It's always interesting to me how in hockey more than any other sport (I think), they (whoever they are) seem to be able to pick out the superstars at an extremely young age. As I recall even back in the day where of course nothing remotely like today's technology existed, Orr was a known quantity even as an early teen. Presumably the same for Gretzky and Lemieux and Crosby.

At the other extreme, even at a much later age, the baseball draft is a crapshoot. For the most part you just have no idea who can consistently hit a major league curve ball until they face a major league curve ball, for one thing. Or who can lay off ball four.

Signed through to the 25-26 season. $100 million contract.

Kids/talent sticks out when you see them playing levels above their age group.
All those you mentioned are no different. All stood way out, shoulders above other players where they simply dominated games at an early age with multiple goal games each and every game.

Word gets around, scouts show up then the grooming begins all the way until the big show.
Of course there are also many late bloomers who end up being great as well, but I think the real superstars, for the most part, are known about at a real young age.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXRbtyjKZtQ

Mitch Marner.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmvOmw0GAwQ

Many vids available of other players as well.

I guess Lindros was in that category and didn't quite live up to it, he was very good but not the "Next One" as he was called. But it seems far fewer examples in hockey than other sports.

I guess taking all that money was a good idea at the time for McDavid, but man what a shame if it means he wastes the prime of his career on a mediocre team.

First hockey cards of any significance that I've ever gotten...on the way:

An '85-'86 OPC set. PSA 7 Lemieux and sharp raw 263/264 (bought separately).

Pics when it all gets here. Though since both packages are coming from Canada, that could be sometime this fall :rolleyes:

I'm bias, Pete, as I never missed a home game when Lindros played for the Oshawa Generals but due to injuries and the like, yeah, he most definitely had a shorter than normal career that definitely hurt his status in being one of the all time greats.

In all my life of watching hockey players come up, I've never seen the likes of the media attention that Lindros received.
Sure, the Quebec snub definitely played a huge part in that, as did his refusal to play for Sault St Marie, but the constant attention, the constant media, in your face attention this kid got was over the top, imo.

All that aside, he was definitely an exciting player to watch, the complete pkg.
He could score, he could pass, he could hit and of course he could fight. The complete package which hadn't been seen in years until he came along.

I agree, Lindros could have been one of those if he wasn't injured/concussed. when healthy, he was unstoppable and a physical force more than any of the other greats. I remember one healthy game as a Ranger where he just picked a corner and scored, he had great hands too.

I recall reading what led to Lindros' undoing is that he developed a bad habit of looking down which led to him not being prepared for some very bad hits and consequent injuries.

It also seemed maybe the circus, and his Mom trying to control his career, got to his head.

Yes, he admitted to skating to often with his head down but at the same time, due to other players buying into the media hype/hate, he also had a target on his back practically every time he stepped on the ice.
In an interview I seen with Scott Stevens, when asked about his hit on Lindros and his apparent dislike/hatred for him, you could see it clearly upset Stevens, and his words, "I don't want to talk about it", spoke volumes.

Like I said earlier, the whole circus was exactly that, a circus. Yes, his mom, Bonnie, or better known as the Bonster, didn't help nor did his father's but again, I think most everything was overblown and was likely nothing more, for the most part, any normal parents concern for their child.
Everyone seems to forget how young he was during this time. Yeah, he was huge, mature looking, etc, but he was still a kid with a lot to learn.

At the end of the day, even Bobby Clarke, when asked of his thoughts of Lindros, surprised everyone when he stated, all the Lindros nonsense is just baggage, nothing more, and when you cut all that away, Lindros was a dynamite hockey player.

I posted this before. Eric's explanation why he didn't want to play for the Nordiques's. Many thought he was just being a baby but he knew stuff about Marcel Abut that many others didn't and he said he couldn't play for a person like that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm1b3_u4c9U

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/spor...ticle28179183/
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/...l%20harassment.
https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/2...ives-1.3409544
https://nationalpost.com/sports/olym...he-was-a-minor

His career was very short by NHL standards (why is it by the way SO many of these guys last 20 years or more in such a rough sport?), and to me his stats don't look so great, did he make the Hall of Fame for what he might have accomplished as distinct from what he did?

Fun article btw. I remember Lindros getting into it with the great Russian coach Tikhonov.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-...080-story.html

Like many ball players, you are going to have those that people think aren't deserving of the hall and just as many others that think they are.

Lindros has decent numbers, likely better than some in the hall who maybe had longer careers, but, imo, he deserves to be in for what he did/accomplished in such a short period in such a different style of game compared to today's game.

"Lindros, the first player selected in the 1991 NHL Draft, was dominant when healthy during his eight seasons with the Flyers, totaling 659 points (290 goals, 369 assists) in 486 regular-season games from 1992-93 through 1999-2000. He had 56 points in 50 Stanley Cup Playoff games and helped the Flyers reach the Final in 1997.

He was named to the League's All-Rookie Team in 1992-93 and won the Hart Trophy in the lockout-shortened 1994-1995 season, when he had 70 points in 46 games. The following season he had an NHL career-high 115 points in 73 games"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-oKfMuqLf0

Thanks Dale. Now, I would love your take on why so many players with such incredible longevity? Joe Thornton obviously is an outlier at 26 years or whatever it is, but it seems 20 is not all that unusual whereas it would be in other sports.

Peter, I wish I had the answers for you but I honestly don't think there any that are conclusive?

Some guys are china dolls compared to others and some guys like to hit and pound and other's want no part of that if they can help it.

Size, training, conditioning, shape all come into play as well, but I also think some get hurt more and have shorter careers because, like Lindros, they don't keep their heads up, or they get into those dirty/tough spots where other players won't.

If you've ever watched William Nylander, (Leaf's) he'll completely give up on the puck if he knows he is going to be hit. Others will do what they have to do or need to do despite knowing a hit is coming. It goes on and on. Some are fluke reasons why some of their careers are short and some are the results of their actions.

I think of Aaron Ekblad this year. He was having a career year and was looking forward to the playoffs but a fluke/freak accident ended all that in a heartbeat with a broken leg.
Will Aaron come back from that and be the player he was prior? Likely, but there's a chance he won't and might he be a little more gun shy now, a little slower, maybe? Will this eventually catch up to him, (the injury) as he gets older and possibly shorten his career?

It goes on and on Peter. Some are fluke career ending injuries and some never get injured, or get injured enough to ruin their careers.
https://www.thesportster.com/hockey/...vere-injuries/

double post

https://records.nhl.com/records/skat...s/most-seasons

99 players with 19 or more seasons.

And in my opinion that number will only increase going forward due to the nature of today's game.

The first 2 on your list made me chuckle. Gretzky was likely the most protected player ever during his career, and the other, well, not many fooled, or dared fooled with Gordie. :D

I think the overall explanation has to have something to do with the balance between skill level and physical decline, such that the great hockey players more often remain valuable to teams into their 40s because of their skill and experience, whereas that typically doesn't happen in the other sports?

Have officially entered the hockey world. Picked this one cause of being such a rabid Pittsburgh fan growing up.

An '85-'86 OPC NM set

https://i.imgur.com/73hIcMT.png

Congrats, that is a great set. So many great players in there, and its just classic '80s. Enjoy your new foray into hockey.

Thanks. It was more reasonable than I expected after finding the PSA Mario separately, and getting the 263/264 partial was an usually good bang for your buck w/ how loaded it is, as you said. Set has so many fairly valuable second and third tier cards.

But this hockey foray can't continue. The other sports are expensive enough as it is :rolleyes:

3 70s insert sets

Sorry. I posted in the wrong thread

That's nice stuff, Jim. Most of us who collected as kids in the era just threw away that stuff. Logos? Who wanted those?? And stickers? My friend Henry and his brother used to decorate their bedroom door with the Topps stickers. I stuck 'em on a filing cabinet I used to hold my cards. D'oh! Crazy thing is after I moved out my parents used the file cabinet to store nails and such in the garage, stickers and all.

1973 OPC "Funny Rings" set of 17 purchased this weekend at the National. Marked $125 and I think I paid $85 (or $5 each) Not much hockey at the show, and I heard the main guy Len was unable to cross the border from the Great White North. Maybe next year?
Larry

https://i.imgur.com/aND6BSol.jpg

Finally!!!
 

Its been many years, but I finally found my Bobby Orr card. This was my dads favorite player so it is extra special.

Troy

Wow! Very nice, Troy.

Congrats. :)

Bought raw and graded, 5/10

[.jpg[/IMG]

Great stuff everyone! Here's a few cards I sent to SGC a few weeks ago and were returned to me yesterday. Lots of fine grades, super happy! Excited to add "rookie cards" of Stacy Peralta, Snake-Eyes, Storm Shadow, Megatron and Deadpool to my collection LOL! Last two photos are of a Jay Adams Memorial Service Booklet I picked up from ebay.

Puzzles
 

Recent acquisition of two 1970s puzzles both complete

updating my thread.

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/SLoAA...DvX/s-l500.jpg

Well it is most of a Mikita.

PInback button
 

Picked up this hard to find pin back button recently

Picked up this exciting lot of William Paterson cards. These were issued during the 1923/24 season and Jefferson Burdick gave them the catalog number of V145-1 (don't confuse them with V145-2, which are smaller in size and have different card numbers!) Anyhow, the big fish here is the Howie Morenz rookie, but some of the other key rookies are also in this lot, and that includes Frank Clancy, Aurèle Joliat and Jack Adams.

I can't believe the condition of those V145's

Pictures can be deceiving - LOL! They are lower grade, my friend.

updating my thread

Crosby #87
 

Born August 7th (8/7) 1987 (8/7/87) wearing number 87 and earning an average of 8.7M/year. No other set honours Crosby’s number like the honorable number set (complete set)

Very nice, Guy.
I'd be pretty happy just owning one of those!

just arrived 1951-52 Parkhurst hockey #79 Hugh Bolton and #97 Nick Mickoski. 105 card set these are my 62nd and 63rd different at 60% complete.

Larry

https://www.net54baseball.com/pictur...ictureid=32109https://www.net54baseball.com/pictur...ictureid=32110

Good luck the rest of the way, Larry. :)

Rookie year Park All Star.

Great player and top 100 of all time but still doesn't get the hobby love he deserves.
I picked up a graded RC of his a couple years ago and got it for a real great price, imo, but I have seen them, finally, start to creep up some.
I believe I also have an AS card like yours but I must not have scanned it?

Pretty card

Picked
 

Up tons of singles will posting soon

Will
 

Post more later bought 400 plus singles

More
 

Pics to come

My first hockey card purchase in quite a while.
Patrice Bergeron. A guaranteed first ballot HOF'r, imo. At 36 yrs young, he is still a powerhouse.

Dale, nice Bergeron. Believe it or not, these three Blackhawk rookies came out of a 3/$1.00 box today. Needless to say, I’m happy with my purchase.

Wow!

Now that's a score and a half!

Congrats.

Thought these were a nice buy ungraded.

Local card show purchase
 

Been looking for this Crosby for quite a while now , will look great with our Ovechkin

:eek:

Very nice!

1952 Parkhurst #15 John "Goose" McCormack leaves just three more cards to complete my set of course one of the cards I need is #58 Tim Horton RC which will cost me some $$$$$.
Larry


https://www.net54baseball.com/pictur...ictureid=32277https://www.net54baseball.com/pictur...ictureid=32278

https://i.imgur.com/JsG9p2Rl.jpg

I dont have a horton rookie but perhaps trading for one may be the way to go

I'm at the point now in my collecting, that a two dollar reprint will be fine lol.

Larry

Christmas present for me by me
2005 Black Diamond Sidney Crosby Quadruple Emerald rookie 2/25

A couple small recent modern purchases.

Matthews/Nylander canvas checklist and a OPC Jason Robertson serial numbered Yellow Traxx RC.

Picked these needed '70-'71 OPC Deckle Edge cards today at a show.
Larry

https://i.imgur.com/dPWASjzm.jpg

Picked up this 1925 V31 Vezina which I’m pretty pleased with [emoji846] now I need to find a playing days Morenz.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...925513af90.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...2bf4094ceb.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Very happy with these two that I picked up today with a number of other vintage hockey cards.

Rising prices and less offerings are the norm on our favorite on line shopping site. Then 5% ebay bucks showed up, with Battersbox listing several low grade 1951-52 Parkhurst cards, and I added a dozen hits to my set. Now at 73% complete with 77 different of the 105 in the set.
Larry

https://i.imgur.com/LotjDbjl.jpg

Not a big hockey collector, but I like this card. He looks like he is ready to go after somebody there, and that's the way he played too.

Nice card Al, love those early Bruins cards.

I am happy to have picked up this very hard to find book from 1977. It's an oversized 10 1/2" x 9 1/2" book with full page illustrations of some of the great goalie masks (like the one on the cover) worn up to 1977. First edition copies like this one are hard to find from author Michael Cutler. The best part is the $3 it cost me. :)

That is a great book. Whose mask is that on the cover?

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Ken Dryden on the cover

Gary Dornhoefer, was great when he was with the Flyers !!!

Pretty good price, imo, for this Sanderson RC.
Yours definitely looks better centered than this copy, Anthony.
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/1967-68-TOPP...orig_cvip=true

A few recent modern P/U's of a couple up and coming players that are fun to watch and are doing great so far.
Adam Fox won the Norris last year.
His Young Guns and an OPC Platinum Rainbow.
Jason Robertson Young Guns

Irv,

As a B’s fan I’m not big on the Rangers :D but Adam Fox is the real deal and a long term D stud. Nice cards.

Building a McDavid collection

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...c608f4dba5.jpg

PM sent, Giroux.

I'm sure Calgary and Carolina would love to have him on their team but that's the way it goes.
We'll likely never know, but I'm wondering if what he did, by attending college another year, was all planned? Being NY boy, born and raised, I'm sure he is thrilled beyond believe to be playing for his home state?

"How did Adam Fox become a Ranger?

Fox was selected by the Calgary Flames, 66th overall, in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, but opted to go to college. ... In June 2018, Calgary traded Fox's NHL rights to the Carolina Hurricanes, who traded them to the New York Rangers in April 2019. He left college a year early, and made his NHL debut for the Rangers in 2019"

19-20 Cale Makar OPC Platinum Rainbow RC.

What kind of person would be a goalie back before they wore masks? I see cards like this one and it amazes me what the game must have been like.

Recently added these cards of some childhood Bruins icons. 70 Bucyk is OPC, 74 Orr AS is Topps.

That is a great Bruins haul. Amazing condition, and those OPC All-Star and Trophies are some of my favorites.

Nice Orr haul!

I'm working on my 1975 all-star subset:

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...larke%20AS.jpghttps://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...otvin%20AS.jpg
https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...20Orr%20AS.jpghttps://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...fleur%20AS.jpg

And a few more of my beloved 1973s:

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...ny%20Bucyk.jpg
https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...e%20Parent.jpg
https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...20Esposito.jpg

Very nice cards, Dave and Adam.
Those years, as far as vintage hockey goes, are my favorites as well as I remember buying packs and trading/flipping them back in the day.
Thankfully I still have a few from then but they don't look anything your guys cards.

Will have to take a break from buying after this pickup

[IMG][/IMG]

Extremely happy with my pickups today. :D

The highlight of my latest SGC sub, bought this raw on ebay!
Jeff