LIFE UPDATE:
Sorry for the big gap in posts. My youngest son has been playing tackle football for his school. It's been a lot for us as a family because it's 5 days a week and my oldest son still has his guitar lessons and is now in Cub Scouts. Due to my sons' activities, I haven't really had time for cards. I also had purged a lot of cool stuff on eBay and will probably keep doing so. I wish I had more time for cards, but reality has been setting in and with my youngest being active in baseball, football, soccer and possibly lacrosse in the coming months, I think I might just sell off most of my cards. I do want to keep blogging though, so when I can, I'll try to get on here and post. On to the next installment of, "He played there? Hockey Edition."
In the 90's this guy was a household name. He dated an actress, a teenage tennis star and even was signed by Nike. He was the first guy I remember wearing white skates (besides the stories I heard when I was little about the California Golden Seals). You guessed it, Sergei Fedorov. When I was in middle school, I wanted those darn white Nike skates so bad. It wasn't until I played in the beer leagues that I acquired a pair. One night my brother and I ventured into Play It Again Sports and I found a brand-new pair of them in my size for $40. I have no idea who turned them in but thank you. I skated those things for 4 years. After I realized how heavy they were, I ditched them for the sexier, newer Bauer skates. Now, I realize that I should have just hung on to those. In used condition, they're basically worth a mint.
Fedorov was a superstar. He was one of the players who defected from the Soviet Union in order to pursue his NHL career. Most of you know him as a Detroit Red Wing. He was elite and helped the Red Wings to win 3 Stanley Cups during is 13 seasons there. Sergei was even a Hart Trophy Winner during his time there as the NHL's most valuable player. The guy could do it all. He played center, wing and even defense occasionally. In the 2003 offseason, Fedorov signed with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks after a contract dispute with Detroit. Fedorov would only play for Anaehim for 85 games before being dealt to the Columbus Blue Jackets along with a 5th Round Draft Pick for Tyler Wright and Francois Beauchemin. In Columbus, Fedorov's play would decline. His best season there was his first (2005/06) where he would play 62 games and put up 43 points. During the trade deadline, Columbus would deal Fedorov to the Washington Capitals where he would play 70 games total from 2007-2009 before heading back to his native Russia to complete his career in the KHL playing for Metallurg Magnitogorsk from 2009-2012. Fedorov would play in 1,248 games in his career and score 483 goals, 696 assists for 1,179 points. Also, after retirement, Fedorov would coach in the KHL for CSKA Moscow from 2021-2024. In 2015, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
How was he acquired? February 26, 2008 the Columbus Blue Jackets traded Sergei Fedorov to the Washington Capitals for defenseman Theo Ruth.
2008/09 Upper Deck MVP Sergei Fedorov #297
Peter Stastny was a legend. Like Fedorov, Stastny and his brother Anton would defect from Czechoslovakia for the NHL. In his first season in the NHL with the Quebec Nordiques, Stastny would win the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's Rookie of the Year by posting 39 goals and 70 assists (which would set history as a rookie record). Peter was so good that he would post 6 consecutive 100-point seasons. In 1981, Stastny's brother Marian would join his 2 brothers, and all 3 Stastny's brothers were playing for the Nordiques. Peter would play with his 3 brothers for 4 seasons before Marian left to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Eventually, Peter would be traded from the Nordiques. On March 6, 1990, Stastny was dealt to the New Jersey Devils for defenseman Craig Wolanin and future considerations who would turn into Randy Velischeck. After 3 and a 1/2 seasons with the Devils, Peter Stastny would sign with the St. Louis Blues. Stastny's Blues tenure was derailed by knee injuries. After 23 games in 2 seasons, Stastny would retire. His 2 sons, Yan and Paul have both played in the NHL. Stastny was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1998.
How was he acquired? March 9, 1994, the St. Louis Blues signed Peter Stastny to a 2-year contract.
1994/95 Upper Deck Electric Ice Peter Stastny #60
Growing up, I never thought I would see the day where Ray Bourque and Brian Leetch played for any team other than Boston and New York, but the NHL is a tricky devil sometimes. This past NHL season saw Matthew Schaefer tie a 25-year-old record by scoring 23 goals as a rookie. The guy he shares that record with, well, none other than Brian Leetch. Leetch was a staple for the New York Rangers in the 90's and early 00's. With the Rangers, Leetch would win 2 Norris Trophies as the NHL's Top Defenseman, he would win a Stanly Cup in 1994 and hold 12 New York Rangers defenseman records. It's crazy to think with such a resume as Brian Leetch has that he would ever leave the organization. However, that's exactly what happened in 2004. After a down year in 2003/04, the New York Rangers would trade Leetch to the Maple Leafs. Leetch played only 15 games for the Maple Leafs. After a lockout of the 2004/05 season, his contract with the Leafs would end and he would suit up for one final season in 2005/06 with the Boston Bruins. He would skate 61 games for the Bruins, put up 5 goals and 27 assists for 32 points before calling it a career.
How was he acquired? March 3, 2004, the New York Rangers traded Brian Leetch and a conditional 4th Round Draft Pick to the Toronto Maple Leafs for defenseman Maxim Kondratiev, forward Jarkko Immonen, a 2004 1st Round Draft Pick (Kris Chucko - selected by the Calgary Flames after a trade) and a 2005 2nd Round Draft Pick.
2003/04 Topps Traded Brian Leetch #TT30
There have been so many former St. Louis Blues and Pittsburgh Penguins in these posts. This next one is no different. The trade of this player would bring in a player that would set up Brett Hull for many goals. Bernie Federko was a St. Louis Blues legend. In 1976, the Blues would select Federko 7th overall in the NHL Draft. Federko would play for St. Louis for 13 years. During his tenure with the Blues, he would be named for 2 All-Star games (1980 and 1981) and also set 6 Blues records. Federko was always a fan favorite in St. Louis and even had his number 24 retired there in 1991. Federko was eventually inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2002, but before that, Bernie would play one last season with the Detroit Red Wings. Topps didn't have time to photograph him with his new team, so he received the air brush treatment with his first card during his season with Detroit (Pro Set would add him to their 1990/91 set after Bernie had retired). The guy who the Blues received from the Federko trade? None other than Adam Oates, who would form the Hull & Oates line and shoot Brett Hull into superstardom. So, it appears the trade definitely worked out for the Blues.
How was he acquired? June 15, 1989, the St. Louis Blues traded Bernie Federko and forward Tony McKegney to the Detroit Red Wings for forwards Adam Oates and Paul MacLean.
1989/90 Topps Bernie Federko #107
This next one still burns. I still remember the day the Penguins acquired him. My brother lost his ever-loving mind. The day he was traded here to Pittsburgh, I had just gotten home from my weekly beer league hockey game and looked at my phone to see 2 missed calls from my brother. So, I showered and then called him back and my brother thought for sure we were winning the Stanley Cup after acquiring him. Sadly, it didn't really work out for the Pens and Jarome Iginla. I had previously talked about Jarome Iginla here.
How was he acquired? The Calgary Flames traded Jarome Iginla to the Pittsburgh Penguins for forwards Kenny Agostino, Ben Hanowski and a 2013 1st Round Draft Pick which would be Morgan Klimchuk.
2013/14 Score Gold Jarome Iginla #408
From one Pittsburgh Penguin to another (sorta) Pittsburgh Penguin...well, former General Manager that is. When I was a kid, my cousin worked as an editor for the Philadelphia Flyers newsletter. My brother and I would receive it in the mail and also my cousin would send us signed goodies from whatever Flyer we wanted an autograph from. One time, I asked her to get me an autograph from Ron Hextall. I was a forward on my hockey teams I played for then, but when I would play with the neighborhood kids, I would strap on the goalie pads and one of the goalies I admired was Ronny Hextall. My cousin eventually came through, and she sent me a signed 1991/92 Score Ron Hextall card that was even personalized to me with To: Bryan on the front. That card was special to me. One summer morning my brother and I were arguing about something in the hallway. My brother ran at me and tackled me to the ground, and I hit my elbow on the wall and it hurt. With me being on the ground, my brother ran into my room and locked the door. A minute later he came out and he had my Ron Hextall autograph in his hands. I begged and pleaded for him just to put it back in my room, but he took the card in his palm and crumpled it. I was so mad I blacked out and punched everything in front of me, eventually landing a few good ones on my brother before my mom finally broke it up. However, the damage had been done. I never got to ask for another autograph from my cousin because Hextall was traded a week later to Quebec. It's definitely a traumatic memory for me as a kid. My brother and I certainly never got along until later, but we had some brutal arguments when we were growing up.
Hextall was the son of former NHL players Bryan Hextall who also played for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 70's. Ron was a legend for the Philadelphia Flyers. He wouldn't shy away from a fight, and he even was the first goalie to ever score a goal in the regular season and also in playoffs. In his rookie season, he would win 37 games and win the Vezina Trophy as the most outstanding goalie. During his career, he would win a Vezina and a Conn Smythe Trophy. His only Stanly Cup would come as an Assistant General Manager with the Los Angeles Kings in 2012. Also, another notable fact about him is that he was included in the historic trade that brought Eric Lindros to Philadelphia.
How was he acquired? June 30, 1992, the Philadelphia Flyers sent Ron Hextall, Peter Forsberg, Mike Ricci, Steve Duchesne, Kerry Huffman, Chris Simon, $15 million in cash, a 1993 1st Round Draft Pick (Jocelyn Thibault) and a 1994 1st Round Draft Pick (Nolan Baumgartner) and future considerations to the Quebec Nordiques for forward Eric Lindros.
1992/93 Upper Deck Ron Hextall #523
1998/99 Upper Deck Paul Coffey #66
Time for another former Penguin I suppose. From one to the next! Any time the Penguins brought in a proven veteran scorer, it would fire my family up. When the brought in Luc Robitaille, it was no different. We were all so excited to see him suit up with Jagr, Francis, and Larry Murphy. It was something to get excited about. What I didn't see happening was Tomas Sandstrom outscoring Robitaille the season he played for Pittsburgh, but it happened. Robitaille was a Los Angeles Kings staple when I was growing up. He is one of the lowest drafted players to record 1,000 points in their career (9th Round Draft Pick - 171st overall in 1984). In his first season, Robitaille won the Calder Memorial Trophy as Rookie of the Year beating out Ron Hextall for the award. He would go on to score more than 40 goals in each of his first 8 NHL seasons and cemented himself as one of the greatest Left Wings to ever play in the NHL. In 1,431 games with the Kings, Penguins, Rangers, and Red Wings, Luc posted 668 goals, 726 assists for 1,394 points. However, in the lockout shortened season in 1994, he would post 42 of those points (23 goals, 19 assists) with my hometown Penguins. Robitaille was an 8-time All-Star, Stanley Cup Champion (with Detroit in 2002 and 2 as an executive with the Kings in 2012 and 2014) and would be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009.
How was he acquired? July 29, 1994, the Los Angeles Kings traded Luc Robitaille to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Rick Tocchet and a 1995 2nd Round Draft Pick (Pavel Rosa).
1994/95 Leaf Limited Luc Robitaille #88
If you hear the nickname "The Professor", you might think of the street baller. Before the streetballer, there was Igor Larionov. He is considered one of the best Russian players ever. Drafted in the 1985 NHL Draft, however, Soviet authorities prevented him from actually playing in the NHL. After 8 years of being outspoken over the NHL snub, he was finally allowed to join the team that drafted him, the Vancouver Canucks. Larionov would play for Vancouver for 3 seasons before being left unprotected in the 1992 NHL Waiver Draft where he would be claimed by the San Jose Sharks. From 1993-mid 1996 Larionov would then be traded to the Detroit Red Wings. This is when his career took off as he was one of the "Russian Five" for Detroit. With the Red Wings, Igor would win Stanley Cups in 1997, 1998, and 2002. In 2003, Larionov would play in his last season in the NHL by suiting up for the New Jersey Devils in 2003. Igor Larionov was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2008.
How was he acquired? Igor Larionov was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft in Round 11 at 214th overall.
1990/91 Bowman Igor Larionov RC #63
I'm capping this series off with the #1 overall selection in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. It's Joe Thornton. "Jumbo Joe" spent most of his career with the Boston Bruins and San Jose Sharks. He's 14th all-time in career points with 1,539. Thornton is a 6-time All-Star, Hart Trophy and Art Ross Trophy winner and was even a NHL 2K cover athlete. He will go down as one of the best playmakers to ever play the game. His #19 was retired by the San Jose Sharks in 2024. However, he also played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and retired as a Florida Panther. Read that again...as a Florida Panther. I do remember this, but a few people I know didn't. In Jumbo's only season in Florida, he played in 34 games, scored 5 goals and had 5 assists. Shortly after his retirement, Lanny McDonald came calling and Joe Thornton was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2025.
How was he acquired? On August 13, 2021, the Florida Panthers signed Joe Thornton to a 1-year contract.
2021/22 OPC Platinum Sunset Joe Thornton #176
That's a wrap for hockey. If you have been reading these, thank you so much! Until the next time...
