Kelsey Tessier

Kelsey Tessier

Most recently with the Connecticut Whale (AHL).

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

For a junior league player, this guy sure has a "rock star" autograph. Kelsey Tessier signs "KT" with a line, and the number "9". But the "T" doesn't even look like a "T"...it looks like a "7". He can't even get a sloppy autograph right! And he signed this when he was playing in the QMJHL; if he ever makes it to the NHL, his autograph will probably devolve into a crooked squiggly line.

So anyway, Mr. Rock Star Autograph spent the past season playing for the Hartford Wolf Pack / Connecticut Whale (remember, they changed their name mid-season). He is no longer under contract with an NHL Team - the Colorado Avalanche drafted him in 2008 - so he'll most likely spend the next season in the AHL again.

Angelo Esposito

Angelo Esposito

Most recently with the Chicago Wolves (AHL).

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

A first round pick in 2007, Angelo Esposito was part of the trade that sent Marian Hossa to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He has since spent the past two seasons with the Chicago Wolves of the AHL.

Esposito was traded to the Florida Panthers earlier this month, so maybe he'll finally get a chance to make it to the NHL come fall.

Chris Tamer

Chris Tamer

Retired player.

Fan letter sent: July 2, 2011.

Autographs received: July 28, 2011.

Chris Tamer played in the NHL from 1994 to 2004. He played with the Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers and Atlanta Thrashers. He also appeared in 14 games for the Chicago Wolves (AHL) during the 2005-06 season.

Tamer is now a fitness trainer in Michigan. He signed my 3 cards in black Sharpie marker. The 'graphs seemed to have rubbed off a little, but at least they aren't smudged.

Geordie Wudrick

Geordie Wudrick

Most recently with the Kelowna Rockets (WHL).

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

Back in March, I attended a large card show near Chicago. I purchased two boxes of 2008-09 Heroes and Prospects by In The Game Trading Cards. This was one of the "hits" that I got.

Geordie Wudrick--who sounds like a character from the Harry Potter books--played for the Kelowna Rockets during the 2010-11 season. He is now 21, though, so he'll either play for the Los Angeles Kings (the team that drafted him) or for their AHL club in Manchester.

RTS - Reggie Savage

Reggie Savage

Retired player.

Fan letter sent: June 29, 2011.

RTS Received: July 25, 2011.

Ugh! This is my second RTS of the week, and third of the month. Apparently, Mr. Savage has moved. Fortunately, there was a yellow "Forwarding Time Expired" label on the envelope that listed a new address that I will try.

Al Cameron

Al Cameron

Retired player.

Fan letter sent: June 29, 2011.

Autographs received: July 18, 2011.

Al Cameron played in the NHL from 1976 to 1981 with the Detroit Red Wings and the Winnipeg Jets. He signed my Topps card in blue ballpoint pen, and also included his own signed postcard (above left). That was very thoughtful of him to do.

And now, a bit of a tangent: I purchased that 1977-78 Topps card of Al Cameron way back in the summer of 1989 via mail order. Yes, these were the dark days of card collecting.

One of the sports cards magazines--Baseball Card News, I think--had classified ads listed in the back. Someone was accepting offers on a lot of eight  1977-78 Topps hockey cards. I wrote to the guy with my offer.

Two weeks later, I received his reply letter, stating that I made the highest offer on the cards--they were all commons, except for Larry Robinson. I might have offered him $3 for cards only worth $1.50, but dammit I wanted those cards! I was just starting to collect hockey, and these were at the time the oldest cards in my collection.

So it is cool that I've had this card for 22 years and finally did something with it.

RTS - Steve Payne

Steve Payne

Retired player.

Fan letter sent: July 1, 2011.

RTS Received: July 25, 2011.

Another false lead from the NHL Alumni website. Like my attempt with Cale Hulse, this attempt also turned out to be a dead end. This was the address that Mr. Payne posted:

Steve Payne
c/o Global Conferencing Solutions
8690 Eagle Creek Circle
Savage, MN 55378

But as you can see, my envelope was returned, the address crossed out with "Return to Sender Wrong Address" written next to it.

Does anyone have a working address for Steve Payne? He played for the Minnesota North Stars during the 1980s, and I would love to get my 1981-82 Topps card of him autographed.

Mikael Backlund

Mikael Backlund

Currently with the Calgary Flames.

Signed insert card. Purchased at a card shop in May 2011.

Another card shop purchase. I think I paid $5 for it. Seems fair, given that a box of Champ's costs around $80 and you get 2 autographs for that price.

Mikael Backlund was the first round choice of the Calgary Flames in 2007, but he has not made much of an impact in his 2-year NHL career. Maybe next season will be a breakout year for him.

Brandon Sutter

Brandon Sutter

Currently with the Carolina Hurricanes.

Signed insert card. Purchased at a card shop in May 2011.

I picked this up at a card shop back in May. Only paid a few dollars for it. 

I dig these Champ's Mini Signatures cards - the autos are on-card and in blue Sharpie marker.

Steve Mason

Steve Mason

Currently with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Signed insert card. Purchased at a card shop in May 2011.

I have been so behind in blogging about all the autographs that I acquired over the past few months, but I'm finally nearing the end of the pile of signed cards on my desk.

Anyway,  I bought this signed Mason insert for $6 at a local card shop. It is signed on-card in blue Sharpie marker.

Tom Lysiak

Tom Lysiak

Retired player.

Fan letter sent: June 29, 2011.

Autographs received: July 13, 2011.

Tom Lysiak played 5 1/2 seasons with the Atlanta Flames and 7 1/2 seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks. He signed all 5 cards in black Sharpie marker. This is my second TTM success with Mr. Lysiak. He also signed 5 cards for me back in 2007.

Don Beaupre

Don Beaupre

Retired player.

Fan letter sent: July 2, 2011.

Autographs received: July 13, 2011.

Don Beaupre had a long and successful career. He played in the NHL from 1980-81 to 1996-97.

Beaupre generously autographed all 5 of my cards in black Sharpie marker. I also wrote to him in 2007, and he signed all my cards back then too.

It sure is fun collecting autographs of the players you watched when you were a kid.

RTS - Cale Hulse

 
Cale Hulse

Retired player.

Fan letter sent: July 2, 2011.

RTS Received: July 9, 2011

Cale Hulse is a former player for the New Jersey Devils, Calgary Flames, Nashville Predators, Phoenix Coyotes and Columbus Blue Jackets. He played in 619 NHL games.

On the NHL Alumni website, Hulse posted the following address in the alumni's business directory:

Colormark
1840 hutton drive, Bldg 208
Carrollton, TX 75006

So, I sent him 4 cards, thinking that was his place of business since he's the one who posted the address. But one week later, I got back my cards, all unsigned. Enclosed was this nice post-it note from a Colormark employee named Lisa:

It was very thoughtful of Lisa to send my cards back to me. That gives me the cards (and the incentive) to try again. So does anyone happen to know where I might be able to write to Mr. Hulse?

Doug Smail

Doug Smail

Retired player.Currently a scout for the Vancouver Canucks.

Purchased at a card show in March 2011

Doug Smail played 14 seasons in the NHL. Most of his career was spent with the Winnipeg Jets. He also played with the Minnesota North Stars, Quebec Nordiques and Ottawa Senators.

Steve Bozek

Steve Bozek

Retired player. .

Purchased at a card show in March 2011

Bozek played 11 years in the NHL, making stops in Los Angeles, Calgary, St. Louis, Vancouver and San Jose.

Alan Haworth

Alan Haworth

Retired player. .

Purchased at a card show in March 2011

Alan Haworth played for the Buffalo Sabres for 2 seasons, the Washington Capitals for 5 seasons and the Quebec Nordiques for 1 season. He also played 3 seasons in Switzherland.

Greg Terrion

Greg Terrion

Retired player. .

Purchased at a card show in March 2011

Greg Terrion played 8 seasons in the NHL. He played for the Los Angeles Kings and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Al Jensen

Al Jensen

Retired player. 

Purchased at a card show in March 2011

Al Jensen and teammate Pat Riggin won the Jennings Trophy as the best goaltending tandem of the 1983-84 season.

I love the design of the1984-85 Topps and O-Pee-Chee cards.So I am trying to get as many of them signed as possible (either via TTMs or by buying from reputable dealers).

Jamie Macoun

Jamie Macoun

Retired player. .

Purchased at a card show in March 2011

Macoun played in the NHL from 1982 to 1998. He won a Stanley Cup in 1989 with the Calgary Flames and in 1998 with the Detroit Red Wings. He also played for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Doug Jarvis

Doug Jarvis

Retired player. Currently an Assistant Coach with the Boston Bruins.

Purchased at a card show in March 2011

Doug Jarvis holds the record for most consecutive games played in the NHL (964). He won the Selke Trophy in 1984 and the Masterton Trophy in 1987.

Andre Lacroix

Andre Lacroix

Retired player.

Fan letter sent: June 29, 2011.

Autographs received: July 8, 2011.

Andre Lacroix nicely signed my 3 cards in black Sharpie marker. He also enclosed a signed ticket from a WHA (World Hockey Association) event.
Lacroix played 5 seasons in the NHL and 7 in the WHA. In the WHA, he put up some monster stats, scoring 798 points in 551 games. He is an inaugural member of the WHA Hall of Fame.

Bengt Gustafsson

Bengt Gustafsson

Retired player. Currently the Head Coach of the Atlant Moscow Oblast (KHL).

Purchased at a card show in March 2011

Bengt Gustafsson is probably best known to North Americans for his 9 seasons with the Washington Capitals. He also played over a decade of pro hockey in Europe: 6 years in Sweden and another 6 in Austria.

After that, he went into coaching. Gustafsson was named head coach of Moscow's KHL team, making him the first Swede to coach in the KHL.

Tomas Gradin

Thomas Gradin

Retired player.Currently a scout for the Vancouver Canucks.

Purchased at a card show in March 2011

I wrote to Gradin many years ago and got a few cards signed.

Now, I hear that he no longer signs autographs--or at least through-the-mail. So I nabbed these two cards at a show in March. Both are signed in blue Sharpie marker, and look much nicer than the ballpoint pen autos I received through-the-mail back in the 1990s.

Tim Tookey

Tim Tookey

Retired player.

Fan letter sent: March 3, 2011.

Autographs received: July 2, 2011.

Tim Tookey played 106 games in the NHL, but is best known for his time in the American Hockey League. Tookey spent 9 seasons with the Hershey Bears, and is a member of the AHL's Hall of Fame.

Tookey signed both cards in thin black marker.The card on the left shows him with the New Haven Nighthawks, who were the L.A. King's top affiliate for a decade.

Ivan Hlinka

Ivan Hlinka

Deceased player.

Purchased at a card show in March 2011

Ivan Hlinka is considered one of Czechoslovakia's all-time greatest hockey players. He only played 2 seasons in the NHL, then returned to Czechoslovakia due to injuries. He later went on to coaching, and was head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins for a season.

Hlinka died in a car accident in 2004. I saw this card at a show and purchased it, even though the autograph gets a bit "weak" at the end of it.

Also, the card doesn't even picture Hlinka. It is an uncorrected error that pictures teammate and fellow Czech Jiri Bubla. I guess all Czechs looked alike to OPC back then.

Mike Blaisdell

Mike Blaisdell

Retired player.

Purchased at a card show in March 2011

Mike Blaisdell was a true journeyman. From 1980 to 2001, he played with the following teams:

• Detroit Red Wings
•  New York Rangers
• Pittsburgh Penguins
• Toronto Maple Leafs
• Adirondack Red Wings
• Tulsa Oilers
• New Haven Nighthawks 
• Baltimore Skipjacks
• Newmarket Saints
• Albany Choppers (remember them?)
• The Canadian National Team
• Schwenningen ERC (Germany)
• Dunham Wasps (UK)
• Nottingham Panthers (UK)
• Sheffield Steelers (UK)

Let's see....that's 4 NHL teams, 6 minor league teams, the Canadian National Team, 1 team in Germany and 4 teams in the UK.

I'm not sure what Baisdell is up to these days, but you'd think he'd make an incredible coach since he played competitively at so many different levels. Since I'm not sure where to write to him, grabbing this card for a buck seemed like a good idea.

Greg Smith

Greg Smith

Retired player.

Purchased at a card show in March 2011

Smith had a respectable 12-year career in the National Hockey League. He played for the Cleveland Barons, Minnesota North Stars, Detroit Red Wings and Washington Capitals.

John Van Boxmeer

Joh Van Boxmeer

Retired player.

Purchased at a card show in March 2011

John Van Boxmeer played 11 seasons in the NHL. He then coached from 1984 to 2006 in the NHL, AHL and IHL.

Tony McKegney

Tony McKegney

Retired player.

Purchased at a card show in March 2011

Tony McKegney played 13 seasons in the NHL.

I wrote a career retrospective article about him on Puck Junk, which you can read here.

Mike Foligno

Mike Foligno

Retired player. Currently an Assistant Coach with the Anaheim Ducks.

Purchased at a card show in March 2011

This is a very nice card from the 1982-83 O-Pee-Chee set. The posed portrait shot is very much a throwback to the cards of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Foligno is an Assistant Coach with the Ducks. I will write to him next season and try to get some through-the-mail autographs.

Jay Wells

Jay Wells

Retired player.

Purchased at a card show in March 2011

Jay Wells played 18 seasons in the NHL. He spent half his career with the Los Angeles Kings, and also played with the Philadelphia Flyers, Buffalo Sabres, New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues and Tampa Bay Lightning.