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![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_slU9ZoCKQEYGZp_oFDwOgqV_TSvFQ3u-rdihr5r3SLerjuyMoLk6YjbQyD3DN1m8jsZ1UdMDXl8y5Lji19r9A4m7-aQBpXES9SEarSnNEVsd-FCkV_qyDMrM3MVvNRtbqRq7tISPVC8GMF1qJjidYDad6XZXhZaziAYzsL4HyACcZf1gg6=s0-d)
, the smooth-skating giant (6'4'', 210 pounds) centerman the
Montréal Canadiens![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_u9VrXBoYj28S6LjZPWUyEk9xcn7pIhe2eaHLjjUvFxp0OQHh5TIrAtiguImd4bVe6yuNqSMx2dIV-sek1XeCAdhWPKVeMj0Edn03w4cSiwNYXAIM7JNePrdMaaiFOHKUtb4D46P3HnmAO3TZNeXUUpZY7lKEhsc3fucehvo-rezSJwztTF=s0-d)
have never replaced since trading him back to the
Minnesota North Stars![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_ut2wOGcS1VmmNRV5wvZYRURm0YLAqdAseLloeo6JaUNVN-T1pCZpiEDbtLk-m6cRFsQCDi11DUsAIqHNh1boqDzH0-MCjHTkVkxFSUIV0CXKLqn_G6Q12hYQr2r217O4QJdJMZpFE3-OHj90nyUuOs-yuldjaZBAKqcpFdF4cpp9yUYo6M=s0-d)
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![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tWA7OrEDWoDgJnr1S6MVTrpZylxGIyONmhKklTYEUyZ54bC6cL6yBwXMdIjOKCt2jVBXAcjyjciytcR65f4_m031efK6MaVJCy5xsoBN-_4Z6EmJIicMAGBXktZsFx7jomuQo2p9ptq1OIn5Ef-vY79Cm_n-ourLu6JRO15kQJdNFRjzncNw=s0-d)
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![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_viB3uR7my3-MYtkYtChE2Wjsdc1m3ClgVMHxFTTGAR0uWLcWnHl0_LbTFbSiRHJdiOMm7TLa91z6hF7JWYjSXAYEccOb8HYijGChEZQS-rnonixiQGoZGGb5rC8X5jP6Tu6gQRWOGhnbG7QccKUvZ2NaAVeXItMVNrE-cWjzSFMpXzOxLoNQ=s0-d)
by a whole 10 points. He won the Calder trophy as the league's best rookie (a trophy neither Gretzky nor
Sidney Crosby![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tV6Qm517sA18TJyUNV7kOJEvqylNDk9YIfWvT8qylC6HTbZyCNYPgDy7JfJCCa7jo9CFKFjsDu62es_Pz__sBqebDQ1Zp-NQEmoNY2SmhfiGiS8o_KBrNUZdxaNhDnnAWxgM0BAZRKP1AIVWeEMvtgzR88uB5eBnhk59a8_WsIancSG-r9Vw=s0-d)
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![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tNEdqf1S935BT66KIe2xeCCTq4dZhVXIiSp4jRBq_FDqwIe9XN5ZBGKYbnhkEOXJkuOvPXOKk94JvR6hX_rkLFY0676CzzoJwL8iziCExptnS-HlPnGPoQtfVB_mC1l7MUm0QTh5vp6wrxedNcbwBbBq_ApdmZCErEcxO-eIJl9BHU0i_kwQ=s0-d)
' general manager for parts of four seasons before holding the same position with the team he owns, his hometown QMJHL's
Halifax Mooseheads![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_v0UpKiF3HB2VyDjARuEYPMjMxdEjskpW1Qmhr9cYWRN6Y2u77enKumYwY83WUqLwhbqIevPyh8IuQMUw5M91tNNwxZlVfOjnkpjVKnUoFrijdG-e4GMxalxfAXCU_GfENp-x8ws2SlKs9zBsDcMa97CvSrGM9F0sVkWgoU1IiNOqNqgxP1LA=s0-d)
, 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.
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_slotfDg_da_keYZOaOVsqNijnowJxmS_lJVaxRF6eUUHtBPURRfM4JQhLcC3uLvZwmYarLARoEDi2b5An0c3pstHZ1dRlBaPKF2856imwdmXe6-8Szc9MAEQYCfJBewvLndb0zznUuMZoSxQf48nqk2dUEpaqm585iRLeASGfqILMOWKByDg=s0-d)
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).
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