Jason Blake

Sent: 11/19/11
Received: 4/2/12
Time: 135 Days
Address: c/o Anaheim Ducks
Item Sent: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, 2010-11 Upper Deck 20th Anniversary
Item Received: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, 2010-11 Upper Deck 20th Anniversary.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Ducks wing Jason Blake has overcome an awful lot over the course of a brilliant career.  The Moorhead, Minnesota native has been an NCAA Champion, NHL All-Star, a 40 goal scorer, and a US Olympian.  He was the recipient of the Bill Masterton Award in 2008 after continuing to play while undergoing treatment for leukemia.  He entered this past season with 473 career points, appearing to be a cinch to surpass the 500 point milestone for his career.  Unfortunately, he suffered a severe cut from a skate above his wrist in October.  By the time his tendon had healed, he missed about three months of the season.  His strong play over the regular season's final weeks bodes well for a return to form next season, even as he approaches age 40.

Mike Crowley

Sent: 11/18/11
Received: 11/23/11
Time: 5 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1995-96 Minnesota Gophers Hockey Team Issue, 1997-98 Pacific, 1997-98 Upper Deck MVP
Item Received: 1995-96 Minnesota Gophers Hockey Team Issue, 1997-98 Pacific, 1997-98 Upper Deck MVP.  All signed in black ballpoint.

Notes:
It's been a long time since I added to my 1995-96 Gophers Hockey team set, but this is a big one.  Mike Crowley was, quite simply, one of the greatest college hockey players I have ever seen.  He was a good defenseman, but a ridiculously talented skater and puckhandler for a blueliner.  He led the WCHA in scoring, was an All-American and a Hobey Baker finalist.  Most telling, all offensively-skilled Gopher defensemen to this day are still compared to Mike Crowley.  His game surprisingly did not translate to NHL success and he retired after parts of three seasons with the Ducks (and a training camp with the Wild).  He's still one of my all-time favorite players.  This is a rad return!

Mike Foligno

Sent: 9/15/11
Received: 9/24/11
Time: 9 Days
Address: c/o Anaheim Ducks
Item Sent: 1984-85 Topps, 1990-91 Score, 1990-91 Upper Deck, 1991-92 Score Canadian
Item Received: 1984-85 Topps, 1990-91 Score, 1990-91 Upper Deck, 1991-92 Score Canadian.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Mike Foligno was one of the most popular players in Buffalo Sabres history.  A team captain, he averaged approximately 25 goals and over 150 penalty minutes per year during his decade in Buffalo before finishing his career as a checking specialist for the Toronto Maple Leafs.  He peaked at 41 goals and 39 assists (both career highs) in 1985-86.  He is now an assistant coach for the Anaheim Ducks and has two sons playing pro hockey - Nick for the Ottawa Senators and Marcus in the Sabres organization.

Chris Pronger

Sent: 1/21/11
Received: 6/2/11
Time: 132 Days
Address: c/o Flyers SkateZone
Item Sent: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro
Item Received: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, signed and personalized in black Sharpie.

Notes:
It didn't come as too much of a surprise to receive a successful response from future Hall of Famer Chris Pronger.  I just wasn't expecting his card to be inside this particular envelope.  When I checked the mail, I had one of my familiar SASEs mixed in amongst the credit card solicitations and bills.  It was postmarked from Bemidji, Minnesota.  I tried to cycle through all the northern Minnesota athletes to whom I had pending requests.  A couple of hockey players popped into my mind, but certainly not Chris Pronger.  I'm still not sure of his connection to Minnesota.  I guess a lot of players have taken to making their summer homes in that area (including Pronger's Flyers teammate Scott Hartnell).  I had just not heard that Chris was now one of us!

George Parros

Sent: 1/7/11
Received: 5/23/11
Time: 136 Days
Address: c/o Anaheim Ducks
Item Sent: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro
Item Received: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
It's an eerie coincidence that one of the first hockey autographs I received after the news of Derek Boogaard's death was from George Parros.  I probably saw Boogaard fight him as much as any other opponent over the years.  Parros is a longtime enforcer for the Anaheim Ducks, best known for his amazing mustache.  He's hardly as dumb as you'd think, though!  He is a Princeton graduate who was ranked by the Sporting News as the fourth smartest athlete currently in professional sports.

Toni Lydman

Sent: 11/23/10
Received: 4/30/11
Time: 158 Days
Address: c/o Anaheim Ducks
Item Sent: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee, 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro
Item Received: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee, 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Veteran blueliner Toni Lydman signed with the Ducks as a free agent prior to this season, giving the team a solid leader in the wake of Scott Niedermayer's retirement.  He missed the few games of the season with injury, but became an ironman upon his return.  He was an ice-time machine and posted an impressive +32 rating while tutoring 19 year old rookie sensation Cam Fowler. 

Aaron Voros

Sent: 10/29/10
Received: 4/9/11
Time: 162 Days
Address: c/o Anaheim Ducks
Item Sent: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro
Item Received: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee, 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro.  Both signed in blue marker.

Notes:
Aaron Voros was a poor man's Cal Clutterbuck for the Wild during the 2007-08 season.  He only scored seven goals that year, but he accumulated 141 penalty minutes and quickly became a fan favorite with his high-octane pesky play.  He signed as a restricted free agent with the New York Rangers following that season, paving the way for the younger and more talented Clutterbuck to assume his role on the Wild.  His first season in the Big Apple produced nearly identical numbers as his season in St. Paul.  After a reduced role in 2009-10, he was traded to Anaheim during the offseason.  After playing only 12 games for the Ducks he was dealt again, this time to the Maple Leafs.  He finished out the season for their Toronto Marlies AHL affiliate and will be an unrestricted free agent following this season.  Mr. Voros generously added two extra cards to my request.  Unfortunately, all cards were signed with a hideous erasable marker.  Thankfully the signature remained intact on the Retro card I sent.  You can see how it has bubbled on the card he added.  He also included a glossy Collector's Choice card, where the signature had almost entirely rubbed off.  I didn't even bother including that one in the result.  Great return, just an unfortunate choice in writing utensils!

Saku Koivu

Sent: 12/30/10
Received: 1/19/11
Time: 20 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro
Item Received: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
When the long-time Montreal Canadiens captain became a free agent following the 2008-09 season, Wild fans were clamoring for him.  It would only make sense for Saku to join his younger brother Mikko in St. Paul.  Alas, Saku ain't gettin' any younger and he still wants a Cup.  I guess he figured the Anaheim Ducks offered more of an opportunity.  Hard to disagree.

Sean O'Donnell

Sent: 11/20/10
Received: 12/7/10
Time: 17 Days
Address: c/o Philadelphia Flyers SkateZone
Item Sent: 2000-01 Upper Deck, 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro
Item Received: 2000-01 Upper Deck, 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro.  Both signed in blue ballpoint.

Notes:
Sean O'Donnell will forever be in the trivia books as the first captain in Wild history.  Acquired in the expansion draft, he spent about two thirds of the 2000-01 season as part of the inaugural Wild squad before being shipped to New Jersey for young defenseman Willie Mitchell.  The trade worked out well for the Wild -- Mitchell would become one of the most beloved blueliners in the team's young history.  As for O'Donnell, his Devils would lose the Stanley Cup Finals that season, but he would get to hoist the Cup with the '06-'07 Anaheim Ducks.  Now 39, he's still active for the Philadelphia Flyers.

Randy Carlyle

Sent: 11/20/10
Received: 12/3/10
Time: 13 Days
Address: c/o Anaheim Ducks
Item Sent: 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee, 1984-85 O-Pee-Chee, 1991-92 Score Canadian
Item Received: 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee, 1984-85 O-Pee-Chee, 1991-92 Score Canadian.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Randy Carlyle won the Norris Trophy (as the NHL's best defenseman) in 1981 with the Pittsburgh Penguins.  He spent the bulk of his career with the Winnipeg Jets, one of the last players to go helmetless upon his 1993 retirement.  For the last six seasons, he has been the animated, Stanley Cup winning head coach of the Anaheim Ducks. 

Pete Peeters

Sent: 10/15/10
Received: 11/1/10
Time: 17 Days
Address: c/o Anaheim Ducks
Item Sent: 1984-85 Topps, 1991-92 Score Canadian
Item Received: 1984-85 Topps, 1991-92 Score Canadian.  Both signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
I always loved the name Pete Peeters.  The 1983 Vezina Trophy winner was one of the best goalies of the '80s.  He ended his career with 246 wins and a 3.08 Goals Against Average (pedestrian in today's NHL, but downright dominating for his high-scoring era).  He is now the goaltending coach for the Ducks.