1961-1966
1967-1970
1971-1973
1974-1976
1977-1978
1979-1980
1981
1982-1984
1985-1986
1987-1988
1989-1990
1991-1992
1993-1995
1996-1997
1998-2000
2001-2002

2003
Grant Fuhr
Pat Lafontaine

Grant Fuhr is not a Hall of Famer. He played 30+ games for 15 of his 19 seasons and during that span, I’d estimate that he had one really good year, four pretty good years, and a bunch of average-to-below average years. His best season was 87-88 when he posted a 40-24-9 mark with four shutouts and a GAA of 3.43. The shutouts and wins led the league, but the GAA was only 15th best. That is like a picture going 20-6 with a 3.76 ERA and winning the Cy Young Award. Would that ever happen? Probably not. I think the reason he won the Vezina was that he led the league in wins for a powerhouse team (Oilers) who won the Cup. During his other pretty good years, he went 113-31-25 with two shutouts and a GAA around 3.76. GUH! It should be worth mentioning that those seasons were with those great Oiler teams, which accounts for the wins. On the other hand, it is worth noting that the high GAA game in an era that experienced a huge scoring boom. Overall, Fuhr is 9th all time in wins, 15th in losses, 69th(!) in shutouts, and 1st in goals allowed. As I said earlier, he has that one Vezina Trophy to go along with four Cups. Is it enough? Nope. Fuhr, in my opinion, is in the Hall because he played on a great team; a team, mind you, that would have probably won those Cups with me in goal. Fuhr is out!

For some reason, I really liked Pat Lafontaine growing up. Like most of the players I followed and deemed “favorite” I have no idea why. During his eleven seasons (of 40+ games), Lafontaine netted 30+ goals nine times, 40+ seven times, and 50+ twice; pretty impressive. On the other hand, he only reached the 100+ point mark twice; not too impressive. He only finished in the top-1o in goals twice, assists once, and points twice. He won the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy once and was named to the NHL All-Star 2nd Team once, but never captured a Cup. He is 52nd all-time in goals scored, 97th in assists, and 75th in points. I think he is currently in more for his potential if he could have stayed healthy. Even when healthy, though, he was on the bubble of being one of the truly greats. Sorry Pat, but you are out.

Inducted: No one
Kicked out: Grant Fuhr and Pat Lafontaine

2004
Raymond Bourque
Paul Coffey
Larry Murphy

Three defencemen in one year?!

Let’s start with the best of the lot, Ray Bourque. Twenty-two years in the league, 410 goals, 1169 assists, and 1579 points. Not bad for a defenceman. Bourque finished in the top-10 for assists seven times and in +/- (which is a big stat for blueliners) nine times. For his career, he is 4th all-time in assists, 11th in points, and 3rd in +/-. Now lets look at the individual awards: Calder Trophy, five time Norris Trophy winner, and one Stanley Cup. He was named to the NHL All-Star 1st Team thirteen times and the 2nd team six times. Oh, and he was an ace at the accuracy competition during the All-Star break. No brainer here, Bourque is in.

When Bourque wasn’t winning the Norris, Paul Coffey was. Over 1409 games, he tallied a total of 1531 points which is really good for a defenceman. He finished in the top-10 in assists nine times and  points six times; for his career he is 4th and 13th respectively. Three Norris Trophies and four Stanley Cups only add to his legacy. Finally, he was named to four NHL All-Star 1st Teams and four 2nd Teams. Coffey is in.

Lastly, there is Murphy, who is the weakest of the three. In 1615 games, Murphy put up 1216 points. While definitely a good number for a d-man, not quite as good as Bourque and Coffey. He only finished in the top-10 in assists once and +/- three times. For his career, he is 16th in assists, 40th in points, and 60th in +/-. Ehhhh. He never took home a Norris Trophy but did win the Cup four times. He was named to the NHL All-Star 2nd Team three times. I think in any other induction year, Murphy looks very good, but when you put him in the same class as Bourque and Coffey, he is the odd man out. Sorry, but Murphy is out.

Inducted: Raymond Bourque and Paul Coffey
Kicked out: Larry Murphy

2005
Valeri Kharlamov
Cam Neely

I didn’t want to evaluate Kharlamov because he never played in the NHL, but since I inducted Tretiak, I felt like I had to include him. I’m just going to assume he was great and induct him.

Neely is going to hurt me. Like, emotionally hurt and also, if he reads this, he is going to come to my home and mess me up. Over eleven seasons (of 40+ games), Neely was a force. He finished with 30+ goals seven times, 40+ four times, and 50+ three times including the rare 50 goals in 50 games feat. His career numbers aren’t amazing because injuries shorten his NHL playing days (thanks Ulfie). I think Neely is in the HOF now because he was a prototype at the time. He was big and agile, could score and fight, and was just overall a menacing SOB. Up until that point, there weren’t any real players like him in the league, but that changed shortly after his arrival. His career numbers don’t warrant his inclusion here, but I have to look a little beyond the numbers. Few players were more feared than Neely in the league and he was considered nearly, if not truly, elite during his career. Had he stayed healthy, I have to think he would have been a 500 goal scorer. I can’t, however, include him based on potential (see Pat Lafontaine). I have to be objective and pray that the Veteran’s Committee rights my wrong here. Neely is out.

Inducted: Valeri Kharlamov
Kicked out: Cam Neely

And there you have it. Let’s get to some cards, shall we?

People send me things and it rules. First was Sal at Puck Junk, who sent me an autographed card of Ken Hodge Jr. Unfortunately, I forgot to scan it and I’m too lazy to do it now. It is sweet, though, and much appreciated.

Then there was Captain Canuck over at Just a Bit Offside and Waxaholic. I had sent him some OPC and UD cards he needed for sets and included a Brad Marchand card along with it, since he is a HUGE B’s and Marchand fan. Much to my shock, he hates both the reigning Stanley Cup champs and the feisty winger. Not only did he return my Marchand card, but he included these to keep it company:

So, the Marchand card was the ‘return to sender’ and I checked it for graffiti and was surprised to find none. I LOVE the Horton canvas card, but hate the Kaberle card. Not the actual card, but the player. What a worthless bum and yet, he is front and center in the White House photos. The guy did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING and he is smiling like a dope behind Obama. Ugh. Hey Canuck, how’re you like Mr. Kaberle this season?

Anyways, thanks guy for all the goodies.

Next we have some eBay purchases. There is this:

2001-02 Topps Autographs #A-RF Ron Francis

I will have more to say about Ron Francis in my next Hockey Hall of Pretty Good post, so stay tuned. Ideally, I would have preferred a card of him in his Whalers uniform but I like having a signed card of a HOF player that was autographed during his playing days. Why, I can’t say, but I do.

Next is a card I wasn’t really looking for but I saw it on eBay, the bidding was low, and I figured, “Hey, why not?”

2010-11 Upper Deck The Cup Autographed Rookie Masterpieces #CUP-97 Adam McQuaid

Never did I think I’d actually own a 1/1 (because they don’t really appeal to me). Nor did I ever think I’d own a printing plate card (same reason). And never did I think I’d own either of one of my favorite players. But then eBay happened and it was just too cheap to pass up. So now I have a 1/1 printing plate autographed rookie of Adam McQuaid. Huzzah!

And lastly, I think I’m going to start a Derek Sanderson collection. I have nearly all of his vintage cards, but now he has quite a few new cards put out by Panini as well as some other random Upper Deck cards from the past years. If anyone has any, please hit me up.

First up is a review of Panini’s 2011-12 Pinnacle release. I had actually forgotten that these were coming out because Panini releases so much junk, that I have started to tune them out. A trip to my LMC jogged my memory and seeing as I like to support local businesses, I ended up buying five packs, mostly because I wanted to get some of the Tough Times inserts. Sadly, I didn’t get any inserts, but that is okay because the base cards were enough to satisfy me.

WAIT, WHAT!?!

Yes folks, it’s true; Panini has managed to release a product that doesn’t totally suck. In fact, it rivals Upper Deck’s main release. Maybe not in terms of lasting value, but at least in terms of photography. Let’s look, shall we?

Here we have “Jumbo” Joe Thornton. Flat on his back. Basking in some as-yet-unknown happiness. So, the first thing about these cards is that they are all in landscape orientation. I don’t really have an opinion on this one way or another, but I applaud Panini/Pinnacle for trying something a little different. The front design is pretty minimal, which I like. I do wish the name and position were just a hair big, but I’m nitpicking. The photo is great, both because it is a non-typical hockey shot and because it captures pure emotion.

Now let’s look at the back…

I have a lot of thoughts on this. First, I really wish they used a different picture OR just replaced the picture with stats, but I get why they didn’t. I do like the write-up they provide which basically tells the story of the picture. Again, I can appreciate Panini/Pinnacle for changing it up. Without stats, though, this set has an Upper Deck Biography of a Season feel to me. I need my cards to have stats!

Before I show you some of the highlights, let me show you what the rookie cards look like…

Basically, it’s the same as a regular card only it has that totally unnecessary Panini foil. WHY?!?!! Panini, you are KILLIN’ ME with this stupid foil stuff. Just stop. Seriously, stop. NO ONE LIKES IT! Not only is it ugly, it takes away from the photography which you have OBVIOUSLY put time and thought into; maybe not with this particular card, but with most of the set.

Here are some more cards…

Teemu is pretty good, eh?

Really cool card of Vrbata shortening his stick.

Really cool Winter Classic shot!

Pussy.

Not a pussy.

I thought Russian judges were notoriously stingy?

Price flashing some leather. Unfortunately I see no puck and will assume it’s in the net.

Anyways, I give the overall base set a B+ and my valuable endorsement as a worthwhile set nearly equal to Upper Deck.

Next up is an early Christmas gift from my uncle. Check out this beauty:

The Rebel League: The Short and Unruly Life of the World Hockey Association by Ed Willes. I can’t wait to read this! I’ll post a review when I finish it.

Next I want to share a couple YouTube clips that are insane. Seriously guys, these clips are mental. There is comedy and then there is a(possibly) coked out Derek Sanderson talking about signing autographs, getting propositioned by female fans, selling surfboards in Australia, and not being thrilled by anything.

You’re welcome.

Lastly, I just got done watching the Bruins put an 8-0 ass whoopin’ on Florida. Sure, they are the Panthers, but they are also first in the Southeast Division. It’s a really good time to be a Bruins fan. Y’know, with them being one of the best, if not THE best team in hockey. They have it all: killer defense, great goaltending, toughness, balanced scoring, and good special teams. Bring it on, NHL. BRING. IT. ON!

Anyways, here is a highlight reel goal by this joker:

Oh, one last card from Pinnacle…

YEAH BITCHES! STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS UNTIL OTHERWISE NOTED!

So um, hey, is this guy any good?

The first big purchase involves a personal “white whale” and finally puts an end to a longtime quest of mine. Finding a certified on-card auto of Woody Dumart is pretty darn tough. According to Beckett, there are only three options: a Bruins Alumni card set, a Parkhurst card that is sort of like a cut auto, and an In The Game Ultimate slabbed card. I had pretty much given up hope of ever finding any of these and instead had first settled on this card…

I’ve talked a bit about this card before. It belonged to a set that was to be produced by Dr. Brian Price of In The Game. As per usual, the NHL rejected his license request and these cards were never officially released. However, they eventually showed up in ITG’s Ultimate Memorabilia 5th Edition but set inside a black frame and slabbed. Like this…

The Parkhurst Dumart is sort of the same, only it is set behind a green border and was unslabbed.

Here is a little write-up ITG did concerning this card:

“In the Game, Inc., the manufacturer of the Be A Player brands of hockey cards, recently paid tribute to a Hockey Hall of Famer and Boston Bruin legend Woody Dumart in their 2001-02 Parkhurst brand.

When the Parkhurst brand was on the drawing board early in 2001, one of the planned insert sets was a 40-card effort entitled Parkhurst Autographs. The set featured an amazing lineup of hockey legends ranging from Gordie Howe to Jean Beliveau to Phil Esposito complete with their signatures. Woody Dumart was included in the set.

Once the cards were printed, they were sent to each of the players but sadly, Dumart passed away before he signed any of them on October 19. Officials at In the Game were now forced to revise their plans.

Rather than simply withdraw the card or replace it with another retired great, a plan was implemented which not only paid proper tribute to Dumart, it also provided something special for collectors. To avoid any further delays during pack-out, special Dumart redemption cards were inserted in packs of Parkhurst.

“Fortunately we had a small supply of Woody Dumart signatures,” explained Dr. Brian H. Price, President of In the Game. “We had discussions with Mrs. Dumart and decided to follow through with this tribute to a great player and a fine gentleman.

“It took some ingenuity on the part of our production staff but we were able to use them as ‘cut signatures’ and literally build a new card of Woody that featured his autograph. Anyone who pulled one of the redemption cards can send it to us in exchange for one of these. I’m quite pleased with the results and I think collectors will be too.”

Only 20 of these special signed Dumart cards were produced.”

As I had never seen either of these cards, I was mostly satisfied with my unframed “bootleg” version, even though I couldn’t say for certain it was real.

Later, I picked up a different Dumart autograph, this time for an obscure regional set.

You can read a little bit about it here. Although Beckett recognizes the set, they don’t mention an autographed version of it. Again, I took a (cheap) chance on this and was mostly satisfied.

Anyways, to make a long story longer, I picked up this gem…

2001-02 Parkhurst Autograph #PA-09 Woody Dumart

The hunt for a certified Dumart autograph is officially OVER! Twenty copies, no pricing due to scarcity, and I snagged it for a pretty good price. If anyone is interested in either of my other two Dumart cards, let me know; they are definitely up for trade.

Next up two more cards from the same eBay seller. Do you ever bid on something, look at the seller’s other auctions, and then bid on a couple others? I was not actively seeking these two cards, but when I saw them, I knew I needed them. First is this “nifty” card…

2001-02 Greats of the Game Autographs #70 Rick Middleton

I have always liked the Greats of the Game sets (all sports included) and when I saw this card, I had to have it. I love me some Middleton and the picture cracks me up.  Did you know Nifty had five straight 40+ goal seasons (40, 44, 51, 49, 47)? Or that he won the Lady Byng Trophy once?

Know who has never won and never will win the Lady Byng? This guy…

2000-01 Topps Premier Plus Private Signings #PS-CP Chris Pronger

Pronger is a future HOFer, so I figured I would get his card now. My preference is to get certified autos of HOFers from when they were still active (for guys like Richard, Howe, Beliveau, etc. it is impossible) and I like to have them in the jersey of the team they were most identifiable with. For me, Pronger enjoyed his best years with the Blues, so I was happy to get this one.  The Middleton and Pronger cost me a combined $13. Um, yes please.

The next couple of cards came courtesy of CheckOutMyCards.com. Paul over at Card Boarded sent me an emailing saying that he saw an Axelsson card on the site that I might not have. He was right, so I had to buy it. While there, I figured I’d poke around for a few other cards that I’ve been looking for and save on shipping. The Axelsson will have to wait for another time; for now you get to see these two…

1973-74 O-Pee-Chee #3 Phil Roberto

This is a card that I’ve been aware of for a long time and always mean to pick up a copy, but then just forget. Recently, though, Shane over at Shoebox Legends had a post highlighting a truly righteous quarter box haul and this card was in it. With that fresh in my head, I finally picked up a copy and I have to say, it is about time. This is one of the VERY few NHL licensed hockey cards to feature an actual fight (Sal over at Puck Junk has a great post about this card and fighting on hockey cards). I like that he played for three defunct teams during his career: Scouts, Rockies, and Barons.

Lastly, there is this jewel…

2003-04 Bowman Chrome Refractor #134 Gregory Campbell /300

Campbell is my second favorite current Bruin behind McQuaid and I have been looking to pick up his rookie since he joined the team. I struck out at the Shriner’s show and a couple other shows, so online I had to go. I like Campbell for a few reasons For starters, he wears #11, PJ’s old number. Secondly, the dude is a bad ass and will throw ‘em with anyone. Lastly, he is just a hard-nosed, gritty player who does all the little things very well. He’s good on the PK, can win his share of draws, goes hard into the corners, and can even put the puck in the back of the net (13 goals on the 4th line last year). He is like Axelsson’s rough and tumble twin brother. Okay, maybe not.

Anyways, here is a clip of Campbell feeding Pyatt his lunch (this is for you, Capt’n)

First, let me share a new addition to my Hall of Fame autograph project.

This card comes from a company called Sports-Flash and was released in 1992. It is a 15-card set that is “limited” to 200,000 copies. The checklist features guys like Maurice Richard, Jean Beliveau, Yvan Cournoyer, Gilles Gilbert, and Chuck Rayner. Each set contained a random autograph of one of the players. There is no certification on the card, so I am going to have to assume it is legit. Really, this card is just a filler until I can track down one of Rayner’s certified autos.

Next up, I bought some packs today. Upper Deck was a no-brainer; Score, well, I felt like it was my duty as a hockey card collector to buy at least a few packs just to give them a shot. Two different products, two different price points, two different reviews.

Let’s look at Score first. $1 a pack, lots of subsets, some rookies, and even some autographs. I wasn’t expecting a lot and boy, were my expectations met.

Pretty basic front, pretty basic back. This is what $1 gets you. Not the worse thing I’ve ever seen and perfect for kids who just love hockey cards. The photography this year, at least in the packs I opened, was a step backwards. Last year’s set had some really interesting shots, but most of the photos this year are just generic images.

Each pack features a glossy card (whatever)…

This is a glossy card. It is supposed to have the word “GLOSSY” on the back  (above and below the card number). As you can see, this one does not. Is it just another Panini quality control fail or a super stealth variation? Either/or, I don’t care. What I do care about is that Gregoy Campbell is my second favorite Bruin behind McQuaid. Another thing I care about is that little Stanley Cup Champion logo on the bottom right. HELLZ YEAH BITCHES! Also, I care about the Canuck player who looks to be going down to the ice. And lastly I care about seeing the Green Guys  to the left of the Bruins logo. For me, this was the best card I pulled out of five packs.

I did get two rookies…

Never heard of either of these guys. And no, neither of these are one of the SP rookies.

Typical of Score is the many MANY subsets/inserts. Here are a few I pulled…

Sure (more on Miller shortly)…

Zzzz…

…

Oh sorry, I blacked out there for a moment. No great shakes, but I’m not going to knock the product too much. For a $1 a pack, it’s a good value.

On the other side of the coin is Upper Deck, which was $4 a pack and contains rookies, autographs, jersey cards, and a few insert sets.

Not too much of a change from previous years. You know what you are getting with Upper Deck: full-bleed, basic design, and great photography. There were two of the better shots in the packs I opened. I imagine Phaneuf just took a run at someone and is now refusing to answer the bell. Or he is just saying, “Oh….hey.” The Doughty card is pretty unique and I dig those old Kings jerseys.

My favorite card, though, is this one…

HABS CRUNCH! Also, as you can see, the backs are clean, simple, and just like every other year.

I pulled one Young Gun…

This is definitely NOT Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.

Oh, and this insert…

Shane, do you want this even though you are no longer a player collector? I also pulled his base card.

But wait, I got a SUPER MOJO HIT…

This is NOT Tyler Seguin.

So, there you have it, pretty much the same as last year’s product. It’s like buying the latest version of Madden football; it’s essentially the same game but with updated rosters. If anyone wants any of these cards or is building these sets, let me know.

Lastly, I wanted to post these two pulls from today….

The Bruins are set to take on the Sabres in about 10 minutes. There is a little bit of hype going into this game because of this…

Lucic is expected to have to face the music tonight, most likely against Cody McCormick. It should be a good one if they go. More importantly, I am looking for the Bruins to extend their winning streak to an impressive ten games tonight.

**UPDATE**

And THAT is how you answer the bell (pay attention Alexandra Burrows).

As I said in my previous post, I was super excited to (re)meet my childhood here Marty Barrett. Let me tell you this, it was everything I had hoped it would be and more. Marty was the first scheduled guest of the day, appearing from 10-11:30. I meandered into the Fez Room (best name for a room ever) at around 10:30 after spending the first 30 minutes doing a quick run through of half the dealers set up. There was barely a line (as I expected), so I was excited at the prospect of spending a good 5 minutes chatting with Barrett. When it was my turn to step up to the table, I was a nervous wreck but I kept it together enough to sound mostly coherent. Basically, I told him that he was my all-time favorite baseball player, that he was my childhood hero, and that it was a huge honor to meet him. He said he had goosebumps hearing that which I think he actually meant. I mean, how many people does he meet that actually say that to him?

I told him how I met him when I was 12 or 13 and it was a huge deal then and it’s still a huge deal now. I also told him getting his autograph was really secondary and that I just wanted to talk to him. Yeah, I was like a super fan boy (even at 34), but I’m over it. He agreed to a photo, check it out…

Hellz yeah! Marty and me, reunited. Oh, and here it what he signed…

Outside of his immediate family, I am probably THE greatest fan.

Everything after this experience at the show was puuuuuuure gravy.

Now let’s get to the cards. The last two times I’ve been down to the show, I’ve dealt almost exclusively with two dealers who only have vintage hockey. Sadly, only one of the guys was set up this time, which diminished my bargaining power. I ended up with a small stack this year as opposed to the bigger stacks from previous shows. I went down wanting an OPC Dryden rookie, which I found. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t pull the trigger on it; something about two of the corners just didn’t sit well with me, so I passed.
All in all, I ended up spending $1 at one guy’s table and the rest of my budget at the vintage hockey guy’s table.

Here we go…

2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Update Metal-X (Rainbow) #441 P.J. Axelsson

I’ve really stepped up my PJ collection lately, so I was happy to grab this.

2003-04 Topps Update #TT157 Colton Orr

I could have sworn that I had this card, but apparently I don’t. I had to get at least one enforcer card at the show. Also, if I went to the show by myself, I would have spent more time going through the MILLION boxes of cards and finding deals galore. The sheer amount of dollar boxes and binders was dizzying.

1970-71 O-Pee-Chee #233 Esposito Line

I’ve wanted this card for a bit, so I was happy to snag it. I don’t get why Phil’s name is abbreviated. I also like the French spelling, La Ligne Esposito.

1976-77 O-Pee-Chee #115 Bryan Trottier

No brainer here. This copy is stunning and I got a good deal on it. Now I just need a Potvin rookie.

1951-52 Parkhurst #29 Milt Schmidt

My big purchase, an absolutely mint copy and my first Schmidt card. At the end of the day, I couldn’t pass this up over a Dryden rookie that I was 50/50 on. I will say that there was a nice Cheevers rookie for about the same price as the Dryden, but I think a Cheevers rookie is overpriced.

So that is it. A mere five cards BUT an experience that I will keep with me forever. Oh, and a wicked pulled pork sandwich.

And now I see there is a show next Sunday that McQuaid will be at! @%^&Q*

First, there is this beauty…

2010-11 Upper Deck The Cup #97 Adam McQuaid /199

Finally, an Adam McQuaid on-card autograph and a rookie to boot. I tried to win a gold version of this numbered to /54 but lost out twice, so I settled on the regular version. Fine by me, I just wanted his signature. I have never opened any UD Cup and never plan to, not because I don’t want to but because I think it is a colossal waste of money. I could have spent $1000 easily opening this stuff just to pull this card OR I could go on eBay and get it for under $30. As a side note, this card is effin’ thick. It is like six cards glued together; maybe if I pull them all apart there will be six different McQuaid rookies. Hmmm…

This summer, the only cards I have been buying are Marty Barrett and PJ Axelsson cards for my player collections. Barrett is fairly easy because he played long before the era of parallels, jerseys, and autographs. Axelsson, on the other hand, is a bit trickier, thanks in large part to Pacific and their 8 million parallels. I have been making progress, though, and will share when the time is right. For now, you get this card…

2003-04 Parkhurst Original Six The Big One #1 PJ Axelsson /10

This card was given out at the 2004 Vancouver Big One show through a redemption program. Aside from the 1/1 printing plates of PJ, this is one of his rarest cards even though it is really a gimmick-y sort of card. Whatever! For a Axelsson collector like myself, I had to have it. Plus, it was like $3.

Finally, let me talk a little Panini. As most of you know, I am not a huge fan of any of their products. I think they look and feel cheap and produce way too many unnecessary inserts. They have really only released a handful of things that I dig. The Normand Leveille auto was a very nice and long overdue card. There is some stuff out of Dominion involving Derek Sanderson that has my interest piqued. The Ice Kings is a nice set, although a signed version would have been A+. However, my most favorite set that they have released is the Tough Times set, especially the autographed version. A while ago, I wrote that they finally got around to sending my the Lyndon Byers auto redemption. About a month before that, I had emailed them asking when these would be shipped. No response ever came until they sent me the card. Smash cut to last week. In my mailbox was a package from Panini. Thinking it was one of the other redemptions, I ripped it open only to find…

WHAT?! Panini fail!

Now wait, I am actually not complaining. Their goof is my gain. Actually, my good is YOUR gain as I will be having a contest soon with this being one of the prizes, along with a stack of other autographs and memorabilia cards from all sports. Stay tuned for that!

Okay, time to go. More later!

Evolution FTW! Suck it, Creationists!

Also, I just noticed that these cards are meant to be lined up. Kind of cool.

Next up, a little circus sideshow love with the Step Right Up set…

This is probably my favorite A&G insert set.

Now for a little ghost huntin’…

Next, some notable sidekicks and second bananas. I am still unsure what I think about this set, but I’m going to collect it anyways…

And lastly, some mysterious white dudes…

Now that the Allen & Ginter silliness is out of the way, it is time for me to share my newest hockey acquisition, courtesy of eBay…

2010-11 Upper Deck Victory Red Parallel #205 Adam McQuaid

Darth McQuaidar is easily my favorite current Bruin, so I was happy to get this retail only red parallel of his Victory rookie. I was also happy to see that the B’s gave him a 3-year extension, giving me tons more opportunities to see things like this:

Good Derek

VS.

Evil Derek

Although “Knuckles” probably dreamed of playing for his hometown Bruins, it was the hated Canadiens that drafted him in 1978. It didn’t take him long to put aside any Boston loyalty as Nilan took on two B’s during his cup of coffee during the ’79-’80 season, fighting both Stan Jonathan and Terry O’Reilly. Add “Hound Dog” Kelly and Dave Maloney to the mix, and you could tell early on Nilan’s role with the Habs.

Over the next seven and a half seasons, Nilan quickly became one of the most feared and premier enforcers in the NHL. He took on all comers including guys like Willi Plett, Al Secord, Tiger Williams, Paul Baxter, Torrie Robertson, and all the other big guns. During his time with the Habs, Nilan accumulated 200+ PIMs in each season and surpassed the 300 PIM mark three times, twice leading the league. During the ’84-’85 and ’85-’86 seasons, he fought over forty times; that is more than every other game!

In addition to the fisticuffs, Nilan had some offensive talent. During the ’84-’85 season, Nilan scored 21 goals to go along with his league leading 358 PIMs; it’s hard to score when you’re in the box all the time. The following season, Nilan would win a Stanley Cup with the Canadiens and actually put up 141 PIMs in the playoffs! Can you imagine a player doing that nowadays?

Nilan was traded to the Rangers halfway through the ’87-’88 season and would be plagued with injuries for the remainder of his career. However, the warrior that he was, he continued to fight the cream of the crop, taking on Marty McSorley, Craig Berbue, Dave Manson, and Dave Brown. He would play two and a half seasons with the Rangers before being traded to the Boston Bruins for Greg Johnston (who?) in the summer before the ’90-’91 season. It must have been a thrill for “Knuckles” to finally wear the spoked B but his tenure was short, playing only a season and a half. During that time, Nilan was named to the All-Star team by his coach Mike Milbury. This caused a bit of controversy as Nilan certainly didn’t have the numbers to be named. He didn’t end up playing because of an injury and the NHL changed the way players were selected.

He was waived halfway through the ’91-’92 season and claimed by the team that originally drafted him, the Montreal Canadiens. He played out the remainder of the year and then retired. His last fight was in the playoffs against Doug Houda, now a coach for the Bruins. He ended his career with 311 fights and 3,043 PIMs, good for 9th all-time.

The card is from the 1983-84 O-Pee-Chee set and is his rookie despite the fact that he had three seasons under his belt. The look on Nilan’s face pretty much sums up what he was all about: not taking guff from anyone.

When I get the Enforcer Hall of Fame up and off the ground, you can bet that Nilan will be in there. Maybe not in the inaugural class, but pretty soon after that.

Here is a clip of him mixing it up with the Bruins and getting the attention of a very irate Jay Miller.