Ed Olczyk

Ed Olczyk

Retired player. Currently a color commentator for the Chicago Blackhawks and for NBC.

Pack signed insert. Purchased at a card shop on February 20, 2012.

Ed Olcyzk is arguably the "voice of hockey" in the United States. He is the go-to color commentator for games on NBC and on NBC Sports (the network formerly known as Vs.). Olczyk is also the color commentator for the Chicago Blachawks, but is replaced by Steve Konroyd when Olczyk is working for NBC.

The reason why I bought this card is because it depicts a then-16 year old Olczyk playing for Team USA at the 1984 Winter Olympics. Yes, he was only 16 when he played in the Olympics alongside older guys like Chris Chelios and Pat Lafontaine.

This card is from the 2006-07 In the Game International Ice set. It is signed on a sticker in black Sharpie marker.

Timo Pielmeier

2011-12 TTM Stats
Letters sent: 115
Successes: 46
Percentage: 40%

Timo Pielmeier

Currently with the Elmira Jackals (ECHL).

Fan letter sent: February 8, 2012

Autographs received: February 23, 2012.

Timo Pielmeier signed both of my cards in black Sharpie marker. He has a pretty unique autograph--I especially like the way it looks on the "All Goalies" card. Pielmeier is currently in the New Jersey Devils system, playing for the ECHL's Elmira Jackals. He has also made 2 appearances for the Albany Devils in the AHL this season.

Ron Sutter (again)

Ron Sutter

Retired player.

Pulled from a pack of 2011-12 Parkhurst Champions on January 29, 2012.

Around the end of January, I purchased another box of 2011-12 Parkhurst Champions. This was one of the two autographed cards that I pulled.

UNFORTUNATELY...I got a Ron Sutter autographed card in a box of Parkhurst Champions earlier this season. I now have two of this card. If anyone would like to trade for it, let me know. The autograph is on card and in blue Sharpie marker.

Bernie Federko

Bernie Federko

Retired player. Currently a color commentator for the St. Louis Blues. Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2002.

Pulled from a pack of 2011-12 Parkhurst Champions on January 29, 2012.

Around the end of January, I purchased another box of 2011-12 Parkhurst Champions. This was one of the two autographed cards that I pulled.

Bernie Federko is in the Hall of Fame and scored over 1,000 points in his 14-year NHL career. This card is nicely signed on-card in blue Sharpie marker.

Troy Brouwer

2011-12 TTM Stats
Letters sent: 115
Successes: 45
Percentage: 39%

Troy Brouwer

Currently with the Washington Capitals.

Fan letter sent: October 21, 2011.

Autographs received: February 9, 2012.

Troy Brouwer played for the Chicago Blackhawks for 3 full seasons, including the year they won the Stanley Cup (2009-10). He is now with the Washington Capitals.

Brouwer signed 3 of my cards in black Sharpie marker. He kept the 4th card--a 2010-11 O-Pee-Chee retro card. I guess he didn't have that one himself. 

Earlier this month, I sent out another 10 letters for a total of 115 requests this season. This return from Brouwer is my 45th success for 2011-12.

Joey Kocur

1,104 Days Round Trip!!!

Joey Kocur

Retired player.

Fan letter sent: January 31, 2009.

Autographs received: February 9, 2012.

Wow! I had given up (and completely forgotten) on these 2 cards that I sent to former NHL enforcer Joey Kocur.

This return took 3 years and 9 days. Kocur signed both of my cards in black Sharpie marker. 

Kocur played 14 seasons in the NHL, racking up 2,519 penalty minutes. Most of his career was spent either with the Detroit Red Wings or the New York Rangers, but he also played 7 games with the Vancouver Canucks.

Michal Neuvirth

2011-12 TTM Stats
Letters sent: 105
Successes: 44
Percentage: 42%

Michal Neuvirth

Currently with the Washington Capitals.

Fan letter sent: December 28, 2011.

Autographs received: February 6, 2012.

Michal Neuvirth is the backup goaltender for the Washington Capitals. He autographed my 2010-11 Panini All Goalies card in black Sharpie marker. He also added his uniform number (30).

Turnaround time was only 40 days.

Sergei Bobrovsky

2011-12 TTM Stats
Letters sent: 105
Successes: 43
Percentage: 41%

Sergei Bobrovsky

Currently with the Philadelphia Flyers.

Fan letter sent: December 27, 2011.

Autographs received: February 6, 2012.

Sergei Bobrovsky is the backup goaltender for the Philadelphia Flyers. He signed both of my cards in black Sharpie marker, and added his jersey number (35) beneath his autograph. 

Cedrick Desjardins

2011-12 TTM Stats
Letters sent: 105
Successes: 42
Percentage: 40%

Cedrick Desjardins

Currently with the Lake Erie Monsters (AHL).

Fan letter sent: December 27, 2011.

Autographs received: February 4, 2012.

Cedrick Desjardins signed both of my cards in black Sharpie marker. He is now in the Colorado Avalanche system, playing for their AHL team in Lake Erie.

Michael Frolik

Michael Frolik

Currently with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Signed insert card.

Purchased at a card shop in February 2012.

Frolik has cooled off consierably since the start of the season, when he was looking like he'd become a solid second center on the Chicago Blackhawks. Back in November, I eagerly snapped up one of his autographed cards, thinking that Frolik would become a mainstay on the 'Hawks. Now, he isn't looking too hot when compared to some of the younger prospects the team has brought up. 

Nonetheless, I bought this--another signed rookie card--when I saw it. It is signed in blue Sharpie marker (a sticker sig) and features two different jersey swatches.

Jacob Markstrom

2011-12 TTM Stats
Letters sent: 105
Successes: 41
Percentage: 39%

Jacob Markstrom

Currently with the San Antonio Rampage (AHL).

Fan letter sent: December 19, 2011.

Autographs received: February 4, 2012.

Life has kept me busy--too busy to even update this blog. I've gotten back a few TTM requests and made a few purchases here and there. So expect to see some cool new 'graphs shown here over the next few weeks.

Anyway, goaltender Jacob Markstrom signed both cards in blue Sharpie marker. He is playing in the minors right now.

Joe Sacco

2011-12 TTM Stats
Letters sent: 105
Successes: 40
Percentage: 38%

Joe Sacco

Retired player. Currently the Head Coach of the Colorado Avalanche.

Fan letter sent: November 28, 2011.

Autographs received: January 28, 2012.

I have been a fan of Joe Sacco since he was a member of the U.S. Hockey Team that competed in the 1992 Winter Olympics. He went on to play over a decade in the NHL.

Sacco is now the Head Coach of the Colorado Avalanche. He kindly signed all 4 of my cards in black Sharpie marker. Turnaround time was two months.

Carey Price

2011-12 TTM Stats
Letters sent: 105
Successes: 39
Percentage: 37%

Carey Price

Currently with the Montreal Canadiens.

Fan letter sent: December 19, 2011.

Autographs received: January 28, 2012.

Hell yes! Sometimes a long shot is still worth a try--because sometimes it pays off. Late last year, I sent a card to Montreal Canadiens' starting goalie Carey Price. A bit over a month later, I got it back--neatly signed in blue Sharpie marker.

I received this card the day before the All-Star Game, so I guess Price signed a bunch of fan mail over the All-Star break.

Don Cherry

2011-12 TTM Stats
Letters sent: 105
Successes: 38
Percentage: 36%

Don Cherry

Retired player and former coach. Currently a commentator for CBC's Hockey Night in Canada

Fan letter sent: December 19, 2011.

Autographs received: January 26, 2012.

Don Cherry--former NHL Coach of the Year and longtime commentator on CBC's Hockey Night in Canada--autographed all 4 of my cards in black Sharpie marker. He even personalized them To Sal.

For my fellow Americans who are unfamiliar with Don Cherry, he is pretty much the John Madden of Hockey (as in the former Raiders' coach). Cherry wears flamboyant suit jackets and speaks his mind each week during his "Coach's Corner" segment on Hockey Night in Canada.

Cherry also threw in an additional photograph of him--and his dog Blue--during his coaching days with the Colorado Rockies.



On the photo, he wrote in silver Sharpie marker:

To Our Pal Sal
Don Cherry & Blue
(pawprint)

What a class act! Cherry signed all my cards, personalized them, threw in a signed photo and even got the dog to sign it too :)