Guillaume Desbiens

Guillaume Desbiens

Currently with the Manitoba Moose (AHL).

Fan letter sent: March 9, 2009.

Autograph received: March 28, 2009.

Guillaume Desbiens signed my card in black Sharpie marker and personalized it To Sal.

Mark Bernard

Mark Bernard

Retired player. Currently the General Manager of Minor League Affiliations for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Fan letter sent: March 16, 2009.

Autograph received: March 25, 2009.

All right! After being backlogged about two weeks in updating this blog, I've finally gotten all my new TTM success posted.

My latest success is from retired player Mark Bernard, who spent the majority of his career in various minor leagues--including the ECHL, CoHL, CHL, two games in the AHL and about five seasons playing in Britain.

Bernard works in the front office for the Chicago Blackhawks, managing their minor league affiliates. He signed this card in black Sharpie marker.

Sean Burke

Sean Burke

Retired player. Currently the Director of Pro Development for the Phoenix Coyotes.

Fan letter sent: February 24, 2009

Autographs received: March 20, 2009.

I remember writing to--and getting autographs from--goaltender Sean Burke "back in the day". Well, it is nice to see that some things don't change, as Burke still signs autographs through-the-mail. Now retired, he is the Director of Pro Development for the Phoenix Coyotes.

Burke signed five of the six cards that I sent using a black Sharpie marker. He kept the sixth card, which was from the 2001-02 Upper Deck Vintage series. That's cool with me, because the cards I really wanted to get signed--the 91-92 Score, 00-01 Vintage and 05-06 Parkhurst--all made their way back with autographs on them.

Burke had so many cards during his 18-year NHL career. I may have to write to him again at the start of the next season. Maybe I'll throw in a few extra cards he might need, too.

Trevor Byrne

Trevor Byrne

Retired player.

Fan letter sent: January 12, 2009.

Autograph received: March 19, 2009.

My third return today, this one was of retired minor-league player Trevor Byrne. Byrne split five seasons between the ECHL and the AHL, his last team being the Iowa Stars in 2007-08. He skated in nine contests for the Chicago Wolves at the end of the 2006-07 season, and was included in their team-issued trading card set.

Byrne signed the card in what appears to be a blue Crayola marker. The ink did not take too well to the card, although it was fortunately not smudged.

He also included a nice short note, apologizing for the delay, and explaining that I actually sent the letter to his brother's house. It was nice of Trevor Byrne to sign my card, and nice of his brother to give him my letter.



I swear, hockey players have to be among the nicest athletes.

Kirk Maltby

Kirk Maltby

Currently with the Detroit Red Wings.

Fan letter sent: October 25, 2008.

Autographs received: March 19, 2009.

Maltby has been in the NHL for 15 seasons now--the past 12 with the Detroit Red Wings. He signed both cards that I sent in black Sharpie marker.

Like most active NHLers, this return took a bit of time--around five months. Collecting autographs through-the-mail is an exercise in patience.

Bobby Ryan

Bobby Ryan

Currently with the Anaheim Ducks.

Fan letter sent: January 20, 2009.

Autograph received: March 19, 2009.

Bobby Ryan signed this card in thin blue marker. It took about two months to get this back.

I have sent out a bunch of these "Marquee Rookies" from the 2007-08 OPC set, hoping to get as many of them signed as possible. So far, I have nine signed cards from this subset.

Bob Kelly

Bob Kelly

Retired player.

Fan letter sent: March 9, 2009.

Autographs received: March 18, 2009.

Bob "Hound Dog" Kelly signed both cards in black Sharpie marker. He also threw in a small sheet of Philadelphia Flyers logo stickers, and three temporary tattoos depicting a cartoon hound dog and the words Bob "The Hound Dog" Kelly.

Steve Smith

Steve Smith

Retired player.

Fan letter sent: February 17, 2009

Autographs received: March 18, 2009.

Steve Smith was one of my favorite Blackhawks when I was a teenager. Whereas Chris Chelios was more of the offensive-minded aggressive type, Smith was the laid back, defensive-minded D-man. Of course, Smith could lay a player out with a check, and was also an offensive asset. A great, well-rounded player, he was even the captain of the Calgary Flames before he retired.

Anyway, Smith signed all five cards in thin Black marker. About two years back, I wrote to him and was also successful. I have so many Smith cards I'd love to get signed, so maybe I'll try again in six months, instead of waiting another two years.

Darren Rumble

Darren Rumble

Retired player. Currently the Head Coach of the Norfolk Admirals (AHL).

Fan letter sent: December 22, 2008.

Autographs received: March 16, 2009.

This was one awesome return. Not only does Darren Rumble have a great last name, he has a great-looking autograph too. I sent him two cards, but he threw in two other cards, signing all of them in silver Sharpie marker.

If you have any Darren Rumble cards, I recommend writing to him--you will not be disappointed.

Jarrod Skalde

Jarrod Skalde

Retired player. Currently the Head Coach of the Bloomington PrarieThunder (IHL).

Fan letter sent: February 24, 2009

Autographs received: March 13, 2009.

Former NHL Jarrod Skalde is the head coach of the Bloomington PrarieThunder, a team that plays in the "new" IHL. He signed all four cards in black Sharpie marker.

Barry Beck

Barry Beck

Retired player. Currently the General Manager / Coach for the Hong Kong Ice Hockey Academy.

Fan letter sent: February 20, 2009

Autographs received: March 9, 2009.

Barry Beck signed all five cards that I sent him (yay!), but in blue ballpoint pen (boo!).

Kevin Todd

Kevin Todd

Retired player.

Fan letter sent: February 24, 2009

Autographs received: March 7, 2009.

Kevin Todd played for the New Jersey Devils, Edmonton Oilers, Chicago Blackhawks, Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Mighty Ducks during his seven-year NHL career. He signed all six cards that I sent in black Sharpie marker.

Ray Scapinello

Ray Scapinello

Former NHL linesman. Currently an Officiating Supervisor for the Central Hockey League (CHL). Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2008.

Fan letter sent: February 19, 2009.

Autograph received: March 7, 2009.

Ray "Scampy" Scapinello worked as an NHL linesman from 1971 to 2004, never missing a game. He as inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2008.

Like his colleague Wayne Bonney, Scapinello works for the Central Hockey Leauge. He singed my card in black Sharpie makrer, and folded my letter around the card to keep it from getting banged up in the mail.

Wayne Bonney

Wayne Bonney

Former NHL linesman. Currently the Supervisor of Officials for the Central Hockey League (CHL).

Fan letter sent: February 19, 2009.

Autograph received: March 7, 2009.

Wayne Bonney was an NHL linesman for 24 years, and had a card in the 1990-91 Pro Set hockey set. He's now the zebra in charge at the Central Hockey League.

Bonney nicely singed this card in blue Sharpie marker. He also used the letter that I sent him to wrap around the card, in order to keep the card from getting bent up in the mail.

Christian Soucy

Christian Soucy

Retired player.

Fan letter sent: December 29, 2008.

Autograph received: March 6, 2009.

This is the second time I've written to Christian Soucy--the first time took over a year to get my card back. This time, it took just over two months. Soucy signed this Upper Deck card in black Sharpie marker.

Soucy played in one game for the Chicago Blackhawks--actually, he played three minutes, to be exact. Still, that is three minutes longer than I've played in the National Hockey League. Soucy also played a lot for the Blackawks' farm team, the Indianapolis Ice during the 1990s.

Kirk Bowman

Kirk Bowman

Retired player.

Fan letter sent: February 20, 2009.

Autograph received: March 5, 2009.

Kirk Bowman played two seasons for the Chicago Blackhawks--88 regular season games and 10 playoff games. He signed this card in black Sharpie marker.

Peter Stastny

Peter Stastny

Retired player. Elected to the Hall of Fame in 1998.

Fan letter sent: January 12, 2009.

Autograph received: March 4, 2009.

Peter Stastny is a consistently great autograph signer through-the-mail. This is the fourth time I've written to him. I wrote to him back in the 1990s, and then twice in 2007. He signed this 1981-82 Topps card in black Sharpie marker, adding his uniform number and the inscription HOF 98 under his signature.

Rumor has it that Mr. Stastny only signs one per request, so I always just send him one card at a time.

Greg de Vries

Greg de Vries

Currently with the Nashville Predators.

Fan letter sent: February 17, 2009.

Autographs received: March 4, 2009.

Greg de Vries signed both cards in black Sharpie marker. Another quick turnaround, this one took a mere 13 days.

Ville Koistinen

Ville Koistinen

Currently with the Nashville Predators.

Fan letter sent: February 9, 2009.

Autograph received: March 4, 2009.

Koistinen signed this card in ballpoint pen.

Pen? Seriously?

I know, I know...I sound like an ingrate. I understand when "Old Time Hockey" types from the Original Six era sign cards in pen. But a young dude who was born in the 1980s?

Ah well, it's too bad. Koistinen has a nice-looking autograph, and even adds his uniform number under his signature. Plus, 23 days is a very quick turnaround for an active NHLer.