My Alouettes Numbers Project

(team and product links go to sponsored Amazon products, player links go to related pages on my blog, news links go to source pages)

It's been a while since I started another Numbers Project after my Habs Numbers Project, my Oilers Numbers Project, my Sens Numbers Project, my Canucks Numbers Project, my Nordiques Numbers Project, my Flames Numbers Project, my Expos Numbers Project, my Jets Numbers Project, my Whalers Numbers Project, and my Team Canada Numbers Project, so I thought I might start one for my local Canadian Football League (CFL) team, the Montréal Alouettes.

The goal is simple: to gather a special piece (jersey cards could work, but ideally an autographed card) from a player from every number worn by a member of the Als, regadless of era (I had to give myself a chance).

As you may know, the first iteration of the Alouettes lasted from 1946 until 1981, with its peak during the 1970s, winning three Grey Cups in six appearances in the Grey Cup Final during that decade. The team's owner would hit hard financial times in 1982 and would hand the team back to the league in May - roughly a month before the start of the regular season; Montréal Expos (and Seagram) owner Charles Bronfman would retain most of the team's sports staff, players and employees as the Montréal Concordes, but the team stank and was unable to draw a decent attendance; Bronfman briefly went back to the Alouettes name, but the team folded before the 1987 regular season got underway.

In the early 1990s, the CFL tried expansing in the U.S., and the most successful franchise in that endeavour was the Baltimore Stallions, who made the Grey Cup Final in their first season in 1994 and won it the following year. Unfortunately, Art Modell, owner of the NFL's Cleveland Browns, announced that he planned to move his team to Baltimore, which would have relegated the Stallions to a second-tier team (due to playing in a second-tier league) in their city; after negociations and legal procedures, Modell was awarded a "new" NFL franchise - the Baltimore Ravens - and was allowed to retain most of the Browns' staff and players, as long as he forfeited the Browns' history and trademarks; the Browns were revived in 1999. This, however, rendered the Grey Cup champion Stallions homeless; after attempts at moving them to Houston (after the loss of the Houston Oilers and before the arrival of the Houston Texans), the CFL (and its commissioner Larry Smith, a former Als 1970s legend) was able to convince the team to move to Montréal to become the third iteration of the Alouettes.

So far, I have featured the following players:

19: S.J. Green: check!

I understand I still have a ways to go, but one reason why I started is that I believe I have enough to at least make it fun!

Maple Leafs Preview: Vincent Damphousse Autographed Card

(team and product links go to sponsored Amazon products, player links go to related pages on my blog, news links go to source pages)

This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on this collectibles blog and my personal one, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.

Caveats: At this point, despite the season just starting, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) two star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are tight at the top of the salary cap, which means there is much left to do.

Key exits: Joseph Woll (G), Matthew Knies (LW), Steven Lorentz (C), Dennis Hildeby (G), Nick Robertson (LW), Brandon Carlo (D), Simon Benoît (D), Matias Maccelli (LW), Henry Thrun (D), Emil Andrae (D)

Key Arrivals: Darren Raddysh (D), Kirill Marchenko (RW), Jack Roslovic (C), Sergei Bobrovsky (C), Nick Paul (LW),Zack MacEwen (RW), Brandon Duhaime (LW), Teddy Blueger (C), Colton Sissons (C),Miles Wood (LW),Elvis Merzlikins (G)

Top prospects: Gavin McKenna (RW, 18), Miroslav Holinka (C, 20), Ben Danford (D, 20),Jacob Quillan (C, 24), Noah Chadwick (D, 21), Alexander Bilecki (D, 18), Artur Aktyamov (C, 24), Ethan MacKenzie (D, 20)

I thought the Toronto Maple Leafs would make the playoffs last season despite losing Mitch Marner, but McKenna should provide some of the offense that was lost a year ago, though the leadership angle will have to wait a little bit - I don't see him taking over a locker room that already includes captain Auston Matthews and former captain John Tavares.

What makes their odds look good:
He's been away from the game for a while, but GM John Chayka still co-owned Stathletes with sister Meghan Chayka and Neil Lane, so he still kept tabs on NHL players and kept digging on the analytics front. Expect smart bets on young players coming out of their entry-level deals like he did with the Arizona Coyotes, and savvy veteran additions.

Question marks:
Is signing Bobrovsky for three years a savvy decision, though? Is Jim Hiller an NHL-caliber head coach despite what we saw him do with the Los Angeles Kings for the past two and a half years??

Outlook:
William Nylander is probably good for 90 points, Matthews should get back in the 30-to-35-goal range, Oliver Ekman-Larsson continues to defy age and Marchenko probably enjoys a year-long honeymoon in Toronto, who are very improved from last year. Enough to make the playoffs? Enough to make it interesting until the final week of the season.

Prediction:
5th in the Atlantic Division.

I tend to think of Vincent Damphousse as an important player for the San Jose Sharks and the Leafs, not as much for the Montréal Canadiens or Edmonton Oilers - but the truth is that, statistically, his highest totals have come in Montréal and his lowest were in San Jose. I'll say this though: Damphousse made the Sharks a serious team whose move to replace him as a centre after his retirement was to acquire Art Ross winner Joe Thornton in-season. To get back to the Leafs, however, they were the first team with which he broke the 30-goal and 90-point marks for the first time, going 33-61-94 in 80 games in 1989-90. Here he is wearing their classic 1980s blue (away) uniform on card #34 from In The Game's 2003-04 Original 6 - Toronto Maple Leafs set:

He signed it in-person in fading black sharpie at the Bell Centre 10-15 years ago, definitely after his ugly divorce.

Senators Preview: Thomas Chabot Autographed Card

(team and product links go to sponsored Amazon products, player links go to related pages on my blog, news links go to source pages)

This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on this collectibles blog and my personal one, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.

Caveats: At this point, despite the regular season being set to start today, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) two star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are currently above the salary cap, which means there is much work left to do.

Key exits: Brady Tkachuk (RW), Lars Eller (C), James Reimer (G), Nick Jensen (D), Dennis Gilbert (D), Lassi Thomson (D), Olle Lycksell (F), Mads Sogaard (G), Arthur Kaliyev (RW), Jan Jenik (D)

Key arrivals: William Eklund (RW), Samuel Ersson (G), André Burakovsky (LW), Samuel Blais (LW), Philip Tomasino (RW)

Top prospects: Carter Yakemchuk (D, 20), Logan Hensler (D, 19), Jonas Lagerberg Hoen (RW, 18), Blake Montgomery (LW, 21), Jorian Donovan (D, 22), Leevi Meriläinen (G, 24), Jaxon Cover (LW, 18), Xavier Bourgault (RW, 23)

The Ottawa Senators did some fine house cleaning in the offseason, clearing/cleansing the air in the (neighbouring) nation's capital.

What makes their odds look good:
Tim Stützle is a legitimate #1 centre, Jake Sanderson is an all-world defenseman, Thomas Chabot has been to an All-Star Game, Linus Ullmark is a Vezina winner, Artem Zub is a world-class defensive defenseman, Drake Batherson is a true top-six sniper, Claude Giroux still has gas left in the tank, Dylan Cozens is a good secondary centerman, Warren Foegle brings the lower-tier power forward element, Ridly Greig is a terrific wish-you-were-on-my-team pest (while Nick Cousins is the league's most-despised one), and Eklund still has untapped potential to break out as a first-liner.

Question marks:
Head coach Travis Green took a giant leap forward last season - does he have another step ahead in him? Is the Tkachuk addition-by-subtraction with the actual addition of Eklund enough to remain a wild-card team while the Florida Panthers get healthy again and the Toronto Maple Leafs have improved?

Outlook:
This is a good team with plenty of youth who can improve. They'd make the playoffs in any other division, but it's going to be a dogfight in this one.

Prediction:
6th in the Atlantic Division.

The Sens did the right thing today and righted a wrong from five years ago by naming Chabot the team captain. He had previously been a long-serving alternate captain for the team; internationally, he has worn both the "A" (2017 World Juniors, where he was tournament MVP) and "C" (2022 World Championships) in leading Team Canada to gold medals, a feat he also achieved at the 2019 Worlds.

Here he is wearing Ottawa's magnificent white (away) uniform on card # 127 from Upper Deck's 2021-22 Series 1 set, which he signed in blue charpie around 2023:

Blue Jackets Preview: Kirill Marchenko Jersey Card

(team and product links go to sponsored Amazon products, player links go to related pages on my blog, news links go to source pages)

This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on this collectibles blog and my personal one, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.

Caveats: At this point, despite the regular season being set to start in a matter of days, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) two more star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are currently above the salary cap, which means there is much work left to do.

Key exits: Kirill Marchenko (RW), Miles Wood (LW), Elvis Merzlikins (G), Boone Jenner (C), Mason Marchment (LW), Danton Heinen (LW), Egor Zamula (D), Brendan Smith (D), Zach Aston-Reese (LW/RW), Brendan Gaunce (C), Ivan Fedotov (G), Dysin Mayo (D), Hunter McKown (C)

Key arrivals: Matthew Knies (LW), Steven Lorentz (C), Emil Andrae (D), Valeri Nichushkin (RW), Ryan Lomberg (LW), Colton White (D), Phoenix Copley (G), Luke Tuch (RW)

Top prospects: Jackson Smith (D, 19), Cayden Lindstrom (C, 20), Pyotr Andreyanov (G, 19), Jordan Dumais (RW, 22), Sergei Ivanov (G, 22), Oscar Hemming (LW, 18)

I was waiting for the Marchenko shoe to drop before posting my Columbus Blue Jackets review and, as expected, it turned out to be a blockbuster.

What makes their odds look good:
They still have the reigning Norris Trophy winner in Zach Werenski, who nixed a trade to the Dallas Stars this summer to remain in Columbus. Knies is a 23-year-old top-6 forward with untapped offensive potential. Jet Greaves looks solid in net. Adam Fantilli extended well into his prime as training camp came to a close.

Question marks:
As the Werenski and Marchenko sagas proved, players are impatient to win, and not everyone sees the Blue Jackets as a team who can be a Stanley Cup contender in a relatively short window; they are on most no-trade lists and thus must draft, develop and nurture talent to get there.

Outlook:
General Manager Don Wadell has experience assembling and running teams that aren't exactly a destination, having previously served in the same position with the Atlanta Thrashers (1998-2010) and Carolina Hurricanes (2018-2024), the latter winning the Cup with his former assistant Eric Tulsky tweaking the lineup just a few months ago. He got enough good pieces back in the Marchenko trade that he doesn't need to pivot to (another) rebuild, he just needs to make sure he has the right coaching and development staff so that as many prospects as possible reach the NHL and have an impact. For now, they are a bubble playoff team with the Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins all fighting for a wild-card spot.

Prediction:
5th in the Metropolitan Division.

Marchenko is a tall, heavy player (6'3", over 200 pounds) with great hands who can protect the puck, deke multiple opponents on the same play and shoot accurately. He led the Jackets in goals in the last three seasons, posting nearly a point per game in 2024-25; on a team like the Toronto Maple Leafs, he has a shot at 40-goal and 85-to-90-point seasons. Here he is on the "Red Jersey" variant of card #18 from Upper Deck's 2024-25 SP Game-Used Edition set:

It shows him wearing the Jackets' blue (away) uniform, and carries a matching game-worn jersey swatch.

Islanders Preview: Ryan Pulock Jersey Card

(team and product links go to sponsored Amazon products, player links go to related pages on my blog, news links go to source pages)

This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on this collectibles blog and my personal one, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.

Caveats: At this point, despite training camp being set to start in a few days, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) three star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are currently above the salary cap, which means there is much left to do.

Key exits: Anders Lee (LW), David Rittich (G), Carson Soucy (D), Adam Boqvist (D), Maxim Shabanov (RW), Marc Gatcomb (C), Travis Mitchell (D), Cole McWard (D)

Key Arrivals: Matias Maccelli (LW), Vitek Vanacek (G), Matthew Kessel (D),Mitchell Chaffee (LW), Logan Stanley (D)

Top prospects: Malte Gustafsson (D, 20), Victor Eklund (LW/RW, 19), Kashawn Aitcheson (D, 20),Cole Eiserman (LW, 20), Dmitri Gamzin (G, 23), Danny Nelson (C, 21)

Losing captain Lee and a roster's worth of depth defensemen with none of them being replaced by new arrivals (save for Stanley earlier today) means the prospect pool (ranked 9th in the NHL by The Athletic) will be asked to jump in and play important roles. Head coach Peter DeBoer will have to balance teaching, accepting mistakes and winning enough to be in the mix for the playoffs.

What makes their odds look good:
A fine prospect pool, an elite goaltending tandem (Ilya Sorokin and a returning Semyon Varlamov from a two-year injury rehab), a smart GM in Mathieu Darche, and a superstar in the making in Matthew Schaeffer are a good starting point.

Question marks:
xxx

Outlook:
Hopefully, Bo Horvat and Brayden Schenn can combine to replace Lee's leadership, but this isn't the team that will end DeBoer's streak of not winning Stanley Cups despite being the most-hyped coach on the market.

Prediction:
6th in the Metropolitan Division.

Now in his 12th NHL season, Ryan Pulock is still dependable, although no longer among the best defensive defensemen in the league who got Norris votes in 2020-21; he remains an effective pair with Adam Pelech, but they are now a second pairing playing fewer minutes against elites, while Schaeffer gets the most ice time. Here he is from a set a decade ago:

That's card #RM-RP from Upper Deck's 2016-17 Series 2 set and Rookie Materials sub-set, and features a silver swatch of a jersey worn in a rookie photoshoot.

Avalanche Preview: Martin Nečas & Nathan MacKinnon Jersey Card

(team and product links go to sponsored Amazon products, player links go to related pages on my blog, news links go to source pages)

This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on this collectibles blog and my personal one, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.

Caveats: At this point, despite training camp being set to start in a couple of days, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) three star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are currently above the salary cap, which means there is much left to do.

Key exits: Ross Colton (C), Jack Drury (C), Valeri Nichushkin (RW), Alex Barré-Boulet (C), Jack Ahcan (D), Ivan Ivan (C), Isak Posch (G), Chase Bradley (RW), Joel Kiviranta (LW), Nick Blankenburg (D), Jason Polin (RW)

Key Arrivals: Jaden Schwartz (LW), Zachary L'Heureux (LW), Fedor Svechkov (C), Magnus Chrona (G), Fabian Lysell (RW), Vincent Hinostroza (C), Noah Juulsen (D)

Top prospects: Egor Shilov (C, 18), Ilya Nabokov (G, 23), T.J. Hughes (C/RW, 24), Gavin Brindley (RW, 21), Mikhail Gulyayev (D, 21), Lysell (RW, 23), Sean Behrens (D, 23), Francesco Dell'Elce (D, 21)

Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon once again lead this veteran team as the cream of the NHL in what is now a changed salary landscape. This is the last year of Makar's low cap hit, which likely means the Colorado Avalanche's Stanley Cup contention window will fade for a couple of seasons before opening up again in 2030. This franchise is led by elite talent, both on the ice and in management, as was cemented by Joe Sakic confirming he will stay on as Avs GM for the foreseeable future.

What makes their odds look good:
They dominated the NHL so much in their first 50 games last year - 35 wins, 6 regular-time losses, 9 overtime losses - that they could afford to coast to the Presidents' Trophy despite tons of injuries to key players in the second half (and the three playoff rounds). There has been a churning of the depth, but the star players remain, and they still have the best goaltending tandem in the league. It might not be as easy as last year, because head coach Jared Bednar will want his team to pace itself, but another finish at the top is a very strong possibility.

Question marks:
Injuries can happen, as can fatigue with the head coach; but apart from that (and perhaps even despite it), this team should finish in the top-3 in both the regular season and the playoffs.

Outlook:
With secondary scoring like Brock Nelson (coming off his fourth 30-goal season), Martin Nečas (38 goals and 100 points last season, effectively replacing Mikko Rantanen, whom he was traded for), Nazem Kadri (still producing at 2 points per 3 games pace), Schwartz, tough third-linner Nicolas Roy, clutch playoff performer Artturi Lehkonen and captain Gabriel Landeskog, the Avs are the deepest team in the West with far less competition than the Florida Panthers have in the East. And that's without mentioning Olympian Devon Toews on the back end, helped by Brent Burns, Sam Malinski, Josh Manson and Brett Kulak.

Prediction:
1st in the NHL.

Today being my birthday, my kids and wife each gifted me a special hockey card - and this was the one my son chose for me:

That's card #T2-MR from Upper Deck's 2025-26 Artifacts collection and Tundra Teammates sub-set, featuring Nečas and MacKinnon, two 100-point superstars each with a piece of game-worn jersey, numbered 50/99. I likely never would have pulled it out of a box myself, and MacKinnon is one of my favourite players, so you can imagine how stoked I was to receive it.

Flames Preview: Matthew Coronato Banner Card

(team and product links go to sponsored Amazon products, player links go to related pages on my blog, news links go to source pages)

This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on this collectibles blog and my personal one, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.

Caveats: At this point, despite training camp being set to start in a week, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) three star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are currently above the salary cap, which means there is much left to do.

Key Exits: Blake Coleman (C), Victor Oloffson (LW), Étienne Morin (D), Ryan Lomberg (LW), Olli Maata (D)

Key Arrivals: Simon Nemec (D), Maxim Tsyplakov (RW), Jake Middleton (D)

Top prospects: Zayne Parekh (D, 20), Cole Reschny (C, 19), Carson Carels (D, 19), Samuel Honzek (LW, 22), Cullen Potter (C, 19), Henry Mews (D, 20), Ethan Wyttenbach (LW, 19), Matvei Gridin (RW, 20)

The Calgary Flames are one of two teams - with the Vancouver Canucks - who are at the teardown part of their rebuild, which should see them finish in the bottom two teams in the NHL.

What makes their odds look good:
Dustin Wolf is looking for a bounce-back season in nets, Nemec and Parekh will be very good on their blue line for years to come, Zach Whitecloud and Middleton makes them hard to play against right now, and there are a lot of promising forwards that should reach their prime in the next two to five years - but they're not there yet, and their ceilings have yet to be determined.

Question marks:
How long of a leash does Wolf have in net - or does it even matter if he falters since the point of this season (and the next two or three) is still to stockpile quality draft hauls? Matt Coronato led the team last season with 45 points; can someone reach 55 or 60 this year? How long does head coach Ryan Huska have to show improvement?

Outlook:
This rebuild will determine GM Craig Conroy's future employment: a successful one sees him continue with the Flames, and failure will likely mean he will not get another chance anywhere else. And you never know how it'll pan out: teams usually trade veterans for draft capital, but who you trade to and where those teams finish impacts the selection rank; then you have to make the right picks - best player, most upside, best work ethic, best fit - the team determines the criteria; and you need to develop those guys into the best versions of themselves, which requires not just a good hockey staff but also training facilities, good working environment, team culture. For now, we know the Flames will not enter their new arena as contenders next season, but we have no idea how long it will be until they come knocking at the playoff's door.

Prediction:
7th in the Pacific Division.

As mentionned previously, Coronato seems to be at the front of the pack of young Flames forwards. Here he is on card #BYHC-MC from Upper Deck's 2024-25 SP Game-Used collection and Banner Year and Heritage Classic sub-sets, wearing the Flame's uniform from that game:

As stated on the back of the card, it features a piece of banner that was used at the event. Specifically, the bottom-right part of the event's logo:

Coronato has been a point-per-game player in the USHL, in the NCAA for the Harvard Crimson, and in the AHL with the Calgary Wranglers:

From what I have seen, he has good hands and isn't afraid of traffic, using physical contact to protect the puck and/or move it forward. He's a little on the small side at 5'10" and 183 pounds, but already has seasons of 24 (47 points) and 18 goals (45 points) under his belt; 30-goal seasons are not beyond his capabilities (he scored 48 in 2020-21 on his way to being named the USHL's Forward Of The Year). He is currently on a seven-year contract that will pay him $6.5M per season. In the current NHL landscape, it'll be second-line money in two or three years.

Panthers Preview: Aleksander Barkov Autographed Card

(team and product links go to sponsored Amazon products, player links go to related pages on my blog, news links go to source pages)

This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on this collectibles blog and my personal one, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.

Caveats: At this point, despite training camp being set to start in a little over a week, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) three star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are currently above the salary cap, which means there is much left to do.

Key exits: Sergei Bobrovsky (G), Evan Rodrigues (C), Mackie Samoskevich (RW), Daniil Tarasov (G), Jesper Boqvist (C), Tomas Nosek (LW), A.J. Greer (LW), Luke Kunin (C), Vinnie Hinostroza (RW), Noah Gregor (LW), Mike Benning (D), Nolan Foote (LW), Jack Studnicka (C), Wilmer Skoog (C), Ben Steeves (LW)

Key Arrivals: Brady Tkachuk (RW), Jacob Markstrom (G), Radko Gudas (D),Lars Eller (C), Garnet Hathaway (RW), Akira Schmid (G), Sam Lafferty (C), John Beecher (C), Alexander Petrovic (D), Angus Crookshank (LW), Bokondi Imama (LW)

Top prospects: Simas Ignatavicius (RW, 18), Marek Alscher (D, 22), Ryder Cali (C, 18),Jack Devine (RW, 22), Gracyn Sawchyn (C, 21), Sandis Vilmanis (LW, 22), Linus Eriksson (C, 20), Matvei Shuravin (D, 20)

15 exits including a Hall of Fame goalie, one star forward and a former star goalie coming in, in addition to the league's most dangerous hitter - to the most rugged team in the NHL.

What makes their odds look good:
So much firepower up front, with captain Alexander Barkov returning, Brady joining brother Matthew Tkachuk, Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, Anton Lundell, and Brad Marchand, among others, three proven offensive defensemen, three proven rugged defensive defensemen, one of the most knowledgeable coaches in the game in Paul Maurice... Despite missing the playoffs (due to too many injuries) last season, they enter this one as the clearest Stanley Cup contenders in the East.

Question marks:
Markstrom was a Vezina-level goalie with the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames, but looked lost with the New Jersey Devils - which Jacob shows up in Florida? How many man-games will be lost to injury on one of the league's oldest rosters?

Outlook:
The deepest offense in the league, the meanest defenseman in the league, Gustav Forsling, Seth Jones and Aaron Ekblad all in their primes on D, and what I believe will be Markstrom's comeback. Like everyone else, I see this team right back on top.

Prediction:
1st in the Atlantic Division.

Sasha Barkov missed the entire regular season last year due to ACL and MCL damage; he also missed the Olympics, but was able to suit up for Team Finland at the World Championships after the Florida Panthers missed the playoffs, scoring 3 goals and adding 8 assists for 11 points in 10 games, helping Finland to the gold medal and earning a spot on the tournament's All-Star Team. He also has a silver medal from the 2016 Worlds, and a bronze medal from the 2014 Olympics.

Here he is repping the Cats' white (away) uniform on card #495 from Upper Deck's 2021-22 O-Pee-Chee set:

He signed it in thick blue sharpie after a game against the Ottawa Senators at the then-Scotiabank Place.

Kings Preview: Alex Turcotte Autograph Card

(team and product links go to sponsored Amazon products, player links go to related pages on my blog, news links go to source pages)

This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on this collectibles blog and my personal one, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.

Caveats: At this point, despite training camp being set to start in a little over a week, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) three star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are currently above the salary cap, which means there is much left to do.

Key exits: Andrei Kuzmenko (LW), Phoenix Copley (G), Mathieu Joseph (RW), Jeff Malot (LW), Jacob Moverare (D)

Key Arrivals: Mats Zuccarello (RW), Corey Perry (RW), Erik Haula (LW),Erik Gustafsson (D), Lane Pederson (C/RW), Scott Perunovich (D), Jan Jenik (D)

Top prospects: Elton Hermansson (LW/RW, 18), Liam Lefebvre (C, 19), Adam Goljer (D, 19),Carter George (G, 20), Hampton Slukynsky (G, 21), Henry Brzustewicz (D, 19), Franceso Pinelli (C, 23), Vojtech Cihar (RW, 19), Erik Portillo (G, 25)

I'm surprised there are so many prospects on this list, considering GM Ken Holland's propensity of trading them (and high draft picks) for aging veterans.

What makes their odds look good:
New head coach Peter Laviolette has a (long) history of over-delivering results in his first year behind a team's bench. Artemi Panarin is still a good first-line player.

Question marks:
What does life after Anze Kopitar look like? How much gas does Drew Doughty have left in the tank? How will goalies Darcy Kuemper and Anton Forsberg split starts?

Outlook:
There are a lot more question marks on this team than there are sure-fire positives, and that's before factoring in the fact that the Los Angeles Kings have been ousted in the first round of the last five playoffs. Their so-called blue-chip prospects take longer than expected to become difference-makers, and there is a real possibility that Alex Laferrière (third-round pick, 83rd overall in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, generally considered a middle-six winger) might outscore Quinton Byfield (second-overall pick in the same draft, thought to be the team's #1 centre for the last couple of years) atop the team's standings this year.

Prediction:
5th in the Pacific Division.

Which brings us to Alex Turcotte. A former first-round draft pick himself (5th overall, 2019), he is about to begin his third full-time NHL season, having never posted a point-per-game average in (parts of) four different seasons in the AHL. Even with the Wisconsin Badgers of the NCAA, he had 9 goals, 17 assists and 26 points in 29 games in 2019-20, after five very productive seasons with the U.S. National Under-18 Team, playing behind the likes of Jack Hughes, Cole Caufield, Matthew Boldy, Trevor Zegras and Matty Beniers.

Here is Alfie Turcotte's son wearing the Kings' white (away) colours on card #SS-AT from Upper Deck's 2024-25 SPx set and Super Scripts sub-set:

It features a blue-sharpied sticker autograph affixed to the card.

Hurricanes Preview: Rod Brind'Amour Dual Jersey Card

(team and product links go to sponsored Amazon products, player links go to related pages on my blog, news links go to source pages)

This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on this collectibles blog and my personal one, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.

Caveats: At this point, despite training camp being set to start in a little over a week, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) three star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are currently above the salary cap, which means there is much left to do.

Key exits: Frederik Andersen (G), Mike Reilly (D), Noah Philp (C)

Key Arrivals: None.

Top prospects: Bradly Nadeau (LW, 21), Felix Unger-Sorum (RW, 20), Charles-Alexis Legault (D, 22),Semyon Frolov (G, 19), Justin Poirier (RW, 19), Charlie Cerrato (C, 21), Justin Robidas (C, 23), Nikita Artamonov (LW, 20)

The only departures were an oft-injured, 37-year-old goalie, a depth defenseman, and a fourth-line centre - and with no notable arrivals, their replacements will come via the team's system, which will inject some youthful energy to a group that played until the end of June. Alexander Nikishin is at a contractual impasse and may be used as trade bait for a player in a similar situation from the Detroit Red Wings, a top-end goalie from the Winnipeg Jets, as part of a package for a defenseman from the Minnesota Wild, or any other roster player who used to warrant $7.5M in salary and whose value rose above $12M this summer.

What makes their odds look good:
They won the Stanley Cup in just 19 games (only three playoff losses) mere months ago, and the only lineup changes so far have been limited to letting depth guys go and replacing them with younger options. These guys have been playing this system for years and it's paid off well in every regular season so far.

Question marks:
Will the goaltending hold up with Brandon Bussi as the #1 guy and Pyotr Kochetkov being asked to triple his workload from last season? Does it even matter, though?

Outlook:
They won't necessarily coast to a first-place finish because, like Charlie Sheen, they only have one speed ("Go!"). But they are a machine that will only be stopped by time and the effects of years of compound physical play, like last year's Florida Panthers.

Prediction:
1st in the Metropolitan Division.

Head coach and former captain Rod Brind'Amour is no stranger to the Carolina Hurricanes' success, as he has them playing just like he used to himself, with speed, skill, strength, intelligence, stamina and led by willpower.

As a player, Rod The Bod amassed 452 goals, 732 assists and 1184 points in 1484 regular-season NHL games that included the entire Dead Puck Era, as well as 51 goals and 60 assists for 111 points in 159 playoff games, culminating with a Stanley Cup in 2006 (and another Final in 2002) and two Selke trophies as the league's best defensive forward. He has better credentials than many current Hall of Famers. He also won a gold medal with Team USA at the 1994 World Championships.

As a coach, he won the Cup last summer, but is also one of the rare winners of the Jack Adams Trophy (best head coach, 2020-21) to not get fired the very next season. Maybe that's his way into the Hall.

Here he is wearing the Canes' red (home) uniform on card #AF-RD from Upper Deck's 2008-09 SP Game-Used Edition set and Authentic Fabrics and Dual Jerseys sub-sets:

As implied, it features two (black) game-worn jersey swatches.

Mammoth Preview: Maveric Lamoureux Autograph Card

(team and product links go to sponsored Amazon products, player links go to related pages on my blog, news links go to source pages)

This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on this collectibles blog and my personal one, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.

Caveats: At this point, despite training camp being set to start in a couple of weeks, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) three star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are currently above the salary cap, which means there is much left to do.

Key exits: J.J. Peterka (RW), Vitek Vanecek (G), Sean Durzi (D), Ian Cole (D), Alexander Kerfoot (C), Andrew Agozzino (LW), Maksymilian Szuber (D), Cole Beaudoin (C), Scott Perunovich (D)

Key Arrivals: Vincent Trochek (C), Anders Lee (LW), Joshua Roy (RW), Sebastian Cossa (G), Zac Jones (D), Andrew Peeke (D)

Top prospects: Caleb Desnoyers (C, 19), Tij Iginla (C, 20), Maveric Lamoureux (D, 22),Cossa (G, 21), Daniil But (RW, 21), Ethan Belchetz (LW, 18), Michael Hrabal (G, 21), Dmitri Simachev (D, 21)

This franchise has pretty much always been seen as a team on the rise, but they often get caught behind the Central Division powerhouses like the Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars. But those teams seem to be in a limited window due to their aging cores; the Utah Mammoth are just entering a ten-year playoff contention window that should have a decent four-year run at the Stanley Cup in the middle of it.

What makes their odds look good:
Look at that list of Prime prospects! And the current core is also young and excellent. They are well-coached by André Tourigny, and GM Bill Armstrong is also at the top of his game.

Question marks:
Can Karel Vejmelka find the consistency that being a #1 goalie requires over many seasons? Will Clayton Keller continue his ascension into a 90-point player? Is Logan Cooley ready to produce at a point-per-game average over a full season? How long can John Marino keep playing at a pace that keeps up with the league's elite defensive defensemen?

Outlook:
This is a playoff team, and had they been in the Pacific, they might have finished first in the division, and would be second or third in the Metropolitan. There is no superstar on the team, but their balance is nearly on the level of the Carolina Hurricanes and Montréal Canadiens.

Prediction:
4th in the Central Division.

Two of the Mammoth's top prospects, Desnoyers and Lamoureux, hail from the LHJMQ, which has been a rare occurence in the last two decades. The Québec and Maritimes' top Juniors league and overall hockey ecosystem used to produce the world's best goalies (Georges Vézina, Jacques Plante, Bernared Parent, Rogatien Vachon, Patrick Roy, Martin Brodeur, Jean-Sébastien Giguère, Roberto Luongo, Marc-André Fleury), Hall of Fame forwards and defensemen (Maurice Richard, Jean Béliveau, Doug Harvey, Mario Lemieux, Denis Savard, Vincent Lecavalier, Sidney Crosby), as well as more than half of the NHL's tough guys; in 2025-26, Québec-born players barely accounted for 8% of the NHL as a whole, meaning that a fictionnal Team Québec would have gone from a medal contender to barely a participant in an Olympic-like tournament.

Lamoureux is a unique player: 6'7", 215 pounds (projected to play at 220-225 in the NHL), gifted offensively, able to pass cross-ice between skaters, very physical with good gaps. Chosen 29th overall in 2022, he projects to have a higher ceiling than what was originally thought of Hall Of Fame defenseman Zdeno Chara when he was drafted 56th overall in 1996. I do not necessarily see that for Lamoureux, but am not against seeing him with a career path like a harder-to-play-against one-time All-Star and Stanley Cup champion Kevin Shattenkirk.

Here he is on the signed insert version of card #314 from Upper Deck's 2023-24 CHL collection and Stars sub-set:

It shows him wearing the Drummondville Voltigeurs' white (home) uniform (and alternate captain's "A") at a face-off, and features a blue on-sticker autograph that was added to the card.

Kraken Preview: Matty Beniers Jersey Card

(team and product links go to sponsored Amazon products, player links go to related pages on my blog, news links go to source pages)

This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on this collectibles blog and my personal one, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.

Caveats: At this point, despite training camp being set to start in a couple of weeks, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) three star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are currently above the salary cap, which means there is much left to do.

Key Exits: Jaden Schwartz (LW), Jamie Oleksiak (D), Eeli Tolvanen (RW), Matt Murray (G)

Key Arrivals: Mackie Samoskevich (RW), Curtis Douglas (C)

Top prospects: Chase Reid (D, 18), Jake O'Brien (C, 19), Jani Nyman (RW, 22), Blake Fiddler (D, 19), Jagger Firkus (RW, 22), Oscar Fisker Molgaard (C, 21)

xxx

What makes their odds look good:
Some of their best prospects are young enough to build sustainable success around... if they break through. Samoskevich coming via trade with the Florida Panthers this summer and Bobby McMann from the Toronto Maple Leafs last year show that new GM Jason Botterill may indeed be the right person to build this team up (and/or he has excellent assistants in Ricky Olczyk, Alexandra Mandrycky, and Ryan Jankowski, to which former Vancouver Canucks GM Patrik Allvin was added this summer, along with all the analytics staff).

Question marks:
Will Matty Beniers fulfill the promise of his Calder Trophy-winning season and join the ranks of the All-Stars ot elite? Will Shane Wright get traded, or improve? Will Lane Lambert provide stability (i.e. a four- or five-year run) behind the Seattle Kraken bench for the first time in franchise history?

Outlook:
Like the Detroit Red Wings in yesterday's post, the Kraken seem mired in mediocrity and non-playoff futility. Unlike the Wings, however, their prospect pool includes a lot of players aged 20 or younger, especially among the highest-rated players. There is a light at the end of the tunnel even if the currect crop of players does not get to find success themselves.

Prediction:
6th in the Pacific Division.

Key among players hoping to take another step and either make the jump to the next wave instead of just bridging the gap to it is Beniers, the second-overall pick of the 2021 draft; to be fair, only Jesper Wallstedt (20th, Minnesota Wild) and Wyatt Johnston (23rd, Dallas Stars) have established themselves as top players in the first round from that draft class, with Josh Doan (37th, Arizona Coyotes), Logan Stankoven (47th, Stars), Matthew Knies (57th, Leafs), J.J. Moser (60th, Coyotes), and Jackson Blake (109th, Carolina Hurricanes) looking like steals in the later rounds.

With three 20-goal seasons under his belt, Beniers hasn't been a flop by any means, but the 24 goals, 33 assists and 57 points he registered in his rookie season remain career highs to this day:

Internationally, he has been successful in depth roles on Team USA, winning gold at the 2021 World Juniors and 2025 World Championships, as well as bronze at the 2019 World U-18s and 2025 Worlds.

Here he is on card #60 from Upper Deck's 2024-25 SP Game-Used set and Red Jersey sub-set:

It features a dark blue game-used jersey swatch.

Red Wings Preview: Lucas Raymond Banner Card

(team and product links go to sponsored Amazon products, player links go to related pages on my blog, news links go to source pages)

This will likely be the preface to all of this year's Season Preview posts: Unlike in the distant past where I would post different texts on this collectibles blog and my personal one, I've been using a new format for the past couple of years, where I'll copy the same text on each one. As a father of two young kids, I just do not have enough time to write two separate posts per day on each blog. This year again, the entire scope of the analysis will take place first and the featured player will have a direct or perhaps indirect connection to what's written, below.

Caveats: At this point, despite training camp being set to start in a couple of weeks, several players haven't found a team yet, (at least) three star players have active trade requests, and a few clubs are currently above the salary cap, which means there is much left to do.

Key exits: Patrick Kane (RW), Cam Talbot (G), Travis Hamonic (D), James van Riemsdyk (LW), David Perron (RW), Erik Gustafsson (D), Sebastian Cossa (G)

Key Arrivals: Viktor Arvidsson (LW), Daniil Tarasov (G), Keegan Kolesar (RW), Jacob Bryson (D), Wilmer Skoog (LW/RW)

Top prospects: Michael Brandsegg-Nygard (RW, 20), Trey Augustine (G, 21), J.P. Hurlbert (LW, 19), Carter Bear (LW, 19), Nate Danielson (C, 21), Carter Mazur (LW, 24), Max Plante (LW, 20)

GM Steve Yzerman's failed rebuild stepped down was fired moved on beyond hockey operations just too late to salvage the season at hand, leaving the team without a contract boss two weeks into free agency season, with captain Dylan Larkin requesting a trade out from his hometown team and future #2-3 defender Simon Edvinsson without a contract as a Restricted Free Agent. It is chaos. And it's not like the team was a contender to begin with.

What makes their odds look good:
Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider are legitimate top-flight players. Alex DeBrincat is not an accidental 40-goal scorer. I still believe in John Gibson as a 45-to-50-game starting goalie.

Question marks:
What if Larkin is better suited as an elite second-line centre? Is Todd McLellan the coach that can bring an underachieving team to the playoffs, instead of underachieving in the playoffs with well-built teams (as he has in the past with the San Jose Sharks, Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings)?

Outlook:
This is a mediocre team - in the true sense of the word, not as a metaphor for "bad"; these players are all probably among the 1,000 best in the world which, factoring in the fact that there are elite players in the Juniors circuit and that the KHL, AHL and European leagues are legitimate pro leagues where players deserve to make a living from the sport, means they are legitimate NHLers. That is not where the problem lies; most of their top prospects are in their 20s and have not broken into the league yet. Drafting, which used to be the team's bread and butter (with their owner's deep pockets), no longer finds Hall Of Famers in the late rounds - heck, they often seem to get outdrafted in the first round by later picks from other teams (which could signal to a development issue as well). While an argument can be made every year that they are on the cusp of breaking out and could finally contend for a playoff wild card spot - and they do usually hang around for nearly half the season - the recipe just isn't working, and instead of fighting to be around 15th overall, they fall closer to 30th. These players chosen by this management to be led by this coaching staff (and the last three...) do not produce a good enough result for where the team was 20-30 years ago; they look a whole lot more like the team from the 1980s, and that's what's scary about it.

Prediction:
8th in the Atlantic Division.

For the third straight season, Raymond has produced around a point per game, but he has also improved defensively, with a Fenwick For above 52% and a plus/minus line that has consistently improved as well, going from -32 to -17 to -12 to -15 to +1 in his five NHL seasons. He also took on a larger role with Team Sweden internationally, going from 4 points in 7 games (bronze medal) and 5 points in 5 games (5th place) at the 2020 and 2021 World Juniors respectively, to 8 points in 8 games (6th place) and 9 points in 10 games (bronze medal) at the 2023 and 2024 World Championships, to 3 points in 3 games (3rd place) and 11 points in 10 games (bronze medal) at the 2025 4 Nations tournament and World Championships respectively, to 9 points in 5 games at the 2026 Olympics and 11 points in 8 games at the 20215 Worlds. He's one of the Detroit Red Wings' best players, in his prime, but at 24 years of age, he might not still be when the team's next solid nucleus reach their peaks.

Here he is on card #BYGS-LR from Upper Deck's 2024-25 SP Game-Used set and Banner Year sub-set:

It shows him wearing the Wings' red (home) uniform from the 2023 Global Series (as attested by the patch on his right pectoral muscle), along with a piece of decorative banner from the event:

2026-27 Upper Deck Hockey MVP Box Break

(team and product links go to sponsored Amazon products, player links go to related pages on my blog, news links go to source pages)

I couldn't pass up the opportunity to grab myself a box of the season's first set, Upper Deck's 2026-27 MVP (Retail version):

The main set has a nice futuristic, computer chip-y design that UD could have used on a more premium set (but I'm glad they didn't):

I miss when the backs had statistics from the previous five seasons, but having an anecdote for every single player is actually a pretty decent feat. The box cost me $80 (plus taxes, which amounts to $92) for 36 packs of 7 cards each - 252 in total. All told, I pulled 29 insert cards, which means I got 223 base cards.

As far as inserts go, here is how they break down: 6 Silver Scripts, a returning sub-set, of Sam Bennett, Tim Stützle, Nils Hoglander, Dylan Strome, Vincent Trocheck, and Alex Laferriere:

Now, granted, these aren't Young Guns from the flagship product, but folks are mostly chasing the Rookies cards, of which I pulled 7 (the first four of which I'm very happy to have): Nathan Gaucher, Anton Frondell, Konsta Helenius, Cole Hutson, Drew Fortescue, Avery Hayes, and Sandis Vilmanis:

Another returning sub-set is Clutch Performers, where I present you Nikita Kucherov and Carter Verhaeghe:

Paired Up features two players who at least ended the season on the same team, as seen here with Brady Tkachuk / Stützle of the Ottawa Senators and Kirill Kaprizov / Matt Boldy of the Minnesota Wild:

Gotta Have Hart is a good idea, but I'm on the mind that Nathan MacKinnon may have a better chance of winning it than William Nylander:

The Slot (possibly the heir to the "old" Net Crashers sub-set) sees Martin Necas and a pre-wealthy Leo Carlsson playing around the opposite goalie:

There were two Welcome Freshmen cards, of Danny Zhilkin and Angus Booth:

Another sub-set that is reminiscent of the past is Let It Rip!!!, with Boldy and Sidney Crosby:

But my very favourite sub-set this year is the (card-sized with rounded edges) Stickers. What a terrific design!

That's Josh Samanski, Vilmanis, Quinn Hughes and Necas.

Affordability and value are key issues in 2026, and the design of these cards make it a solid 8/10.