Matt Stajan Jersey Card

Matt Stajan appeared in his 900th career NHL game last night against the Edmonton Oilers, a feat made all the more important when one realizes the plights he's been through, from being a fan-criticized star with the Toronto Maple Leafs to losing his newborn son three years ago to being a buy-out candidate this summer after a disappointing 2015-16 season with the Calgary Flames (17 points in 80 games), and a possible expansion draft candidate next summer.

46 games into 2016-17, he's already just about matched last year's production (4 goals, 12 assists, 16 points) and he's found a comfort zone playing on the third line of a playoff contender. In my opinion, the Flames are one big-name goalie from securing a postseason berth for only the second time since their failed Stanley Cup run in 2003-04 - and the market's flooded with them, from Jaroslav Halak to Ben Bishop to Marc-André Fleury to Steve Mason to perhaps just taking a flyer on Keith Kincaid.

I live Stajan and I've always liked the Flames, so of course I wish them well.

Here he is wearing their red (home) uniform, on card #TS-MS from Upper Deck's 2013-14 Artifacts set and Treasured Swatches sub-set:

It features two game-worn jersey swatches, one white and one red.

Matt Stajan Swatch Card

I mentioned a couple of years ago how I thought Matt Stajan's ideal role on a team was where he was used as a secondary source of offense, and in that role he could be counted on to provide 30-some points and steady play.

Well, with the emergence of Sean Monahan and other young centers on the rise with the Calgary Flames, that's exactly where he is now, the glue keeping the team together, just a tad removed from the spotlight he once held with the Toronto Maple Leafs, though with today's metrics measuring zone starts and quality of opposition, he's receiving some of the praise he deserves.

And so it was fitting that after terrible hardships, he was the one who eliminated the Vancouver Canucks a few months ago, enabling the Flames to reach the second round with yet another come-from-behind win, the first time in 11 years Calgary had made it past their first playoff challenge. And, as a former Leaf, he'd only seen three postseason games in his career before that.

At 6'1'' and 192 pounds, he's not a giant by any means, but he's fairly solid physically, as can be attested by his leaving Corey Perry limping after an accidental contact. And so it's fitting that this card would show him bracing for an upcoming collision:

It's card #TC-SJN from Panini's 2013-14 Totally Certified set and Red Jersey sub-set. It features a game-worn red jersey swatch, and depicts him with the team's white (away) uniform.

He's just 31 years old, so I envision his staying consistent in his point production if he can stay healthy and lucky enough to play at least 65-70 games per season. He's still got the qualities and drive to fill in on top lines for a short while, but he just may have found his niche on this current Flames squad letting the kids take control and just stepping in at clutch times to show them how the Hockey Gods reward hard-working players.

Matt Stajan: 5 Autographed Items

There are many things I don't get about Matt Stajan, and they all have to do with other people's perceptions of him.

I don't understand Leaf fans who thought he was a top-line center (although those expectations can come from being a second-round pick), and I don't get Calgary fans who think he's a disappointment.

I've always seen him as a reliable second-liner, a better passer than scorer (he's never scored more than 16 goals, but gotten at least 14 five different times) who, when playing with average players, can get 30-some points, and can reach 50 when surrounded with better talent, say filling in for an injured player, or getting good powerplay minutes.

It may have been unfair to him to have been the key player going back to the Calgary Flames when the Toronto Maple Leafs traded for Dion Phaneuf, but that's not his fault, and in his defense, Phaneuf's stock value had fallen somewhat.

I'd sent Stajan 5 cards on March 19th, 2012 - he kept two and signed the rest in black sharpie, adding the correct jersey number on each card - 14 with the Leafs, 18 with the Flames - but he also signed both of the insert cards I included to protect the cards, so I still ended up with 5 signed items, so all's good.

Here are the cards he sent back, first with the Leafs:

From Upper Deck's 2005-06 SP Authentic set (card #95), sporting the white (home) jersey they spent most of the 2000s in (with the TML on the shoulders):

And from Upper Deck's 2009-10 Victory set (card #180), the third jersey from a few seasons ago, with the stylized leaf crest:

Finally, one with the Flames, from Panini's 2010-11 Score (card #103):

The Flames' white (away) uniform - as seen here - is one of the few where the piping doesn't make me gag. Part of that's probably due to its only being subtle on the sleeves, leaving the chest well alone. I also dig the team's 30th anniversary logo on the chest.