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)

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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.

The 90s Goalie Project - Askey me about it

  The 90's Goalie Project was first mentioned in a  post several months ago, and while it has been slow going, it is still on going.  I have added four or five to each Sportlots order. Let's look a few of the newer ones.

1998-99 Upper Deck

Tom Askey had a very brief NHL career, playing seven regular season games and one play-off game.  His NHL career was also winless, retiring with a record of 0-2-1. Tom played for Ohio State University before turning pro.  In four seasons, he went 17-68-10, with a 4.59 GAA.  Yikes, but it drew the attention of the Mighty Ducks who drafted him 186th in 1993.

  When Brian Hayward was traded from the Montreal Candiens, there was a glut of young goalies vying for the back-up job behind Patrick Roy.   Jean-Claude Bergeron was one of those young goalies.  1990-91 was JC's only season with the Canadiens.  In the 1991 expansion draft, the Tampa Bay Lightning selected goalie Fredric Chabot from the Montreal Canadiens.  The Canadiens protected two goalies, Patrick Roy (duh!) and JC Bergeron.  The very next day, either the Lightning or Canadiens realized they got the wrong man, the Lightning traded Chabot back to Montreal for J.C. Bergeron.  It was the first trade in the history of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

  This is an example of not using a player's rookie card.  Pauli Jaks had a rookie card in the 1991-92 Upper Deck update set.  Problem is, that he is part of the World Junior Championship subset.  I am looking for goalies' first NHL card, so his RC was ineligible for this project.  Pauli Jaks has only one NHL card, to go with his one NHL career game.  On January 25th, 1995, after allowing four goals in the first period against the Chicago Black Hawks, the LA Kings would bench Jamie Storr in favour for Pauli Jaks.  Jaks would allow 2 goals on 25 shots in 40 minutes. Jaks returned to Europe in the offseason.

 If you have been a dedicated reader of this blog, which I am sure you are, you already know that Glen Hanlon was the first NHL goalie to allow a goal to Wayne Gretzky and know you will know who was the last goalie the Great One beat.  It was Wade Flaherty.  On March 28th, 1999, Wayne Gretzky scored his 894th career NHL goal in a game against Flahety and the New York Islanders.  For Flaherty, it was the 245th goal scored against him in his career. 

  

TTM Success: Ryane Clowe

Ryane Clowe, that's Ryane with an "e".  I didn't get a response to my first letter to Ryane.  It's possible that me spelling his name "Ryan" might have had something to do with that.  On the positive side, I got a response on my 2nd attempt.  Ryane is spending the lock out getting coaching experience with the San Fransisco Bulls of the ECHL.  He has been pretty active in responding to TTMs.  In 2012, Ryane became the third Newfoundland born player to eclipse 100 career NHL goals.  He is actually in the top 5 for each of the following categories; GP, G, A, PTS, +/- and PIM.  Clowe made some news late in the 2011-12 by being involved in a questionable play.  I love the use of the telestrator by the play-by-play guy.  That is how you do it.  Clowe signed 3 of 3 care of the San Fransico Bulls.

268 Day TTM Success: Joe Thronton

I thought this one was a goner.  Sent on September 20, 2011 and received on June 14th, 2012.   It was postmarked on June 1st, so I guess it got shuffled to the bottom of Joe's fan mail pile or it got lost under the car seat.  Either way, it's great to see back.  Joe Thornton is the only Art Ross Trophy winner to have been traded mid-season.  An Olympic Gold medalist in 2010, Thornton has yet to reach the Stanley Cup Final.  It may seem like Thornton, who played his 1000th game last season,  has been around forever but he's only turning 33 this summer.  Still, the Sharks window for the Cup could be closing as there regular season points have decreased in each of the past four seasons.

TTM: Joe Pavelski

Joe Pavelski is a player who seems on the cusp on breaking through to stardom.  Although it seems that way for the past few years.  Pavelski put his name on the map with a strong 2009-10 play-offs, leading the Sharks in scoring and potting 3 game-winning goals.  His +6 that play-offs was 17 points higher than team captain Joe Thornton, -11.  Pavelski has since established himself as a consistent producer, netting a career high 31 goals in 2011-12.  Can Pavelski make the jump to All-Star?  The Sharks will need him to if they hope to capture Lord Stanley.  Mr. Pavelski signed 2 of 3, keeping a card, c/o the San Jose Sharks.  He signed a Donruss card and a team issued oversized card.

TTM: Jonathon Cheechoo

Jonathan Cheechoo faded away as fast as he burst onto the scene.  Cheechoo led the league in goals in 2005-06, but within four seasons, was playing in the minors.  Cheechoo benefited greatly from the San Jose Sharks trading for Joe Thornton.  Before the trade Cheechoo had 7 goals and 15 pts in 24 games.  After the trade Cheechoo had 49 goals and 78 pts in 58 games.  Each season afterwards, Cheechoo's production dropped, until he was traded in 2009, to the Ottawa Senators, in a package deal for Dany Heatley.   In 2009-10, Cheechoo scored 5 goals in 66 games and had his contract bought out by the Senators at the end of the season.  Cheechoo has played in the AHL the past two season, trying to regain his scoring touch.  Cheechoo is from Moose Factory, a First Nation's community near Hudson Bay in Ontario.  Mr. Cheechoo signed four of four, c/o the Peoria Rivermen.  

  If you haven't seen the Cheechoo song videos, then you really need to.

88-89 OPC Tribute: Elliott, Couture and Tkachuk

  Brian Elliott could end up as a Vezina finalist, even though he's a back-up on his own team.  Elliott was signed as a free agent to back-up Jaroslav Halak, but Elliot was on his way to stealing the starting gig when Halak woke up and started matching Elliot in excellence and they now split the games.  Elliot currently leads the league in GAA (1.56), second in Save Percentage (.940) and is tied for second in shutouts (6).

#86 - Brian Elliot

  The last overall pick in the 2012 All-Star Fantasy Draft, Logan Couture will be the face of the Sharks franchise for years to come.  A 9th overall pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, Logan needs one more goal to become the top goal scoring Couture in NHL History.

#87 - Logan Couture 

  Keith Tkachuk ranks 30th for career goals with 538.  He scored 50 for the Winnipeg Jets in 1996 and then led the league with 52 goals for the Phoenix Coyotes in 1997.  That same year Tkachuk finished in the top 10 in PIM, becoming the only expansion era player to lead the league in goals and finish in the top ten in PIM.  Tkachuk is also one of four player to score 50 goals and get 200+ PIM in the same season.  Tkachuk is also one of 3 players to score 500 goals and get 2000 PIM for their career.  Does Tkachuk make the HHOF?  I think lack of play-off success will keep him out.  The teams Tkachuk played on missed the play-offs 5 times and were 3-13 in play-off series.

#119 - Keith Tkachuk

TTM: Craig Janney

  Craig Janney was one of the top set-up men of the early 1990s, being in the top 10 for assists four straight seasons.  Janney played in the 1988 Olympics for Team USA and also made it the Stanley Cup final the same season with the Boston Bruins.  Janney never made it back to the Finals.  In 1994, Janney refused to report to the Vancouver Canucks after being awarded as compensation for the signing of Petr Nedved.  The Blues made a trade to get Janney back from the Canucks.  The Canucks would make it to game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals that season.  Janney would be traded during the next season to Winnipeg.   

  Mr. Janney signed 3 of 3 I sent him and also signed and returned the extra copy of the picture I sent.  I admit it seems kind of random to put Craig Janney as a St. Louis Blue on a 85-86 OPC card, but I wanted a Janney signature on a Blues card and I didn't have any of him as a Blue.  I had just finished the 86-86 OPC template and felt the need to use it.  I wish I used a different design.  Maybe then he would have kept a copy.  The player keeping a copy is almost as a big of deal of getting an autograph return for me.

TTM: Teemu Selanne

Where does Teemu Selanne find the time?  From the reports I have seen he is one of the most popular player to send a TTM and he is also one of the most reliable.  He is also known to occasionally send back an extra card or picture.  How many other active NHLers who are future Hall of Famers are so generous to their fans?   Mr. Selanne signed 3 of 3 in 23 days.  He kept a copy of the picture, as offered.  Thank you Mr. Selanne.

Teemu Selanne

88-89 OPC Tribute: Boyle, Kessell, and Hextall

#50 - Dan Boyle

  Dan Boyle played in his second All-Star game in 2010-11.  He finished the season with 9 goals and 41 assists for 50pts.  All three totals were his lowest since joining the San Jose Sharks in 2008.  Boyle had saved this best hockey for the post-season, leading all defencemen is scoring with 16 pts in 18 games.

  Boyle won a Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightening in 2003-04.  In 2010, Boyle had a 6pts in 7 games, helping Team Canada win the Gold Medal at the Vancouver Olympics.

#51 - Phil Kessell

  Phil Kessel have Leafs fans taking the paper bags off their heads and once again annoying non-Leafs fans everywhere.  Kessel is on pace for 137 goals and 219pts.  Totals that are a far cry from his career highs of 36 goals and 64 points.
  The Leafs are off to a 3-0-0 start in 2011-12.  It's the Leafs best starts since they went 4-0-0 in 2010-11, a season in which they missed the playoffs... again.

#109 - Ron Hextall

  Ron Hextall burst onto the NHL scene in 1986-87.  As a rookie, Hextall led the league in wins (37), won the Vezina trophy, and won the Conn Smythe as he led the Philadelphia Flyers to game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals.  The Flyers lost to the Edmonton Oilers and Hextall, or the Flyers, would not make it back to the Stanley Cup Finals until a decade later in 1996-97, where they were swept by the Detroit Red Wings.
  Ron Hextall is most know for being the first goalie to actually shoot and score a goal in the NHL (regular season and then in the play-offs) and having a mean streak.  Ron Hextall holds the record for PIM by a goalie for career (584), single season (113), career playoffs (115) and single playoff season (43).

  This is a great tribute video.  Really shows some of the great saves Hextall made, his two goals and also his famous mean streak.

88-89 OPC Tribute; A Sabre, a Shark and a Legend

   Thomas Vanek is a two-time 40 goal scorer and actually led the league in +/- in 2006-07 with a +47.  Check out this sick overtime goal.

#10 - Thomas Vanek

  Joe Thornton is the only player in league history to win an Art Ross or Hart Trophy while being traded during that same season,which he accomplished in 2006-07.  Is Jumbo Joe a HHOF?  Perhaps... barely.

#11 - Joe Thornton

  Speaking of HHOF, Peter Stastny, inducted in 1998, is the next legend to be added to the set.  As tremendous as his on-ice accolades are, his off-ice story is just a riveting.  Peter, along with brother Anton, were the first European players to defect to the NHL while still in the prime of their careers.  The brothers, and Peter's pregnant wife Darina, escaped communist ruled Czechoslovakia, via Austria and arrived in Canada in August of 1980.  As punishment for the brother's defection, a third brother, Marian, was kicked off the Czechoslovakian National Hockey team and put under police surveillance.  Marian would later join his other brothers in Quebec the following season, 1981.  Today's young European stars owe a debt of gratitude to the courage and determination the Stastny brothers showed in 1980.

#92 - Peter Stastny

  I am really liking these Legends of Hockey videos.  Although I wish this one spoke more of his defection rather than Peter checking out the Nordiques muscles.