Freaky Mask Friday

Brian Elliot
2019-20 Upper Deck #329

The masks keep getting more and more detailed...

So much so, they can only be truly appreciated from close up.

Brian Elliot normally wears number 1 or 30. Here he is with 37. The only time he's worn this number was with the Philadelphia Flyers.

He's since joined the Tampa Bay Lightning, currently wearing jersey number 1.

Goaltender Cameos...

Mark Freer
1992-93 Upper Deck #445
(card back)

Pair of cards from one of my all-time favorite sets, 1992-93 Upper Deck. Both are "high number" cards located in Series 2.

Another case of a "backup" goaltender making a cameo appearance - Despite not having his own card within the set...

Veteran Rejean Lemelin (formerly of the Atlanta / Calgary Flames and Boston Bruins) played just 8 games for the Bruins during the 1991-92 season, followed by 10 games in 1992-93.

Spent 15 seasons in the NHL before an early retirement due to injuries.

Reggie Lemelin was the main man in Boston for 3 seasons, before sharing duties with Andy Moog.

The pair won the Jennings Trophy (fewest goals allowed) and helped the Bruins reach the Stanley Cup Finals in 1990.

Jamie Baker
1992-93 Upper Deck #464

A fun scene in front of the net, as Scott Stevens tries to clear the crease.

Jamie Baker also has a card in Series 1 with his old team (Quebec Nordiques) card #130).

The goaltender in the background is Craig Billington, identifiable by his mask. (Billington has his own card #315)

In June of 1993, the New Jersey Devils would trade goaltender Craig Billington to the Ottawa Senators (along with Troy Mallette and a 4th round pick) for Peter Sidorkiewicz and a 5th round pick (and future considerations; Mike Peluso).

Incidentally, Jamie Baker would sign on with the San Jose Sharks for the 1993-94 season.

We Are The (Conference) Champions...

Boston Bruins
1990 Conference Champions
Prince of Wales Conference
1990-91 Score #368

Most hockey card sets don't have nearly enough emphasis on the real NHL season: The Playoffs.

In the Third Round of the 2023 NHL Playoffs, it's the Carolina Hurricanes against the Florida Panthers... While the Dallas Stars battle the Seattle Kraken.

A blast from the past, from a much simpler time...

Edmonton Oilers
1990 Conference Champions
Campbell Conference
1990-91 Score #369

Organizing my growing pile of previously unsorted 1990-91 Score hockey cards, didn't even realize that I owned this pair of cards.

Was actually pleased to discover that I had both these cards in my collection.

Surely I'm not the only hockey fan who'd rather see Boston taking on Washington, with Edmonton encountering Chicago. (Well, maybe not Chicago - Not until the Hawks are done rebuilding, anyway...)

Carolina VS Florida...

Dougie Hamilton
2019-20 Upper Deck MVP #149

A card to mark the NHL Eastern Conference Finals series between the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers...

(The Carolina versus Panthers series could easily be confused with the Carolina Panthers NFL football team)

Had a relatively difficult time finding a card in my collection that features the Cats & Canes...

Half of my collection is from before the pre-Carolina days, when the franchise was still known as the Hartford Whalers.




The Florida Panthers:
Following their magical Cinderalla run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1996 (where they were ultimately burried by the Avalanche), the Florida Panthers have only advanced past the second round a couple of times...

In 2021-22, they defeated the Washington Capitals in the first round, only to be swept by the Tampa Bay Lighting in Round 2.






The Carolina Hurricanes:
A brief history of the Carolina Hurricanes' previous trips to the Conference Finals:
2001-02: Defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs to advance to the Finals, ultimately losing to the Detroit Red Wings
2006-07: After missing the playoffs for consecutive years, the Canes eliminated the Buffalo Sabres to advance to the Finals, where they defeated the Edmonton Oilers to bring Carolina it's first (and only) Stanley Cup Championship.
2008-09: Two more years without Playoffs, the Canes advance to the Conference Finals where they were
swept by the Pittsburgh Penguins.
2018-19: After nearly a decade without seeing Playoff hockey, Carolina advanced to the Conference Finals and were swept by the Boston Bruins.

The Canes are currently riding a streak of having advanced past the first round for three years in a row - Which given the increasing NHL parity between teams, is actually fairly impressive.





An Expansion Team versus a Relocated Team.
To me, this just cheapens the experience for the longtime fans.

While nobody wants to be a bottom feeder in the league basement for a decade, I'd prefer to see AT LEAST one perennial contender...

On top of a diluted talent pool, a ridiculous number of players switching teams in the offseason makes it hard to be a fan.

With NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman's vision to maximize profits, fans in every city buy into the notion that their team has a chance to win any given season. (Anyone seen this guy lately? He looks half past dead. Hope he can take all his money with him...)

In previous decades the team to beat was Detroit or Colorado - Even Dallas.
More recently, it was Boston, Chicago, even Los Angeles.
They become the team to beat, and to me, it's more fun that way.

Buffalo Biron...

Martin Biron
2002-03 O-Pee Chee #115

For Freaky Mask Friday, a closeup look at Martin Biron's mask from the Buffalo Sabres' red, white and black era.

Relatively basic mask design, but cool nonetheless.
Buffalo's experimental color scheme wasn't bad, it just throws me off because it's not the colors typically associated with the team.

That 3-D Buffalo still looks pretty slick.
His intense stare also makes this a captivating card.

The Mummy Returns...

Stephane Fiset
1996-97 Select Certified #8

Quite a find for Freaky Mask Friday.
Was surprised to unearth this card...

Had heard about a Stephane Fiset "Mummy Mask".
Wasn't aware that I had a card entombed in my collection.

From 1996-97 Select Certified, it must have been the rather distracting "REMOVE PROTECTIVE FILM" text that prevented me from noticing it.

Of course I'm leaving the film on...
I enjoy keeping my stuff as "mint" as possible - And I especially enjoy not following directions.

Stephane Fiset
1997-98 Pinnacle Inside #23
UER: Secondary photo is Jamie Storr

Mummy Brought Back to Life...

Found yet ANOTHER Egyptian Death Mask, this time from 1997-98 Pinnacle Inside.

(Didn't take much digging, as I only have several cards from the 190 card set)

This one's an Uncorrected Error - But it still counts as a "Mummy Mask" on an LA Kings goalie helmet.

Stephane Fiset
1997-98 Pinnacle Inside #23
(card back)
UER: Photo on back is Jamie Storr

It's Stephane Fiset's card - But apparently the masked photo is of Jamie Storr (who's mask was featured previously in a previous post).

I find this especially cool - We get to appreciate some Ancient Egyptian art... Possibly brought back to life through some supernatural magic (or because the company screwed up).

The only OTHER Kings' goalie said to have worn a "Mummy Mask" would be Robb Stauber - Who has just 47 cards to his name (according to TCDB.com). None of Stauber's cards appear to depict him actually wearing such a mask, however.

Number 85...

Peter Klima
1988-89 O-Pee-Chee #28

Petr Klima
1964-2023

Famously wore number 85 for his entire career, as 1985 was the year he defected from Czechoslovakia.

Played some memorable playoff games with the Detroit Red Wings, eventually joining the Edmonton Oilers for their 1990Stanley Cup victory. Also played three seasons for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Appeared briefly for the Los Angeles Kings and Pittsburgh Penguins.

Even came back for return stints in Edmonton and Detroit.

NHL Playoffs: Scored 28 goals and 24 assists for 52 points in 95  Playoff Games.
Regular Season: Scored 313 goals and 260 assists for 573 points in 786 NHL games.

Back of the Deck...

Petr Klima
1992-93 Upper Deck #551

Another card, buried deep within 1992-93 Upper Deck. Some really great horizontal cards in this set, but don't normally have the binder flipped that way to appreciate them...

Former Oiler Paul Coffey (shown here with the LA Kings) attempts to check Petr Klima.


What a brutal tape job on Klima's stick... Done on purpose as a distraction or something?

Petr Nedved
1994-95 Pinnacle #58

From Petr Klima, to Petr Nedved (of the St. Louis Blues). This card has always made me curious... Nedved appears to be laughing or mocking (still not fully dressed for the game) while showing off his stick tape to an opposing player.

It's feasible that Nedved might even be poking fun at Klima - Who would have been a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning at the time.

Carolina VS New Jersey...

Joe Nieuwendyk
2002-03 O-Pee Chee #255

With the New Jersey Devils emerging as the victor of a seven-game series with the New York Rangers, the Devils will face the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round of the 2023 NHL Playoffs.

This card from two decades ago features NHL Playoff veteran Joe Nieuwendyk.

Nieuwendyk won the Stanley Cup with THREE different franchises:
-Scored 10 goals in the 1989 Playoffs, winning the Stanley Cup with the Calgary Flames.
-Scored SIX game winning goals (11 in total) to help the Dallas Stars win it all in 1999.
-Won his third Championship with the New Jersey Devils in 2003.


Also saw action for the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2004 Playoffs.
Played 80 regular season games for Florida Panthers.

Joe Nieuwendyk scored 66 goals and 50 assists for 116 points in 158 Playoff games.
Also has 14 game-winning goals in his NHL Playoff career.

Florida VS Toronto...

Reilly Smith
2016-17 Upper Deck #82

To kick off the second round of the 2023 NHL Playoffs, prowling through my collection to rake up a card featuring the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs...

The Panthers have always been in the Eastern Conference (since their debut in 1996), while the Toronto Maple Leafs (despite being in the Eastern Time Zone) were technically in the Western Conference until 1998.

One of the reasons the Leafs became an Eastern Conference team was the increased number of Relocations and Expansions to the Midwest and West Coast.

Reilly Smith (shown here with the Panthers) has since moved on to Vegas (the Vegas Golden Knights will play the Edmonton Oilers in the second round).