72-73 OPC Team Canada Series 3 Insert - Gilbert Perreault

Gilbert was still 21 years old when the Summit Series occurred thus making him one of the youngest players on the roster (the youngest of any players who saw ice-time). Maybe it was his skill that got him on the team, but it was his age that I think Harry Sinden felt was a negative in this international competition so as a result he didn't get the playing time many felt he deserved. After game 5 Perreault ended up leaving the team with Martin, Hatfield and Guevremont.

A couple more Gil's

I was at my LCS this summer and I found something in the dollar bin that peaked my interest. There were two random and rough looking Gilbert Perreault autos. What made them different was they were signed Gil. I received my first and only Perreault auto a while back and it was a TTM which cost me 5 bucks instead of his new price of 10 bucks. In that auto, which I am positive it is authentic, he signed it Gilbert. So were these ones fakes, forgeries or the real deal? I did a little digging and it looks like he does/had signed autos at one point with Gil. In fact, his 74/75 card lists his name as Gil Perreault, so it is entirely possible that he did sign that way. I am not sure what time period it was, but some of the older autos I have seen around of his did have Gil rather frequently so I felt confident enough to drop two bucks on these cards and save them from the dollar bin.

 Here is his 76/77 OPC card, his full name is on there. I like this card because I am currently working ont he set and I think that it goes well with the project.

This is his 74/75 OPC card, every bit as rough as the first one. It looks like whoever owned this card first, had it taped down and then pulled it off the sheet to get it signed because his auto is over the tape residue. The guys at the LCS said they found it buried in a collection they found and just shoved it in the dollar box because they had no idea if the card was legit.

I am pretty sure these are authentic...I might even go as high as 90% on that. Of course, I will never really know for sure and they aren't really worth authenticating either. I think the 74/75 is available for trade bait if anyone wants it, I would be more than happy to ship it off for another auto of someone I like or don't have.

My hobby shop now has a quarter box!

My little hobby shop has been getting cooler by the week. First they went from having a few stray singles that didn't interest me much and ball point pen autos to having some vintage and current rookies. Certainly a nice move especially because the prices are all great. Then they added some quarter boxes and more vintage cards. I had to restrain myself from buying a 71-72 Topps Howe card. He wanted 50 for it, but there was a small ball point pen mark on the back that dissuaded me from buying.

The latest addition was two boxes loaded with singles marked 4 for a dollar or 50 cents each. I start sifting and boy did I like what I saw! Sure there was junk I already owned, but there was also some cool retro singles as well as an autograph. So sit back and see what I found!

Wayne Connelly 62-63 Parkhurst

Don't let the alternate spelling fool you, this is Wayne's rookie!

Paul Martin 03-04 Titanium Retail
Numbered rookie for 25 cents, yes please.

Milan Michalek 03-04 Titanium Retail
Probably the most "valuable" card to me. I don't have any of his rookies so it was nice to land this for a quarter.

Gump Worsley 71-72 OPC
This card is likely VG but it was a fun card to find in the box and one I don't own so it was a no brainer for 2-bits.

Eric Daze 02-03 Stadium Club Lone Star Signatures
This card had the highest book value at 20 bucks, was pretty surprised to see an auto in there and couldn't pass this one up. I remember when Daze was a goal scoring beast with 8 straight 20+ goal seasons.

Gerry Ehman 59-60 Parkhurst

His rookie card! Not in bad shape either!

Gary Edmundson 59-60 Parkhurst

Another rookie, shame for the ink about his head.

Mats Naslund 83-84 OPC
The only card in the lot that wasn't a quarter. This set me back a dollar, but I needed it for my set so I certainly couldn't leave it!

Garry Veneruzzo 68-69 Topps
I learned something buying this rookie card for a buck, Gary was born in the same part of Thunder Bay that I was! I had never heard of him prior to buying this card so not only do I have his rookie, I also had a history lesson.

Claude Provost 62-63 Parkhurst
Card is in pretty rough shape, but I didn't have any from this set before so it was nice to find it.

Bill Reay 74-75 Topps
Looks like his lucky hat would soon let him down as he was fired 2 1/2 seasons after this card was produced. I learned that I will be needed his rookie card to help finish my 51-52 set... Kinda neat info..

Albert Langlois 60-61 Parkhurst
My first from this set as well, almost my second as I left a $20 Jacques Plante card behind. Crazy you ask? Maybe, but the card was pretty rough....creases and pen marks....I still wonder about it though..

Earl Ingarfield 60-61 Topps
His name is Earl and he is my first of two from this set.

Larry Regan 60-61 Parkhurst
Larry looks a bit like Norm MacDonald to me, according to the back of the card he "is a real dipsy-doodler and a treat to watch". The back of the card also says he "had a bad injury due to a gimpy knee". They sure don't write card backs like that anymore!

Jean Guy Talbot 61-62 Parkhurst
Looks like the Canadiens were Irish for a year, these cards had cartoons on the back with a funny rub and reveal punchline. This one had something about soap...

Al Arbour 68-69 Topps

My first non-coaching Al Arbour card. Love the Johnny Unitas hair cut!

Al LeBrun 60-61 Topps
My other card from this set.

Gilbert Perreault 73-74 Topps
I seem to be finding this guy's cards everywhere I go!

Ryan Suter 05-06 Power Play
A few modern rookies grabbed my attention. I didn't have any of his yet and for 25 cents I would buy them up all day. He is a beast on the blue-line.

Andrej Meszaros 05-06 Power Play
Hasn't been able to be as offensive as his Ottawa days, but should figure into the long-term plays for Philly. Lots of talent and a nice deal at 25 cents.

Rick DiPietro 00-01 UD Reserve
Much like the Islanders I wonder why I spent money on this guy. I dropped a quarter, they dropped 67.5 million. I guess my gamble isn't as bad!

There you have it. A nice raiding of the box, and I hope they keep them coming as it will certainly have be back time and time again. Overall, it cost me 6.90 with taxes and it landed me 21 cards. I picked up a few other singles in subsequent trips which I will have to post at another time!

Tape Stained Rookies - A Surprise Haul

Life always seems to be full of surprises. I was on my way home from work and I had heard earlier that day that the Devils claimed Ryan Carter off waivers. Well, I remembered my local hobby guy had a Ryan Carter Sweet Shot rookie in his cheapy bin so I thought I would stop off on the way home and buy it. Some I pick up my toddler son and stop off at the shop on my way home. I am in the store for no more than a minute with my son in my arms when the owner Jon calls me over to show me something. He just picked up a lot of cards and wants to unload them cheap.

I walked over and was in heaven. I needed to know the price, he said a price I couldn't refuse. 39 bucks brought the lot home. I will let the cards speak for themselves. All cards are from the 71-72 OPC Set.


Guy La Fleur Rookie
A few tape stains on the front and some corner rounding...but that is it!


Bad scan, but the backside is perfect!

Yvon Cournoyer
Tape and rounding...

Clean back!

Tony Esposito

Best conditioned card, no creases and good corner....and NO tape

Back is perfect again, a little glare from the penny sleave.

#$%#$ Ken Dryden Rookie

Some tape staining for sure....one or two light creases as well.


Back is near perfect!!! I LOVE this card

Marcel Dionne Rookie

This card somehow was spared from the tape fiasco. Some rounding of corners and off-centered but otherwise in decent shape!

- Accidently deleted the backside...I will upload again later....lots very nice, just some discolouration from aging...

Richard Martin Rookie

Even though I already own a mint version of this card, I couldn't leave it behind. It has some corner dings, but no tape or stains and is a good card for trait bait!

- Like Dionne, I accidently deleted the back, but I will upload that later too.

Bobby Orr All Star Card

This card is in the roughest shape. A few stains and some serious creases. Still, my first of two Bobby's and my only Bobby's from his playing days.

Here is the back side.

Bobby Orr Double Award Winner

The nicer of the two Orrs, this one just suffers from some tape staining.

Here is the back side.

Gilbert Perreault 2nd year card

Some tape staining and rounded corners
A light crease on the back, otherwise pretty clean.

There you have it, a deal I couldn't pass up! I didn't own ANY of these cards before, so I feel awesome getting some serious HOF rookies that I don't think normally I would have owned.

Countdown to draft day - Buffalo Sabres

Buffalo’s first draft was in 1970 and they made the most out of their first choice by selecting Gilbert Perreault.

Buffalo’s drafting history has been pretty strong over the years. Years like 1970, 71, 75, 79, 82, 83, 88 and 01 all produced many full-time NHL players. Selecting a best year was the most challenging to this point but I had to go with 1982.

Phil Housley and Dave Andreychuk in the same draft is one heck of an accomplishment. Housley was one of the best offensive defensemen in USA hockey history and Andreychuk would finish his career with 640 career goals. On the strength of those two I would have to give this draft an edge over the 1983 draft.

Here is the 83 draft, did I make the right choice? You can make a case for this draft based on the number of players that would make the NHL. Though not offensively deep, Puppa and Barrasso would be starting goalies and Krupp was a steal in the 11^th round.

The worst draft in Sabres history was a Titanic Failure! In 1973, Buffalo picked Morris Titanic with their first pick. Titanic would turn his decent junior career into 19 NHL games with no points or PIM. 19 NHL games and never once made a scoresheet, now that is an accomplishment! None of the other 7 Sabres picks would ever see NHL action thus making this draft quite bad. FYI, Rick Middleton was picked two spots AFTER Titanic so I would have to say Buffalo dropped the ball on this draft..

Gilbert Perreault

Gilbert Perreault was without a doubt one of the best players in Buffalo Sabres history and TSN ranks him as the 5th most talented player in NHL history.

For those interested, here is the total list

1. Mario Lemieux

2. Bobby Orr
3. Wayne Gretzky
4. Alexei Kovalev
5. Gilbert Perreault
6. Kent Nilson
7. Denis Savard
8. Pavel Bure
9. Jaromir Jagr
10. Pavel Datsyuk

So sending an autograph request to Mr. Perreault was a must for me. However when researching his address in some TTM forums I came across the fact that he charges for his autographs and all requests must come with $5. I wasn't surprised to some degree due to the number of people selling TTM's on eBay and I guess Gilbert just wants a piece of the action. I decided that it was worth $5 and the time to write a nice letter so I did just that. Three weeks later I receive the card below and a letter.

For starters, the autograph is beautiful. Totally worth paying $5 bucks for in my opinion and his choice of thin blue sharpie compliments his signing style.

The letter was a bit of a disappoint because as I opened it, it began "Dear Customer". Not the response I was expecting from the type of letter I had sent.

It turns out the rates for his autographs have increased from $5 to $10 and this letter was notifying me if I wished any more autos I had better come up with the money.

What are your thoughts on paying for TTMs and the letter I received?

If you are interested in writing him, you could chance it by sending a fiver, but it looks like 10 will get the job done.