Brian Propp

Sent: 5/23/12
Received: 6/1/12
Time: 9 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: Minnesota North Stars logo puck, 1984-85 O-Pee-Chee, 1987-88 Topps, 1990-91 Upper Deck, 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1992-93 Pinnacle, 1992-93 Topps
Item Received: Minnesota North Stars logo puck, Philadelphia Flyers logo puck, 1984-85 O-Pee-Chee, 1987-88 Topps, 1990-91 Upper Deck, 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1992-93 Pinnacle, 1992-93 Topps, Philadelphia Flyers photo, Hartford Whalers photo.  North Stars puck signed in silver Deco paint pen.  Cards and Flyers puck signed in blue Sharpie.  Photos signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Collectors have varied opinions on how many items is too many to send in an autograph request, so I'll preface this incredible return from Brian Propp by stating that after interviewing him for my Minnesota North Stars blog I asked for permission to send a puck and a few cards.  He gave me the thumbs up to send anything.  In addition to signing all of my stuff, he added his own Philadelphia Flyers logo puck and two photos.  Very cool return.  (Be sure to read the interview!)

Paul MacDermid

Sent: 11/12/11
Received: 12/9/11
Time: 27 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1989-90 Topps, 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1992-93 Ultra
Item Received: 1989-90 Topps, 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1992-93 Ultra.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
He spent most of his 15 NHL seasons in low-profile locales such as Hartford, Winnipeg, and Quebec City, so Paul MacDermid was never a household name.  For over a decade, though, he was a prototype NHL grinder.  He did the dirty work, shadowing the opponents' stars and would contribute around 30 points and 150 or so penalty minutes each season. 

Al Hangsleben

Sent: 11/29/11
Received: 12/8/11
Time: 9 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee, 1981-82 O-Pee-Chee
Item Received: 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee, 1981-82 O-Pee-Chee.  Both signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
Warroad, Minnesota native and University of North Dakota great Al Hangsleben had his finest professional years with the New England Whalers of the WHA.  He was a punishing hitter who excelled at clearing the front of the net, but also had a bit of scoring talent.  In fact, while with Washington, he even spent time filling in as a forward.

Gordie Roberts

Sent: 3/24/11
Received: 7/11/11
Time: 109 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee, 1981-82 Topps, 1984-85 O-Pee-Chee, 1991-92 Score Canadian
Item Received: 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee, 1981-82 Topps, 1984-85 O-Pee-Chee, 1991-92 Score Canadian.  All signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
Gordie Roberts was a North Stars mainstay during my introductory years as a hockey fan.  He joined the likes of Craig Hartsburg and Curt Giles to form one of the most professional and sound blueline corps in the NHL.  After eight years of smart puck-handling and shot-blocking at the Met Center he moved around the league fast and furious until landing in Pittsburgh, where he won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1992 and 1993 (the first one, of course, won at his old Bloomington stomping grounds against the North Stars).

Mark Johnson

Sent: 1/7/11
Received: 6/4/11
Time: 148 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1984-85 Topps, 1987-88 Topps, 1990-91 Upper Deck
Item Received: 1984-85 Topps, 1987-88 Topps, 1990-91 Upper Deck.  All signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
Mark Johnson was born in Minneapolis, but he is Madison through and through.  A star for his legendary father Bob at the University of Wisconsin, he then became a star on the 1980 US Olympic team.  He spent 11 seasons in the NHL (including 10 for the North Stars at the end of the 1982 season) and earned an All Star berth while with the Hartford Whalers in 1984.  He has spent the last decade as the head coach of Wisconsin's women's hockey team, and led the women's Olympic team to the silver medal in Vancouver in 2010.

Brad Shaw

Sent: 10/16/10
Received: 4/13/11
Time: 179 Days
Address: c/o St. Louis Blues
Item Sent: 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1991-92 Upper Deck
Item Received: 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1991-92 Upper Deck.  Both signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
I do love the old Hartford Whalers.  I loved their uniforms so much that I played almost exclusively as them for the original EA Sports NHL Hockey game on the Sega Genesis.  If I remember right, there weren't line changes in that game, so there were really only five skaters.  Ron Francis was the center, Pat Verbeek and Kevin Dineen were the wings, and Zarley Zalapski and Shaw were the defensemen.  Shaw was awesome.  He had been named to the All-Rookie team the year before, and was so great in that video game that I absolutely believed him to be one of the elite young blueliners in the NHL.  He did not end up having a star-making career, but he did stick around until 1999.  He's been a coach ever since, and is currently an assistant for the Blues.

Kevin Dineen

Sent: 10/16/10
Received: 2/7/11
Time: 114 Days
Address: c/o Portland Pirates
Item Sent: 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1991-92 Stadium Club, 1991-92 Upper Deck
Item Received: 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1991-92 Stadium Club, 1991-92 Upper Deck.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Kevin Dineen is as synonymous with the Hartford Whalers as anybody.  He's a two-time 40 goal scorer and a two-time 200 penalty minute man.  He scored the final goal in Whalers history and was both the last captain for the Whalers and first captain for the Carolina Hurricanes.  He currently coaches the Portland Pirates, AHL affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres.

Todd Krygier

Sent: 1/13/11
Received: 1/29/11
Time: 16 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1991-92 Score Rookie & Traded
Item Received: 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1991-92 Score Rookie & Traded.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
I continue to make my way through second requests to players I had success with before I started focusing on specific sets.  Former Whalers and Capitals winger Todd Krygier signed four cards for me back in June.  While I do feel a little guilty about going to the well twice with these guys, I think being straight with them, thanking them for their signatures on the first request, and explaining why I'm bothering them again has definitely helped.

Todd Richards

Sent: 10/29/10
Received: 1/20/11
Time: 83 Days
Address: c/o Minnesota Wild
Item Sent: 1991-92 Upper Deck, 1992-93 Topps
Item Received: 1991-92 Upper Deck, 1992-93 Topps.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Todd Richards is not the best NHL player that my high school (Robbinsdale Armstrong in Plymouth, Minnesota) produced -- that would be Jordan Leopold -- but he is the first Falcons alumni to become a head coach!  He enjoyed a fine high school career under the tutelage of the legendary Bruce Johnson (longtime Armstrong hockey coach and the father of one of my closest friends), and went on to serve as captain for the University of Minnesota.  He was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens and had a couple NHL cups of coffee with the Hartford Whalers during a long pro career (mostly spent in the AHL and IHL).  Prior to the 2009-10 season, he was introduced as the second head coach in Minnesota Wild history.

Pierre Larouche

Sent: 1/7/11
Received: 1/15/11
Time: 8 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1979-80 Topps, 1982-83 O-Pee-Chee, 1984-85 Topps
Item Received: 1979-80 Topps, 1982-83 O-Pee-Chee, 1984-85 Topps.  All signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
An incredibly talented scorer, Larouche posted 53 goals and 58 assists in his second NHL season for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1975-76.  At the time, he was the youngest player in league history to hit the 50 goal and 100 point milestones.  (A few years later, some kid in Edmonton bested him.  Name of Gretz-something.)  He reached the 50 goal mark again with Montreal in 1979-80, becoming the first player to score 50 with two different franchises.  Throw in the 48 he scored with the Rangers in 1983-84, and you still have the only player in league history to have a 45 goal season with three different clubs.

Paul Fenton

Sent: 1/7/11
Received: 1/15/11
Time: 8 Days
Address: c/o Nashville Predators
Item Sent: 1990-91 Upper Deck, 1991-92 Score Canadian Series 1, 1991-92 Score Canadian Series 2, 1991-92 Topps
Item Received: 1990-91 Upper Deck, 1991-92 Score Canadian Series 1, 1991-92 Score Canadian Series 2, 1991-92 Topps.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Former journeyman Paul Fenton (who played for six NHL teams over his eight year career) has found incredible stability in Nashville.  He was hired as the Predators director of player personnel 13 years ago and was promoted to assistant general manager four years ago.  Despite those smaller titles, he has actually been in charge of player acquisition the whole time, and has currently assembled a crop of defensemen and goaltenders who can skate with anyone.  With a couple more impact forwards, the Predators are serious Cup contenders.

Dean Evason

Sent: 7/9/10
Received: 12/24/10
Time: 168 Days
Address: c/o Washington Capitals
Item Sent: 1990-91 Pro Set, 1990-91 Topps, 1991-92 Score Canadian
Item Received: 1990-91 Pro Set, 1990-91 Topps, 1991-92 Score Canadian.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
I wrote to Dean Evason (now an assistant coach for the Capitals) during the offseason, figuring it could take a while to get a response.  Unfortunately, I had not yet decided to focus on specific sets yet when I sent the request.  While I did get one card here to add to my 1991 Score set, he has two more (one in the base set and one in the traded set) that I need.  So, I'll probably be writing again at some point.  Thanks, Dean!

Pat Verbeek

Sent: 10/27/10
Received: 12/13/10
Time: 47 Days
Address: c/o Tampa Bay Lightning
Item Sent: 1984-85 Topps, 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1991-92 Topps
Item Received: 1984-85 Topps, 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1991-92 Topps.  All signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
I'm really excited about this return.  Pat Verbeek was one of my favorites while growing up.  I've written about my fondness for the Hartford Whalers several times already on this blog.  Verbeek was, in a lot of ways, the heart and soul of those teams.  Despite his diminutive stature, it seemed he was a lock for 40 goals and 200 penalty minutes every year.  You just don't see guys like that anymore.  He started with some terrible New Jersey Devils teams, and he won Cups with Dallas and Detroit in the twilight of his career, but he'll always be a Whaler to me.

Joel Quenneville

Sent: 11/19/10
Received: 12/8/10
Time: 19 Days
Address: c/o Chicago Blackhawks
Item Sent: 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee, 1984-85 Topps
Item Received: 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee, 1984-85 Topps.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
I assume Joel Quenneville's money is no good in Chicago after leading the Blackhawks to their first Stanley Cup in 49 years last spring.  It was a crowning achievement for one of the most successful and recognizable NHL coaches of the last 15 years.  Quenneville and his magnificent mustache enjoyed several prosperous years in St. Louis and Colorado before getting the Blackhawks gig.  While NHL coaching tenures are always volatile, he should be able to stay in Chicago for as long as he wants.

Peter Sidorkiewicz

Sent: 10/16/10
Received: 10/29/10
Time: 13 Days
Address: c/o Erie Otters
Item Sent: 1990-91 Upper Deck, 1991-92 Pro Set, 1991-92 Score Canadian
Item Received: 1990-91 Upper Deck, 1991-92 Pro Set, 1991-92 Score Canadian.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Polish-born Peter Sidorkiewicz was a member of the 1989 NHL All-Rookie team and was an All-Star representing the inaugural Ottawa Senators team.  He has been coaching for the Erie Otters of the OHL since 2006.

Todd Krygier

Sent: 6/11/10
Received: 6/25/10
Time: 14 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1990-91 Upper Deck, 1991-92 Pro Set, 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1991-92 Upper Deck
Item Received: 1990-91 Upper Deck, 1991-92 Pro Set, 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1991-92 Upper Deck.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Krygier was the kind of gritty, workmanlike player that I loved.  He also wore the Hartford Whalers sweater, which I loved even more.  I have a fascination with defunct NHL franchises.  I'm sure I'll be sending to plenty of players from the Whalers, Winnipeg Jets, and Quebec Nordiques.  Probably because I still can't get over the loss of my Minnesota North Stars.  Todd added the note "Dan, My Pleasure!  Todd" to the back of my letter.  Thanks, Todd!