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 OPC Wilf Paiement

  Drafted 2nd overall in the 1974 draft by the expansion team, the Kansas City Scouts, Wilf Paiement entered the league with high expectations and retired as the second best player to wear the number 99 in NHL history.
  Paiement had 82 points in 135 games over two seasons with the atrocious Scouts.  The NHL had doubled in size in 1966, from 6 to 12 teams, and added another six between 1970 and 1974, then include the WHA's vying for talent and the talent pool was quite diluted for the Scouts.  The Scouts performed as bad at the box office as they did on the ice.  The Scouts only lasted two seasons in Kansas before moving to Colorado, becoming the Rockies.

1974-75 OPC Wilf Paiement (Variant)

  While the Rockies continued to perform poorly on the ice, Paiement led the team in scoring for three straight seasons, amassing 228 points in 223 games.  During this time, Paiement earned the reputation as a dirty player, due in part to his antics at the 1977 World Hockey Championship for Canada.  Then at the start of the 1978 season, Paiement solidified that reputation with a stick swinging incident against Dennis Polonich.  Paiement was suspended for 15 games.  At the time, it was the second longest suspension in NHL history for an on-ice incident.  Polonich would later sue Paiement over the incident, and be awarded $850k.  Paiement finished the season as the Rockies leading scorer, netting 60 points in 65 games.
  Paiement was traded to the Toronto Maples Leafs in the infamous Lanny McDonald fiasco.  Wilf already had big shoes to fill by replacing McDonald, but then also switched to jersey number 99.  He is only one of three players to ever wear the number 99 in the NHL.  Wilf originally lived up to expectations as he led the Leafs in scoring, while setting a career high, with 97 points in 1980-81.  The following season, Paiement, and the Leafs, struggled.  With the Leafs being 10 points out of a play-off spot at the trade deadline, and Paiement only netting 58 points in 69 games, the Leafs traded Paiement to the Qubec Nordiques for Miroslav Frycer.
  Paiement chose a new jersey number, and finished the season strong, scoring 13pts in 8 games for the Nords and added 12 more points in 14 play-off games.  Paiement played in a support role for the Nordiques, whom already had future HHOFers Peter Stastny and Michel Goulet.  Paiement had 223 points and 680 PIM in 280 games with Quebec.  The team made the Wales Conference Final twice during Paiement's time, losing both times, in 1982 and 1985.
  Paiement struggled with Quebec during the 1985-86 season and was traded to the New York Rangers.  Paiement was part of the Ranger's cindarella play-off run.  The Rangers, who barely made the play-offs, upset the top two teams in the Wales Conference before losing to the Patrick Roy and the Montreal Canadiens.
  Wilf was left unprotected in the 1986 waiver draft and was selected by the Buffalo Sabres.  He scored 20 goals in 57 games for the Sabres.  Paiement signed as a free agent with the Pittsburgh Penguins the following offseason, resulting in OPC airbrushing him into the set.  Paiement played more games in the minors than with the Penguins in 1987-88 and retired at the end of the season.
  Paiement was a tough, although sometimes dirty, player.  Over his career, he had 16 Gordie Howe Hat Tricks, just two shy of Rick Tocchet's record.  Paiement  retired with 356 goals, 1759 PIM in 946 career games.  A very good player, who had the right mix of offense and truculence for the era he played in.
  Paiement was a victim of the OPC cutbacks as he was left out of the 1985 and 1986 sets.  He never had a card produced of him as a New York Ranger, nor as a Buffalo Sabre.  I could not find reasonable pictures of Wilf as a Ranger or Sabre.  I would be grateful if anyone could steer me towards one.  Although I am able to present a career capper for Wilf as a 1988-89 OPC Lost Card.

1988-89 OPC #270 Wilf Paiement

1988-89 OPC #270 Wilf Paiement

Lost Rookies: 1984-85 OPC Marty McSorley

  Marty McSorley will most likely be remember for one of three things, being Wayne Gretzky's bodyguard, an illegal stick, or his career-ending slash on Donald Brasheur.
  McSorley was passed over in the 1981 and 1982 NHL drafts, allowing him to sign a contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins as a free agent.  McSorley made his debut on October 8, 1983, and had his first career NHL fight against Tom Laidlaw of the New York Rangers, 3 minutes into the game.  On Januray20th 1984, McSorley scored against Steve Weeks of the New York Rangers for his first career NHL goal.  He finished the season with 2 goals, 9 points and 224 PIM in 74 games.  Marty started the 1984-85 season, the Penguins' Mario Lemieux era, with the club but was sent down after a month.  He finished the season playing 15 games, 0 points and 15 PIM.
  Marty's big break came the following offseason when he was traded as part of a package to the Edmonton Oilers for goalie Gilles Meloche.  Marty joined Dave Semenko and Kevin McClelland as a Wayne Gretzky bodyguard.  On January 2nd, 1986 against the Calgary Flames, McSorley and McClelland combined for a unique Gordie Howe Hat Trick.  They both achieved Gordie Howe Hat Tricks, from the same plays.  McSorley and McClelland had an assist on the other's goal, and then both got fighting majors at the same time during a line brawl.  McSorley spent the next three seasons with the Oilers, wining Stanley Cups in 1987 and 1988.  During his time with the Oilers, McSorley was often employed as a winger.
  When Gretzky was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in August of 1988, his bodyguard, McSorley was part of the package.  McSorley had his best seasons in Los Angeles.  He led the league in +/- in 1990-91 with a +48, and set career highs in goals, 15 in 89-90 and 92-93, and points, 41pts in 92-93.  McSorley had the all-time 5th highest PIM total for a single season in 1992-93, with 399.  Marty assisted on Gretzky's record setting 802nd career goal.  Unfortunately, McSorley's time with the Kings would end on a low note.  With the Kings up one game to none in the series, and also up 2-1 in the game two of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Montreal Canadiens, McSorley was penalized for using an illegal stick.  The penalty was called with less than two minutes left in the game.  Eric Desjardins scored the game tying goal on the powerplay, and then scored the winner in overtime.  The Canadiens swept the rest of series and won the Stanley Cup.
  The Kings traded McSorley in the 1993 offseason to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Shawn MacEachern.  Several months into the season, the same players returned to their teams as part of a four player trade.  McSorley played two seasons with the Kings during his second tour of duty with the team before being traded to the New York Rangers at the 1996 trade deadline.  The following offseason McSorley signed with the San Jose Sharks as a free agent.  Two seasons later, McSorley made his return to Edmonton, again as a free agent.  Marty spent a single season in Edmonton before moving on via free agency to the Boston Bruins.
  On February 21st, 2000, McSorley played his last NHL game.  McSorley and Donald Brashear were regular combatants, having fought against each other six times during their careers.  McSorley and Brashear had a fight in the 1st period of the Bruins and Vancouver Canucks games of February 21st.  McSorley attempted to start another fight with Brashear a few times during the game, but Brashear did not want to fight.  As the game was able to come to an end, a 5-2 loss for the Bruins, McSorley followed Brashear up the ice looking for a fight, as Brashear continued to skate away from McSorley, Marty slashed Brashear on the side of the head.  The slash, combined with his head hitting the ice, knocked Brashear out.  Brashear missed 20 games due to injury, while McSorley was suspended for the remainder of the season, 23 games, and play-offs.
  McSorley was also charged by the RCMP for assault with a weapon.  McSorley claimed he was trying to hit Brashear on the shoulder and not the head.  McSorley was found guily and given a 18 month conditional discharge.  After the trial, the NHL increased McSorley's suspension to a full year, ending on February 21, 2001.  It is the longest suspension for an on-ice incident in NHL history.  The suspension was honoured by the IIHF as McSorley attempted but failed to gain employment overseas in 2000. McSorley joined the Grand Rapids Griffiths of the IHL in February of 2001, and was ejected for fighting in his first game.  Marty retired at the end of the season.
  McSorley was a tough competitor and a good teammate.  He played with three franchises twice, Penguins, Oilers, Kings, showing he was welcomed back by his teams.  Although McSorley has the fourth highest total career PIM in history, 3381, he was more than just a goon.  Unfortunately, McSorley will be best remembered for his illegal stick and slash to Brashear's head.
  Marty's rookie card was part of the 1987-88 OPC set.  His next cards wouldn't be until the 1990 junk wax explosion.  I am not a big fan of the 87-88 picture used for McSorley as it is a warm-up picture, sans helmet.  Although McSorley was also know for his blonde surfer's haircut during his career.  So I did up a quick 86-87 OPC for Marty with an action shot.

1986-87 OPC Marty McSorley

  Back to the main event, McSorley's Lost Rookie.  From the 1984-85 OPC set, McSorley as a rookie during his first tour of duty with the Penguins, with a cameo by long-time NHL linesman, Kevin Collins.  Collins was a NHL Linesman from 1977 to 2004.

1984-85 OPC #402 Marty McSorley (RC)

1984-85 OPC #402 Marty McSorley

Lost Cards: 2000-01 UD Vintage Zarley Zalapski

  Zarley Zalapski was drafted 4th overall in the 1986 NHl entry draft.  What is particular interesting is that he never played college or major junior hockey.  He was drafted from the Canada National team.  Prior to 1988, professionals were not allowed to compete at the Olympics.  The lure of the 1988 Olympics on home soil was enough for a few top prospects to join Team Canada.  There was also coach Dave King who was beginning to make a name for himself.  Three players from the Canadian National team were drafted in the 1st round in 1986.
  While 1988, was the first year professionals were allowed to participate in the Olympics, the NHL did not schedule a break in thier schedule, so few NHLers were able to join.  The roster for the Olympics was a mixture of amateurs, prospects, ex-NHLers, NHL hold-outs and a few players who were granted leave by thier teams.  Hopes were high for Team Canada, who had performed well in tournaments prior to the Olympics.  Unfortunatley, the last-minute influx of a few NHL players, did not boolster the team as expected.  Team Canada finished in 4th place.

1988-89 OPC Olympians - Zarley Zalapksi

  After the Olympics came to an end, several of the amateur players, including Zalapski, made the jump to the NHL.  Zalapski had an assist in each of his first two NHL games and had a 4 point night, including his first career goal against Ron Hextall and the Philadelphia Flyers.  Zarley finished the season with 11 points in 15 games.  In 1988-89, Zarley scored 45 points in 58 games and was selected to the All-Rookie team.  It was enough to get Zarley his first OPC card in the 89-90 set.  I wasn't very impressed by it so I created a 88-89 OPC rookie for Zarley.

  After another injury shortened season in 89-90, Zalapski was finally healthy, but the addition of Larry Murphy to a blueline that already included Paul Coffey, made Zalapski expendable.  The Penguins had an excess of offence but a lack of grit on the backend.  Zalapski was part of the blockbuster deal at the trade deadline with the Hartford Whalers, than sent Ron Francis and Ulf Samuelsson to the Penguins and helped propel the Pens to two back-to-back Stanley Cup Championship.  Zalapski would have his best offensive season while with the Whalers, scoring 20 goals in 92-91 and 65 points in 92-93.  Zalapski was traded to the Calgary Flames at the 1994 trade deadline.  Zarley would slide down the depth charts with the Flames, before a knee injury caused him to miss almost the entire 1996-97 season.  Zalapski continued to struggle during the 97-98 season and was traded to the Montreal Canadiens to finish the year.  Zarley signed as a free agent with the New York Rangers in 1998 off-season, but failed to make the team out of training camp.  Although Upper Deck thought it would get a head start and included Zarley as Ranger in their 1998-99 set.
  Zarley went overseas in 1999 but returned to North America to play in the IHL.  During the season, the injury bug bite the Philadelphia Flyer's blueline and Zalapski was signed to fill in the gaps.  Zalapski began his Flyers career like he did his NHl career, notching assists in his first two games.  After that, Zalapski failed to score a point in ten more games.  As players returned from injury, Zalapksi's ice time disappeared.  While Zalapski would not play in the NHL again, he would continue to play pro hockey, either in North America or Europe, until 2008.
  In 2017, Zalapksi passed away due to a heart disease.
  Zarley's brief stint with the Philadelphia Flyers did not warrant a cart from any of the major card companies, so I decided to create one.  It was an easy choice as to which design to use.  The 2000-01 UD Vintage set was my favourite design from that season.  This was before retro or vintage sets were popular.

Lost Rookies: 1985-86 OPC Todd Charlesworth

  How do I choose my players for the Lost Cards?  Some are fairly obvious overlooks by OPC.  A player with a lengthy career who was ignored by OPC for years, such as Garth Butcher or Tim Hunter.  Some are career cappers, like Pierre Larouche, or  Butch Goring, who had All-Star careers but retired before OPC finalized their lists before the upcoming years.  Players like Dan Bouchard or Harold Snepsts, received horrendous airbrush treatments for their single cards with a particular team.  Then there was the original reason behind Lost Rookies, players who had never received a NHL card, such as Bob Mason, or Tim Tookey.
  How I find player for this last category has changed.  Originally, I could find players I remembered or even followed as a child, such as Frank Caprice, but eventually it became finding player whom I didn't recognize.  For example, while doing research on Dave Gagner for a Lost Rookies post, the name Todd Charlesworth grabbed my attention.  While Dave was drafted 12th overall in the 1st round of the 1983 Entry draft, Todd was drafted 22nd overall, by the Pittsburgh Penguins, with the 1st pick in the 2nd round.
  Never heard of him.  Wonder if he had a card? I was intrigued by the name and did a quick search.  The search didn't turn up any cards, but did turn up a nice picture, in a sweet jersey, suitable for a card.  So the decision was made, a card for Todd.
  I don't have much to say about his actual career.  He graduated quite quickly to the NHL, jumping in straight from juniors.  In 1983-84 he had a ten game stint with the Penguins while spending the rest of the season with the Oshawa Generals of the OHL.  1984-85 saw "The Next One" Mario Lemieux join the beleaguered Penguins.  Lemieux assisted on Todd's first career goal, and only goal of the 84-85 season, a game-winner against the New York Islanders.  Charlesworth had 9 points in 67 games in 84-85, his only full season in the NHL.
  Charlesworth made the Penguins out of training camp for the 85-86 season but only played in two of the first four games before being sent down.  He did score goals in back-to-back games in 1987-88.  Otherwise, he spent the majority of his time in the IHL.
  Todd left the Penguins via free agency and signed with the Edmonton Oilers for the 1989-90 season.  He wasn't able to make the team and the Oilers sent him to the New York Rangers in a mid-season trade for future considerations.  He played seven games with the Rangers.
  Todd would toil in the minors until the 1994-95 season and would retire in the city he played most of his pro hockey, Muskegon, Michigan.
  There was nothing in particular that drew me to Todd Charlesworth.  Although, the name is kind of cool.  And I do love that hideous yellow Penguins jersey.  Otherwise, its a player without a card but with a good picture available online.  Usually there is a bit of backstory that draws me in but this time, it's a neat name in a cool jersey.

1985-86 OPC #273 Todd Charlesworth (RC)

1985-86 OPC #273 Todd Charlesworth (RC)

Lost Rookies: 1977-78 OPC Gordie Laxton

  Good lord, look at that hair.  Gordie Laxton played parts of 4 NHL seasons, all with the Penguins.  Drafted 13th overall in the 1975 Amateur draft, Laxton began the 1975-76 season with the team and started between the pipes on opening night.  After notching a 4-2 win over the Washington Capitals, Laxton didn't see NHL action again for almost a month.   After starter Michel Plasse went down with an injury, Laxton would win his next two starts before playing himself to the bench, and eventually the minors.
  The Penguins made wholesale changes in net for the 1976-77 season.  Plasse and Gary Inness were out, while Dennis Herron returned to the Penguins.  Laxton again made the team out of camp and again secured a victory in the season opener, in relief Herron, who had his arm broken in the first period.  Laxton facilitated a trade with the New York Rangers to bring in Dunc Wilson, by allowing 17 goals in his first two starts of 1976.  Injuries would help Laxton secure a few more starts over the next few seasons.  His last start, a 8-3 loss to the Detroit Red Wings in 1979 would be the last time he played in the NHL.  Laxton would toil in the minors until he retired in 1983.
  Laxton finished his career with 17gp, 4-9-1, and a 5.56 GAA.  Hardly the type of number that would earn you a NHL card.  That hair though!  I couldn't resist.  I did the front of the design after doing the two other goalies from the Penguins for that season.  I am finding the fonts of the 70s to be harder than the fonts of the 80s cards.  Mostly due to the excess use of italics or bending the text.  In this design I didn't use text but the line tool, pencil and fill to do the team name.  If I can find an easier way to do the fonts, I will do more of this set.

1977-78 OPC #397 Gordie Laxton (RC)

1977-78 OPC #397 Gordie Laxton (RC)

  Bonus cards

1977-78 OPC Denis Herron and Dunc Wilson

TTM Success: Mike Needham

  Mike Needham won a Stanley Cup before ever playing a regular season game.  Decimated by injuries, the 1991/92 Pittsburgh Penguins had to call up several members from the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the AHL to help plug holes.  Needham would appear in 5 play-offs games during the 1992 Stanley Cup run, scoring one goal.  Back injuries would hamper Needham for the rest of his career, limiting him to 86 NHL games.  Needham finished his NHL career with the Dallas Stars and was out of professional hockey by age 25. 

2013 Trade Deadline Update

  The 2013 NHL Trade Deadline has come and gone.  Let's use that an excuse to make some retro update cards for some of the players traded in the days leading up the deadline.


  Brenden Morrow is following up his second least productive season in the NHL, with his least productive.  Morrow had 11pts in 29 games this year with the Dallas Stars before being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins.  In seven games with the Pens so far, Morrow has one goal and one assist.  The Pens don't need Morrow for his scoring as much as they need him for his grit and toughness.










  The St. Louis Blues added a few veterans to its blueline at the trade deadline.  One of them was Jay Bouwmeester, whom the Blues acquired from the Calgary Flames.  While not expected to produce offensively, Bouwmeester had three assists in his first three games as a Blue









  Ryane Clowe was goalless in 28 games with the San Jose Sharks.  Hardly the type of player you'd think would create a buzz at deadline time.  The New York Rangers were interested and Clowe paid immediate dividends, scoring twice in his first game as a Ranger.








  The biggest name at the trade deadline was Jarome Iginla, who was reported to be traded twice in the same evening.  The first time to the Boston Bruins, and then to the Pittsburgh Penguins.  So far, Jarome has not lit up the scoresheets in Pittsburgh, having one goal and one assist in his first five games as a Pen.  Can Jarome win that elusive Stanley Cup this year with the Pens, or maybe he'll need to pull a Raymond Bourque and stick around for another year.






  There were two big name goalies on the block at the trade deadline, neither of them moved.  Roberto Luongo is still in Vancouver and Miikka Kiprusoff announced his plans for retirement, just so he could stay in Calgary.  That left Ben Bishop, the odd man out in Ottawa, to be the biggest name, and size, goalie to be moved at the trade deadline.  Bishop has started all four games for the Lightning since the trade, including a shutout in his Lightning debut.







  Marian Gaborik put up two 40 goal seasons in New York in the past three years but found himself in the doghouse in 2013 and eventually as a Blue Jacket.  For the first time ever, the Columbus Blue Jackets found themselves as buyers at the trade deadline and they made a splash by trading for Gaborik.  Gaborik has welcomed the move, scoring 5 points in his first 4 games for Columbus.








  The Philadelphia Flyers, a pre-season favourite to contend, are one of the biggest disappointments of the season.  Currently, sitting in 12th place in the East, it appears the Flyer won't even make the play-offs, but atleast they got tougher.  The Flyers acquired Jay Rosehill from the Toronto Maple Leafs.  Rosehill, who had not played in the NHL this season, joined the Flyers just in time for a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.  Rosehill made the Leafs pay, beating up Leafs tough guy Colton Orr and also scoring the game-winning goal as the Flyer won the game 5-3.





  Jaromir Jagr found himself on the move, joining his third team in two seasons.  In his Bruins debut, Jagr would score the lone goal in a 1-0 Boston Bruins victory over the New Jersey Devils.  Jagr, who turned 41 this season, is looking for that elusive third Stanley Cup, after winning two in his first two seasons. 









   Derek Roy is the third former Dallas Star to be included in this update.  Roy was traded to the Vancouver Canucks to help provide some scoring depth.  Roy, who has been a borderline point a game player in his best seasons, has started slow with the Canucks, notching one assist and four shots on goal in three games since the trade. 

Photoshop: Lemieux and Robinson

  Found a cool picture of Hockey Hall of Famers, Mario Lemieux and Larry Robinson.  I really loved it since it had Lemieux in the bright yellow Penguins jersey.  The Pittsburgh Penguins only used the bright yellow jerseys for three seasons, from 1981/82 to 83/84 and during the 1984-85 preseason..  That dates this picture as Mario Lemieux's first pre-season..  The bright yellow jersey was originally a third jersey for the Penguins, used only for Sunday home games.  In the 83/84 season, it became their primary home jersey.  It was used during the pre-season in 1984-85 before being retired.  I think it'd be sweet for the Penguins to bring them back as a third jersey.
  When I found this picture, I couldn't help put to play with photoshop on this.  I wish I was trained in it but I mostly do trial and error.  It was expensive to buy, but I've used it enough to get my money's worth.  I like the effect I used on the background in the first picture but then I like how the players in the background become anonymous in the second picture. What do you think?

  Also, who is that guy over Mario's shoulder?  I swear I have a hockey card of him looking just like that.  I can't name him.  Here's a close up.  It's bugging me that I can't name him.  Can anyone name him?

1981-82 OPC Reboot - Flyers and Penguins

Philadelphia Flyers

  The Broad Street Bullies, once again bullied their way through the league.  The Flyers led the league, and set a franchise record, with 2581 PIM.  The Flyers were solid in net, finishing second in the league for the fewest goals against.  Rookie Rick St Croix finished second in the league in GAA and Pete Peeters was fourth.

Rk            Player Pos Age GP  W  L T/O  GA   GAA SO  MIN
1      Pete  Peeters   G  23 40 22 12   5 115  2.96  2 2333
2   Rick  St.  Croix   G  26 27 13  7   6  65  2.49  2 1567
3         Phil  Myre   G  32 16  6  5   4  61  4.07  0  900
          Team Total         80 41 24  15 241  3.01  4 4800

1981-82 OPC #245 Pete Peeters

  Pete Peeters took the reigns of starting goalie in the 1979-80 season after Bernie Parent retired.  I think Pete Peeters is one of the most underrated goalies from the 1980s.  He had the second most wins and second best GAA in the 1980s.  Also, according to hockeyreference.com, he has the 10th best career adjusted GAA of all-time. 

1981-82 OPC #252 Rick St Croix (RC)

  1980-81 was Rick St Croix's best season by far.  Granted he played one more season for the Flyers before being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 1982-83 season.  His stats with the Flyers; 38-26-16, 3.23 GAA.  With the Maple Leafs; 11-28-2, 4.63 GAA. 

Pittsburgh Penguins

  The Penguins limped into the play-offs, going 3-6-4 in their last thirteen games.  They finished 15th overall and had to face the second overall team, the St. Louis Blues.  The Penguins battled and made it all the way to double overtime in game five before bowing out.  The Penguins relied heavily on Greg Millen, playing him in 63 games, but lost Millen via free agency in the offseason.  When it was time to produce the set, OPC decided not to include any goalies for the Pittsburgh Penguins, making them the only team without a goalie card in the set.

Rk        Player Pos Age GP  W  L T/O  GA   GAA SO  MIN
1    Greg  Millen   G  23 63 25 27  10 258  4.16  0 3721
2     Nick  Ricci   G  21  9  4  5   0  35  3.89  0  540
3    Rob  Holland   G  23 10  1  5   3  45  5.01  0  539
      Team Total         80 30 37  13 338  4.22  0 4800

Bonus Penguins

1981-82 OPC Greg Millen (Pens)

    Greg Millen did have a card in the 1981-82 OPC set, but he was given an airbrush job and was featured as a Hartford Whalers.  That card was featured in an earlier post.  I decided I had to give Greg Millen a Penguins card since he was the man between the pipes for the Pens in 1980-81.  In the off-season, the Penguins and the Whalers engaged in a bidding war for Greg Millen.  On June 15th, Millen signed with the Whalers, netting Millen a pay increase from $40,000 a season to $160,000. 

1981-82 Nick Ricci (RC)

  Nick Ricci was being groomed as the goalie for the future, but he never made it.  He played 19 games over four seasons for the Penguins before being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs.  he played two more seasons in the minors before retiring. 

1981-82 OPC Rob Holland (RC)

  First off, there are two things wrong with this card.  The uniform dates the picture from the 1979-80 season.  Also there is the big logo on top of the picture.  I could not find a good Rob Holland picture on the internet.  So I had to borrow one off eBay.  I guess I should mention that Classic Hockey Images has hundreds of classic goalie pictures available for sale.  Check out their other items.  Holland's NHL career only lasted two seasons.  Before the 1981-82 season, he was traded to the New York Islanders and spent his final six professional seasons in the minors.

Penguins Update

1981-82 OPC Michel Dion

  Michel Dion was signed by the Penguins with the hopes that he would back-up Greg Millen for the 1981-82 season.  Instead Millen was lost via free agency and Dion would go on to represent the Penguins in the 1982 All-Star game.   With his distinctive bird beek mask in Penguins colours, Dion'd first season would be the only bright spot in his Penguins career as then team would go on a two year nosedive, winning the Mario Lemieux sweepstakes for the 1984 draft.

1981-82 OPC Paul Harrison

  Worried about their goaltending depth, the Penguins traded for veteran Paul Harrison during training camp of the 1981-82 season.  Harrison would only play 13 games for the Penguins before being lost on waivers to the Buffalo Sabres in February of 1982.

TTM: Phil Bourque

  Phil Bourque played in every play-off game for the Pittsburgh Penguins during their back-to-back Stanley Cup wins in 1991 and 1992.  Bourque's name was on the Stanley three times, twice on the outside and once on the inside.  He was the only person to ever has his name on the outside and inside of the Stanley Cup.  Phil Bourque is also infamous for being the player who threw the Stanley Cup into Mario Lemieux's swimming pool.  Bourque would finish his NHL career with the Ottawa Senators before playing three seasons in Germany.

Take this Shutout and Shove it!

  Who doesn't like a good goalie fight?  Rick Dipietro's mom, that's who.  Otherwise everybody loves goalie fights.  Goalies rarely get involved in the fisticuffs.  It takes a lot of effort.  It's not like the skaters who already part of the scrum.  For the goalies to meet, one, or both, have to skate across the ice and then receive the dreaded leaving the crease penalty.  It takes a lot of effort to get a goalie fight going but for some goalies it must be high on their bucket list since not only do they get into the fight, they give up their shutout to do so.  There have been three goalies who have giving up a shutout bid with 7 minutes or less left in the game, and got a into a fight instead.  How many can you remember?

TTM: Troy Loney

Troy Loney won two Stanley Cups while playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins and scored the Anahiem (Mighty) Ducks first Gordie Howe Hat Trick in franchise history.  Loney played 624 career NHL games and  also played in every single play-off game in the Pittsburgh Penguins back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1991 and 1992.  Mr. Loney signed 2 of 2, c/o home.

TTM: Pierre Larouche

Pierre Larouche was the first NHL player to score 50 goals with two different teams.  He scored 53 in 1975-76 with the Pittsburgh Penguins and 50 with the 1979-80 Montreal Canadiens.  Larouche won two Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens.  In 1983-84, Larouche scored 48 goals for the New York Rangers, two shy of becoming the only NHLer to score 50 goals with 3 or more teams.  In QMJHL, he scored 251 points in one season, a total only bested by Mario Lemieux's 282.  Back injuries shorted Larouche's career, as he retired at the age of 32.  Pierre signed 3 of 3, c/o home.  

He added his jersey number to the Rangers and Penguins card, but did not on the Canadiens card.  After searching the internet, it seems Mr. Larouche will always add his number to Penguins and Rangers cards but never to Canadiens or Whalers cards.

88-89 OPC: Kane, Fleury and Hull

Evander Kane has been tearing it up of late for the Winnipeg Jets, with 9 goals in the past 10 games.  Perhaps it has something to do with his jersey number, #9.  

#68 - Evander Kane

The 1st overall pick in the 2003 NHL entry draft, Marc-Andre Fleury has won a Stanley Cup and an Olympic Gold medal, but is he an elite goalie?  The Penguins were a stacked team when they won the Cup and Fleury spent his time in the press box as the 3rd string goalie for Team Canada in the 2010 Olympics.  Fleury has only once finished in the top 10 in GAA or Save Percentage.  Is Fleury this generation's Grant Fuhr?

#69 - Marc-Andre Fleury

  On March 7th 1988, the Calgary Flames traded Brett Hull and Steve Bozek for Rob Ramage and Rick Wamesley.  The Flames would win the Stanley Cup the following year.  Brett Hull would go on to score 741 career NHL goals.  Good Trade?  Would you give back a Stanley Cup to have the top NHL goal scorer of the 90s with no guarantees of winning another Stanley Cup?  Tough call.

#113 - Brett Hull

88-89 OPC Tribute: Koivu, Theodore, and Lemieux

  The captain of the Minnesota Wild, Mikko Koivu, is also the little brother of Saku Koivu.  Mikko havs carved out a nice career himself, including a 71 point season in 2009-10.  Jose Theodore has gone from the Montreal Canadiens next great hope down to being a placeholder for the Florida Panthers.  Theodore has never been able to duplicate his success of 2001-02 when he won the Vezina and Hart Trophies.  He has had a strong start in 2011-12 for the surprising Florida Panthers.

  

#64 - Mikko Koivu

#65 - Jose Theodore

  Mario Lemieux's name is often brought up when debating who was the best player ever.  Lemieux played 17 season but played 70 games or more only six times.  How good could Lemieux have been if his career hadn't been plagued by back injuries, or not had cancer in his prime of his career, or missed a season due to radiation treatments, or be retired for 3 years before making yet another comeback or had a better supporting cast earlier in his career.  Mario Lemieux retired in 1997 and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Novemeber of that year.  Three years later Lemieux returned to the ice and lead all players in goals per game, assists per game and Points per game.
  The picture I chose for the card isn't the sharpest image, but for me, it's an iconic image.  It's of his epic goal on Jon Casey in the 1991 Stanley Cup Finals.

#112 - Mario Lemieux