Moose Hunt...

Johan Hedberg
2001-02 O-Pee-Chee #294

Bagged this one and dragged it back to the camp.

Haven't got many cards of Johan Hedberg in a Penguins uniform.

Never knew this card existed, but found it (along with a duplicate) in a huge bag of cards from the 2001-02 O-Pee-Chee set.

Hedberg was only with the Pens for a short while, but certainly made a splash.

From the back of the card:

"Still sporting the Manitoba (IHL) Moose goalie mask he'd worn throughout his brilliant 2000-01 season, Johan joined the Penguins via rade mid-March '01 and immediately caused a sensation..."

2000-01 OPC (Near-Complete Set)

Kevin Weekes
2000-01 O-Pee-Chee #29

2000-01 O-Pee-Chee
Total Cards: 330

Picking up complete sets is always great...

But near-complete sets will force you to become more familiar with the set, and enjoy a bit of the fun involved with "set building".

Wasn't initially a fan of the design  - But this set was slowly growing on me.

Couldn't pass up a chance to pick up a set in binder that was near completion.

One of my favorite cards features awesome action in front of the Isles' net.

Jocelyn Thibault
2000-01 O-Pee-Chee #85

Felt kinda unlucky because 13 cards were missing...

As usual, checked my OPC binder in hopes of having a couple of these in my existing collection.

Since I only had 24 existing cards from 2000-01 OPC to begin with, the odds weren't great that I'd have many...

Actually found 7 lucky cards from my existing collection towards finishing the set... Which now has just 6 cards remaining.
(324 of 330)


With T-Bo's head tilted down, we can see the face of Chief Blackhawk.

Pat Verbeek
2000-01 O-Pee-Chee #218

Another Original 6 matchup. Great shot of Pat Verbeek wearing number 15 with the Detroit Red Wings (instead of his usual number 16 - Pulled from circulation in Detroit to honor Vladimir Konstantinov).


Cujo in net for Toronto, the camera is at right angle to see the vicious dog on his mask.

Jean-Sebastien Aubin
2000-01 O-Pee-Chee #238

One from my existing collection...

The goalie blocks the bottom corner of the net to thwart the scoring chance.

Bonus point for card featuring state rivals.

Canes Blow Through Isles...

Jeff O'Neill
2000-01 O-Pee-Chee #121

A two-decade old card to mark the playoff series between the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders.

The Hurricanes eliminated the Islanders in six games...

Game 2 and Game 6 were both decided in overtime, while Game 1 and Game 5 were also one-goal decisions.

These two teams have only met twice in the NHL Playoffs.

Carolina has won both times, in 2019 and 2023.

Backstopping to The Year 2000...

Jean-Sebastien Aubin
2000-01 Upper Deck #142

This one's been kicking around on my desk for years...
Pretty sure it's a duplicate.

Either way, it makes the grade as I climb my way out of the nineties and into the new millennium.

I have so few cards from this set that I'll take whatever I can get. If I haven't seen a card before, it's new to me!

This is the first time I've noticed that J-S Aubin catches with his right hand.

Freddy Gets Fingered...

Frederik Modin
2000-01 O-Pee-Chee #92

Yet another card featuring the Lightning VS Islanders. Great action in front of the net.

Is that Roberto Luongo in net? His number 1 could be hiding around the sleeve...

Five different goalies saw action for the Isles during the 1999-00 season (Weekes, Luongo, Potvin, Valiquette, Flaherty).

Frederik Modin
2007-08 Upper Deck #277

Spotting one cool card of Frederik Modin caused me to notice another, from his days with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Both horizontal cards from in front of the net.

The opposing team just happens to be the Anaheim Ducks, yet another expansion team.

Had considered the Ducks to be the most successful "new" team until recently...

Colorado VS St Louis

Milan Hejduk
2002-03 Pacific #91

The Colorado Avalanche and the St Louis Blues 2021 Playoff series is just the second time that these teams have encountered each other in the Playoffs.

The last meeting was during the 2001 Western Conference Final. Colorado won the series in 5 games, but it was still entertaining to watch.

The Avs would of course go on to win the Stanley Cup. Milan Hedjuk had a league-leading 16 assists during the 2001 Playoffs.

Chris Pronger
2000-01 O-Pee-Chee #9

Chris Pronger of the St Louis Blues would come close to winning a Stanley Cup a few times before finally hoisting the prized trophy as a member of the Anaheim Ducks.

Earnin' Stripes...

Dave Scatchard
1999-00 UD MVP Stanley Cup Edition #113

Had often wondered about the colored stripes on the shoulders of the New York Islanders jerseys.

Although no longer part of their uniform, the "4 stripe" emblem / patch was around for over a decade (from 1998-2010).

Steve Webb
1999-00 O-Pee-Chee #73

Apparently, the four diagonal stripes on the shoulder represents the four consecutive Stanley Cups that the Islanders won between 1980-1983.

Decided to pick out four Islanders cards showing the stripes.

Dave Scatchard
2000-01 O-Pee-Chee #150

Had to include this card of Dave Scatchard because of a background detail I couldn't ignore...

The zebra on the boards is turning its' head AWAY from the puck!

Blake Comeau
2009-10 Upper Deck MVP #117

Felt obligated to choose another card featuring a white jersey.
Minus one point for AT&T ad on the boards.

While the stripes were on the regular home & away jerseys (for 12 years), when the third/alternate orange jersey was introduced (2002-2007) it was devoid of shoulder stripes.

Legendary!

Mike Gartner
2000-01 Upper Deck Legends #129

NHL Legends (Mike Gartner)

2000-01 Upper Deck Legends
Total Cards: 135

Wasn't even aware of this set, until finding this lone card.

1980s photograph of sniper Mike Gartner playing for the Caps.


From the back of the card:

"Gartner holds the NHL record for the most career 30-goal seasons with an amazing 17 in 19 seasons."

Incidentally, he was inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001.

Mike Gartner
2000-01 Upper Deck Legends #129
(card back)

Somehow I never realized that Mike Gartner had been a member of the Minnesota North Stars for almost a year... In March 1989 Gartner was traded (along with Larry Murphy) from Washington to Minnesota in exchange for Dino Cicarelli and Bob Rouse.

The Rangers would acquire Gartner a year later, in March 1990.

Mike Gartner (Highlight)
1992-93 Score #443

Recently added a pair of cards to my collection, celebrating Mike Gartner's milestones.

I like the way the puck is still on edge, rolling out of the net.


From the back of the card:

"...scored his 500th NHL goal in a game against the Capitals... kind of ironic that it came against Washington"

[Mike having been a long-time member of the Washington Capitals]

Mike Gartner (Highlight)
1994-95 Score #242

From the back of the card:

"...wearing the colors of the New York Rangers on December 26, 1993 ...he scored the 600th and 601st goals"
[of his NHL career]

Gartner was traded to Toronto in March of 1994 so the Rangers could acquire the services of Glenn Anderson.

Two Fourteen

Darren McCarty
2000-01 O-Pee-Chee #214

A young Darren McCarty learned a lot from veteran teammate Bob Probert.

McCarty himself will go down as one of the coolest NHL players in history - Not just for scoring a Stanley Cup clinching goal, but for scoring some much needed revenge on a cowardly opponent.

For this act of retribution, D-Mac only received FOUR minutes in the penalty box. No ejection from the game, no suspension. It's almost like even the league officials thought the other guy got what he deserved.

During this era, we really got to see the last of the true enforcers. Their breed simply doesn't exist anymore - Or the NHL simply doesn't want it to.

Darren McCarty's life would make a hell of a movie...

I'm suddenly reminded of the movie GOON starring Sean William Scott. Along with the sequel, GOON: Last of the Enforcers (based on minor-league enforcer Doug "The Hammer" Smith)

2019-20 Re-Packed Rask

Tuukka Rask
2019-20 Upper Deck #8

Visible within a re-pack was a 2019-20 Upper Deck Tuukka Rask card. (The set has barely been out for 3 months)

Figured the card was worth more than I'd be paying for the lot, so I grabbed the bundle as soon as I saw it...

Jochen Hecht
2000-01 Victory #203

Of course, it was clever bait on the hook. Aside from the Rask card, the re-packed pack didn't yield anything of much interest.

Jochen Hecht played most of his career with Buffalo, but I never noticed that he started his career with St. Louis.

Better known for wearing 55, but here he is wearing 17.

This one isn't a terrible card, but not a terribly exciting card either...

Pat Verbeek
1991-92 Upper Deck #193

Sometimes I'll get a few cards towards sets I'm working on, or at least find few interesting snapshots. In this case, most of it was stuff I already had.

Always amused with how Pat Verbeek seems to be hovering in the air on this card.

Al MacInnis
1990-91 Score #5

Hard to get excited about 1990-91 Score...
In any of these repacks, it's pretty much guaranteed that they'll throw in a trusty handful of old Score...

Actually didn't have this card, so I guess it's ok.

Cool Cards: Arturs Irbe

Arturs Irbe RC
1990-91 O-Pee-Chee #501

A couple cards of Latvian netminder Arturs Irbe.

I like how you can see the airborne puck.

Arturs Irbe
1993-94 Topps Premier #442

Arturs Irbe spent five years in goal for the expansion San Jose Sharks. He was the main man by the 1993-94 season, making over 2000 saves in 74 games, finishing with a 2.71 goals against average.

Arturs Irbe
2000-01 Upper Deck #34

Coming off a season in which he played 75 games, Irbe would play 77 games during 2000-01 (third highest record number of games played by a goaltender in a single season).

He also helped the Hurricanes reach the Finals in 2002.

Men in Black Masks (A. Raycroft, J. Blue, D. Berthiaume)

Andrew Raycroft
(2001-02 Be a Player #125)

Nothing screams "I just got traded" than a plain white goalie mask. (Might as well paint the word "Noob" on your helmet.)

Perhaps some goaltenders find they can track the puck easier with a white cage shield than a black one. But as far as the helmet goes, black just looks so badass and mysterious... Plus, it goes with everything.

I've managed to find three goaltender cards that feature goaltenders wearing plain black masks... Sometimes it's because it's what they wore until they got a painted mask... Other times, it's just what they seemed to prefer to wear throughout most of their career.

Before getting a mask with a killer paint job, Andrew Raycroft sported a plain black mask. The pads aren't trade proof, but that's a completely separate issue.

John Blue
(1993-94 Topps Premier #209)

John Blue gets traded to the Sabres, no big deal. He can still wear the same mask he wore with Boston. Although with Buffalo, he swapped the yellow cage for white (even though yellow coincidentally fit with Sabres' colors at the time).

Daniel Berthiaume
(1990-91 Pro Set #454)

Daniel Berthiaume kept the black motif when he was traded from Los Angeles to Boston... And then Ottawa...

Maybe he'd add a few small decals of the team logo to his black mask, but that's about it... Being traded makes you say "Fuck this shit".

(He began with the Winnipeg Jets, and actually did have a blue mask with red stars painted all over it)