This might be one of the biggest names on this list. Martin Brodeur played 22 seasons in the NHL (21 of those with the New Jersey Devils). He was a 5-time William M. Jennings Trophy winner, 4-time Vezina Trophy winner, 10-time NHL All-Star, he won the Calder Memorial Trophy as Rookie of the Year, 3-time Stanley Cup winner, 2-time Olympic Gold Medalist, and has the most career wins of all time (691). Did you know that Brodeur ended his 22nd season as a St. Louis Blue? True story! Brodeur signed a tryout contract with St. Louis after their starting goalie (Brian Elliott) went down with an injury. A week after Brodeur's tryout, he was signed to a 1-year contract with the Blues. After starting only 5 games in a month and a half, Brodeur decided to hang up the skates for good. His final win came on December 29th, 2014 against the Colorado Avalanche which ended in a shutout for Brodeur for a score of 3-0.
How was he acquired? The St. Louis Blues signed Martin Brodeur to a 1-year contact on December 2, 2014.
2014/15 OPC Platinum Martin Brodeur #1
Let's stick with goalies for a second here. The next one I do remember, but only because my dad was on a trip for work when it happened. He and I would save newspapers of big sporting events that happened and most of the time, he would grab one when someone would leave a paper behind on the airplane he was working on. My dad was a flight attendant for USAirways (as I have pointed out in this blog quite a few times). This particular newspaper though, was one that I actually saved from our local paper when it happened because I thought it was a big deal. Now, looking back at it, it really was not. I couldn't wait to show my dad that paper when he came home from the trip. It's weird, but I still remember the sound he would make walking up the stairs with his work bag making a screech from the leather carrying clip that was over the strap of his bag, with a swish from his dress pants and the rustling of his work shirt to go with the thump that came with our steps from the basement up the stairs. I waited until he was to the last step before jumping off the couch to show him the paper. When I saw his face, I could tell he was less than impressed, and maybe it wasn't a big deal that Ed Belfour had been traded to the Sharks from the Chicago Blackhawks. Belfour's tenure with the Sharks would be brief (13 regular season games and 3 playoff appearances) before he headed out to Dallas to go win his only Stanley Cup. When I was 14, this trade was obviously a huge deal to me because Belfour had been a household name for several years and I even drew my dad a cool sketch of Belfour's 1991/92 Stadium Club card that I was accused by him of tracing, but later it was found out that I did not in fact trace the card. Take that, dad! Anyways, I found my old Sharks Belfour card to show you the proof that this trade actually did happen.
How was he acquired? On January 25, 1997, the Chicago Blackhawks traded Ed Belfour to the San Jose Sharks for Ulf Dahlen, Michal Sykora and Chris Terreri.
1996/97 Black Diamond Ed Belfour #34
The card that inspired this whole "He played there" blog is this next one. My wife bought me a hockey wax pack scented candle one year for Christmas. I loved the crap out of the smell and burnt that thing like crazy. The company that sent it also included some Canadian candy and a few 80's OPC hockey cards. Enclosed was a Charlie Simmer OPC card with him in a Penguins uniform. Simmer is known for being 1/3 of the "Triple Crown Line" with Marcel Dionne and Dave Taylor. He is also almost a point per game player (712 games, 711 points). Now when he played here in Pittsburgh, I was 5. I remember him being here a little bit, but I can't remember seeing a goal he scored or pass he dished. Usually my memory is stellar, but I may be slipping as I climb my 40's. It is true though; Charlie Simmer spent his last 50 NHL games wearing a Pittsburgh Penguins sweater. From looking at his numbers, he wasn't that bad either. He had 28 points in 50 games (11 goals, 17 assists) and was a +6!
How was he acquired? On July 5, 1988, Charlie Simmer signed a 1-year contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins (this contract is also currently on eBay - I may buy this one day).
1988/89 OPC Charlie Simmer #250
When I was younger, my cousin worked as an editor for the Flyers semi-weekly magazine that would be sent out to subscribers. I loved reading about all the players (even if they were the Penguins most hated rival). My cousin would even venture out to visit us when the Flyers came into town and would shower my brother and I with hockey cards, signed memorabilia, sticks, pucks, you name it. No one we knew thought it was cool until the Flyers obtained Eric Lindros. I had friends come out of the woodwork to ask me to get stuff signed for them. I didn't do it though. One time, my cousin even took us to a Penguins vs. Flyers game and afterwards I got to talk to quite a few of them, but Lindros was never around. For my 13th birthday, my cousin sent me an autographed Lindros card. Yeah, it was cool, but I wanted to meet the guy. Well, my cousin eventually moved on from the editor job for the Flyers magazine and me meeting Eric Lindros was never going to happen. The last time I saw her was at one of my churches functions where I was serving spaghetti to patrons and she came to eat, and I got to take a break to sit with her. We talked a little about hockey, but I had to go back to work once my spaghetti plate was clear. That night, I went on a deep dive on Eric Lindros. I think my cousin and I had talked a little bit about some of the Flyers players and of course his name was one that came up and I bought a few Lindros cards. One of the cards I bought that night was a card from when he played for the Dallas Stars. I remember him being there very little, so having this card was a cool reminder. He actually played his last NHL game as a member of the Dallas Stars and retired in November 2007. However, Lindros will always be a Flyer to me and probably most of the people out there.
How was he acquired? On July 17, 2006, the Dallas Stars signed Eric Lindros to a 1-year deal.
2006/07 SPx Eric Lindros #29
I hate Dale Hunter. Plain and simple. I'm still bitter from his cheap shot on Pierre Turgeon after Turgeon buried a breakaway goal in the 1993 Patrick Division Semifinals against Hunter's Washington Capitals. Hunter buried Turgeon into the boards after he scored and raised his arms in celebration, separating Turgeon's shoulder in the process. Hunter would serve a 21-game suspension for that act of cowardice. Although I hate the guy, he was a good player. He has over 1,000 points and over 3,500 Penalty Minutes in his career, which is a fantastic career. A lot of people would remember him as a Nordique from early in his career or with the Washington Capitals, but Hunter finished his career in 1999 with the Colorado Avalanche.
How was he acquired? On March 23, 1999, the Washington Capitals traded Dale Hunter and a 2000 3rd Round Draft Pick to the Colorado Avalanche for a 1999 2nd Round Draft Pick.
1999/00 Pacific Dale Hunter #107
This player is a 3-time Stanley Cup winning goaltender who played for 4 teams in his career. Edmonton, Boston, Dallas, and Montreal. It's Andy Moog. I came across this card in a 25-cent bin sometime in 2014 and I had to do a double take. Why couldn't I remember Moog as a Canadien? It's not like he barely played there; he suited up in 42 games. Moog was a fantastic netminder, amassing 372 wins in his 18-year NHL career. His 372 wins would place him at 20th all-time! In Moog's lone season in Montreal, he would have 18 wins, 17 losses and 5 ties with a GAA of 2.49 and a Save % of .905. It's wild to me that those numbers are actually pretty solid by today's standards. After that 1997/98 season in Montreal, Moog would retire and eventually take a stab at being a goalie coach with Dallas before trying out assistant coaching with them before moving on later in his lifetime to become the goalie coach for the Portland Winterhawks in the WHL.
How was he acquired? On July 17, 1997, the Montreal Canadiens signed Andy Moog to a 1-year contract.
1997/98 SPx Finite Andy Moog Radiance /4750 #44
How as he acquired? On February 18, 1992, the Chicago Blackhawks traded John Tonelli to the Quebec Nordiques for future considerations. (Honestly, I can't find out what the Blackhawks got for Tonelli. I looked everywhere!)
1992/93 Topps John Tonelli #119
Let's add another Hall of Famer to this list, eh? I clearly remember this guy playing for the St. Louis Blues because I followed that team so closely, but some people might not remember his 42-game stop in St. Louis. Guy Carbonneau was a 3-time Stanley Cup champ, 3-time Selke Trophy winner and probably one of the greatest 2-way players to play in the NHL. A lot of people don't agree with him being in the Hall of Fame because his point total is so low, but if you watched the guy play and shut down the oppositions best line night after night, you might change your tune. Maybe his game is a little boring to some, but players like Carbonneau are a big part of why the teams he played for were winners. When he played for the Blues, I never really expected the guy to score. I expected him to play solid defensively, shut down the scorers for the other team and grind out wins. In the 42 games he played for the Blues, he only contributed 16 points (5 goals, 11 assists) and the Blues lost that year in the playoffs to the Vancouver Canucks. Ugh, I remember it well. Besides being a Hall of Fame NHL player, Carbonneau also was the head coach for the Canadiens for 3 seasons before being fired in 2009.
How was he acquired? On August 19, 1994, the Montreal Canadiens traded Guy Carbonneau to the St. Louis Blues for Jim Montgomery.
1995/96 Score Black Ice Guy Carbonneau #280
From one Guy to another Guy. This Guy is one that everyone should know. Guy Lafleur was the #1 overall Draft Pick in the 1971 NHL Draft after having one of the greatest all-time seasons in the QMJHL for the Quebec Ramparts (he scored 130 goals that season along with 79 assists for 209 points!) After his arrival in Montreal, then the Stanley Cups started coming. 5 Stanley Cups to be exact! Lafleur "the Flower" as he was called is an NHL legend, Hockey Hall of Famer, 3-time Art Ross Trophy winner, 2-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner, 3-time Lester B. Pearson Award winner, 6-time All-Star and also has a Conn Smythe Trophy to his name (1977). Lafleur retired as a Canadien in 1985. However, 3 years later, he was coaxed out of retirement by the New York Rangers in 1988. He would play just 67 games that season and put up 18 goals and 27 assists for 45 points before then signing with the Quebec Nordiques (following the fired Rangers coach and close friend Michael Bergeron). After 2 more seasons with the Nords, Lafleur retired for good. That didn't stop the Minnesota North Stars from trying to gain his services in the 1991 season when they selected Guy with their last selection in the 1991 Expansion Draft. However, Lafleur already had a deal in place for an off-ice job with the Nordiques. Sadly, Lafleur passed away April 22, 2022, due to lung cancer. RIP Flower.
How was he acquired? On August 19, 1988, the New York Rangers signed Guy Lafleur out of retirement for a 1-year contract.
1989/90 Topps Guy Lafleur #189
We will end with a recent Hockey Hall of Famer. Zdeno Chara or "Big Z" as he is called played 24 seasons in the NHL. After starting his career for the New York Islanders, he then went on to play for the Ottawa Senators, and then Boston Bruins where he would become one of their most recognizable players due to his play, but also his tall stature (6'9") and being the tallest player in NHL history. Chara s a 6-time All-Star, Norris Trophy winner (2009) and Stanley Cup Champion. He is also known for his hard shot (clocked at 108.8) at the NHL All-Star Skills Competition in 2012. Did you know that in the 2020/21 NHL season that Chara was a member of the Washington Capitals? I vaguely remember him being there. The Bruins decided to move on that season with a younger group of players and asked Chara to find a new team or accept a reduced role with the Bruins. That's how Chara ended up with the Caps. He skated 55 games for that team scoring 2 goals and 8 assists. The next season, he ended his career where it began when he played 72 games in 2021/22 for the New York Islanders. Chara was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2025.
How was he acquired? On December 30, 2020, the Washington Capitals signed Zdeno Chara to a 1-year contract.
2020/21 Upper Deck French Zdeno Chara #644
I hope everyone enjoys their weekend, and as usual...Thanks for reading!
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