Kevin Cheveldayoff

Kevin Cheveldayoff

Retired player. Currently the General Manager of the Chicago Wolves (AHL).

Fan letter sent: January 12, 2009.

Autograph received: January 31, 2009.

My last success of this month--42 in all--is Chicago Wolves General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff. He played in the minors for five seasons in the early 1990s before a knee injury ended his career. He has been the GM of the Wolves for over a decade now, helping to build the Turner Cup Championship teams in 1998 and 2000.

Mr. Cheveldayoff signed my card in silver Sharpie marker. The card is from the 2006-07 Chicago Wolves team-issued set, but shows him from his playing days with the Capital District Islanders. Out of 30 cards in that Wolves set, I now have six of them signed--I've accomplished 20% of my goal of competing that set.

Adam Oates

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Adam Oates

Retired player.

Fan letter sent: January 22, 2009

Autographs received: January 30, 2009.

Sweeeee-eeeee-eeeet! Five autographs from soon-to-be Hall of Famer Adam Oates. I got these cards back in eight days, and they are signed in black Sharpie marker.

This is the second time I have written to Oates. The first time, in 2007, Mr. Oates kept two of my cards, including that painting card you see above--actually a checklist from the 1991-92 Upper Deck set. This time around, he did not keep it--I guess he only needed one for his collection.

Regarding the 1991-92 Score set. Thanks to Mr. Oates, I now have 66 of the cards signed from this set--10% of 660 cards. Only 594 more to go.

Peter Sidorkiewicz

Peter Sidorkiewcz

Retired player. Currently an Assistant Coach with the Erie Otters (OHL).

Fan letter sent: January 12, 2009.

Autographs received: January 30, 2009.

Peter Sidorkiewicz was the top goalie for the Hartford Whalers for four seasons, then was claimed in the 1992 expansion draft by the Ottawa Senators. During Ottawa's first season in the league ('92-93), Sidorkiewicz towed the line, and was the team's only bright spot that year. He played 62 games and appeared in the 1993 NHL All-Star Game; the lone representative for the Senators.

Does that count as a pun?

Anyway, Sidorkiewicz nicely signed all four cards that I sent in black Sharpie marker, including that awesome-looking Upper Deck Checklist. I am a huge fan of painted cards, and hope to get all of the U.D. checklists signed.

Corey Crawford

Corey Crawford

Currently with the Rockford IceHogs (AHL).

Fan letter sent: January 12, 2009.

Autographs received: January 30, 2009.

Corey Crawford is the Chicago Blackhawks "goalie of the future". He is currently playing for the Rockford IceHogs--the 'Hawks top minor league team. I was hoping that he'd become a regular in the NHL this year; however, it seems that he'll be in the minors for at least the rest of this season, as the Blackhawks have both Nikolai Khabibulin and Christobal Huet handling goaltending duties for Chicago.

Crawford signed both cards in black Sharpie marker, adding his uniform number to each card--29 on the minor-league card, and 50 to the O-Pee-Chee card.

Jeremy Roenick

Jeremy Roenick

Currently with the San Jose Sharks.

Fan letter sent: December 22, 2008.

Autograph received: January 29, 2009.

Ah, J.R. I'm so glad he's still playing. Jeremy Roenick has been one of my heroes ever since I started watching hockey. When I was first "getting into" hockey, Roenick was "getting into" the NHL, spending the 1989 playoffs with the Blackhawks. This was the season before his actual rookie season.

They say you know you're getting old when your heroes retire and become coaches, general managers, color commentators, etc. Well, even though I'm 34, I will still consider myself a kid until Jeremy Roenick and Chris Chelios--my heroes--retire. Until then, I'm still young :)

Anyway, Roenick only signed one out of the four cards I sent him. No big deal, as I'm grateful to have his autograph. J.R. nicely signed the card in blue Sharpie marker.

Paul Stastny

Paul Stastny

Currently with the Colorado Avalanche.

Fan letter sent: January 12, 2009.

Autograph received: January 29, 2009.

Paul Stastny did not sign the card I sent him. Instead, he--or more likely, someone who handles fan mail for the Avalanche--enclosed a signed 3" x 5" photo and a form letter along with my unsigned card.

Lats month, I received a similar photo--and the same form letter--from Peter Budaj. Apparently, Avs players do not sign autographs through-the-mail, but will instead send you a postcard that they signed earlier in the season.


Here's what the form letter looks like:



Now that I have two of these 2008-2009 Avalanche 3" by 5" postcards, I may write to more Avs players and try to get all of these cards. I love team-issued sets, and although I did not get my card signed, this still makes for a cool collectible.

John Bucyk

Johnny Bucyk

Retired player. Elected into the Hall of Fame in 1981.

Fan letter sent: December 12, 2008.

Autographs received: January 29, 2009.

Chief! Chieeeeef! The man named "Chief", Hall of Famer Johnny Bucyk signed all four of my cards in--gasp--blue Sharpie marker.

This is the second time I have written to him; the first time, in 2007, was also a success.

Daryl Evans

Daryl Evans

Retired player. Currently the Radio Color Commentator for the Los Angeles Kings.

Fan letter sent: January 12, 2009.

Autograph received: January 29, 2009.

Daryl Evans played a little over 100 games in the NHL, but scored the most significant goal in L.A. Kings history. Known as the "Miracle on Manchester", Evans scored the winning goal in a five-goal comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in the 1982 playoffs.

Evans nicely signed the card in black Sharpie marker and included his jersey number in the autograph.

Bobby Smith

Bobby Smith

Retired player. Currently the owner of the Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL).

Fan letter sent: January 12, 2009.

Autographs received: January 28, 2009.

Another retired player that I've been meaning to write to for some time, Bobby Smith signed all six cards that I sent in black Sharpie marker. I'm excited about the top three cards, because it brings me that much closer to having the whole 1981-82 Topps set signed. I currently have 82 out of 196 player cards signed from that set.

Shane Churla

Shane Churla

Retired player.

Fan letter sent: January 12, 2009.

Autographs received: January 28, 2009.

Shane Churla was one tough MoFo in the 1990s. I remember he and Basil McRae "gooning it up" for the North Stars back in the day. Teams in the Norris Division tended to carry a 1-2 punch. The Red Wings had Probert and Kocur. The Blues had Chase and Twist. For the Blackhawks, it was Manson and Van Dorp; later it was Peluso and Grimson. Every roster tended to have two guys that could make your life hell on ice. Sadly, that's not the case anymore.

Speaking of tough guys...if any of you read Beckett Hockey Magazine, I will have an article about fighting and enforcers published in the next issue--number 210--which is due out on newsstands any day now.

Jack O'Callahan

Jack O'Callahan

Retired player.

Fan letter sent: January 22, 2009.

Autographs received: January 28, 2009.

Jack O'Callahan played a few seasons for my favorite team, the Blackhawks. He was also a member of the "Miracle on Ice" U.S. Olympic Hockey Team in 1980. I finally got around to writing to him after talking via email with a fellow named Kevin Carlson, who is trying to acquire autographs from all of the "Miracle" players.

When I opened up the return envelope, I realized that a piece of the "sticky part" that seals the envelope has torn off. I use the self-adhesive kind of envelopes because you--or more specifically, the autograph signer--does not have to lick them. Anyway, a piece of the envelope got torn off, and stuck real good to the front of the Topps card (above left).

Not wanting to damage the card, I asked my girlfriend Shellie to remove the adhesive from the front of the card. Shellie is an expert at a lot of creative, artistic things. She's good with paper, doing a lot of things like scrapbooking, origami, collage making and other "paper arts". I figured if anyone could get two pieces of paper apart, it was her. Skillfully, she was able to remove the adhesive without blemishing the front of the Topps card. Thank you, Shellie.

And thank you, Mr. O'Callahan, for being the coolest character in the Disney film "Miracle", and for signing my three cards.

RTS - Peter Mueller

Return to Sender - Peter Mueller

Currently with the Phoenix Coyotes.

Fan letter sent: January 20, 2009.

RTS received: January 27, 2009.

I was hoping to get some autographed cards in the mail today on my birthday.

Instead, curiously, I got this fan letter back, marked "Return to Sender". What a "birthday letdown". By the way, I'm now keeping track of all "Return to Sender" letters I get, as well as bona-fide failures.

What makes this unusual is that I wrote to an active player on a current team: Peter Mueller of the Phoenix Coyotes. Letters to teams almost never "bounce back"; they usually go to the player, or go to a trash can :)

Here is the address that I sent the letter to:

Peter Mueller
c/o Phoenix Coyotes
5800 W. Glenn Drive.
Suite 350
Glendale, AZ 85301

The yellow label on the envelope reads:

RETURN TO SENDER
NOT DELIVERABLE AS ADDRESSED
UNABLE TO FORWARD

Maybe the Post Office in Arizona can't read my writing? I know the address is valid, as I had a success from Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney earlier this month. I guess I'll address a new envelope--neater this time--and resend it.

Brett Hull

Brett Hull

Retired player. Currently the Co-General Manager of the Dallas Stars

Fan letter sent: December 12, 2008.

Autographs received: January 26, 2009.

Wow! Freakn' awesome! I got three returns today: Paul Ranger, Shawn McEachern and Brett Hull. Either two of those would have made my day, but getting autographs from Brett Hull is truly something.

Hull signed all four cards that I sent in blue Sharpie marker.

Shawn McEachern

Shawn McEachern

Retired player. Currently an Assistant Coach with the Umass Lowell River Hawks (Hockey East).

Fan letter sent: January 12, 2009.

Autographs received: January 26, 2009.

I've been a fan of Shawn McEachern ever since he played for the 1992 U.S. Olympic Team. He finished the 1991-92 season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, winning the Stanley Cup. He then played another 12 years in the NHL. I've always wanted his autograph, and finally got around to writing him a fan letter.

McEachern nicely signed all six cards that I sent in blue Sharpie marker. I know six cards is a lot to ask to get signed--but believe me, I could have sent six more.

Paul Ranger

Paul Ranger

Currently with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Fan letter sent: January 12, 2009.

Autographs received: January 26, 2009.

Two weeks is a really fast turnaround for an active player like Paul Ranger. He signed all three cards in blue Sharpie marker.

However, I must say that it is a shame that Paul Ranger does not play for the New York Rangers. That would be an awesome coincidence.

Al MacIsaac

Al MacIsaac

Retired player. Currently the Senior Director of Hockey Administration / Assistant to the President for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Fan letter sent: January 20, 2009.

Autograph received: January 24, 2009.

Al MacIsaac played in the OHL, played college hockey in Canada, then played in the ECHL and the AHL. He was an assistant coach in the ECHL after that, and then rose through the ranks of hockey management, becoming the General Manager of the Norfolk Admirals. He is now with the Chicago Blackhawks, working in the front office.

This card only took four days round trip to get signed TTM. Of course, I live in Chicago, and MacIsaac works in Chicago, and obviously he didn't let this sit on his desk too long before replying.

Unfortunately, he used a fading black magic marker on this card. Worse, the signature is mostly over his black suit, so it's rather tough to see. Oh well. I have another copy of this card. If I see Mr. MacIsaac at the next Blackhawks convention, I'll try to get it signed in silver marker. That would look cool

Bruce Driver

Bruce Driver

Retired player.

Fan letter sent: January 12, 2009.

Autographs received: January 23, 2009.

Bruce Driver nicely signed all six of the cards that I sent him in black Sharpie marker. Unfortunately, the signature on his 1985-86 OPC rookie card got smudged--it looks like his thumb may have done that. Not the end of the world or anything, though.