Bobby Ryan Autographed Card

Just three weeks after winning the Masterton Trophy over Philadelphia Flyers cancer survivor Oskar Lindblom and mentioning that very possibility with the press afterwards, Bobby Ryan was bought out by the Ottawa Senators earlier today.

I had featured him when he scored a hat trick in his first game back from rehab, and even then tried to find a balance in all the truths, talent and tragedy of his life story.

The fact that the team did this so soon after the Masterton win means it's something they had already set their minds to, that they'd weighed the Cinderella story against his age, cap hit, production and leadership capabilities and still went for it, despite the possibility that with his mind in the right place, he might become a 25- or 30-goal scorer again, that his experience could help steer the team's young players in the right direction, that the team could have used his cap hit to reach the cap floor.

There were more positives in letting him go than keeping him.

As a regular Sens observer for the past 15 years and a hockey fan for most of the past 42, I am not certain I would agree with that; unless there is information we were not provided, had I been GM, I may have gambled on giving him an extra year and bought him out of his final $7.5M season next off-season.

I'm also the kind of guy who'd want to bring former captain Jason Spezza back for his final season so he can retire in the "right" uniform, so maybe I'm just too much of a romantic.

There no denying he looked right wearing Ottawa's black "O" uniform, though, as seen on card #604 from the 2013-14 O-Pee-Chee set manufactured by Upper Deck:

He signed it in thick black sharpie during the 2018-19 season, if I remember correctly.

Bobby Ryan Autographed Card

Sometimes a Cinderella story just seems to write itself... over 100 days after self-entering the NHL/NHLPA's substance abuse program for alcohol dependency, Bobby Ryan made his home return for the Ottawa Senators and in his second game back started with a Gordie Howe hat trick and turned it into a regular one.

I don't know if I buy in as much of the BFR love as Silver Sevens has, but I do agree he, as a human being and a person, has lived up to what it means to be an honest professional hockey player. As far as his contract, cap hit and production goes, I understand that being selected second-overall after Sidney Crosby and ahead of Anze Kopitar (11th), Paul Stastny (44th), Kristopher Letang (62nd), Marc-Édouard Vlasic (35th) - and even to some extent Carey Price (5th), Tuukka Rask (21st), Jonathan Quick (72nd) and Ben Bishop (85th) - comes with pressure and expectations, but the fact of the matter is that he's missed some 60 games to injury and another 50 to dealing with his off-ice problems, he's still sixth of his draft year in points, slightly ahead of a very good goal-scorer in James Neal, and he's fourth in goals (behind Crosby, Kopitar and Neal), just ahead of Stastny, and a season's worth of putters ahead of the likes of T.J. Oshie and Patric Hornqvist.

Again: Bobby Ryan was raised in a violent household that was so messed up that he went through a name change so his father could escape jail for a while, was heavily criticized by Team USA GM Brian Burke and left off the 2014 Olympic team despite helping his country win silver in 2010, lost his mother just as he was finding his game in the Canadian capital, battled through criticism from the press because of his cap hit and still had three 30-goal NHL seasons and was a key part in taking the Sens to overtime of Game 7 of the 2016-17 Eastern Conference Final (with the psychological help/acumen of then-head coach Guy Boucher).

There are no two ways about it: his story has been one of trials and success. He is not a "bust".

Unfortunately, he's about to exit his prime having spent a fair chunk of it hurting his body off the ice as much as on it, and when the Senators become competitive again, he may have to ride the young stars' coattails instead of helping lead the way through his play, but with the way his story has gone, at least he may be there to see it through, unlike Ottawa-born Jean-Gabriel Pageau, unfortunately.

Here's Ryan wearing the same uniform he got his comeback hat trick in, Ottawa's red (home) one, on card #171 from the 2018-19 O-Pee-Chee set by Upper Deck:

He signed it in blue sharpie after a Senators practice last season.

Bobby Ryan Swatch Card

A few days ago, Ottawa Senators winger Bobby Ryan lost his mother to cancer. To find out how much she meant for him - and to make your allergies tear your eyes up - read his piece on The Players Tribune; I don't remember a story so heart-wrenching, particularly when one knows of his family history.

Everyone has a story, and not all people can handle all situations; still, without putting down those who have and still struggle with what life brings or has brought their way, it's nice when someone gets to rise above it and succeed at what they choose to do.

He of the six 50-point seasons (with a high of 71 in 2010-11) and of the four 30-goal seasons (with a high of 35 in 2009-10 is still in his prime at 29 years old, and will be a big part of the Sens' resurgence this coming season. Guy Boucher will be the perfect head coach to help him reach a level the Senators have not gotten out of him yet.

Here he is wearing the Anaheim Ducks, white (away) uniform on card #FOG-BR from Panini's 2012-13 Certified set and Fabric Of The Game sub-set, numbered 147/299 and featuring a matching game-worn jersey swatch:

It's a thick, beautiful silver foil card that I'm extremely happy to have.

Bobby Ryan Jersey Card

Last season, a lot of people were afraid that Bobby Ryan's numbers would fizzle after signing a huge contract that gave him a $7.25M cap hit for six seasons after this one. His 18 goals and 54 points in 78 games were, indeed, below what he had accustomed us to, but he has bounced back in style this year.

59 games into 2015-16, he has already hit the 20-goal mark, and his 46 points are just two short of his total for the 2013-14 season, which he'd reached in 70 games. His goals also happen to be spectacular.

At 28 years of age, he'll be part of the Ottawa Senators' core for years, along with Erik Karlsson and Kyle Turris. The 2010 silver medal-winning Team USA Olympian should make the World Cup roster next September as well, possibly showcasing his skills on the second line (with Phil Kessel manning the first), giving the Americans a strong, balanced offense that can keep attacking in waves.

For now, however, here is a card showing him in the Sens' beautiful "O" alternate uniform on card #FA-BR from Upper Deck's 2015-16 Artifacts set (and Frozen Artifacts sub-set):

It contains a matching black game-worn jersey swatch, which cool. I have yet to purchase an actual pack of this year's Artifacts collection, but I found this in a re-pack, somewhat surprised to have a current non-flagship "hit" card in it, to go with various 1990s common cards.

Bobby Ryan Swatch Card

Did I say something about a ''last one in my batch of Panini's 2011-12 Pinnacle hits''? Well, thanks to Ebay, I landed another one for 99 cents - Bobby Ryan of the Anaheim Ducks, card #14 in the set:

Ryan is a proven goal-scorer with four 30+-goal seasons and a silver-medal Olympian (Team USA, 2010), but for a high-priced hockey player - his cap hit is evaluated at $5.1M - it is odd to notice that the closest he ever came to being a point-per-game player on a Ducks team that also includes Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Saku Koivu and Teemu Selanne was in his rookie season, where he produced 57 points in 64 games.

In the playoffs, he is 10-5-15 in 26 career games.

Don't get me wrong - I'd likely take him on my team any day, and his numbers are worthy of having been the 2nd overall pick (in 2005) - and, at 26, he is likely to have his four best seasons ahead of him, but some guys who generate points at the same type of rate he does make between 3 and 4 million a year, is all I was pointing to.

All in all, this is a fine piece, with a nice, large black swatch, likely from the Ducks' home jersey - or the alternate jersey pictured on the front of the card. There's a bit of a dent in the swatch, likely partly responsible for having brought the card's price down a tad, but I find it adds value to it, giving more credibility as having been game-worn.