Curtis Lazar Autographed Card

After trading for him earlier this spring and protecting him in the expansion draft, the Calgary Flames followed the expected route with prospect Curtis Lazar by signing him to a two-year "show me" contract whose cap hit is just below the $1M mark.

For a while there, we were using his achievements in the minors as promises that he'd likely be able to produce at the NHL level as well (with feats such as breaking Steven Stamkos' and Sidney Crosby's Canada Winter Games points records, winning a 2012 Ivan Hlinka tournament gold medal with Team Canada and captaining the Canadian team to gold again at the 2015 World Juniors on home soil in Montréal and Toronto), but after the trade, he did accumulate three points (a goal and two assists) in four games with the Flames, as well as suit up for one game in the playoffs.

It can be hard for youngsters to come in and learn a new system and get acquainted to new teammates in just a few weeks and make their mark enough to dress over guys who've been there all year.

He'll be a regular next season, in a line-up that will include such high-profile young forwards as Sean Monahan, Johnny Gaudreau, Mikael Backlund, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett, Spencer Foo, Micheal Ferland and Freddie Hamilton, as well as veterans Troy Brouwer, Matt Stajan and Kris Versteeg.

He'll be 24 by the time his contract expires, about to enter his prime, and considering he was drafted to be a cross between Milan Lucic and Mike Fisher by the Ottawa Senators (17th overall in 2013) following a fine WHL career with the Edmonton Oil Kings, that could be a huge deal for the newly-rebuilt Flames.

Speaking of the Oil Kings, here is what their white uniform looks like, on card #92 from In The Game's 2011-12 Heroes And Prospects set and CHL Rookie sub-set:

He signed it in blue sharpie during the 2014-15 playoffs.

Sean Brown Autograph Card

I thought I could continue with my Month of Toughness with card #A-SB from In The Game's 2013-14 Enforcers II set (and, obviously, Autograph sub-set):

That's Sean Brown, whom the Boston Bruins selected 21st overall in 1995 but mostly made his mark with the Edmonton Oilers, matching the picture on the card. In Edmonton, he averaged just over 12 minutes of ice time per game, and yet had seasons of 188 and 192 penalty minutes.

But I think his role was even more clearly defined upon his return to Boston, as he put up 117 PIMs in just 69 games in 2002-03, while averaging just 6:26 of ice time per game...

As speed came back into the game and clutching and grabbing went out around the 2004-05 season-long lockout, making the powerplay the most important aspect of the game, sure, his penalty minutes totals went down, but he still couldn't hang on in North America, instead spending two years in Germany and three in Austria.

He's now an assistant coach with the WHL's Edmonton Oil Kings. He slots in perfectly as #23 in my Oilers Numbers Project.

Curtis Lazar Jersey Card

Congratulations are in order for Curtis Lazar, who was named the captain of Team Canada ahead of the World Juniors which will start this weekend in Montréal and conclude in Toronto at the end of the Holidays. The young forward from British Columbia is on loan from the Ottawa Senators - the team that drafted him 17th overall in 2013 - after suiting up for them 27 times this year so far. The hope is that he plays a central role in redeeming last year's 4th-place finish on home ice and can return to the team fully energized and ready to take on more responsibility at the NHL level as the Sens make a push towards a playoff spot.

He's broken records belonging to Steven Stamkos and Sidney Crosby at the Midget level, and from the moment he stepped into the WHL with the Edmonton Oil Kings, he has been on a steady stream of improvement, netting 31 points in 63 regular-season points in his rookie season followed by an impressive 19 in 20 games in the playoffs, and accumulating 38 goals and 61 points in 72 games in his sophomore year, saving his best for last, 41 goals and 76 points in just 58 regular-season games last year, plus 10-12-22 in 20 games to lead the Oil Kings to the Memorial Cup last year.

He's been compared to Milan Lucic a lot because he's built tough (210 pounds on his 6'0'' frame at just 19 years old), but as a right-handed center who likes to play in traffic and can also pass, I'd compare him to Ryan Getzlaf.

Here he is sporting the Oil Kings' red uniform, from In The Game's 2013-14 Heroes And Prospects set (card #M-05 of the Game-Used Jersey sub-set, the ''Black'' version), with a huge matching swatch that take sup most of the card:

Cool card depicting a player who'll help the Sens for a long time; he and Kyle Turris will make a nice one-two punch at center ice that will match up with some of the best teams within three years.