Lost Cards: 1980-81 OPC Gary Smith

  Gary "Suitcase" Smith was well known for being a "character" and for being on the move.  He earned the nickname "Suitcase" even before he played a season in the NHL.  The Toronto Maple Leafs were already set in net with veterans and future Hall of Famers, Johnny Bowers, and Terry Sawchuk, as well as another top prospect in Gerry Cheevers.  So Gary found himself bouncing around the minors in 1964-65, as well being loaned to the Boston Bruins as a back-up.
  Smith would see his first NHL action the following season, 1965-66.  Gary started, and lost, against the New York Rangers on February 19th, 1966.  Over two seasons, Smith would play in five games for the Leafs, going 0-4-0, 3.62.
  As a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs franchise, Smith's antics included attempting to punt the puck up into the scoreboard and stickhandling the puck into the opposition zone in an attempt to score a goal.  Smith inspired a NHL rule change that would penalise goalies if they attempt to cross centre ice as part of the play.
  Gary was left exposed in the 1967 NHL expansion draft and was selected as the 11th goalie in the draft, by the California Seals.  Smith would overtake veteran Charlie Hodge by the Seals sophomore season in the NHL, and by the 1969-70 season, Gary was a league leader... in losses.  To prove it was no fluke, Gary not only led the league in losses in 1970-71, but set a NHL record by losing 48 games.
  OPC was fairly brutal to Gary during his playing days.  No offense Gary, I am sure the ladies appreciated your cards, but your card career was full of mug shots and photo day poses.  Only the 1977-78 OPC comes close to pleasing to goalie card aficionados.  So for a bonus, I'll update a few of Gary's OPC card fronts with action shots.

1970-71 OPC Gary Smith

  For the 1971-72 season, Gary Smith went from the doghouse, the last place Oakland Seals, to the penthouse, the West division top team, Chicago Black Hawks.  Smith followed up his record setting season in futility by sharing the Vezina trophy with Tony Esposito.  Smith had 5 shutouts in 28 games for the Hawks on 1971-72.

1972-73 OPC Gary Smith

  After another season backing-up Tony Esposito, Smith was traded to the Vancouver Canucks.  Where he promptly led the league in losses for the third time in his career.  The 1974-75 season saw a re-alignment of divisions and the Canucks thrived in the newly created Smythe division, finishing first.  Smith led the league in games played, 72, and finished third in All-Star balloting.  Unfortunately for the Canucks, the first round was not a divisional match-up but instead teams were ranked based on points, which meant the 88pts Canucks had to face the 113pts Montreal Canadiens.  The Canucks lost in five games.

1974-75 OPC Gary Smith

  Smith played another season with the Canucks before being traded to the Minnesota North Stars for Cesare Maniago.  After a mediocre season, Smith signed as a free agent with the Washington Capitals in 1976 but was sold back to the Minnesota North Stars later the same season.  Smith left to play in the WHA in 1977 and signed on with the Indianapolis Racers.  Smith would go 0-10-1 with the Racers before the team folded 25 games into the WHA season.  Smith was picked up by the Winnipeg Jets and finished the season on a hot streak, back stopping the team to an Avco Cup league championship.  Smith allowed the last goal in WHA history to Dave Semenko.

1978-79 OPC Gary Smith

  When joining the NHL, the Winnipeg Jets retained their rights to Gary Smith.  Smith started the Jets first NHL game, October 10, and registered the first Jets NHL win, October 14, versus the Colorado Rockies.  Smith eventually slid down the depth chart behind Pierre Hamel, Markus Mattson and Lindsay Middlebrook.  Smith finished the season, and his career, with the Tulsa Oilers of the Central Hockey League.
  Gary Smith wore a mask for the majority of his career, up until his final season.  When he switched to the helmet/cage combo, he painted the helmet two colours.  I cannot recall another goalie doing this.  When I saw the image and discovered Gary was lacking a final year card; his previous was a head in the 79-80 set, I decided to act.

1980-81 OPC #400 Gary Smith

1980-81 OPC #401 Gary Smith

Lost Rookies: 1980-81 Goran Hogosta

  Goran Hogosta made a name for himself at the 1977 World Hockey Championships.  Although Sweden had to settle for a Silver Medal, Hogosta backstopped his team to two victories against the powerhouse USSR squad, winning 5-1, and 3-1.  This drew the attention of the New York Islanders and they signed Hogosta to a 2 year deal worth $170k.
  Expectations were high.  There was talk of the Islanders dealing Billy Smith or Glenn Resch.  Hogosta never did live upto those expectations.  He played a total of 9 minutes with the Islanders, sharing a shutout with Billy Smith.  Those 9 minutes made Hogosta the first European born, and trained, goalie to play in the NHL.  It was Hogosta's only playing time with the Islanders, facilitated by Billy Smith's generosity.  Hogosta would be sent to the minors to get some playing time on Nov 17th and would remain there until the WHA-NHL merger.
  With the merger of the WHA, there was a bunch of wheeling and dealing as the ex-WHA teams tried to keep its stars and NHL teams tried to exercise their rights.  The Islanders attempted to reclaim Richard Brodeur from the Quebec Nordiques.  The Nordiques thwarted the attempted by making Brodeur a Priority Selection.  The Islanders, not to be denied, made a trade for Brodeur, by sending Hogosta to Quebec and leaving Gerry Hart unprotected in the 1979 expansion draft.
  Hogosta began the season with the Nordiques and started in their NHL franchise opener.  He recorded the franchises first NHL win, and first NHL shutout.  Hogosta had a mid-season trip to the minors, but returned after the Nordiques traded Ron Low.  In his final game, he allowed 9 goals to the Hartford Whalers, including 7 in the second period.  It was his last season in the NHL, as Goran moved back to Sweden and played professionally until 1984.
  I got inspired to make a Goran Hogosta card while making a Lost Card for Richard Brodeur.  I went with the 1980-81 OPC since I was drawn to this picture of him as a Nordique.

1980-81 OPC #399 Goran Hogosta (RC)

1980-81 OPC #399 Goran Hogosta

  But alas, I am an Islanders fan so I decided to take a crack at making a 1978-79 card.  Although I really like this set design, due to Mike Bossy, I found the warped text to be difficult to reproduce.  I might take another crack at this set design later.  I am please with the result but the team name needs work.

1978-79 OPC Goran Hogosta