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

88-89 Tribute: Eberle, Montoya, and Francis

  Jordan Eberle is part of a young Edmonton Oilers nucleus.  A first round pick in 2008, Eberle scored a highlight reel goal in his first NHL game.  Eberle finished his rookie season with 43 points in 69 games.

#62 - Jordan Eberle

  The New York Islanders have a logjam in the crease this year and in usual Islanders fashion, they are screwing things up again.  They are stuck with porcelain doll's, Rick Dipietro, albatross of a contact so they feel the need to play him.  Then they have 36 year old Evgeni Nabokov, who has a no trade clause.  Lastly,  they have Al Montoya, who has been the best goalies for the Islanders since he joined them late last season. Yet the Islanders are determined to play them equally.  Hopefully the Islanders will do the right thing.  That would be get Nabokov to waive his no trade clause then ship him out and then put Dipietro on the bench.  But these are the Islanders and the ghost of Milbury is still meddling.

#63 - Al Montoya

  Ron Francis played in the NHL for 23 seasons.  His 1788 career points are good for 4th all-time and his 1249 assists place him 2nd all-time.  While Francis is a long way off from reaching the top in career points or assists, the 2004-05 lock-out cost him a chance at being the career leader in games played.  Francis played 1731 games, just 36 short of Gordie Howe's 1767.

#111 - Ron Francis

TTM Success: Dale Hawerchuk

  Excellent return from Dale Hawerchuk.  I sent Mr. Hawerchuk 2 cards and a picture to sign.  I sent an extra copy of the picture for him to keep if he wished, but instead he signed it and returned it.  So I ended up 2 cards and 2 pics signs.
  I sent the letter care of The Barrie Colts on October 11th.  I received the cards on November 4th.

TTM Success: Dean Sylvester

  Great return from Dean Sylvester.  I was organizing some of my cards when I came across the Victory card on the end.  I remember having him on a fantasy hockey team and I wondered what ever happened to him.  So I figured I should see if I can get the card signed.  After going through a few pages of google search results I found what appeared to be a good address.  I wrote a letter and I got the cards in the mail today.  This is my best return so far and what makes it the best is that he added two cards and he also responded to my letter with one of his own.  He answered a question I had, (a back injury forced his early retirement), and commented on some of what I wrote.  

  I am far more excited about this return than any of the others I have gotten back so far.  So excited I am going to try to get his SPA rookie.

  Did you know Dean Sylvester scored the 1st ever hat trick in Atlanta Thrasher history?  

88-89 OPC Tribute; Selanne, Pavelec and Hodgson

#60 - Teemu Selanne

  Teemu Selanne broke into the NHL with a bang.  He destroyed rookie records for goals, 76, and points, 132.  While Selanne has never approached those single season totals again, he did lead the league in goals two more times and won a Stanley Cup in 2007 with the Anahiem Ducks.  Selanne is only 45 points from passing Jari Kurri as the top career point scoring player from Finland.  Selanne is currently 13th in career goals, 642, and 24th in career points, 1354.

#61 - Ondrej Pavelec

  Ondrej Pavelec enters the season as the starting goalie for the Winnipeg Jets and hopes to build on his performance from last season.  In 2010-11, Pavelec may be best remembered for his on-ice collapse during a stoppage in play in October.  He received a concussion from his collapse and missed almost the first month of the season.  He finished the season with a 2.73 GAA and a .914 Save Pct.

#127 - Cody Hodgson

  It sometimes feels as if Cody Hodgson has been around forever.  The 10th overall pick of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, and CHL player of the year in 2009, finally made his debut last season.  He had 2 points in 8 games and also played 12 games during Vancouver's postseason run at the Cup.  This came a year after Hodgson lost almost the the entire 2009 season due to injuries.  In 12 games so far in 2011-12, he has 5 points.  Vancouver fans hopes he is well worth the wait.

88-89 OPC Tribute: Richards, Doan and Read

  Mike Richards time as captain of the Philadelphia Flyers was a tumultuous one.  He helped the Flyers reach the Stanley Cup Finals in 2009 but had feuds with the media, including a verbal boycott on his behalf, and was accused of partying to excess.  In the 2011 off-season, Richards, along with fellow accused-party bud, Jeff Carter, were shipped out of Philadelphia.  Richards was sent to the Los Angeles Kings, where he has had a solid start with 10 points in 10 games.

#58 - Mike Richards

  A 7th round pick in 1995 by the Winnipeg Jets, Shane Doan has become the face of the franchise, the franchise of the Phoenix Coyotes that is.  Doan played one year in Winnipeg before the team moved to Phoenix.  Doan is one of three current NHLers to have played for the originally Jets franchise.  Doan has had a solid career including a Memorial Cup win, playing in the 2006 Olympics, winning 2 Gold medals at the World Hockey Championships and beating the Mantracker.

#59 - Shane Doan

  Undrafted free agent, Matt Read, made the Flyer roster after a strong training camp.  Read had spent the last four seasons with the Bemidji State Beavers of the NCAA.  Read signed the Flyers at the end of the NCAA season in March 2011 and played the the Flyers AHL affiliate, the Adirondack Phantoms, scoring 13pts in 11 games.

#126 - Matt Read

88-89 OPC Tribute; Benn, Stastny and The Nuge

#56 - Jamie Benn

  Jamie Benn has started strong in 2011-12, with 8 points in 9 games.  In 2010-11, Benn had 56 points in 69 games including a six game goal scoring streak.  Benn, drafted 129th overall in the 2007 draft, has never played a regular season game in the minor pro leagues.  Although he did play 24 play-off games in 2010, when he led the Texas Stars in play-off scoring and to the Calder Cup Final.

#57 - Paul Stastny

  Paul Stastny comes with a hockey lineage.  His two uncles, Anton and Marian, played in the NHL.  Oh, and his Father, HHOFer Peter Stastny play a bit too.  2010-11 was Paul Stastny worst year for points per game, 0.77.  He hopes to rebound and buil on some his early season success.  His 78 ponts as a rookie were good enough to land him on the 2007 All-Rookie Team.

#125 - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

  Ryan Nugent-Hopkins hopes to set a record by having the longest last name ever to grace the Calder Trophy and perhaps a few other trophies by the time he is done.  He already holds the distinction of having the longest name of any 1st overall pick.  "The Nuge" has started hot with 5 goals in 8 games, including a hat trick against the Vancouver Canucks.