Peter Douris

Peter Douris

Retired player.

Fan letter sent: January 22, 2008.

Autographs received: April 29, 2008.

Back in July of 2007, I wrote to Peter Douris at what I thought was his home address. I got my cards back nine days later, unsigned, with a note that said "Peter no longer lives here."

I meant to re-send the cards c/o the Boston Bruins, but I forgot. Then, in January of this year, I tried again, and was successful.

Douris signed all four cards in black marker.

As an aside, I now have 40 out of 131 player cards signed from the 1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Premier set.

Wade Redden

Wade Redden

Currently with the Ottawa Senators.

Fan letter sent: November 9, 2007.

Autographs received: April 24, 2008.

On November 9, 2007 I wrote to five members of the Ottawa Senators. Three of them have returned my cards signed: Jason Spezza and Patrick Eaves and now Wade Redden. I am still hopeful that the other two--Daniel Alfredsson and Antoine Vermette-- respond.

Anyway, this was kind of unusual, in that I got back more cards than what I sent out to Redden. The top two cards you see here were returned in the envelope I sent out. But, on the same day, I received the other two cards--which I did not send--in an Ottawa Senators stationary envelope. It has been addressed in black marker--and these cards were signed in black marker--so perhaps Redden addressed this envelope by hand? It's always cool to get back more cards than what you sent out, but perhaps these cards were intended for someone else?

Magnus Johansson

Magnus Johansson

Currently with the Florida Panthers.

Fan letter sent: January 14, 2008.

Autograph received: April 21, 2008.

Halfway through his rookie season, Johansson was traded from the Chicago Blackhawks to the Florida Panthers. In 45 games, he scored 18 assists. I'm not sure if he'll be back in the NHL next season, so I'm glad I got this card out to him when I did--it's kind of hard to track down a player when he's migrated back to Europe.

Jonathan Toews

Jonathan Toews

Currently with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Fan letter sent: January 14, 2008.

Autograph received: April 16, 2008.

Sweet! Another card signed from my 2007-08 Chicago Blackhawks Team Set--and by Jonathan Toews.

I got to get a photo autographed by Toews in person earlier in the season.

I'm really excited that this future NHL star has signed this card and sent it back to me. In a year or two, he and Patrick Kane are going to be major players in the league, on par with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Alexander Ovechkin.

Mark Hardy

Mark Hardy

Retired player. Currently an Assistant Coach with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Fan letter sent: April 3, 2007.

Autographs received: April 16, 2008.

I wrote to Blackhawks' Assistant Coach Mark Hardy towards the end of the 2006-07 season. I figured he'd probably be around for a few days after the season ended, and would get my letter. Many players, coaches, etc. will answer fan mail over the summer.

After not getting my cards back during the summer, I then thought maybe Hardy would sign them and send them back around the start of the 2007-08 season.

By the middle of this season, I pretty much gave up, figuring that my letter to Hardy was either lost in the mail, or ignored.

But I was wrong. It took over a year, but Hardy signed both of my cards in silver marker.

Lou Nanne

Lou Nanne

Retired player.

Autograph purchased at a card shop on April 13, 2008.

Today, my girlfriend Shellie and I went to a sports card shop in Plainfield, Illinios. A bit off the beaten path of places that I'd visit. The owner of the shop was friendly, and he had some interesting cards. This In the Game Franchises card of Lou Nanne struck me. I liked the simple design that had a 1970s feel to it--lifting elements from the '74-75 and '76-77 Topps design in a classy way. Nanne is a player I want an autograph from--he played for the U.S. Olympic Team in 1968, and then ten seasons for the Minnesota North Stars.

Jack Valiquette

Jack Valiquette

Retired player.

Autograph purchased at a card shop on April 13, 2008.

I have never heard of Jack Valuquette. I think part of the reason I bought this card was because I had no idea who this guy was, and partially because I dig the old Rockies uniforms. I'd rather see the Rockies in the NHL today instead of the New Jersey Devils (and don't get me started on the Avalanche).

Valiquette has a very nice signature, and I kind of like these Franchises cards. I might have to find more of them soon.

Sergei Samsonov

Sergei Samsonov

Currently with the Carolina Hurricanes.

Fan letter sent: January 14, 2008.

Autograph received: April 12, 2008.

How the mighty have fallen...and then somewhat risen again. In 1997, Samsonov was the rookie of the year in the IHL (a now-defunct minor league). He was not actually on any NHL team at the time, but opted to play in the minors to showcase his skills. It paid off, as he was drafted by the Boston Bruins in the first round. In 1998, he was the National Hockey League rookie of the year. He played 7 1/2 seasons in Boston, followed by a half season in Edmonton, where the Oilers lost the Stanley Cup in seven games to the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006.

And then the fall. Samsonov had an unsuccessful 2006-07 season in Montreal, ending up a healthy scratch in many games and alienating himself from the fans and coaching staff. He was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks. I was excited--I hoped he'd regain his scoring touch that made him rookie of the year ten years ago. Well, it didn't work out that way. Samsonov had four assists in 23 games, and found himself in the minors before going to the Carolina Hurricanes. He closed out the season pretty well, scoring 14 goals and 18 assists for 32 points in the final 38 games. Not bad. It looks like things are back on the up, which is good. At 29 years of age, Samsonov could have quite a bit of hockey left in him.

I wrote to Samsonov twice this season. The first time, I sent him four cards on November 23, 2007, c/o the Chicago Blackhawks. I have not received those back yet. When he went to the Hurricanes, I wrote to him again, only sending this card here. Perhaps he is finally getting around to all his fan mail, and hopefully he will also sign and send back the other cards I sent him.

Michal Handzus

Michal Handzus

Currently with the Los Angeles Kings.

Fan letter sent: September 17, 2007.

Autographs received: April 7, 2008.

Michal Handzus played only eight games for the Chicago Blackhawks. At the beginning of the 2006-07 season, he and Martin Havlat were tearing things up for the 'Hawks. Handzus had three goals and five assists in those eight games (that's a point per game), while Havlat was currently leading the league in scoring. Those two clicked together so well. Unfortunately, both went down with injuries early in the season--Handzus tore his ACL, and was out for the rest of the season. While Havlat came back after a few months and continued to score well, he needed a centerman like Handzus who could get him the puck. At the end of the season, Handzus did not resign with the Blackhawks, instead opting to sign with the Los Angeles Kings--$16 million for four years. Of course, the cheap-ass (at the time) Blackhawks would not match that kind of money.

At first, I was kind of pissed that the 'Hawks did not sign Handzus--he did a great job in those eight games, and us 'Hawks fans thought of how great a 1-2 punch Handzus and Havlat made. But Handzus was asking too much--and there's no guarantee that he would be as good as he was in those eight games.

This season, he did not do too well for the Kings--7 goals and 14 assists in 82 games (a full season) is not what you'd expect of a guy making Four Big Ones a year.

So, it could have been cool to see--really see--what Handzus and Havlat could have done together. In a full season, who's to say that Havlat would not have won the scoring trophy, and Handzus the MVP trophy. Think of Brett Hull and Adam Oates, circa early 1990s. But that's a best case scenario/comparison.

Anyway, Handzus nicely signed the cards I sent him. I sent him an Upper Deck card too, but I forgot to rub it with an eraser, so the autograph didn't "take" to the card, and actually smeared on the inside of the return envelope. The important thing is, I got my Fleer, Parkhurst and Blackhawks team cards all signed by him. Cool, cool.

Ed Olczyk

Ed Olczyk

Retired player. Currently a color commentator for the Chicago Blackhawks, Versus and NBC.

Autographs received in-person at a Chicago Blackhawks game on April 4, 2008.

Tonight, former player Eddie Olczyk was signing autographs at the Chicago Blackhawks game. Olczyk has quickly become the "voice of hockey" in the U.S--especially in Chicago. Here, he does color commentary for almost every single televised Blackhawks game. He also is the top commentator on Versus, and sometimes pulls duty as a studio analyst too. And, when NBC shows their Sunday "Game of the Week", most likely it is Olczyk doing color. I once watched three games in three days on three different networks--and Olczyk provided color for all three!

Anyway, I brought some cards to get signed. He was signing a half hour before the game, but my girlfriend Shellie and I got to the Blackhawks game really close to the start of the game. Olczyk was also signing during the first and second intermissions. I'd have to try and get some autographs then.

During the first intermission, I got my Jets Checklist signed--it is a painting of Olczyk...and you all know how much I love painting cards. There was a strict one-per-person limit, so I went to the end of the line to try again. This time, I got Olczyk's 1985-86 rookie card signed. I then went back to my seat, as they had "capped" the line.

I really wanted one of those "big cards"--I had gotten one of David Mackey a few days before, so of course I wanted this one too. This time around, I was able to convince Shellie to go with me and help get some 'graphs. We got in line, and five minutes later I got my 1988-89 Topps card signed. I like that card because it shows Olczyk during the National Anthem. Shellie got a signed "Lemonheads" card for me (left). I went to the end of the line one last time, to get my 1993-94 Power Play card of Olczyk signed. It showed him as a New York Ranger from the season he won the Stanley Cup.

Success! I came with four cards, and got all five signed. Each of them had some significance to me, so it was awesome that I got all of them autographed, and then some. I'm also lucky that my girlfriend does not mind helping me get autographs--this is now the third time she has helped me in my pursuit of 'graphs.

Dominik Hasek

Dominik Hasek

Currently with the Detroit Red Wings.

Fan letter sent: February 5, 2007.

Autographs received: April 4, 2008.

It took over a year to get these cards back from Dominik Hasek. I sent him four cards--the other two were from the 1991-92 Upper Deck and 2005-06 Parkhurst sets. I don't know if Hasek's limit is two cards, or if the didn't like the other two cards (the 1991 card depicts him as a Chicago Blackhawk, while the other as an Ottawa Senator). I could see Hasek not signing anything Ottawa, as he was with that team for only a season--a lousy one, no less. Not sure if there's any love lost between him and Chicago, though. The Procards card smudged a bit, but I was able to remove most of the smudge with a soft white art eraser.