Number Forty-Three...

Martin Biron
2008-09 SPX #26

Goaltender Martin Biron wore the relatively unusual goalie number 43.

Having previously featured cards of Biron with the Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders, here he is backstopping the Philadelphia Flyers.

By this point in time, the popular black jersey (first introduced in 1997) had become one of the Flyers official uniforms.

Really like the look of the cards in this SPX set. Lots of "graphics" in the background, but they blend nicely with the card design, making it look like a poster.

A Blogroll Please...

Collecting Under The Influence

Tomas Vokoun
2013-14 O-Pee-Chee #200

Entering the SEVENTH season for this Sports Card Blog.
(Time really flies when you're wasting it!)

Have been absent for a few seasons here and there...
Still, the stats are adding up. Hard to believe this is post number FIVE HUNDRED.

Looking at some of the blogs that have inspired this one, along with helping to form new collecting habits.

Taking in other people's comments, observations, and all the neat trivia they share that really adds the color commentary that I feel is essential for maximum enjoyment of the hobby.

So many sets and years that it's virtually impossible to see it all.
It's often during a Google search that one of these blogs will turn up, offering an answer to the question I seek...

Also the desire to better organize our collections - And no organization system is perfect.

In many cases, the content is just as (if not more) entertaining than a sports magazine. The link list of ten blogs that discuss hockey hasn't changed - But felt it was time to taking a quick look at which blogs are still active.

So many great posts that I obviously haven't read them all.
But these were the blogs that I found myself spending the most time with when I got back into the hobby again, and was re-familiarizing myself with an overwhelming amount of new information.

Definitely see a bit of myself in the following collectors...

Blogrolladex: Active Inactive

A Pack A Day http://apackaday.blogspot.com/search/label/hockey "Like anything else, collecting baseball cards can become an addiction. Luckily for us, it's one we've got down to a pack a day." (1,275 posts from 2007-2018) A great blog to supplement the habit. Many images on the main page no longer work... The link filters the posts labelled "hockey", most of which do load.

A Pack to be Named Later http://apacktobenamedlater.blogspot.com/ "Ripping at least one pack of every card product ever made". They call themselves "ambitous". I thought they were nuts - So obviously was interested in contributing. Quickly discovered they've opened practically every hockey-related product I can think of... Damn.

Sportscards From The Dollar Store https://buckstorecards.blogspot.com/ (4,178 + posts since 2012) Was this blog that first introduced me to the concept of "re-packs". Still going strong, I don't know how this guy does it...

Card Boarded https://cardboarded.blogspot.com/ "A blog about hockey cards, my collection and life as a collector." (886 posts from 2009-2022) It was the "Goaltending Gilimaufry" segment and his obsession with Upper Deck MVP Stanley Cup Edition that caused me to find his blog.

Cards From The Crease https://cardsfromthecrease.blogspot.com/ "A blog for sharing my hockey card collecting experience, TTM sending and receiving attempts and a blog about hockey in general." (206 posts from 2011-2013) Goalie card blog, so it definitely caught my attention.

High on Hockey http://highonhockey.blogspot.com/ "Your hockey cards aren't worth anything!" (115 posts from 2007-2012) Can definitely relate to this guy. So many great posts that resonate with me as a collector and a fan. His "Worst Ever Hockey Cards" segment is a riot.

My Hockey Card Obsession http://myhockeycardobsession.blogspot.com/ "The quest for cards, the creation of customs and the thoughts and opinions of a collector who enjoys the hockey card hobby after all these years." (1,252 + posts since 2009) Just a fantastic all-round hockey card blog. Updated regularly. Top notch infotainment.

Puck Junk http://puckjunk.com/ Hockey Cards, Collectibles & Culture Launched in 2007. One of the best hockey websites, period. Sal Berry is a legend.

Shoe Box Legends http://shoeboxlegends.blogspot.com/ (2,258 posts from 2008-2021) Sports Card Blog across all sports, with a hearty dose of hockey.

Wax Stain Rookie http://waxstainrookie.blogspot.com/ (874 posts from 2009 - 2020) Just another great, well-written blog. Lots of posts in the archive.

Ed Belfour
1993-94 SPX #27

It also seems that Eddie Belfour will be the starting goaltender of Chainsaw and Hockey Mask - At least for this collecting season, anyway.

Re-Pack Pack-Rip...

Curtis Joseph RC
1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Premier #51

Hadn't opened any cardboard in a few years as I continue to sort my existing stacks.

Suddenly had the urge to feast my eyes on a plethora of previously unseen images.

Of course it could be a total bust - But as long as long as they're not duplicates, I'm happy to add them to my collection.

Already had this one from OPC Premier...
But certainly happy to add an extra Cujo card.
From one of the fabled sets I never thought I'd own.

Jagr is of course  the big card in the 1990-91 OPC set. A quick lookup indicates that this Curtis Joseph rookie card used to be valued at $8.00.
Modern book value is around 18 cents.

Definitely got my daily dose of nostalgia with this one.

Alexei Kovalev
2002-03 SPX #60

Surprisingly didn't already have any cards from this set...

2002-03 SPX
Total Cards: 175

I would only consider the first 100 cards of the set to be base cards... The cards in the 101-174 range appear to be short-printed and serial numbered (because they enjoy sucking the fun right out of the hobby).

Won the Stanley Cup in his rookie season after being drafted by the New York Rangers, Alexei Kovalev also played for Montreal and Pittsburgh.

(Briefly with Ottawa, a quick return stint with the Pens, finishing his career with 14 games in Florida)


From the back of the card:

"The superstar Russian winger has collected over 300 points in a Penguins' uniform."

Surprisingly, Kovalev earned more points as a Penguin than he did with any other team...
He scored more points in six seasons with Pittsburgh than he did playing nine years in New York.

The Penguins were definitely not an exciting team in 2002-03. Aside from Kovalev (and short-printed Prospect #121 Shane Endicott) the only other Pittsburgh player in the set is Mario Lemieux.

Marc-Andre Fleury
2021-22 Upper Deck #540

Haven't busted a single pack of 2020-21 or 2021-22 Upper Deck.
(To me, they're one and the same)

Any cards acquired have trickled into my collection via re-packs.
No big stars, but no duplicates either...

Acquired in the off-season, and dealt at the trade deadline, Marc-Andre Fleury has since settled with the Minnesota Wild.

Here he is with the Chicago Blackhawks. Digging the color of the goalie pads that actually looks like oldschool leather (whether it's intentional or not).

Visible on the team jersey is a black 35 patch worn by the Chicago Blackhawks during the 2021-2022 season to honor the passing of legendary Hawk's goaltender Tony Esposito.
(Stan Mikita's jersey 21 receiving similar treatment in 2018-19)

Looking at a few images from Marc-Andre Fleury's previous season with the Vegas Golden Knights, he wore very similar pads and the motif certainly doesn't look out of place with Chicago's colors.

Also just noticed that Fleury has managed to keep his number 29 throughout his NHL career.

Washington Capitals That Wore 8 Before Ovechkin

Looking at players who wore number 8 with the Washington Capitals before Ovechkin came into the league in 2006.

Larry Murphy
2004-05 In The Game Franchises #441

Larry Murphy (Defense)
Playing Career: 1980-2001
Teams: Kings, Capitals, North Stars, Penguins, Maple Leafs, Red Wings

Wore number 8 with the Caps from 1984-1989, and (North) Stars from 1989-1991.

The Hall of Famer switched to number 55 when he joined the Pittsburgh Penguins, and wore it for the rest of his career.

I also never realized that he started with the LA Kings, wearing number 5.

Bob Rouse
1990-91 Upper Deck #389

Bob Rouse (Defense)
Playing Career: 1983-2000
Teams: North Stars, Capitals, Maple Leafs, Red Wings, Sharks

I tend to associate Bob Rouse with number 3, but here he is wearing number 8 for the Washington Capitals from 1989-1991.

He managed to wear number 3 for every franchise he played for except Washington. He also briefly wore 22 and 28 with Minnesota and Toronto respectively, before switching to number 3, presumably when it became available.

Bob Rouse
1998-99 Upper Deck MVP #175

In addition to the Maple Leafs and Red Wings, I also never realized that Bob Rouse spent his final seasons with the San Jose Sharks.

Dmitri Khristich
1993-94 Upper Deck #135

Dmitri Khristich (Left Wing)
Playing Career: 1990-2002
Teams: Capitals, Kings, Bruins, Maple Leafs

Actually had two different stints with the Washington Capitals, beginning and finishing his career with the team.

Also wore 29, 12 and 19 when his usual number 8 wasn't available.

Jan Bulis
1999-00 SPx #162

Jan Bulis (Center)
Playing Career: 1997-2007
Teams: Capitals, Canadiens, Canucks
Wore number 8 for the Washington Capitals from 1998-2001, before switching to number 38.


















Other Caps to briefly wear the 8 include Ken Sabourin (1991), Richard Zednik (1996), Josh Green (2003) and Steve Eminger (2004).

Strangely enough, thirteen additional players wore number 8 from 1975-1983 (a span of eight years).

Dallas Stars Goalies

Jon Casey
1990-91 Topps #269

Felt like putting together a short list of goalies who have played the most number of games for the Dallas Stars franchise.

Had a chance to get Don Beaupre in a Stars uniform... It was one of about five cards that I actually wanted in the lot. Should have tried to work something out.

Jon Casey was in the Minnesota net for the late 1980s and early 1990s, before being traded to Boston.

Andy Moog / Darcy Wakaluk
1994-95 Topps Premier #81

Even more interesting that most of them wore different numbers (with the exception of Moog and Turco both wearing 35).

I seem to remember Darcy Wakaluk as number 34, but apparently he also wore 35 for a couple seasons.

Ed Belfour
2002-03 O-Pee-Chee #245

The Stars has a competitive team all through the 1990s, but in 1999 they were backstopped by Ed Belfour and won the Stanley Cup.

Marty Turco
2007-08 SPX #7

The Stars are relatively consistent as far as netminders go, often having a main goalie for several seasons.

I used to watch Marty Turco get shelled on the sports highlights... In the 2007 playoffs, he got 3 shutouts as the Stars lost a 7 game series. The team in front of him couldn't manage to score more than 1.3 goals per game to help him out.

Kari Lehtonen
2010-11 Upper Deck Black Diamond #44

Kari Lehtonen is well known for his awesome masks, just glad that I had a card from before the Stars changed their logo and colors...

Cruel Card: Marian Hossa (2008-09 SPX #58)

 Marian Hossa
2008-09 SPX #58

A hired gun for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Marian Hossa was on the losing side of the 2008 Stanley Cup Final, in which the Penguins fell to the Detroit Red Wings.

Hoss jumped ship, sold his services to the Wings, only to lose to his ex-teammate Penguins the following year.

I just like the huge "X" on the graphic, with the Detroit logo and red background, with Hossa still in a Pittsburgh uniform.

After two consecutive trips to the final with two different teams (and being on the losing side both times) the hockey gods felt he had suffered enough, and he won the Stanley Cup the following year with the Chicago Blackhawks.