TRADE DEADLINE - Canucks Gain 3, Lose 4

First of all, I hope all readers are having an excellent trade deadline day. Hopefully whatever team you cheer for made a good trade and if your a Panthers fan, well, I hope the boat arrives soon with your new roster of 20 players.

As for my Canucks, I was led to believe that today would be fairly quite. Which it was; relatively. Personally I thought that the Canucks should have closed up shop and Mike Gillis could just sleep in. BUT, that did not happen. The magician that is Mr. Gillis had a few tricks up his sleeves.

RUNDOWN:
Trades - 2
Players Lost - 2
Draft Picks Lost - 2
Players Acquired - 3
Draft Picks Acquired - 0
Biggest Name In - Chris Higgins
Biggest Name Out - Evan Oberg

Like I said before I'm a strong believer with "if you got something good, don't mess with it!" Apparently, Mike Gillis felt otherwise. Mike has done a wonderful job in the free agent pool and in past trades to get the Canucks to the competitive level they are at currently. Let's see how Mike did today:

TRADE #1

To Anaheim: Joel Perreualt
                    2012 3rd Rounder

To Vancouver: Maxim LaPierre
                       MacGregor Sharp

Joel Perreualt has played less than a handful of games in the NHL this season and has done next to nothing while he has been in a Canucks jersey. That being said, not a huge loss. The pick is more of the worry for me.  Anything from the first or second round is considered a good pick, while the third rounders are usually ones that get kicked around the most. These third round players though, can come back to bite you down the road. Fingers crossed that doesn't happen. Overall, this trade is definitely a short term stint. Maxim LaPierre is in the last year of his contract and was acquired to fill in the permanent spot of the fourth line centre that the Canucks seem to be missing. Tanner Glass has been the only consistent fourth liner for the Nucks, and hopefully LaPierre will get us one step closer to a "puck controlling" fourth line.

TRADE #2

To Florida - Evan Oberg
                   2013 3rd Rounder

To Vancouver - Chris Higgins

Remember this card?

I got this card in a trade a while back and got a double from my 3rd box of Score. This was the only Canucks Hot Rookies of the set. Well I should now say former Canucks rookie. I was pumped to get this card because I truly believe that next season Oberg could find a nice place on an NHL team, perhaps as the 6th defenseman. He got sent all the way to Florida today. Am I complaining about the return? Not so much, but I would like to wish Evan all the best in his career! Coming the way of the Canucks is former Hab/Flame/Panther Chris Higgins. So far this year he has 23 points in 48 games (about a point every 2 games). Here is the problem, where does he fit? Is he truly going to get stuck as a 4 liner? I think he has earned his spot on a third line but I really don't think the Canucks have any space there. Perhaps Chris will line juggle along with Raymond and Hansen who seem to be jumping lines every few shifts. Higgins numbers mimic Manny Malhotra's and Raffi Torres' point total (24 and 25 respectively) although Manny and Raffi have both played 15 games more than Chris this season. The way I look at the team is this...

D. Sedin - H. Sedin - Burrows

Raymond - Kesler - Samuelsson 

Higgins - Malhotra - Torres

Hansen - LaPierre - Glass

That is a team I am happy with going into the play-offs! When our few injured defensemen come back in mid March and late April. This is what our back 6 will look like...

Hamhuis - Edler

Salo - Bieksa

Erhoff - Ballard

That is even more impressive than the top 12! If all the Canucks d-men stay healthy and Luongo plays the way he has lately, I have a hard time seeing a lot of teams running up the score.

GO NUCKS GO!

OLD TIMER TREASURES/THE GOALIE PROJECT - Richard Brodeur (Part 1) + What is it ALL Worth?

It's nice to get back to my hockey card community after being buried underneath hours of homework lately. Today I present my very last signature of the 10 Old Timer Treasure cards. Like I said in my last Old-Timers Treasures this is the guy that started the entire segment. He's the first Canuck goalie to go to the Stanley Cup finals - Richard Brodeur. If you've followed me long enough to read my first post of "Old-Timer Treasures", you already know how I acquired all these signatures. If not, read the next paragraph :)


When I was younger, my grandma (believe it or not) got the privilege of meeting one of the Canucks all-time best goalies. Richard Brodeur; famous for his 1982 run to the Stanley Cup finals with the Canucks; waltzed into my grandma's office. Richard was a nice enough guy to give my grandma a signed book from himself. My grandmother knew I was a crazy hockey fan and quickly called me and passed the book along. This is what the front cover looks like:

Obviously I was pretty psyched to receive a signature from an old time Canucks goalie, but for some odd reason it never occurred to me to actually look inside until 2 years after I received the book. Why?? I have no clue. But to my pleasant surprise there were 10 signed "hockey cards" of old-timers inside.

My favorite out of all my signatures was the front cover masterpiece of Brodeur above. But his signature on a hockey card don't look so bad either!

GP-385

Michael's Rating: 9

  

There it is! That's all the old timer sigs I got for ya! But like most of my posts, I'll leave my readers with some food for thought. HERE is a link to all my Old-Timer Treasures posts. The signatures include Gilbert Perreualt, Kirk Muller, Ron Hoggarth, Doug Bodger, Steve Shutt, Gaston Gingras, Mark Napier, Glenn Anderson, Dale Hawerchuck and Richard Brodeur. 

Combined, these players have...

PLAYED: 8486 games

POINTS: 6914

After seeing these names and numbers, what would you value these cards at? One of my goals for this year was to "value" my collection. Whether you as a hockey card collector use the Beckett hockey card pricing guide or not, this is what I am using personally. I'm not old enough to remember the times where others used and went by Beckett, and this was my first time buying it. So I'm rolling with the Beckett and using it as my source.

That being said, there is no way of knowing the specific pricing for all these signatures. I'm a big "number's" guy so figuring out what this is worth is a big deal for me. Although, these do have much more than monetary value to me as the story behind these cards is pretty cool.

So I ask again, what are these signed cards value?

As for how this affects my Goalie Project, this is where my Brodeur signature lands me:

Alex Auld Murray Bannerman Martin Brochu Richard Brodeur - 1/3 COMPLETE! 1 TOTAL Gary Bromley Bruce Bullock Sean Burke Frank Caprice Jacques Caron Dan Cloutier Ed Dyck Ken Ellacott Bob Essensa Mike Fountain Troy Gamble George Gardner John Garrett Glen Hanlon Johan Hedberg Rick Heinz Corey Hirsch Charlie Hodge Arturs Irbe Jason LaBarbera Ken Lockett Roberto Luongo - 3/3 COMPLETE! 35 TOTAL Drew MacIntyre Cesare Maniago Bob Mason Dave McClelland Steve McKichan Kirk McLean Rob McVicar - 1/1 COMPLETE! 1 TOTAL Alfie Michaud Tyler Moss Mika Noronen Maxime Ouellet Félix Potvin Andrew Raycroft - 1/3 COMPLETE! 6 TOTAL Curt Ridley Dany Sabourin Curtis Sanford Cory Schneider - 1/2 COMPLETE! 5 TOTAL! Corey Schwab Petr Skudra Gary Smith Garth Snow Kevin Weekes Steve Weeks Kay Whitmore Dunc Wilson Wendell Young

GO NUCKS GO!    

McD's Holograms + THE GOALIE PROJECT - Andrew Raycroft (Part 1)

First off, I have to give a huge thanks over to Sal at PuckJunk.com for the neat participation prize from his All-Star Contest. Take a look at the ol' holograms...never get's old!

Thanks Sal! 

it's time to put up my many cards for my goalie project. It would be way to difficult to sift through each season worth of cards to find a single goalie. So these are some cards that I pulled out from my recent memory:

Those complete the Raycroft cards in other teams jerseys. I had a 2005 McDonalds card that I forgot to scan, so just go ahead and try and envision that in your noggin. BUT, I have found myself in sort of a pickle. Take a look at the next card before I explain.

Here is an Andrew Raycroft card that has his stats from three previous seasons:

So even though this card shows three years of stats, Raycroft has only played 21 games and is still eligible for the Calder. So even though this card is not an official rookie, if the time of the card puts the player eligible for the Calder do I count it as a rookie? Or instead do I go out and find that real rookie card? This could potentially change the entire project. If I accept it, my Schneider cards will be complete and this is the case for many other rookies. 

My decision: No. This won't count as a rookie. I'm going to roll with the "Go Big or Go Home" mentality. If you feel otherwise please don't hesitate to say why with a comment. 

With these cards, I've completed 1/3 Raycroft cards. I still need a REAL rookie and a Canucks card Raycroft. Here is where I'm at:

Alex Auld Murray Bannerman Martin Brochu Richard Brodeur Gary Bromley Bruce Bullock Sean Burke Frank Caprice Jacques Caron Dan Cloutier Ed Dyck Ken Ellacott Bob Essensa Mike Fountain Troy Gamble George Gardner John Garrett Glen Hanlon Johan Hedberg Rick Heinz Corey Hirsch Charlie Hodge Arturs Irbe Jason LaBarbera Ken Lockett Roberto Luongo - 3/3 COMPLETE! 35 TOTAL Drew MacIntyre Cesare Maniago Bob Mason Dave McClelland Steve McKichan Kirk McLean Rob McVicar - 1/1 COMPLETE! 1 TOTAL Alfie Michaud Tyler Moss Mika Noronen Maxime Ouellet Félix Potvin Andrew Raycroft - 1/3 COMPLETE! 6 TOTAL Curt Ridley Dany Sabourin Curtis Sanford Cory Schneider - 1/2 COMPLETE! 5 TOTAL! Corey Schwab Petr Skudra Gary Smith Garth Snow Kevin Weekes Steve Weeks Kay Whitmore Dunc Wilson Wendell Young GO NUCKS GO!

QUAD PACK RIP + THE GOALIE PROJECT - Corey Schneider (Part 2)

Went to my local London Drugs and decided to pick up a few packs. Here's how I did:

2007-08 UD Series 2

Nagy, Van Ryn, Iginla

This is really weird, why do the cards not have the players name or UD logo in the top right hand corner? Is this some sort of Series 2 parallel or just a boo boo?

A current Canuck in a Nashville jersey. One of the Canucks many injured d-men. Get well soon Dan!

This is such a cool photo it almost looks fake. All three players stopping at the same time, all looking the same direction and I spy with my little eye...Sidney Crosby. Sick photography!

2010-11 Donruss

Nine base cards...and a Tough Times card! Woot woot! Although he's most famous for his career in Calgary, he did play 4 seasons with the Canucks. Most memorably the 1994 playoffs. 

2008-09 O-Pee-Chee

Five base cards, and one snazzy retro Coburn card.

2010-11 O-Pee-Chee

I'm pretty happy with my first look at this years OPC set. The thing I love about OPC is the huge base set, and the challenge of collecting them. Score is similar with their 500 base plus 50 Hot Rookies. As for the design of this year's OPC set versus years past, I say, not bad. They take away a lot of the photo with the design but I can't complain too much. Here is my Marquee Legend's card:

This pack gave me my only (true) Canucks card, and this where the Goalie project comes in:

This is not gonna count as a RC, so my hunt will continue for Scneids.

Update:

Alex Auld Murray Bannerman Martin Brochu Richard Brodeur Gary Bromley Bruce Bullock Sean Burke Frank Caprice Jacques Caron Dan Cloutier Ed Dyck Ken Ellacott Bob Essensa Mike Fountain Troy Gamble George Gardner John Garrett Glen Hanlon Johan Hedberg Rick Heinz Corey Hirsch Charlie Hodge Arturs Irbe Jason LaBarbera Ken Lockett Roberto Luongo - 3/3 COMPLETE! 35 TOTAL Drew MacIntyre Cesare Maniago Bob Mason Dave McClelland Steve McKichan Kirk McLean Rob McVicar - 1/1 COMPLETE! 1 TOTAL Alfie Michaud Tyler Moss Mika Noronen Maxime Ouellet Félix Potvin Andrew Raycroft Curt Ridley Dany Sabourin Curtis Sanford Cory Schneider - 1/2 COMPLETE! 5 TOTAL! Corey Schwab Petr Skudra Gary Smith Garth Snow Kevin Weekes Steve Weeks Kay Whitmore Dunc Wilson Wendell Young

GO NUCKS GO!

TTM? I WANT SOME SUCCESS! HELP!

Okay so I know this may make me seem like a total hockey signature newbie, but I really want to try a TTM. Problem is, I have no idea how to do one. Hell, I don't even know what TTM stands for! So how do I go about doing this? I know it involves sending cards over to get signed by players. The questions I have are:

How long or short should the letter I send be?
Is there any sort of TTM etiquette I should know about?
How do I know where to send the cards?
And any other tips that may come across your mind...

Thanks in advance for your help and hopefully I didn't sound like a complete idiot asking this to some of you TTM experts!

GO NUCKS GO!

OLD TIMER TREASURES - Dale Hawerchuck + WHAT IS A GOOD SIGNATURE?

This is the second to last signed old-timers I have from this "set". I'm really excited about this signature, as I think the autograph is really well done. Let's get to it...

GP 1188 / P 1409

Michael's Rating: 8.5

Dale Hawerchuck doesn't need an introduction, we all know who he is and his stats above say a lot. Let's see why I like his signature A LOT. To me, this is a solid signature that young hockey players should look to as a model. First, you don't HAVE to spell your entire name! Dale signed his card D. Hawerchuck. Nothing wrong with that. The key to his autograph is that his capital letters aren't KIND OF the shape of a letter, they ARE the letters D.H. Second, he doesn't show every single letter in his last name. He showed the "h" and "k" as lines coming out of his last name. As long as the prominent letters are showed nicely, the point comes across. Lastly, the number. I love it when signatures include their numbers! Even if you have a lousy sig, the number can make up for it (depending on how sucky your signature is). Finally, the underline. It may seem subtle but when a signature is straight, and has some sort of underline to it, it gives it structure and class. I'm not saying this is the only way an autograph should be done, but this looks darn good. Take for example Perreault's signature...unorthodox but kinda has an old fashion/classy feel to it...

Even though it looks a bit messy, the sig still has character and form to it. So I ask you, what is your favorite sig? What makes a good signature in your mind? Remember, there is one last signature left. Here's  hint to who it is: It's the man that started the segment. Hopefully, if you read my blog regularly you know who I am talking about.

GO NUCKS GO!

PACK BY PACK (CASE HIT!) - 2010-11 SCORE (Packs 12-36)

Well I just couldn't resist, I ripped the rest of the packs from this box. I have to say before I handle the pack by pack, that Score Hockey has been a good product for me these past 3 boxes. Let's take a look...

PACK 12

FAVORITE CARD - MIKAEL SAMUELSSON (BASE) 

I have to go with one of the hottest hands in the NHL lately; Mikael has 7 goals and 7 assists in his past 8 games! I shake my head every time I see anything Kessel. The man has to pick it up. 

PACK 13

FAVORITE CARD - MATT DUCHENE (RC) (BASE)

I picked up two Hot Rookies in this pack, but that definitely was not the best rookie in the pack. Matt takes this card and that should be no surprise. 

PACK 14

FAVORITE CARD - RADEK DVORAK (BASE)

There is stick flex and there is the retro Florida jersey, what more do you need?

PACK 15

FAVORITE CARD - OSCAR MOLLAR (BASE)

I'm a sucker for any card that shows stick flex, and in this case I don't mind the overhead shot. Geez! Another Kessel card? I didn't want the normal card and now I have his glossy parallel! Is there any justice?

PACK 16

FAVORITE CARD - VICTOR HEDMAN (BASE)

Great young d-man, why not have him as my favorite? This is also the one and only pack where I pulled my one and only "Franchise" insert of the box. 

PACK 17

 

FAVORITE CARD - DUSTIN TOKARSKI (HOT ROOKIES)

One of the very few cool shots from the Hot Rookies cards.

PACK 18

FAVORITE CARD - JONATHAN TOEWS (BASE)

Great player, and a great photo. Toews looking down against Boucher with the subtle snow shower at the bottom. Top Notch.

PACK 19

FAVORITE CARDS - ANTI NIEMI (BASE)

Nice side shot of the Sharks tender.

PACK 20

FAVORITE CARD - DUSTIN BYFUGLIEN (PLAYOFF HEROES)

I speak for 99% of Canucks fans when I say I hate this guy. But there is no doubt that this guy was a beast for Chicago in the Playoffs. Thank goodness he's in the Eastern Conference. 

PACK 21

FAVORITE CARD - BOSTON BRUINS (SEASON HIGHLIGHT)

Any card that has even a statue of Bobby Orr will be on my favorite list.

PACK 22

FAVORITE CARD - MATT COOKE (BASE)

Former Canuck, present headshot master? A guy everybody loves to hate; Cookie Monster. Not much to write home about in this pack.

PACK 23

FAVORITE CARD - ALEX OVECHKIN (SNOGLOBE)

This was an easy decision. The Snoglobe insert is put in at a rate of 1 per box, and the one I get is Ovie 8. 

PACK 24

FAVORITE CARD - BRIAN ELLIOT (BASE)

PACK 25

FAVORITE CARD - JONAS GUSTAVSSON (NETCAM)

Another Net Cams insert and this goes directly to my favorite card.

PACK 26

FAVORITE CARD - JAMES NEAL (20TH ANNIVERSARY PARALLEL)

20th Anniversary parallels come 1 or 2 a box. This is my only one, and it comes from the James Neal variety.

PACK 27

FAVORITE CARD - JONAS HILLER (BASE)

Great save Hiller! Or not?

PACK 28

FAVORITE CARD - STEVE MASON (BASE)

Overhead shot of Mr. Mason don't look too bad.

PACK 29

FAVORITE CARD - DMITRY KULIKOV (BASE)

Another Panthers alternate jersey...

PACK 30

FAVORITE CARD - TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING (SEASON HIGHLIGHT)

The photographer did a good job of framing this shot. Stamkos' face is framed between Lecavalier and Ohlund's body.

PACK 31

If you are looking for the case hit I was talking about in the title, pack 31 is the lucky pack.

Michael's Rating: 8

FAVORITE CARD - BOBBY BUTLER (SIGNED) (HOT ROOKIES)

Wow! Like I said before, Score has been good to me. In three boxes I've managed to pull 2 AUTO's! Signed cards are suppose to come at a rate of 1 every 20 boxes. So, that's pretty cool I beat the odd's twice. For my other signed Score card look here. Bobby has played 10 games this season for the Sens and has 1 goal and 1 assist. His signature says "Bobby But" but I assure you his last name is Butler.

PACK 32

FAVORITE CARD - P.K. SUBBAN (HOT ROOKIES)

Kadri and a Subban rookie! I have both these cards already but I'll take doubles of them easy.

PACK 33

FAVORITE CARD - ROBYN REGHR (BASE)

Wrist shot!

PACK 34

FAVORITE CARD - MARK STUART (BASE)

Only a couple cards can beat out the Net Cam insert, and when a photographer can make a 6'2'' man look 4'11'' in a photo I'll take it.

PACK 35

FAVORITE CARD - ALEXEI PONIKAROVSKI (BASE)

He shoots, he scores!

PACK 36 

FAVORITE CARD - TYLER PLANTE (BASE)

Can't be that smile...

Finally the rundown:

BASE CARDS (1-500) - 634 including glossy parallel and 20th Anniversary (24 Canucks)

HOT ROOKIES (501-560) - 65 including glossy parallel (2 Canuck)

FRANCHISE - 3

PLAY-OFF HEROES - 18

SUDDEN DEATH - 3

NET CAM - 9

SNOGLOBE - 3 (1 Canuck)

AUTO'S - 2

TOTAL - 737 (27 Canucks)

I'm very happy with the box and especially the Rookie Auto! I'll post up my missing base cards later...but for now

GO NUCKS GO!