Ryan Miller

Ryan Miller

Currently with the Buffalo Sabres.

Signed insert card. Purchased May 2011. 

When I went on my Artifacts buying binge last month, I got this signed Ryan Miller card.

This is probably one of the best autographs I have pulled from a pack. Miller is a star player, and the card is signed in blue.

Ilkka Sinisalo

Ilkka Sinisalo

Retired player.

Purchased at a card show in March 2011

Ilkka Sinisalo played a solid decade in the NHL. His first 9 seasons were with the Philadelphia Flyers. After that, he split the 1990-91 season with the Minnesota North Stars and Los Angeles Kings. In 1991-92, he played 3 games with the Kings and the rest in the IHL. After that, he went back to Sweden to finish his professional career.

Nazem Kadri

Nazim Kadri

Currently with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Signed insert card. Purchased May 2011.

I was pretty excited to get this card. Kadri is considered a top prospect of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He split the 2010-11 season between the Leafs' and their AHL squad, the Toronto Marlies. Most likely, he will start with the Leafs' next season.

Again, I wish these Pinnacle cards were either hard-signed or that the sticker didn't look so noticeable.

Brian Elliott

Brian Elliott

Currently with the Colorado Avalanche

Signed insert card. Purchased May 2011. 

I pulled this card from a hobby pack of 2010-11 Pinnacle Hockey. Although it is signed in blue, I am disappointed that it is a sticker autograph. Here, the sticker stands out like a sore thumb. There's nothing particularly special about this card--no jersey swatch or complicated printing technique. So I wonder why this could not have been hard-signed. 

Rick Lanz

Rick Lanz

Retired player.

Purchased at a card show in March 2011.

Rick Lanz played 9 seasons in the NHL--6 1/2 with the Vancouver Canucks and 2 1/2 with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He made a 1-game appearance in the 1991-92 season with the Chicago Blackhawks, too, but I don't count that as a 10th season.

I bought these 3 cards at a show in March. As you can see, I got 2 cards from the 1984-85 O-Pee-Chee set. One of them is available for trade. If interested, email me.

Stewart Gavin

Stewart Gavin

Retired player. 

Purchased at a card show in March 2011

Stewart Gavin played 13 seasons in the NHL. He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Hartford Whalers and Minnesota North Stars. I got this at a card show in March.  I actually purchased quite a few autographed cards from the 1984-85 O-Pee-Chee set, as it is one of my favorites.

Dennis Maruk

Dennis Maruk

Retired player.

Purchased at a card show in March 2011

Another player I've wanted an autograph from for a while. I have no idea where to write to Maruk, so I saw these two cards at a show and thought, why not?

Maruk scored 60 goals for the Washington Capitals in 1981-82. A knee injury ended his career in 1989. Otherwise, he could have probably played into his late 30s. When he retired in 1989, he was the last active player from the Oakland Seals/Cleveland Barons franchise.

Ryan Walter

Ryan Walter

Retired player.

Purchased at a card show in March 2011

I have not had success when writing to Ryan Walter. I wrote to him about 4 years ago, and did not get a response. So, when I saw these two cards for sale for cheap at a recent card show, I decided to pick them up.

I'm currently trying to get all of the 1981-82 Topps cards signed, and I liked the close-up photo on the 1987-88 O-Pee-Chee card. And both are signed in blue Sharpie marker. The blue goes well with both the Capitals' and Canadiens' color schemes.

Trevor Linden

Trevor Linden

Retired player.

Purchased at a card show in March 2011

Another one of my card show pickups from a while back. This 1990-91 Pro Set card of Trevor Linden is signed in blue Sharpie marker.

Matt Ellis

Matt Ellis

Currently with the Portland Pirates (AHL).

Signed insert card. Purchased May 2011. 

I got this card in a box of 2010-11 Artifacts Hockey.

Despite being an NHL regular in 2008-09 and 2009-10, Ellis split the 2010-11 season with the Buffalo Sabres and the AHL's Portland Pirates. He has also played for the Detroit Red Wings and Los Angeles Kings.

FAILURE - David Clarkson

David Clarkson

Currently with the New Jersey Devils.

Fan letter sent: February 7, 2011.

UNSIGNED card received: May 14, 2011.

Historically, I have had terrible luck when writing to any player on the New Jersey Devils. In the 1990s, I tried requesting autographs from numerous Devils' players. Usually, I wold get back a Devils envelope, containing a form letter, my unsigned cards, a pocket schedule, logo stickers and sometimes a team photograph or a bumper sticker. But never any autographs.

When I started collecting hockey autographs through-the-mail again in 2006, I've written to 9 Devils players and have received autographs from NONE of them.  Yep, 0-for-9 when it comes to Devils players. Two sent back unsigned cards and the other 7 never responded. On the other hand, I've had a 100% success rate when writing to Devils coaches and scouts.

So here's my advice: save your stamps and don't bother writing to New Jersey Devils players. But go ahead and write to members of their coaching or scouting staff--the retired guys tend to sign stuff. 

Corey Crawford

Corey Crawford

Currently with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Fan letter sent: February 28, 2011.

Autographs received: May 7, 2011.

It took Corey Crawford a long time to make it to the NHL. He was drafted by the Blackhawks in 2003, and returned to the QMJHL for 2 more seasons as an overage player. Then he slogged it out for 5 years in the minor leagues with the Norfolk Admirals and Rockford Icehogs--occasionally getting a call-up from the 'Hawks.

This past season, Crawford started as the backup goalie for the Blackhawks, but eventually became the starter. And though he did not get a nomination for the Calder Trophy as the NHL rookie of the year, Crawford still had a great season, posing a 2.30 GAA and 4 shutouts.

Crawford generously signed all 4 cards that I sent. He used a black Sharpie marker, and personalized each card "To Sal." He also added 29--his uniform number in the minors--underneath his autograph.

This is my third time writing to Crawford.  I was also successful in 2006 and in 2009.

Tomas Kopecky

Tomas Kopecky

Currently with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Fan letter sent: November 29, 2010.

Autographs received: May 7, 2011.

I got this card back from Tomas Kopecky not long after the Blackhawks were eliminated from the playoffs. He signed the card in black Sharpie marker.

Craig Anderson

Craig Anderson

Currently with the Ottawa Senators.

Fan letter sent: September 27, 2010.

Autograph received: April 29, 2011

I can never say enough good things about Craig Anderson. Sure, he is from Park Ridge--a suburb of Chicago--and he started his NHL career with the Blackhawks. So I am pre-disposed to like him.

But Anderson was drafted twice--first by Calgary, and then by Chicago two years later. He's slogged it out in the minors for numerous years. He never gave up, and now he's a successful goalie. Though it didn't take him as long as Tim Thomas to break into the NHL, Anderson is still good example of perseverance. And he doesn't forget his fans, either.

Anderson signed all 3 cards in black Sharpie marker. This is my third success when writing to the netminder. I also got signed cards from him in 2006 and 2009.

Michael Ontkean

Michael Ontkean

Actor and former college hockey player.

Signed insert. Received from Panini via redemption on April 29, 2011.

I've wanted actor Michael Ontkean's autograph for a long time. Not only did he play Ned Braden in Slap Shot--the greatest hockey movie ever made--but he also played Sheriff Harry S. Truman in the TV series Twin Peaks. I love Slap Shot and I love Twin Peaks.Ontkean  played vital roles in both.

When I saw the redemption card on eBay for a reasonable buy-it-now price, I snapped it up. The only other signed Michael Ontkean card out there is from the Twin Peaks trading card set made by Star Pics 1991. The signed version is near-impossible to find, sells for upwards of $100 and is actually signed on the back.

Not only is this Donruss "Fans of the Game" card easier to get, but it shows Ontkean as Ned Braden from Slap Shot. This may be the coolest hockey card ever.

Derek Boogard

Derek Boogard

Recently deceased player.

Signed insert. Pulled from a pack in June 2006.

New York Rangers enforcer Derek Boogard passed away on Friday at the age of 28. It is always sad to see one of our hockey heroes die--especially at such a young age.

"The Boogeyman" played 5 seasons for the Minnesota Wild and 1 for the New York Rangers.

Going through my collection, this is the only signed card of Boogard I own. It is an insert from the 2005-06 Parkhurst Hockey set. At the time I got this card, he was a rookie with the Wild. At 6-foot-7 and 265 pounds, Boogard went on to be one of the most feared enforcers in the NHL.

David Moss

David Moss

Currently with the Calgary Flames.

Fan letter sent: February 7, 2011.

Autograph received: April 29, 2011.

This year, I sent out over twenty different Marquee Rookies from the 2007-08 O-Pee-Chee set. David Moss is the latest player to return one of these cards signed. Moss is in his 5th year in the NHL. He signed my card in black Sharpie marker.

Jonathan Bernier

Jonathan Bernier

Currently with the Los Angeles Kings.

Fan letter sent: November 1, 2010.

Autograph received: April 29, 2011.

Jonathan Bernier is the backup goalie for the Los Angeles Kings. He signed this card in black Sharpie marker.

This is the second time I've received an autograph from Bernier. He also signed a card for me back in 2009.

Kevin McClelland

Kevin McClelland

Retired player. Currently the Head Coach of the Wichita Thunder (Central Hockey League).

Purchased at a card show in March 2011

Another one of the pickups way back in March (which still seems recent to me, for some reason). This card--from the 1984-85 O-Pee-Chee set--is nicely autographed in blue Sharpie marker.

David Koci

David Koci

Currently with the Colorado Avalanche.

Fan letter sent: December 30, 2010.

Autograph received: April 21, 2011.

Koci broke into the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks, playing in 27 games with them over 2 seasons. Since then, he has also played for the St. Louis Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning and Colorado Avalanche.

If I didn't know any better, I'd say that Koci signed this card in blue CRAYOLA marker. The signature is a bit light, kind of like those Crayola washable markers. So I better not give this card a bath.

Jacques Martin

Jacques Martin

Currently the Head Coach of the Montreal Canadiens.

Fan letter sent: March 8, 2011.

Autograph received: April 20, 2011.

Jacques Martin has enjoyed a long and successful career in coaching. From 1983-84 to 2010-11, he has been a coach in every season except 2005-06 (lockout) and 2008-09.

In the NHL, he has been the head coach of the St. Louis Blues, Ottawa Senators, Florida Panthers and the Montreal Canadiens. He was an Associate Coach with the Quebec Nordiques, and an Assistant Coach with the Nordiques, Colorado Avalanche and the Chicago Blackhawks. He also coached for 3 years in the Ontario League and a season in the American League.

Martin won Coach of the Year honors in both the OHL and the NHL. 

I remember Jacques Martin pretty well as an Assistant Coach of the Chicago Blackhawks. Mike Keenan was the Head Coach at the time, and Martin and E.J. McGuire were the assistant coaches. The Men in Black--they almost always wore black suits, and the three of them had mustaches. All they needed were sunglasses and they'd look like G-Men.

Anyway, Martin signed this card for me in black Sharpie marker. It is from the 1988-89 Chicago Blackhawks team-issue set. It is nice that Martin's autograph is in the white area at the bottom, and not over his black suit LOL.

Joey Crabb

Joey Crabb

Currently with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Fan letter sent: April 19, 2010.

Autograph received: April 18, 2011.

This return took exactly 365 days. I wrote to Crabb when he was still with the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. One year later, and Crabb is with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He split the 2010-11 season between the Leafs and their AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies.

Crabb put a Canadian stamp over the U.S. stamp I used on my SASE (remember, he still played in the U.S. when I wrote to him). He autographed the card in black Sharpie marker.

I now have 24 autographed cards from this team set.