With these 5 cards, I will finally be up to date on my December mail - it's been a good month!
Here is
Bobby Smith![](http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=hellsvalua-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0035QECOQ)
, the smooth-skating giant (6'4'', 210 pounds) centerman the
Montréal Canadiens![](http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=hellsvalua-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003K1GL72)
have never replaced since trading him back to the
Minnesota North Stars![](http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=hellsvalua-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003OIA47O)
in 1990. With the Habs, he had six consecutive just-about point-per-game seasons during which he was also sent to take important face offs and to shut down the opposing team's best line; skating alonside
Mats Naslund![](http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=hellsvalua-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000LOGDAQ)
from 1985-86 to 1988-89, he registered seasons of 86, 75, 93 and 83 points, twice scoring more than 30 goals.
The North Stars had chosen him first overall in the 1978 draft after he posted a 192-point season in the OHL, besting
Wayne Gretzky![](http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=hellsvalua-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000CNESUI)
by a whole 10 points. He won the Calder trophy as the league's best rookie (a trophy neither Gretzky nor
Sidney Crosby![](http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=hellsvalua-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003C0D7VY)
ever won) after a 74-point 1978-79 season and improved the next three years with seasons of 83, 93 and 114 points (43 goals!) before being sent to the Habs; upon his return to Minnesota in 1990, he proceeded to bring his team to the Stanley Cup finals and reach the 1000-point milestone.
He won the Cup with the Canadiens in 1986 and reached the Finals three more times in his career. He was the
Phoenix Coyotes![](http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=hellsvalua-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003WJ5UVU)
' general manager for parts of four seasons before holding the same position with the team he owns, his hometown QMJHL's
Halifax Mooseheads![](http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=hellsvalua-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001BME3W2)
, which he now also coaches. It is tehre that I sent along these five cards and a fan letter, on November 29th, and I got them back all signed in black sharpie on December 20th. It's a tremendous record, and I'm particularly excited, as he was one of the players whose play got me interested in hockey in my youth.
![](http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=hellsvalua-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001XMHHPU)
The card on top left is from
Score's
1990-91 Score set (card #61) and the one on top right is from the
1990-91 Pro Set set (card #160). A veteran for the Habs, he was one of several players who wore the 'A' that season, a year after
Larry Robinson was traded to the
Los Angeles Kings.
The card on bottom-left is from the
1992-93 Score collection (card #205), as is the one in the middle, highlighting his 1,000th point (card #446). Notice how he wore the 'A' for home games. The card on bottom-right is also a milestone-celebrating card, this time from
Pro Set's
1992-93 Platinum set, the
Collectibles insert sub-set (card #PC13).
No comments:
Post a Comment