Jonathan Toews Autographed Card

This probably qualifies as my BIGGEST return ever...

I had sent Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews two cards of his - one each of the team's classic red and white uniforms - probably two years ago, and received both of them back today - one signed in black sharpie. First, here's the one he didn't sign, in red:

And, the pièce de résistance, the one he did sign, an action shot of him in the Hawks' white (away) uniform, on card #SOG-JT from Upper Deck's 2011-12 Victory set and Stars Of The Game sub-set:

A three-time Stanley Cup winner (and 2009-10 Conn Smythe winner), two-time Olympic gold winner, the man who should always wear the "C" when playing for Team Canada, a perennial Selke candidate (he even won it in 2012-13), Toews will likely not be the player who'll make you win your office pool (although he shouldn't make you lose either); however, he's probably the guy you want to build a franchise around, because he makes everyone around him better - and not just on his own line, and not just the other top lines because he'll have gotten the opposition's best checkers off of them, but also because as Captain Serious, he's an inspiring player to want to follow.

As one of the most quiet and charismatic NHLers today, the consummate professional nearly has as many international hockey medals (six gold, one silver) as he does NHL seasons played (nine), despite being on a perennial contender.

He and Corey Crawford make rooting for the Hawks in the West come playoff time a natural occurrence come Spring. Well, I mean, them and the über-talented Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith and Artemi Panarin, of course, but Toews and Crawford rank among my favourite players.