Rob Pearson

Sent: 11/12/11
Received: 6/11/12
Time: 212 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1991-92 Score Canadian "Dynamic Duo"
Item Received: 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1991-92 Score Canadian "Dynamic Duo."  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Rob Pearson was Eric Lindros' sidekick for the Oshawa Generals junior hockey team in 1990-91.  Lindros led the OHL that year with 149 points and Pearson added 118.  The "134" written in pucks on the photo is representative of their combined goal totals for the year -- 71 for Lindros and 63 for Pearson.  Rob was a first round pick by the Toronto Maple Leafs and had a stellar sophomore season in 1992-93 with 23 goals and 211 penalty minutes.  That would be his NHL peak, though, as he scored just 19 more goals over parts of the next four seasons.

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 Broten

Sent: 1/6/12
Received: 5/19/12
Time: 134 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1990-91 Score Traded, 1992-93 Ultra, 1993-94 Upper Deck, 1994-95 Upper Deck
Item Received: 1990-91 Score Traded, 1992-93 Ultra, 1993-94 Upper Deck, 1994-95 Upper Deck.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
The youngest of the three Broten brothers, Paul followed in the footsteps of Neal and Aaron from Roseau High School to the University of Minnesota to the NHL.  He didn't put up the gaudy scoring totals of his older brothers, and his pro career didn't last quite as long, but he did find a niche as a high-energy battler for the early '90s New York Rangers teams.  Paul was also the only Broten who didn't get a chance to lace up the skates for the Minnesota North Stars.  He was a year too late as he joined Neal on the newly relocated Dallas Stars in the fall of 1993.

Jim Johnson

Sent: 3/21/12
Received: 5/10/12
Time: 50 Days
Address: c/o Washington Capitals
Item Sent: 1991-92 Pro Set, 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1991-92 Topps
Item Received: 1991-92 Pro Set, 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1991-92 Topps.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
New Hope, Minnesota native Jim Johnson came home to the North Stars (along with fellow Minnesota-born blueliner Chris Dahlquist) in a trade with Pittsburgh during the 1990-91 season.  Of course those two teams would meet in the Stanley Cup Finals that year.  Johnson picked up 10 points in 44 games during the regular season for the North Stars, then played in 14 Stanley Cup Playoff games during the Stars' Cinderalla run to the Finals.  He remained with the Stars through the move to Dallas.  Since retiring, he has made the rounds as an NHL assistant coach.  This year he was added to the Capitals staff during their mid-season coaching shakeup.  He helped reinvent the Caps from the high scoring juggernaut they had been in previous years into a more defensive, well-rounded team.  Interim head coach Dale Hunter decided not to stick around after this year's playoffs, leaving that status of the rest of the staff in limbo, but I feel like Johnson had a positive enough impact in D.C. to be retained for next year.

Jude Drouin

Sent: 1/13/12
Received: 5/4/12
Time: 112 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee, 1973-74 Topps, 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee
Item Received: 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee, 1973-74 Topps, 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee.  All signed in black ballpoint.

Notes:
The North Stars acquired Jude Drouin from Montreal prior to the 1970-71 season.  The young playmaker had no place in the Habs' crowded lineup and was deemed expendable.  In Minnesota, however, he instantly became one of the first stars in North Stars history.  He spent four and a half seasons in Bloomington, putting up 262 points during that time, and he is still a fan favorite among old time North Stars fans.

Craig Simpson

Sent: 11/14/11
Received: 5/2/12
Time: 170 Days
Address: c/o CBC TV
Item Sent: 1987-88 Topps, 1990 Michigan State Collegiate Collection, 1990-91 Upper Deck, 1991-92 Score Canadian
Item Received: 1987-88 Topps, 1990 Michigan State Collegiate Collection, 1990-91 Upper Deck, 1991-92 Score Canadian.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
The best years of Craig Simpson's career came in Edmonton.  He won two Stanley Cups with the Oilers (1988 and 1990) and truly appeared to be on his way toward becoming the Edmonton dynasty's next superstar.  He was a 50 goal scorer during his first season with the Oilers (actually he scored 43 with the Oilers after scoring 13 with the Penguins earlier in the year, giving him 56 total on the season).  His greatest hockey have have been played in the 1990 Stanley Cup Playoffs, however.  He perfectly played the role of Mark Messier's sidekick, tallying 31 points in 22 playoff games as the Oilers captured the franchise's only post-Gretzky Cup.  After two injury plagued years in Buffalo, Simpson was forced into early retirement, prematurely ending a special career.  He's had a second career as a broadcaster and has been one of the signature voices of Hockey Night in Canada for many years.

Nick Foligno

Sent: 3/16/12
Received: 4/28/12
Time: 43 Days
Address: c/o Ottawa Senators
Item Sent: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro
Item Received: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Nick Foligno just wrapped up his fourth full season for the surprising Ottawa Senators, and it was a bit of a breakthrough for the former first round pick.  He brought his game to a new level of physicality, more than doubling his previous career high with 124 penalty minutes.  The added intensity helped his offense, too, as he posted career highs of 32 assists and 47 points.

Tomas Holmstrom

Sent: 10/17/11
Received: 4/26/12
Time: 192 Days
Address: c/o Detroit Red Wings
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 thin blue Sharpie.

Notes:
Tomas Holmstrom is a very good hockey player who has become a legend in Detroit thanks to his longevity and the team's prosperity.  In his 15 NHL seasons (all with the Red Wings), he has won the Stanley Cup four times.  He's now 39 years old and while his production has started to decline, he's still very capable of scoring 15-20 goals over a full season.  And he's always been a playoff stud.

Jim Craig

Sent: 4/4/12
Received: 4/23/12
Time: 19 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: Minnesota North Stars logo puck
Item Received: Minnesota North Stars logo puck, signed in silver Sharpie.

Notes:
In strictly North Stars terms, this is a pretty obscure autograph.  Still, it's one of the coolest early additions to my collection of North Stars pucks.  Jim Craig is, of course, an Olympic legend.  He was the goaltender who beat the Soviets.  As the netminder of the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" team, he became an American legend.  His immortal Olympic performance did not translate to NHL success.  He appeared in 30 NHL games for three different teams from 1980-1984.  The final three were with the North Stars during the 1983-84 season (he went 1-1-0 with a 4.91 Goals Against Average).

Rick Vaive

Sent: 4/5/12
Received: 4/21/12
Time: 16 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1984-85 Topps, 1991-92 Score Canadian
Item Received: 1984-85 Topps, 1991-92 Score Canadian.  Both signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
It's hard to believe, but the Toronto Maple Leafs - founded in 1917 - did not have a 50-goal scorer until 1981-82.  Rick Vaive lit the lamp 54 times that season.  He scored 51 the following year and 52 more the year after that.  Vaive wrapped up his outstanding career in 1992 with a final tally of 441 goals in 876 games, making him one of the more underrated snipers of his era.

Tom Gilbert

Sent: 2/10/12
Received: 4/17/12
Time: 67 Days
Address: c/o Edmonton Oilers
Item Sent: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, 2011-12 O-Pee-Chee
Item Received: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, 2011-12 O-Pee-Chee.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
This one seemed like a completely lost cause, due to unfortunate timing.  17 days after mailing my request to Edmonton, the Oilers traded the Bloomington, Minnesota native back home to the Wild.  I gave it a couple days, on the off chance Mr. Gilbert may have placed it in a Canadian mailbox on his way out of town, but when nothing showed up I figured I would just try him again next season.  So it's with great surprise (and curiosity) that this arrived, postmarked from St. Paul, but with Canadian postage.  Hey, I'm not complaining!

Steve Janaszak

Sent: 4/2/12
Received: 4/9/12
Time: 7 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: Minnesota North Stars logo puck
Item Received: Minnesota North Stars logo puck, signed in silver Sharpie.

Notes:
My first attempt at sending a hockey puck through the mail is a resounding success!  At the first ever Minnesota North Stars Alumni Reunion in March, I started a brand new collection.  I had individual North Stars logo pucks signed by everybody in attendance.  My puck collection went from zero to 29 in one day. 

Steve Janaszak was one of the first ex-North Stars I wanted to try through the mail.  He is a reliable TTM signer, but I had never tried him before as he doesn't have any cards (or, to my knowledge, any photos) appearing in a Stars sweater.  After all, he only played one game in net for the North Stars.

Still, he's a Minnesota hockey legend.  He helped lead the Gophers to the 1979 NCAA Championship.  Following that, he earned a spot on the 1980 US Olympic Team.  As Jim Craig's backup, he was the only member of the Miracle On Ice team who didn't see ice time during the Olympics.  His entire NHL career consisted of three games: the one with the North Stars in 1980 and two with the Colorado Rockies in 1981-82.

He signed the puck in the silver Sharpie I provided, and was kind enough to return the Sharpie with the puck.  Hopefully most future TTM puck signers follow suit!

Toby Petersen

Sent: 10/22/11
Received: 3/27/12
Time: 157 Days
Address: c/o Dallas Stars
Item Sent: 2008-09 Upper Deck, 2010-11 O-Pee-Chee Retro
Item Received: 2008-09 Upper Deck, 2010-11 O-Pee-Chee Retro.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Minnesota's own Toby Petersen had a long journey toward a regular role in the NHL.  Now in his thirties, he has finally found a home with the Dallas Stars.  For the last five seasons, the speedy, low-scoring forward has been a stable presence on the Stars' fourth line and penalty killing units.

Shjon Podein

Sent: 1/6/12
Received: 3/23/12
Time: 77 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1993-94 Stadium Club, 1994-95 Ultra, 2002-03 Upper Deck Vintage
Item Received: 1991-92 Upper Deck Czech, 2000-01 Upper Deck Vintage, 2001-02 Upper Deck Vintage.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Rochester, Minnesota native Shjon Podein played in the NHL for eleven seasons, winning a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2001.  He was an excellent defensive forward, regularly ranked amongst the top penalty killers in the league.  He's now back in Minnesota, coaching the St. Louis Park High School hockey team.

Brad Bombardir

Sent: 1/6/12
Received: 3/22/12
Time: 76 Days
Address: c/o Minnesota Wild
Item Sent: 1991-92 Upper Deck Czech, 2000-01 Upper Deck Vintage, 2001-02 Upper Deck Vintage
Item Received: 1991-92 Upper Deck Czech, 2000-01 Upper Deck Vintage, 2001-02 Upper Deck Vintage.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Brad Bombardir has done a little bit of everything for the Minnesota Wild since the franchise's formation.  He was part of the original expansion roster in 2000-01 and spent four years as a player in St. Paul as a steady defender and strong leader on the young Wild roster.  Shortly after his retirement, he took a position as a studio and in-arena analyst for Wild telecasts.  He then became the Wild's Director of Community Relations (a position he still holds), and in 2010 he was named Director of Player Development.  Along with these cards, Mr. Bombardir included a nice handwritten note on Wild stationary.

Guillaume Latendresse

Sent: 10/13/11
Received: 3/22/12
Time: 161 Days
Address: c/o Minnesota Wild
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:
The Minnesota Wild acquired Latendresse from the Montreal Canadiens in 2009 for Benoit Pouliot.  It was a classic challenge trade.  Both were high draft picks who had not lived up to expectations and had fallen out of favor with their original clubs.  The change of scenery immediately changed Gui's game.  He scored a team leading 25 goals in just 55 games for the Wild and seemed to have a spot locked up as a top-six forward for years to come.  In the two years since, though, injuries have limited him to a mere 27 games.  With a slew of prospects on the way and plenty of free agent cap space, there is no guarantee Latendresse will be back in St. Paul. 

Alain Côté

Sent: 2/10/12
Received: 3/17/12
Time: 36 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee, 1984-85 O-Pee-Chee
Item Received: 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee, 1984-85 O-Pee-Chee.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Côté was a wonderfully consistent and extremely underrated player who spent his entire 12 year career with the Quebec Nordiques.  He was good for about 35-40 points per year, but his calling was as an elite defensive forward.  He was so adept at defending, in fact, that he would often seamlessly transition to the blue line when called upon.  With these cards, Alain becomes the second player who shares my surname to join my autograph collection!

Marc-Édouard Vlasic

Sent: 2/10/12
Received: 3/14/12
Time: 33 Days
Address: c/o San Jose Sharks
Item Sent: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, 2011-12 O-Pee-Chee, 2011-12 Score
Item Received: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, 2011-12 O-Pee-Chee, 2011-12 Score.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Vlasic came to San Jose as a 19 year old rookie in 2006 and showed a world of potential with his smooth skating and crisp passing.  Two years later he had a career year with 6 goals and 30 assists and appeared to be on the cusp of joining the NHL's elite blueliners.  In the three seasons since, he has held his own as a solid member of the Sharks defensive corps, but his point totals have regressed.  Still, he just turned 25.  There's still time to become an All-Star.  But even if that doesn't happen, he has the chops to be a steady player for another decade.

Dennis O'Brien

Sent: 1/27/12
Received: 3/13/12
Time: 46 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1973-74 Topps, 1977-78 O-Pee-Chee, 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee
Item Received: 1973-74 Topps, 1977-78 O-Pee-Chee, 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee.  All signed and personalized in black gel pen.

Notes:
Dennis O'Brien, by all accounts, was one of the roughest and toughest North Stars of the '70s.  Though he only had modest point totals, he was a solid puck mover.  His asset was his physical defensive play, though.  He annually was among the North Stars' leaders in penalty minutes and fights and became a fan favorite.  Along with the kind personalization on each of these cards, he included a great hand-written note mentioning his fondest memories came as a North Star and expressing disappointment at the "bad trades and bad decisions" that led to the team's downfall in the middle of the decade.

Richard Zemlak

Sent: 2/16/12
Received: 3/13/12
Time: 26 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1989-90 ProCards Muskegon Lumberjacks, 1991-92 ProCards Salt Lake Golden Eagles
Item Received: 1989-90 ProCards Muskegon Lumberjacks, 1991-92 ProCards Salt Lake Golden Eagles.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Tough guy Rich Zemlak only spent one full season with the North Stars, but he made it count.  In 54 games during the 1987-88 campaign he spent a whopping 307 minutes in the penalty box!  He appeared in three games for the Stars the next season before moving on to Pittsburgh.  He finished his NHL career with 587 penalty minutes in 132 games.