88-89 OPC Tribute: St. Louis and Leafs

  Trying out a new format.  Is it better or worse?

#26 - Martin St. Louis

  2003-04 was a very good year for Martin St. Louis.  Martin won the Art Ross trophy as top scorer and then won the Stanley Cup.  St. Louis started his career in Calgary and over two seasons, scored 20 points in 69 games.  The Tampa Bay Lightening signed Martin St. Louis as a free agent in 2000 and he has been almost a point per game (0.96) player ever since.  Smooth move, Calgary.

#27 - Dion Phaneuf

  Dion Phaneuf's card marks a major improvement in the 88-89 OPC Tribute set.  No silly, it's not because it's the first Leafs cards.  It's the first photo used from the 2011-12 season.  That's right, we're so on the cutting edge here at The Cardboard and Me that we are immortalizing hockey moments into cardboard mere hours after they happened.  I bet Tim Conboy (Tim who?) still doesn't know what hit him.  

#100 - Johnny Bower

  Now here's a card for Leafs fans to enjoy.  Johnny Bower was a 29 year old rookie in 1953-54.  He played 77 games for the New York Rangers over three seasons before getting a chance to don the Maple Leaf in 1958.  His career with the Maple Leafs was highlighted by four Stanley Cups including the 1966-67 season.  Johnny Bower made the Hall of Fame in 1976 and is the only hall of famer to play more games in the AHL, 592,  than the NHL, 552.

Ouch.  Puck in the face at 2:25.