  Todd Simpson fought Darren McCarty six times in his career.  According to Simpson, there was no bad blood, "It just happened, we both played hard.  We both respected each other."  In terms of who got the better of who, "I would say it was even."  In his career, Simpson had 14 goals.  It's his first goal that Simpson remembers as the prettiest goal he ever scored.  His "backhand shelf" goal earned the Flames a tie against the Detroit Red Wings.  Mr. Simpson is now a real estate agent.  I asked Mr. Simpson if there was one skill he learned from hockey that has made him a better, "Mental toughness".  Mr. Simpson signed 3 of 3 and kept the extra copy of the picture as offered.

TTM: Pat Riggin

Pat Riggin won the Williams J Jennings trophy and was a 2nd team All-Star in 1983-84, when he lead the league in shutouts and GAA.  Riggin played with four teams (Flames, Capitals, Bruins, and Penguins) in career, but had his best seasons with the Capitals.  The Capitals finished in the top 5 for least GA each season in which Riggin played a game for them.  Riggin played in the 1985 World Championships for team Canada.  

Mr. Riggin signed 3 of 3 care of home.  He liked the custom picture so much, that he asked for more copies.

TTM: Tim Jackman

Tim Jackman has been a journeyman enforcer, playing for 5 teams in his 348 game career.  His best season was 2010-11, when he set career highs in goals, 13, assists, 10, and points, 23.  Tim led the Flames in PIM this season with 94 and ranked tenth in the NHL in fighting majors, with 14. He sported a 5-5-4 record in his fights, according to the voting members of hockeyfights.com.  This return sets a new record for longest return for my collection, it took 147 days.  Mr. Jackman signed 3 of 3 and returned one of the extra pictures signed.  He kept the copy with the 1988-89 OPC design.  Not sure if he was a fan of the 1988-89 OPC set or a fan of his fist on Brad Staubitz face.  

Ripping off Card Boarded feature, let's watch some captured on cardboard action. 

Did you see it?  No neither did I, but it's in there... somewhere.  The 17 second mark is my best guess.

TTM: Craig Berube

Craig Berube sits 7th overall for career penalty minutes with 3149.  Berube never lead the league for PIM in a season and his top finish was 4th, but he was able to move up the PIM ladder by playing 17 seasons and over 1000 NHL games.  Berube scored 61 goals in his career and achieved his only Hat Trick on January 4th, 1990 vs the St. Louis Blues.  The Hat Trick was of the Gordie Howe variety, as Berube got a goal, an assist and a fight vs Tony Twist.  Berube had multiple stops in Philadelphia, Washington and Calgary, as well as briefly suiting up for the Leafs and Islanders.  Berube enjoyed Philadelphia so much that he signed an AHL contract with the Philadelphia Phantoms in his final pro season and is now an assistant coach with the Flyers.  Mr. Berube signed 3 of 3 care of the Philadelphia Flyers. 

For some Berube mayhem, with Berube staring at the beginning and end, enjoy the following clip.

88-89 OPC Tribute: Cole, Jokinen and Hagelin

  A free agent signee by the Montreal Canadiens in the offseason, Erik Cole, is on pace to challenge his career highs in goals, 30, and points 61.  Cole scored his 200th career on New Years Eve, 2011.  Olli Jokinen, a former 3rd overall draft pick, has played in 1017 career regular season games, but only 6 career play-off games.  Jokinen is a key part of the Flames push for the play-offs in 2012.

#84 - Erik Cole

#85 - Olli Jokinen

  The winner of the fastest skater competition at the 2012 All-Star game, Carl Hagelin, is tied for the rookie lead in +/-, with +15.  Hagelin, who played in the 2012 Winter Classic, is no stranger to outdoor games, previously playing in two outdoor games with the University of Michigan.

#131 - Carl Hagelin