I'll actually be cover two teams within this post: all-time greats and my favorite San Jose Sharks. But before I begin, here are the guidelines I've set for myself:
#1: All autographs will be on-card.
#2: All autographs will either be pack-pulled or PSA/DNA certified.
#3: Roster will consist of a left wing, a center, a right wing, two defensemen, a goalie, and seven reserves.
As with the tradition of my other All Autograph Teams, these cards are based on autographs I currently have in my collection. I used internet rankings to help decide my All-Time Greats, while the San Jose Sharks consisted more of personal favorites.
Enough writing, let's check out my teams...
ATG Starting Left Wing: Gordie Howe
2000 Upper Deck Hawaii Autograph #GH
Howe is listed as a right winger, but since he's ambidextrous I figured he'd be able to make the transition to left wing.
Sharks Starting Left Wing: Jeff Friesen
1998-99 ITG BAP Autograph #267
There was a time when Jeff Friesen was my favorite San Jose Shark. Guys like Devin Setoguchi and Patrick Marleau have since supplanted him, but he'll always have a special place in my collection.
ATG Starting Left Wing: Wayne Gretzky
1996-97 SPx Tribute Auto #GS1
He's not called The Great One for nothing.
Sharks Starting Center: Patrick Marleau
1996-97 Upper Deck #384
Marleau spent his first nineteen seasons in San Jose and is hands down my all-time favorite Shark.
ATG Starting Right Wing: Mario Lemieux
1996-97 Donruss Canadian Ice Lemieux Scrapbook Autograph #NNO
Couldn't think of a better way to complete the top line than with Super Mario. Can you imagine facing off against Gretzky, Lemieux, and Howe during their prime?
Sharks Starting Right Wing: Devin Setoguchi
2007-08 OPC Premier Silver Spectrum #117
Setoguchi is one of only a handful of NHL players who are part Japanese... and the only guy to suit up for the Sharks. When it comes to choosing favorites, he's right under Patty.
ATG Starting Defensemen #1: Bobby Orr
2014-15 UD Trilogy Signature Pucks #SP-BO
I never watched him play, but I've read enough to know he's regarded as the greatest defenseman in NHL history.
Sharks Starting Defenseman #1: Marc-Edouard Vlasic
2006-07 SP Authentic #202
Pickles is definitely a fan favorite here in San Jose. He's consistently been one of their best defensemen for the past decade and hopefully he'll continue to anchor the top defensive pairing here until he decides to hang up his skates.
ATG Starting Defenseman #2: Ray Bourque
1990-00 UD Century Legends Epic Signatures #RB
Some lists have Doug Harvey ranked as the second best defenseman. Others have Bourque. I don't own Harvey's signature, so the debate is over.
Sharks Starting Defenseman #2: Brad Stuart
2000-01 Topps Stars Autograph #A-BSt
Kenny's Blog Bat Around has been a blessing in disguise. Sure it's given me the opportunity to share some cool signatures with my readers. But it's also pointed out some serious gaps in my collection.
Brad Stuart was a solid defenseman for the Sharks and was one of the players traded away to acquire Joe Thornton. But he's only sitting here as my #2 defenseman, because I don't have signed cards of Douglas Murray or Brent Burns.
ATG Starting Goalie: Dominik Hasek
1998-99 Topps Autographs #A8
I looked at several goalie rankings and Martin Brodeur, Patrick Roy, and Dominik Hasek popped up in the top 5 on almost every list.
Ultimately, I chose Hasek to be my starter because he won the Vezina Trophy six times in an eight year stretch and has the highest save percentage in NHL history.
Sharks Starting Goalie: Evgeni Nabokov
2005-06 Ultimate Collection Signatures #US-NA
There are mixed feelings about Nabby among Sharks fans. Some say he was one of the reasons the Sharks could never get over the hump. I personally feel that he was one of the key reasons the Sharks made the playoffs 9 out of the 10 years he was with the team.
ATG Reserves: Maurice Richard, Sidney Crosby, Jaromir Jagr, Niklas Lidstrom, Paul Coffey, Patrick Roy, and Martin Brodeur
1997-98 Pinnacle Beehive Autographs #61
2007-08 UD Sweet Shot Signature Shots Puck Signings #SSP-SC
1999-00 Stadium Club Lone Star Signatures #LS1
2007-08 UD Sweet Shot Ice Signings #SSR-NL
1997-98 Pinnacle BAP Autograph #12
1995-96 Upper Deck BAP #S197
2002-03 Upper Deck Game Jersey Auto #MB
Sharks Reserves: Logan Couture, Owen Nolan, Jeff Odgers, Joe Pavelski, Mike Ricci, Joe Thornton, and Arturs Irbe
2012-13 Panini Limited Monikers #M-LC
2012-13 Panini Classics Signatures #113
2013-14 ITG Decades Autograph #A-JO
2013-14 Ultimate Collection Signatures #US-AI
Well that wraps up possibly the final hockey post you'll see on this blog until October.
Congratulations Las Vegas Knights' fans! And thanks again to Kenny over at Torren' Up Cards for inspiring this Blog Bat... I mean Skate Around.
Here is today's contest question of the day...
Do you have a favorite all-time favorite hockey player? Favorite hockey team?
Happy Tuesday and sayonara!
22 comments:
Nice team! I think Lemieux is the next auto I'll target for my limited hockey collection.
All-time favourite hockey player would be Mario Lemieux. As for team, I cheer for the Pittsburgh Penguins. I’m a big fan of hockey in general though.
Wow Fuji! I wouldn’t have guessed so before these posts, but you have a stellar autograph collection. I hope I can get to the point where I have a nice collection like that. I love the Gretzky, Crosby, Orr, and Howe.
Although I grew up, and most my family still lives, near Anaheim Stadium, when the Ducks came into the league shortly after the Sharks, I leaned more towards the Sharks. The Ducks were so Disney, but the Sharks were so COOL!
Oh, one thing I liked about the Ducks was Paul Kariya. My favorite hockey player though would have to be Theoren Fleury.
I've never followed Hockey, but even I recognize some of those players.
Mario Lemieux was the first TTM card I ever got back signed. I still haven't and I don't know if it's real. I got it back at the time I was reading my dad's old Tuff Stuff magazines that talked about stamp signatures, and that has always left a nervous impression in my mind. I love the Howe!
Oh dang, I recognize some big names in there. I don't know a lot about hockey, but I definitely like to watch it when it is on. Nice collection for sure!
Awesome! I have a nice Bruins auto collection but no Orr. Love the Rocket! I'm a Blackhawks fan. Gotta love Patrick Kane these days.
That Maurice Richard card is just all kinds of fantastic.
The Rocket, Jagr, Roy, and Brodeur...that's one hell of a bench!
Gretzky is amazing. I wished my hickey collection was this instead of what I actually have lol
I don't follow hockey that much and I recognize a lot of those names!!
I'm a Caps fan and loosely collect them, but my favorite player (and lone hockey PC) is Sergei Fedorov.
I'm so glad you made Hasek your ATG Goalie! What a great card!
That Rocket is fantastic. Glad the gretzky shows him as an oiler (even with the blues image in the background) and that is coming from a life long LA Kings fan.
My favorite player of all time is Luuuuuuuuuuuuuuc Robitaille - I've really only kept his cards plus a few others from my once large hockey collection.
Like a few fellow bloggers here, I'm not much into hockey but I also recognize that you've got quite an impressive collection of hockey legend autos. fwiw, I did take my kids to a couple of Kings games back when I worked at Staples Center in the very early 2000's...now that was exciting!
I remember when you found that Gretzky auto!
I’m a fair weather Rangers fan. If they have a deep playoff run I get into it, but I’m a total fraud.
Damn, first you dominate the baseball portion and now you're demolishing the hockey portion too. No fair Fuji ;).
Nice Friesen. I got him TTM when he first came up. I was just amazed that there was a guy playing in the NHL that young enough to be in my high school.
I don't follow hockey too closely so it's just the local Blackhawks for me. Of course, 3 Cups in 6 years helps out the cause. Back in college my roommate had a NHL game for Playstation and once I discovered there was a player named Miroslav Satan, the Sabres became my video game team.
defgav - i know the one i own is very affordable. i think they're only 40 to 50 dollars, which seems like a pretty good deal
coast to posts - back in the early 90's i secretly cheered for the penguins. they were so loaded. loved watching lemieux, jagr, stevens, murphy, coffey, and the rest of the gang.
jeremya1um - thanks. autographs are one of my favorite things to collect and so that's where the bulk of my hobby budget goes to
the angels in order - i gotta admit, i like (and even collect) kariya. classy guy. met him at one of the duck's casino nights and he was super cool. i also loved watching theoren fleury play too.
john miller - it's a pretty cool sport. if you're ever bored, i'd say give it a shot.
jasongerman9 - hope the lemieux turns out to be real. if you know any autograph specialists, i'd let them check it out. i'm lucky that one of my buddies has been dealing with autographs most of his life. he's like my personal authenticator.
sumomenkoman - thanks. if you ever want to start collecting let me know. i've got a bunch of hockey laying around.
hackenbush - i actually need to pick up a kane eventually. thanks for reminding me
greg zakwin - those 97/98 beehive autographs are super affordable (mainly because their 5x7's and people don't like to deal with oversized cards).
bret alan - thanks! the rocket is one of my favorite autographs in the collection.
sport card collectors - i wanted that gretzky for years. was pretty stoked to add it to the collection
richard nebe jr. - it's a great sport. we can always use more san jose sharks fans ;)
gca - oh man... my buddy collected fedorov. i couldn't stand him, because he played on the wings. but damn... could he skate.
matt - it was such a difficult choice. but that guy was the man during that stretch
gcrl - i'll always think of gretzky as an oilers... even though he was with the rangers and blues when i actually watched him play.
bbcardz - hockey games are really fun to watch in person. i try to go to a few sharks games each year... although i think i only attended one game this past season.
the lost collector - that flea market find is one of my best finds. man... i give you some serious props for remembering it
zippy zappy - well your collection kicks my butt when it comes to aaron judge, luis torrens, and yankees prospects
zman40 - i wonder where he's at these days. i'd love to send him a ttm myself and write a thank you note for all of the great memories he gave us (san jose sharks fans)
jafronius - lol. great reason to pick a video game team.
okay... contest entries for this particular post are closed.
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