Cam Ward Autographed Photo

Currently with the Carolina Hurricanes.

Acquired through the Carolina Hurricanes gift incentive program.

Kind of got lucky as I didn't know for several months who I got with my points from getting two 26-game plan season tickets with the Carolina Hurricanes. If you can't tell already I live fairly near Raleigh, NC, so a lot of my autographs will obviously be of Hurricanes players. I was really hoping for a Jeff Skinner autographed 8x10 photo, but Cam is my favorite player so I'm pretty pleased, although as Sal said, Ward's autograph really is sloppy.

Johnny Bower

Retired player.  Elected to Hockey Hall of Fame in 1976.

Purchased September 18, 2011.

This one I have some questions about.  It just doesn't quite look like some of his other autographs that I looked at online.  Can anyone tell if this is his signature or not?  I think I spent like $18 for all three cards that I got today, so no big deal if it isn't real.

Bobby Hull

Retired player.  Elected to Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983.

Purchased September 18, 2011.

Having played 24 seasons in the NHL and WHA, Bobby Hull's numbers are staggering.  610 goals and 560 assists in the NHL; 303 goals and 335 assists in the WHA.  One Stanley Cup.  You just never know when or if you will ever win a Stanley Cup (or another one having won his only Cup in his fourth NHL season).  Anyway, I was looking through the collection of autographed cards and this was one that stood out to me; another fairly cheap addition to my autograph collection.

Ed Belfour

Retired player.

Purchased at a Carolina Hurricanes preseason practice, September 18, 2011.

After winning the Vezina, Calder and Jennings Trophies in the same year (1990-91), Belfour went on to win 484 regular season and 88 postseason NHL games, winning the 1999 Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars.  Autographed card serial numbered 0546/1500.

Jaromir Jagr Second Attempt Success

Currently with the Philadelphia Flyers.

Fan letter sent May 17, 2011.

2/2 Autographed cards received September 17, 2011.

I had written to Jagr a few months prior to sending out this letter and got it returned to me unopened from some sports agent in California.  Well, I scoured through the Internet fan success posts on a few forums and found his team in the Czech Republic (this being before he signed with the Flyers).  So lo and behold less than a month before the season starts I receive a letter today with my name on it, albeit not in my handwriting and not my envelope that I had sent with the letter, a turnaround time of about four months from the Czech Republic, my first success overseas (woohoo!!!).  Both cards signed by Jagr.  Another 500+ goal scorer to add to my growing list of autographs!!!

Matt Duchene

Fan letter sent December 18, 2010.
1/1 autographed card received September 8, 2011.

Approx. nine-month turnaround for the Third Overall selection in 2009.  Duchene has already proven that he belongs in the NHL, improving 12 points from his rookie season in his sophomore campaign.  You hate to see a team like the Av's stumble the very next year after clinching a playoff spot and making everyone in the NHL think that the former stud of a franchise was on the rebound, but it happens to the best of them I guess.  Didn't really keep up with the Av's last year.  Letter and card sent to the Pepsi Center in Denver, CO.

Keith Tkachuk

Retired 500-Goal Scorer.

Fan letter sent May 18, 2011.

3/3 autographed cards received August 9, 2011.

Tkachuk retired after the 2009-10 NHL season with 538 goals and 1,065 points in 1,201 games played.  He started out with the Jets/Coyotes organization before being traded to the St. Louis Blues in 2001 and although he played for the Atlanta Thrashers for 18 regular season and four post-season games in 2007, he went back to the Blues the very next season and ended his career in St. Louis.  Letter and cards were sent to his home address.  I only have autographs of five of the 41 500-goal scorers now (Gretzky, Messier, Richard, Sakic, and now Tkachuk) but I'm hoping to add to that collection in the near future (I have letters out to Jaromir Jagr, Mats Sundin, and Mark Recchi so far with no response as of yet; Jagr I believe is my second try, this time to a different address than the first).

Johan Franzen

 

 

Fan letter sent February 23, 2011.
4/3 autographed cards received June 10, 2011.

Somehow one of Franzen's cards came back as doubles, so if anyone wants a player who has had a four-goal and a five-goal game, tell who you're willing to trade for him, autographed that is.  Kind of interesting since I only sent three cards.  Anyway...Don't worry, I won't ask for too much.

Henrik Zetterberg UD Game Jersey

Currently with the Detroit Red Wings.

Insert acquired May 31, 2011.

The 30-year old Swedish born Zetterberg has averaged almost a point-per-game in his 586 career NHL regular season games.  Yet another late-round pick-up that the Wings brought to the NHL.

Tomas Vokoun UD Game Jersey

Currently with the Florida Panthers.
Insert acquired May 31, 2011.

Czech Republic native Tomas Vokoun was a ninth-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft, but has spent most of his career with the Nashville Predators, even though he has played for the Florida Panthers the last four seasons.