#19 All Time.... Gary Roberts

Yes. Gary Roberts. Not exactly known as a goon. Or even a tough guy. But I guess if you last 21 seasons with six teams, your stats start to add up.

1989-90 OPC #202

1224 games played
438 goals
472 assists
910 points
2560 PIMS (19th all time)

Gary is now known as the go to guy for NHL fitness training. Many of the league's best study under him in the offseason to maintain or better their fitness levels. Apparently dropping the gloves is NOT part of it.

Although maybe it should be.








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19. Gary Roberts - 2560
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35. Dave "The Hammer" Schultz - 2294
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#35 All Time... Dave "The Hammer" Schultz

the beginning of a new project for me starts now. I'm going to collect the rookie cards from the top 50 All Time NHL Penalty Minute Leaders. And if that ain't enough, I'm going for an auto and a relic card from each of them as well.
The autographs should be easy enough I think. The relic cards just may not be possible. I'll find out when I build my 'official' checklist.

But let's start with arguably the most famous of them all. Most people just know him as "The Hammer".


1973-74 OPC #166

Hard to believe but Mr. Schultz is only #35 on the list with 2294 PIMs.

But that is in only 535 games played. He also tallied 79 goals and 121 assists for 200 points.



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35. Dave "The Hammer" Schultz - 2294
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Generosity. Pass it on.

One of the greatest attributes of this hobby is the generosity from fellow addicts. As the card shows and trade nights roll along, friendships develop. You start keeping an eagle eye out for not just stuff for your collection, but cool things for people you know as well.

I was the beneficiary of this at the last card show. Instead of rolling out my purchases, (you may still see some of it later) I thought I'd show off two gifts that were by far, the treasures of the day.

From fellow blogger, bamlinden, of My Hockey Card Obsession fame, presented me with these two beauties for my Lyle Odelein pc. Two media slides from the late 90's.

My scanner decided not to participate this evening, but you get the gist anyways. These are awesome. Not found on any checklist by any means, but a more than welcome addition to the binder. Plus I can now make as many 8x10's of Lyle as I want. World domination to follow I'm sure.

Next up was from one of the sellers that has been setting up recently. We'll call him Vintage guy here. We'll call him that because to him a new card is something from 1985.

Because of our common collections, we've done our share of conversing. During those he discovered, and remembered, my ongoing collection of Joe and Jimmy Watson.

He's getting ready to move across country for his retirement soon. During his packing, cleaning, etc... he came across some odd ball items from the 1976 Canada Cup. On Canada's roster was a very young 22 year old puck moving defenseman named.... Jimmy Watson. In his second year in the league, here he was on the grand stage. And Vintage Guy had original 8x10's and post cards of most of the players.

Boom.

I love it. And, like the Odelein slides, it's something I've never seen before. In person or online.
Perfect.

Just when I needed a hobby pick me up. Thanks guys.

45 years ago tonight....

This happened.*

Two brothers playing goal against each other in an NHL game. Rookie Ken Dryden against his older brother Dave and the first year expansion Buffalo Sabres.
The story is well known. If, somehow you haven't heard it, google is your friend.

To my knowledge, the Drydens are still the only pair to do it, although the Pickards could one day accomplish it.

*I believe this picture is from the second time they played against each other. I don't have a decent pic of them from their first meeting.

Dickie Moore 1931 - 2015

Another living legend has passed. The great Dickie Moore died earlier today at the age of 84.

Six Stanley Cups 1953, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960

Two Art Ross Trophies 1958, 1959

Elected to the Hall of Fame - 1974

#12 retired by Montreal - 2005

a son, a daughter, and a whack of grandkids left behind. Along with thousands of fans. One of the greatest ever. He will be missed.

Dickie Moore  January 6, 1931 - December 19, 2015

Pelle Lindbergh remembered

It was 30 years ago today that Pelle Lindbergh crashed his heavily modified Porsche 930 Turbo into a wall while driving under the influence of alcohol.

Pelle, 26, was coming off of a career year where he led the NHL in wins with 40, was voted to the First All Star team and won the Vezina trophy as outstanding goalie.

No one quite knows why he left a team function that day with two friends with a blood alcohol level of .24, over twice the legal limit in New Jersey where the accident occurred. According to friends and family, Pelle rarely drank. Certainly never to intoxication. But once was enough.

 Pelle was kept alive by machines long enough for his family to fly in from Sweden. His heart and several other organs were harvested for transplant.

O-Pee-Chee stopped the presses long enough to add a memorial banner onto his 85/86 card.

 

 It's always a touchy subject dealing with incidents such as drunk driving. Many people believe that someone shouldn't be memorialized for being stupid and almost killing others.
Some look past that and remember the person they were before. While I agree that Mr Lindbergh was stupid, careless, and selfish when he got behind the wheel after drinking.... I'll leave this debate for another forum, another time.


Instead, I'll memorialize the what might have been. The unrealized. A bright shining life snuffed out far too soon.

Pelle Lindbergh  24 May, 1959 - 11 November, 1985

You're Number One!!!!!

I don't think this is even possible with today's equipment.