Clark Gillies Autographed Card

It's a weird choice to feature Clark Gillies in Upper Deck's 2002-03 Foundations set and picture him as a member of the Buffalo Sabres rather than the New York Islanders, the team with whom he spent the better part of his Hall Of Fame-worthy career.

As a matter of fact, Gillies even captained the Islanders just a couple of seasons after winning the Memorial Cup with the Regina Pats - before relinquishing it to star defenseman Denis Potvin right before winning the Stanley Cup 4 straight times.

While he scored 30 goals or more in 6 of 7 seasons during his heyday, Gillies' 697 points in 958 career games pales in comparison with other Hall Of Fame statistics. Then again, he was inducted in 2002, alongside Rod Langway and Bernie Federko - star players in the 1980s, sure, but not indispensable players. After all, it isn't the Hall Of All Star Game Representatives, it's a place to immortalize, well, immortals.

Still, he was affable and fan-friendly when I met him at a HoF function in 2005 or 2006, where he took the time to sign my card in black sharpie and shake my hand.

He isn't related to Islanders enforcer Trevor Gillies but is the Minnesota Wild's Colton Gillies' uncle.