Niklas Sundblad

Niklas Sundblad

Retired player.

Signed insert. Purchased at a card show in March 2011.

This is another one of my 50-cent scores from the card show that I went to. I'm sure that back in 1991, this autographed card of Calgary Flames first round draft pick Niklas Sundblad went for $10 or $20. And now in 2011....50 cents.

That's not a dis' on Sundblad...that's a dis' on the industry. Never mind the fact that Beckett prices the card in the $2 to $5 range.

Sundblad played a total of 2 games for the Calgary Flames, going scoreless. He played 3 seasons for their AHL team, the St. John's Flames. Sundblad then had a successful, 13-year career playing in Europe.

You'll notice that the Calgary Flames logo is airbrushed out, since Classic didn't have the license to make NHL cards. But that's OK, because a Flames logo would only interfere with the signed-in-blue-Sharpie autograph.

Denis Pederson

Denis Pederson

Currently with the Berlin Polar Bears of the German Elite League.

Signed insert. Purchased at a card show in March 2011.

One great thing about going to card shows is that, if you look in the right places, you can find autographed inset cards dirt cheap. I picked up 7 signed insert cards from the 1990s for 50 cents each.

Denis Pederson played in 435 NHL games with the New Jersey Devils, Vancouver Canucks, Phoenix Coyotes and Nashville Predators. He has spent the past 8 years playing for the Berlin Polar Bears in Germany.

Notice that Pederson is wearing a Utica Devils jersey. However, he never played for the Utica Devils. The card came out most likely in summer 1993. Pederson was selected by the New Jersey Devils in the first round of the 1993 NHL Draft. Had he been assigned to the minors for the 1993-94 season, Pederson actually would have played for the Albany River Rats, as the Utica Devils relocated and changed their name and logo.

So, why did Classic decide to show Pederson in a Utica Devils jersey? They couldn't show him in a New Jersey Devils uniform, as they didn't have the rights from the NHL. It would have made sense to show Pederson wearing his junior team jersey. Perhaps someone at Classic thought that Pederson would be in the minors that fall, when in fact he got sent back to the WHL. Or maybe they thought the Utica sweater looked close enough to a New Jersey, uh, jersey.

No mater. Finding odd cards like this makes collecting all the more fun.

Weekly Show-And-Tell: Chicago Blackhawks Goalies

OK, so I've been pretty bad at putting up the Weekly Show-And-Tell every single week. (I guess I should have learned from Card of the Week on my other hockey website). Anyway, here is my autograph collection of Chicago Blackhawks goaltenders, from the 1960s to present.

Vyacheslav Trukhno

Vyacheslav Trukhno

Currently with the Connecticut Whale (AHL).

Fan letter sent: February 14, 2011.

Autograph received:March 5, 2011.

Trukhno spent the past 3 seasons with the Springfield Falcons of the AHL. This season, he played a few games with the Peoria Rivermen (AHL) and the rest with the Bakersfield Condors (ECHL). He signed this AHL Top Prospects card in black Sharpie marker.

John Tortorella

John Tortorella

Currently the Head Coach of the New York Rangers.

Fan letter sent: March 3, 2011.

Autograph received: March 18, 2011.

John Tortorella has coached in the NHL for over a decade, as an assistant with the Phoenix Coyotes and as the head coach for the Tampa Bay Lightning and later the New York Rangers.

But way back in 1988-89, he was an assistant coach for the New Haven Nighthawks of the American Hockey League. As far as I know, this is Tortorella's earliest appearance on a hockey card. He autographed this card in black Sharpie marker.

Ryan Miller

Ryan Miller

Currently with the Buffalo Sabres.

Fan letter sent: December 22, 2008.

Autograph received: March 17, 2011.

You read that right--it took almost 27 months to get these 4 cards back from Ryan Miller. My last success with him took *only* 10 months. But as I like to say, a slow response beats no response. Miller nicely signed these four cards in black Sharpie marker. An awesome return from the U.S. Olympian.

Jamie Hunt

Jamie Hunt

Currently not playing for any team.

Fan letter sent: November 12, 2010...I think.

Autograph received: March 16, 2011.

Wow...I have no record of sending out this card. I'm pretty sure I sent it in November or December of 2010.

Hunt is no longer with the Chicago Wolves, having been released in January of 2011. According to HockeyDB.com, he is no longer with Graz EC of the Austrian League either.

My return envelope was marked PITTSBURGH, PA  MARCH 14 2011. He is not from Pittsburgh, so I'm not sure what he was doing there.

But no matter. Hunt signed my card in black Sharpie marker. It seems that the marker was fading a bit, but the 'graph still looks good.

Joe Reekie

Joe Reekie

Retired player.

Fan letter sent: March 3, 2011.

Autograph received: March 14, 2011.

Reekie got his start in the NHL way back in 1986, and played until 2002. Besides the New York Islanders and Tampa Bay Lightning, he also played for the Buffalo Sabres, the Washington Capitals and the Chicago Blackhawks.

Of the 5 cards that I sent, Reekie signed 4 in ballpoint pen. For some reason, he did not sign this 1992-93 Upper Deck card:

Does anyone know why he might not have signed this card?

Either way, a great return from a longtime NHL player.

Bobby Sanguinetti

Bobby Sanguinetti

Currently with the Charlotte Checkers(AHL).

Fan letter sent: October 30, 2010.

Autograph received:March 10, 2011.

Thus far, Bobby Sanguinetti's only shot in the NHL was a 5-game stint with the New York Rangers in the 2008-09 season. Hailing from Trenton, New Jersey, Sanguinetti has that perfect, "Italian-sounding" last name. It would be great to see him play for the Islanders or especially the Devils (they'd love him in NJ for many reasons, I'm sure). But right now, he is in the Carolina Hurricanes' farm system.

Sanguinetti nicely signed my card in black Sharpie marker, adding his number 21. 

Stan Drulia

Stan Drulia

Retired player.Currently the Head Coach of the Wheeling Nailers (ECHL).

Fan letter sent: March 3, 2011.

Autograph received: March 10, 2011.

Stan Drulia played 24 games for the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1992-93--their inaugural season. He spent the next 6 years in the  "old" International Hockey League, then returned to play for the Lightning again in 19999-2000 and 2000-01. 

After that, Drulia went into coaching. He is currently the head coach of the ECHL's Wheeling Nailers. Drulia signed my 3 cards in black Sharpie marker.

Jonathan Sigalet

Jonathan Sigalet

Currently with the Springfield Falcons(AHL).

Fan letter sent: February 7, 2011.

Autograph received: March 10, 2011.

Jonathan Sigalet played 1 game for the Boston Bruins during the 2006-07 season. His brother Jordan is a goaltender who also played 1 game with the Bruins, but in 2005-06.

Jonathan has played with the Providence Bruins, Syracuse Crunch and Springfield Falcons in the AHL. He signed both cards in black Sharpie marker.

Jhonas Enroth

Jhonas Enroth

Currently with the Portland Pirates (AHL).

Signed insert card. Purchased March 2011.

I pulled this card from a box of 2010-11 Artifacts that I opened earlier this week. It is nicely signed in blue Sharpie marker.

About 10 weeks back, I also had a TTM success with Enroth.

Alex Pietrangelo

Alex Pietrangelo

Currently with the St. Louis Blues.

Signed insert card. Purchased March 2011.

This card is of St. Louis Blues' defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, who is in his first full season in the NHL. It cost me a whopping $4.

Nazem Kadri

Nazem Kadri

Currently with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Signed insert card. Purchased March 2011.

The Maple Leafs organization have decided not to rush Nazem Kadri into the NHL. He was selected in the first round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, returned to his junior team for the 2009-10 season, and currently in the AHL this year. He did play in some games, but I think Leafs' management wanted to season him a bit as a pro before throwing him in the fire.

Of the Artifacts cards I've picked up this year, I'm really excited to have this one, as it is of a highly-touted prospect.

Mikael Backlund

Mikael Backlund

Currently with the Calgary Flames.

Signed insert card. Purchased March 2011.

Yet another autographed 2010-11 Artifacts card. These are starting to grow on me. Heck, I pretty much like all autographed cards (especially when signed in you know what.)

Backlund is in his first full season in the NHL. He played 23 games last year with the Flames, and is on their team full-time this year.

Nathan Gerbe

Nathan Gerbe

Currently with the Buffalo Sabres.

Signed insert card. Purchased March 2011.

Another card store pickup, this is of Sabres' left wing Nathan Gerbe. It is signed in blue Sharpie marker, and only cost me a few dollars.

I am not too familiar with Gerbe or his accomplishments--or how to pronounce his last name.

Chad Kolarik

Chad Kolarik

Currently with the Connecticut Whale (AHL).

Fan letter sent: February 14, 2011.

Autograph received:March 5, 2011.

Chad Kolarik spent 4 games with the New York Rangers this season, and the rest in the AHL with the Hartford Wolf Pack--which renamed itself the Connecticut Whale mid-season. Kolarik signed the card in black Sharpie marker, adding his number 42.

Nick Foligno

Nick Foligno

Currently with the Ottawa Senators.

Fan letter sent: December 30, 2010.

Autograph received: March 5, 2011.

Nick Foligno is the son of former NHL player Mike Foligno. Both were drafted in the first round--Mike in 1979, Nick in 2006. Mike played a solid 15 seasons in the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers. So far, Nick has played 3 seasons for the Ottawa Senators.

Nick nicely signed both cards in black Sharpie marker. Turnaround time was just over 2 months.