Beau Bennett Autograph Card

Beau Bennett may not have played much in these Stanley Cup playoffs, but he's ready should an injury occur, as was almost the case when Bryan Rust became a game-time decision ahead of Game 2. He last played in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Pittsburgh Penguins don't need to make any changes, as they're currently leading the Cup Final 3-1 against the San Jose Sharks, with Matt Murray and Phil Kessel leading the charge.

Bennett's the highest born-and-raised Californian ever drafted in the NHL (20th overall in 2010), but injuries have marred his career so far, as the 24-year-old has only played in 129 regular-season games (registering 26 goals, 29 assists and 45 points in the process) spread over four seasons, only the first of which being one where he spent significant time in the AHL.

Here he is wearing the Pens' white (away) uniform, with the signed insert version of card #176 from Upper Deck's 2013-14 Trilogy set (and Level 1 Rookie Premieres sub-set), the front of which is almost all silver foil, though it appears blue in the scan:

It has an on-sticker blue-sharpied autograph.

Jeff Friesen Autographed Card

Well, the San Jose Sharks won Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final yesterday, which seems like as good a time as any to feature this card of Jeff Friesen's from Upper Deck's 1999-2000 MVP set (it's card #175 in the collection, showing him with their turn-of-the-millennium terrible practice-style teal away uniform), which he signed in black sharpie, probably in 2002:

Friesen had three 60-point seasons in San Jose, and another one in which he reached 57 points, including one in which he scored a career-high 31 goals in 1997-98. But team success wouldn't come when with the Sharks, although he did win the Cup with the New Jersey Devils in 2003.

He officially retired in 2011, after playing in the German League (for the Berlin Eisbären, a.k.a. Polar Bears) for two seasons. His final NHL stats line reads: 893 regular-season games (218 goals, 298 assists, 516 points and 488 penalty minutes) and 84 playoff games (18 goals, 15 assists, 33 points and 48 penalty minutes).

He also suited up for Team Canada on a number of occasions, winning gold at the 1994 and 1995 World Juniors as well as the 1997 and 2004 World Championships, and silver at the 1996 Worlds.

He received some Calder votes in 1994-95, finishing fourth, and a few Selke votes in 1997-98 (finishing 18th) and 2002-03 (14th).

Erik Gudbranson Jersey Card

Honestly, I don't know what the hell is wrong with the Florida Panthers. Now that GM Dale Tallon has built a successful team, he's promoted so that someone else can either reap the spoils or rip the team to shreds... which is seemingly what is happening, particularly in light of how they traded dependable defenseman Erik Gudbranson to the Vancouver Canucks for an underachieving rookie (Jarred McCann) and an exchange of draft picks... just days after firing their scouting director - you know, the one guy who's seen all the prospects play in their draft year.

And the shake-up continued as some trainers left, and assistant coach - and former Stanley Cup-winning NHLer - John Madden and director of hockey operations Mike Dixon were also shown the door.

And they've now unveiled new uniforms - the home one looking like a Stadium Series jersey, the away (white) one just looking ridiculous and unprofessional. I wanted to say KHL-like, but no, the KHL has some really nice ones (start from the middle of the page for the nicer ones).

I was really getting into them, and now they're seemingly tearing it all apart.

The Gudbranson trade really baffles me, especially after they'd just signed him to a one-year deal and called him "captain material".

Here he is on card #RM-EG from Upper Deck's 2011-12 SPX set (and Rookie Materials sub-set), featuring a black photo shoot-worn jersey swatch:

It shows him wearing the Cats' former (and better) white (away) uniform.

Dillon Fournier Autographed Card

Dillon Fournier was a highly-regarded prospect for the Chicago Blackhawks, having been chosen with the 48th overall pick at the 2012 draft and signed to a three-year entry-level deal in the summer of 2014.

Unfortunately, injuries have slowed his development, as he was limited to 36 games with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in 2013-14 (picking up 32 points in the process) and 9 in total in 2015-16 split between the AHL's Rockford IceHogs (2 games, -2 rating) and the ECHL's Indy Fuel (7 games, 1 assist, 8 penalty minutes, +2 rating).

His speed, hard shot and tape-to-tape passes made him an offensive force in the "Q", but he has yet to translate that production to the professional game, where he is asked to bulk up and perfect his defensive game; he'd been good at keeping an excellent offensive and defensive gap with his assigned forward in Juniors, but it does require an adaptation period to get acclimated to the stronger play in the pros.

I wouldn't throw the towel on a talented 22-year-old defenseman, but chances are he's further down the depth chart at this point than both he and the Hawks expected just a couple of summers ago.

Here's the fourth of a five-card package I received recently, showing him wearing the Huskies' pink (breast cancer awareness) uniform, on card #107 from In The Game's 2012-13 Heroes And Prospects set:

It was signed in blue sharpie.

Joe Mullen Autographed Card

I predicted the Stanley Cup Final would be decided in six games, with the Pittsburgh Penguins getting the best of the San Jose Sharks. And they're off to a 2-0 start that makes me so giddy I can't sleep, because I know that teams that get a 2-0 lead in the Final have a 33-3 record - for a .917 winning percentage.

Which brings me to this card of Joe Mullen, third in a series of five of a recent trade, from his days in Steeltown:

It's card #488 from Score's 1991-92 Canadian English set, showing him wearing the Pens' black (then-away) uniform. Half-unrelated: when I was a kid, I had a signed card of his with the Calgary Flames; I no longer do. I'd be willing to trade for one or two.

He was the first American-born player to score 500 career goals - the milestone goal scored on none other than Patrick Roy - and 1000 points, retiring as the all-time highest-scoring American player; his 1063 career points now rank him sixth, behind the likes of Brett Hull (1391), Mike Modano (1374), Phil Housley (1232), Jeremy Roenick (1216) and Keith Tkachuk (1065).

His brother Brian Mullen also played in the NHL, posting 622 points in 832 games, but he didn't have Joe's resume or pedigree. Joe has also won the Stanley Cup three times: in 1989 (with the Flames) as well as 1991 and 1992 with the Pens. He also played for Team USA on five occasions, registering 12 points in 15 games, including a Canada Cup semi-final (1984) and final (1991).

After six seasons of coaching in the Penguins organization, he switched to cross-state rivals Philadelphia Flyers in 2006-07 and has been there for the past nine years. He is a two-time Lady Byng Trophy winner (1986-87 and 1988-89) and was inducted in the Hockey Hall Of Fame in 2000.