OH MY GOD THEY DID IT-DION TO TORONTO

I am not surprised but totally shocked, I hope this does not come back to bite us in the butt. I am at a loss for words.

Alex Pietrangelo 08-09 SPX Rookies Autograph Card

08-09 Upper Deck
SPX Rookies Autograph Card #416/999

Still not convinced this is Alex.
Upper Deck wouldn't make a mistake like that would they?

Alex Pietrangelo Sign of the Times Autograph Card

2008-09 Upper Deck SP Authentic
Sign of the Times
BTW- I spoke to 'Petro' face to face at the WJC, even congratulated him after a game with a high five, realizing quick this kid is strong! This does not look like Alex....Hmm...

Kinda Funny, Frozen Pond

Surfing the net today on my usual sites, I came across this auction listing by Frozen Pond. Its for a Chicago Black Hawks signed Doug Gilmour jersey. The image they use is from his signing last year at Frozen Pond. Nice jersey but that's Gilmour signing a Leafs #9 not a Hawks. I know this because its my Leafs #9. The small pic of his signature covers the personalization to me Doug made. Here's the original photo. Now this is no disrespect to Frozen Pond, just funny.

Updates...

I almost always make the jersey after the signing or if I know for sure they will be there, have it made ahead of time. So I do my best to show the updated image of the finished jersey. I have lots of signed numbers 'on the go' so it does take time to get the jerseys together. I never buy the $130 jerseys either, I am patient and pick mine up on eBay for a fraction of the cost. I still have a signed Believeau #4 that is low on the list of items to finish. Off topic for a minute...
I wish Mr. Believeau a healthy and speedy recovery from his stroke this past week. He might be the truest gentleman, ambassador of the game we will ever see.
Ok, here is my update of my Tavares and Gilmour jerseys. Turned out not too bad...

More Brayden Schenn

2008-09 BAP

Personalized to my wife.

Dion Phaneuf
From Channel Sports auction, took only 2 months to get here...
Dion is like your favorite auntie's poodle, love the aunt, best ever, can not stand the poodle...

Brayden Schenn Signed In the Game Card

$40 Ebay, from someone is California, hmm,
$120 from someone in Canada.
Hey, he's a great kid with a bright future...
This set really interests me though...

Ok, Ready? Card Show This Past Sunday...

2008-09 Heroes and Prospects Game Used Jersey

2008-09 Heroes and Prospects

2008-09 Be a Player Double Signatures

2008-09 Upper Deck SPX Winning Combos

2008-09 Upper Deck SP Authentic
Futures Watch

2006-07 In the Game
Be a Player

2007-08 Upper Deck Game Jersey

2005-06 Upper Deck Rookie Threads

2005-06 Fleer Ultra

Hockey Memorabilia extra...

This was a display at the IIHF World Fest in Saskatoon during the World Junior Championship. An older fellow setup a huge display of hockey memorabilia for everyone to look at. There were skates from the 1800's jerseys from 1908, pretty neat stuff. I posted some pictures of the items I really liked. Enjoy!

Crosby's signed jersey at the silent auction, min bid $500.
I think it sold for that this day...

Mike Babcock's
Anaheim Ducks Jacket

Saskatoon's Gary Peters
1964-65 Montreal Canadiens
Stanley Cup

Peter Pocklington's Jacket

Saskatoon Blades
Remembrance Day
Jersey

Mike Green's
Edmonton Ice jersey

Shawn Hlookoff Signed Jersey (song writer)

Andy Moog's
Billings Bighorns jersey

Ex Calgary Flame,
Brian Skrudland's Saskatoon Blades full uniform

1990-91 Team Canada World Junior 'Team Sheet'

I forgot about this one, during the New Year's Brunch autograph session, my wife got this signed by the team. They did not have sharpies so bic pens it was!

Well, Congrats to the USA Hockey Program

We were there until the bitter end, Jordan Eberle made darn sure we had a chance. He is a lock for the Oilers next year. I had the chance to speak with Tambellini, Kevin Lowe and Mike Sillinger about Eberle, just saying that he looks so strong and ready. They all smiled and agreed with me, Sillinger even saying that he'll be a Oiler for a long time.
The US beat the Canadians tonight, we got beat by the better team. Some mistakes throughout the game proved to be too costly to come back from. Hats off to the USA Hockey program, they deserve it.
BTW, if you voted for Team USA in my poll, please add a comment to this post. Someone called it!

Hall, Nieuwendyk, Desjardins, Jones, Kadri, McMillan, and Bourque

I will go out on a limb and say this autograph ranks in the top 3 in my life. A Flame from the Stanley Cup Team in 1989!Well what a way to end it last night. We ended up with free tickets to the Canada game, rushed into the city making sure that I grabbed my silver paint pen and sharpies, not really sure what to expect. We wandered around the arena before the game and I noticed Ron Tugnutt heading to the VIP lounge. He walked in and as I walked by, I caught a glimpse of Joe Nieuwendyk. I told my wife and we double checked it was him. He walked over to buy a 50/50 ticket (funny I know) and I approached asking if I could bother him when he was done. He said, "Sure". Music to my ears! I had bought 4 IIHF pucks at $10 a piece so I handed him a puck with silver sharpie. I had to comment to him, that I was really nervous. I mentioned that I had got a lot of autographs this week and I was shaking talking to him. I told him I was from Calgary so this was really cool to meet someone from the 1989 Cup team. Hey that's 2 in 2 months! He patted me on my shoulder and said it was nice to meet me. I could have went home right there. As my wife took some pictures of of Team Canada in warm up, I sat in the lower level behind the net. I looked behind me and saw Brian Burke, Leafs GM in one of the boxes. This one might be tough.
We saw Messier but it was clear he was in no mood for fans. During the second period we sat behind the Swiss goalie with some new friends. There were scouts galore around us, by this time, they were not hard to miss, black jackets, suits, and black binders. Funny...
With 7 mins left in the game, we headed down to try and get Messier, finding out he left early almost running out the box. I turned around seeing Burke almost running to the stairwell, even at his age. Well, first one we missed all week. We waited around by the bench noticing Coach Desjardins visiting with a friend. I waited patiently and he motioned for me to walk over. He signed my puck and I said good luck in the gold medal game. We headed down stairs to the area between the Team Canada family lounge and the dressing rooms. Ryan Ellis was the first to walk by arm in arm with a female security worker. Other players walked out so you just had to position yourself. I saw Hall come out with Bourque so I walked over to the area. He signed for everyone, I think when he hits the bigs he will toughen up a lot.
His comment was, "I have to go and see my family guys." Nice kid but time will change him. And my wife got the last item he signed, a nice IIHF logo puck. Martin Jones was next, I got him on the last IIHF puck. I had no more pucks so I had to move to my Team Canada jersey. Pietrangelo signed for a few and a stupid security guard stuck his arm out blocking my wife getting her Canada jersey signed. Kadri, Cowen, McMillan and Bourque all signed my jersey. Not many had sharpies so I ended up handing the players sharpies, just as long as mine was signed first. Eberle and Schenn were rushed through quickly. There was about 200 people down there now and the players did not sign, were just rushed to the lounge. Desjardins signed and took pictures for about 10 mins, nice to see a local guys taking more time for the fans. We had enough by then, hit Tim Hortons for some hot smoothies and subs and we headed home. I know I have said this before but I think that's it for us at the World Juniors. But we'll see what tomorrow brings.