Rick Nash

Rick Nash

Currently playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Fan letter sent: November 17, 2006.

Autograph received: January 30, 2007.

Nash only signed one of the three cards I sent--but I'm not complaining! He's an All-Star and an award winner, and probably gets a ton of fan mail, so the fact that I got one card autographed and back to me in 10 weeks is pretty awesome. So, anyone writing to Rick Nash, remember to send him only one card to ask to get signed.

Jim Johannson

Jim Johannson

Retired player. Currently Senior Director of Hockey Operations for USA Hockey.

Fan letter sent: January 20, 2007.

Autograph received: January 30, 2007.

Johannson played 3 seasons for the Indianapolis Ice--the farm team for the Chicago Blackhawks during most of the 1990s. He never got a shot in the NHL, but put up some good numbers in college and in the (now defunct) International Hockey League. He is currently a higher-up at USA Hockey, helping spread this great game in a country that does not always deserve it.

Warren Rychel

Warren Rychel

Retired player. Currently General Manager and co-owner of the Windsor Spitfires (a junior team of the OHL).

Fan letter sent: January 16, 2007.

Autograph received: January 30, 2007.

Warren Rychel was a tough, scrappy player who was also a fighter. He broke into the NHL with the Blackhawks, only playing 5 games with the team. He was pretty much one of our "farm players" with Saginaw and Indianapolis. He eventually made it as a regular in the NHL with the L.A. Kings in 1992. He went on to play 7 seasons in the NHL with several different teams.

Personally, I would to have seen Rychel become a regular with the 'Hawks instead. He would have been a good tough guy for our team in the 1990s. But then again, we had a few too many of those back then.

Miikka Kiprusoff

Miikka Kiprusoff

Currently with the Calgary Flames.

Fan letter sent: December 19, 2006.

Autograph received: January 29, 2007.

I'm sure Kiprusoff gets a lot of fan mail, especially after winning the Vezina Trophy last season as the NHL's best goaltender. Honestly, I did not expect to get my cards back, signed or otherwise.

So, upon seeing the team-issued Calgary Flames stationary in my mail, I let out a groan. A team envelope usually mean that the player did not get my fan letter, and that some clerical type has sent back my cards, unsigned, along with a postcard bearing a facsimile autograph, and perhaps a team newsletter.

Well, I was half right this time. Kiprusoff did not sign my cards--and I didn't think he would. However, enclosed was a neat, overhead-angle action photo of the Flames goaltender. And on the card was a real, actual autograph. Usually, it's a pre-printed auto, but not in this case. I bet Miikka signs a bunch of these at once, and then has someone answer his mail for him. I guess that saves him time in the long run.

And yes, this is a real 'graph. By looking at it in person, you can see that the ink is "on top of" the photo. Additionally, the signature was done with a less than perfect marker. You can even see on the back a bit of an ink smudge, where this photo touched the one beneath it.

No, Kiprusoff did not sign my cards. But what he did was still very cool.

Pat Foley

Pat Foley

Play-by-play announcer for the Chicago Wolves of the AHL.

Foley previously did play-by-play for the Chicago Blackhawks for the past 25 seasons (1981-2006).

My Mom got this autograph for me when Pat Foley stopped by her place of work. He was a bit surprised that she recognized him.

Carl Mokosak

Carl Mokosak

Retired player.

Fan letter sent: January 20, 2007.

Autograph received: January 26, 2007.

Carl Mokosak played most of his career in the minor leagues. His last team was the Indianapolis Ice of the now-defunct IHL during the 1990-1991 season. I think he might have been surprised that someone would write to him 15 years after he retired.

Mokosak signed the card in pen (ugh!), but it's a very neat and clear signature. He also included a short note written on a post-it, which I thought was nice of him.

Mark Johnson

Mark Johnson

Currently coaching the University of Michigan's Women's Hockey Team. He'll also coach Team USA in the upcoming Womans championship tournament.

Fan letter sent: January 15, 2007.

Autograph received: January 24, 2007.

"Do you believe in Miracles?" Mark Johnson was a big part of the 1980 Team USA Olympic gold medal. Everyone hears about Jim Craig and Mike Eruzione--and bless them both. But it was Mark Johnson who lead Team USA in scoring goals. And you know, scoring goals wins hockey games.

These are quite possibly the perfect autographs--nice additions to my collection. I wish every hockey player was as great a signer. He used a blue Sharpie marker, and even personalized one "To Sal, Best Wishes, Mark Johnson". Super awesome fantastic!

Mathieu Garon

Mathieu Garon

Currently with the Los Angeles Kings.

Fan letter sent: January 3, 2007.

Autograph received: January 24, 2007.

Although technically the backup goalie, Garon has done better than Dan Cloutier--the Kings #1 goaltender--this season.

It was nice of Garon to sign my cards...but I wish he used a more potent marker. This one seemed to be running out of ink. Oh well, still nice that he signed my three cards.

Tomas Vokoun

Tomas Vokoun

Currently with the Nashville Predators.

Fan letter sent: December 11, 2006.

Autograph received: January 20, 2007.

Ironically, I got these back the same day the 'Hawks were playing the Predators.

R.J. Umberger

R.J. Umberger

Currently with the Philadelphia Flyers.

Fan letter sent: December 26, 2006.

Autograph received: January 17, 2007.

Umberger is having a decent sophomore season for the Flyers. It is always nice to get my cards back in under a month.

Radim Vrbata

Radim Vrbata

Currently with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Fan letter sent: December 19, 2006.

Autograph received: January 10, 2007.

Vrbata, so far, has had a decent season with the 'Hawks. Of course, like pretty much every player on the team, he's been injured this year. But I hope he sticks with the team for awhile, as he seems to click well with Havlat.

Brandon Bochenski

Brandon Bochenski

Currently splitting time with the Chicago Blackhawks and their AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals.

Fan letter sent: December 8, 2006.

Autograph received: January 8, 2007.

I wrote to Bochenski to congratulate him on his first goal for the 'Hawks this season--he had spent most of the season thus far in Norfolk. However, he got demoted again soon after I sent my letter.

Jordan Sigalet

Jordan Sigalet

Currently with the Providence Bruins.

Fan letter sent: December 26, 2006.

Autograph received: January 8, 2007.

Wow! This guy signed and sent back my card in 13 days. I hope that this fan-friendly player has a long and successful NHL career.

Alexei Yashin

Alexei Yashin

Currently with the New York Islanders.

Fan letter sent: December 6, 2006.

Autograph received: January 6, 2007.

Not only was I surprised to get my cards back signed by Yashin, but I was totally floored that it took him only a month. I hear mixed things about Yashin--he's fan-friendly, he's not fan-friendly, he does/does not sign autographs, etc., etc. I was expecting to either never see my cards again--or at least not for 6 months or more. Very cool of him to sign my cards. One small rub, though...I sent him 3 cards, but he only signed 2, returning one card unsigned. Oh well, I guess 2 is the limit. I wish he had signed the other one--a Parkhurst 05-06 base card--instead of the Captains card, but whatever. I'm still grateful.

Chris Chelios

Chris Chelios

Another autograph from a pack of cards, this depicts Chelios as the captain of Team USA during the 2004 World Cup of Hockey.

Jim Vandermeer

Jim Vandermeer

Currently with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Fan letter sent: December 6, 2006.

Autograph received: January 4, 2007.

He fights, and he wears number 23--which I think automatically makes you the tough guy on the 'Hawks roster.

Eric Daze

Eric Daze

Fan letter sent: December 6, 2006.

Autograph received: January 3, 2007.

I don't know what Daze is up to these days. He is more or less retired, having only played one game last season before re-injuring his back. I figured if I wanted to get his autograph, it would be now or never, so I sent him a fan letter c/o the Blackhawks.

About a month later, I got one of my return envelopes, postmarked "Canada", and bearing a Canadian stamp over the US stamp I affixed. I guess the team forwarded him my letter to his home, and Daze was nice enough to spend 89 cents (CDN) on a stamp to send back my cards.