Andrew Kozek

Andrew Kozek

Currently with the Chicago Wolves (AHL).

Fan letter sent: December 6, 2010.

Autograph received: December 27, 2010.

Another signed card for my 2009-10 Chicago Wolves team set. Andrew Kozek signed this hockey card in black Sharpie marker. Turnaround time was only 3 weeks.

Drew Miller

Drew Miller

Currently with the Detroit Red Wings.

Fan letter sent: November 1, 2010.

Autograph received: December 24, 2010.

In his relatively young NHL career, Drew Miller is with his third NHL team. Prior to joining the Detroit Red Wings, he also played for the Anaheim Ducks and the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The card on the right shows Miller during the 2008-09 season, when he played with the Iowa Chops of the American League.

Miller signed both cards in blue Sharpie marker, adding his jersey number 18 after his name.

Dean Evason

Dean Evason

Retired player.Currently an Assistant Coach of the Washington Capitals.

Fan letter sent: October 18, 2010.

Autograph received: December 23, 2010.

Dean Evason played 12 seasons in the NHL--mostly with the Hartford Whalers, but also with the Washington Capitals, San Jose Sharks, Dallas Stars and Calgary Flames. He is now an assistant coach with the Capitals, the team he broke into the league with.

Evason nicely signed all 5 cards sent in black Sharpie marker. It took just over 2 months to get these back.

Dennis Hull

Dennis Hull

Retired player.

Purchased at a card shop in December 2010.

I've always loved this card. The green border contrasts nicely with the red Blackhawks sweater. The "shield shape" that surrounds the photo is fitting for an All-Star card. The yellow is striking, and Hull is looking up, almost--but not quite--back at the viewer. This is a shining example of a great 1970s card.

Another cool thing about this card--nicely signed in blue Sharpie marker--is where it is signed. Notice that Hull filled the empty space to the right with his signature. Perfect!

Lorne "Gump" Worsley

Lorne "Gump" Worsley

Deceased player.Elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1980.

Purchased at a card shop in December 2010.

Lorne "Gump" Worsley is the one player that I regret not writing to for an autograph. Sadly, he passed away in early 2007. While I hoped to get certain cards signed by the longtime NHL netminder, I also wanted to tell him in my letter how cool of a person I thought he is (was).

I've told this story a million times, but every summer I would check out the copy of his book, They Call Me Gump, from my local library. It is a great read, as Worsley retells his days of growing up in Montreal during the Depression, playing in the minor leagues and finally making it in the NHL. He also talks about his nervous breakdown late in his career and winning the Stanley Cup with Montreal. As someone who enjoyed cooking, Worsley even prints some of his favorite recipes in the back of the book.

His book was long out of print, but I tracked down a copy of it in 2001 online. I now have two copies of his autobiography--one signed my Mr. Worsley himself. I also picked up a signed photo a few years back, but until now did not have any cards signed by him.

I purchased this card at a shop recently. It is neatly signed in blue ballpoint pen. I like the way Worsley signed in the blank area at the bottom. The original owner of the card wrote to Gump in the late 1980s.

Jhonas Enroth

Jhonas Entroth

Currently with the Portland Pirates (AHL).

Fan letter sent: November 29, 2010.

Autograph received: December 21, 2010.

Entroth appeared in 1 game for the Buffalo Sabres last season, which was good enough for Score to include him in their 2010-11 set. I have so many doubles from this year's Score set that I have started sending them out to get autographed.

Enroth has played well enough in the AHL that he might eventually become Ryan Miller's backup next season. He nicely signed this card in black Sharpie marker. It looks like he added 1 at the end of his signature. That is his jersey number in Portland.

Real or Fake: Steve Yzerman

A dealer that I know asked me if I wanted to buy the card on the left--a 1987-88 Topps card autographed by Steve Yzerman.

This dealer purchased a small lot of autographs from a guy who wrote to current and former players in the 1990s. I checked them against some of my own autographed cards of the same players, and they all compared favorably.

But I was not sure about this Yzerman card...partially because I'm not sure if any of the TTMs I received from Yzerman were actually legit. So I wanted to research this card before buying it.

So I ask you, fellow bloggers: Does this Steve Yzerman autograph real or fake to you?

On the right is a signed insert for comparison purposes. I chose this particular card because Yzerman's name is on two lines, and because there is a bit of a "break" in the last name.There are many signed Yzerman cards on eBay, if you want to see others to get a better idea.

Post your thoughts here if you think I should buy it (it's real!) or should pass on it (it's fake!).

Thanks for your help!

John Curry

John Curry

Currently with the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins (AHL).

Fan letter sent: October 18, 2010.

Autograph received: December 18, 2010.

Curry has appeared in 4 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins over the past 2 years. He has spent most of the past 2 seasons--and all of this season--in the AHL.

Curry signed this card in a thick silver paint maker, adding his number 36 above his 'graph.  Turnaround time was exactly 2 months.

Weekly Show-And-Tell: 1990s Upper Deck Checklists

From 1990-91 to 1992-93, Upper Deck used illustrations of players on the front of their team checklists.  While most of the paintings from the 1990-91 set looked silly, the checklist pictures really hit their stride in the 1991-92 set.

And the 1992-93 checklists? I feel they are every bit as good as the illustrations by Carlton McDiarmid.used on the Hockey Hall of Fame cards. Perhaps that's why I enjoy them so much, and try to get them autographed when I can.

Below are 18 different checklists for your viewing pleasure--a few of them have never been shown on this blog before.








So, how many of the players below can you name, based on their picture and/or signature? No fair looking elsewhere for the answers. How many of these guys do you recognize?

Mikko Koivu

Mikko Koivu
 
Currently with the Minnesota Wild.

Autographed insert card. Purchased at a card shop in December 2010.

My 7th--and final, for the time being--Be A Player Signature Portraits card. I picked this up a while back and have been meaning to post it here, but it got lost in the shuffle with all the recent TTM successes I've been enjoying of late.

Anyway, this card is signed in blue Sharpie marker. I wish there was some consistency with the color that these cards--or more appropriately, their stickers--were signed in. All of the other BAP Portraits I own are signed in black, which gives the set a nice cohesive feel. Come on, Upper Deck--you send the markers along with the stickers. Either send out all black or all blue Sharpies.

Scott Lehman

Scott Lehman

Currently with the Cincinnati Cyclones (ECHL).

Fan letter sent: November 29, 2010.

Autograph received: December 13, 2010.

A third response from yet another ex-Chicago Wolves player. Recently, I received signed cards from former Wolves Nathan Oystrick and Mike Vernace. I now have 15 cards from this set autographed.

Lehman has split his pro career between the ECHL and the AHL, though he did appear in 1 game for the Atlanta Thrashers in 2008-09. He started this season with the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL), but is back in the "E" with the Cincinnati Cyclones.

Mike Vernace

Mike Vernace

Currently with the Norfolk Admirals (AHL).

Fan letter sent: November 29, 2010.

Autograph received: December 13, 2010.

Another response from another ex-Chicago Wolves player. Vernace played in 47 games for the Wolves last season. This year, he is with the Norfolk Admirals (AHL), but has appeared in 8 contests with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Vernace signed this card in blue Sharpie marker.

Nathan Oystrick

Nathan Oystrick

Currently with the Peoria Rivermen (AHL).

Fan letter sent: November 29, 2010.

Autograph received: December 9, 2010.

Nathan Oystrick played 2 seasons with the Chicago Wolves, 1 season with the Atlanta Thrashers, and then a 3rd season with the Wolves. He has also played a handful of games with the Anaheim Ducks and the St. Louis Blues. He is currently with the Peoria Rivermen.

Oystrick signed my card in silver paint marker. I also got a card signed by him back in 2009. 

Mike Nykoluk

Mike Nykoluk

Retired player.

Fan letter sent: November 29, 2010.

Autograph received: December 9, 2010.

Mike Nykoluk played one year in the NHL, playing 32 games during the 1956-57 season. He nicely signed my card in ballpoint pen. I now have 35 cards autographed from the Missing Link set.

Bobby Hull

Bobby Hull

Retired player. Elected to the Hall of Fame in 1983.

Fan letter sent: October 18, 2010.

Autograph received: December 7, 2010.

 This has been a great season for my autograph collection. Last month, a friend got me  two cards autographed by Chicago Blackhawks' legend Bobby Hull. And then this month, I received 4/4 cards signed by Hull in a TTM request.  Mr. Hull used a blue Sharpie marker to sign my cards. 

Weekly Show-And-Tell: 2007-08 OPC Marquee Rookies

The 2007-08 O-Pee-Chee Hockey set contained 100 Marquee Rookies. So far, I have 23 different RCs from this set autographed. I bought tons of these cards during the '07-08 season, and decided to send out my extras to get signed--even the short-printed RCs. Though probably not as good a group as my signed 2005-06 Parkhurst Rookies, many of the players below have since made a name for themselves in the NHL.