Bob Baun

Mailed out: January 6, 2015

Returned: January 26, 2015

Time in mail: 20 days

Before turning professional Bob Baun won back to back Memorial Cup Championships with the OHA's Toronto Marlboros. He would join the Toronto Maple Leafs where his winning ways would continue, winning cups with the club in 1962, 1963, 1964, and 1967. During game 6 of the 1964 Stanley Cup Finals Baun fractured his ankle earlier in the game, but returned to the game in overtime to score the game winning goal. 

Darryl Sittler

Mailed out: November 3, 2014

Returned: January 22, 2015

Time in mail: 80 days

Darryl Sittler was drafted 8th overall by the Maple Leafs at the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft, five seasons later Sittler would be named Captain. In 1979 Sittler set a NHL record by putting up 10 points, 6 goals and 4 assists in one game against the Boston Bruins. During his career he was a four time All Star, in 1989 he was inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Matt Stajan

Mailed out: April 7, 2014

Returned: January 2, 2015

Time in transit: 270 days

c/o Flames 

A highly touted prospect Matt Stajan was drafted in the second round by the Leafs in 2002, in 2003 he helped Team Canada to silver at the 2003 Wold Junior Championships. In 2009 Stajan was dealt to the Flames as a part of the Dion Phaneuf trade.  

Jeff Reese

Mailed out: October 29, 2014

Returned: December 29, 2014

Time in transit: 61 days

c/o Flyers Skate Zone

Drafted by the Maple Leafs Jeff Reese was eventually dealt to the Calgary Flames as a part of the Doug Gilmour deal. He holds the record for most points by a goalie in a game, picking up 3 assists against San Jose February 10, 1993. After retiring Reese joined the Tampa Bay Lightning as their goalie coach, winning a cup with the club in 2004. 

Robert Cimetta

Mailed out: June 23, 2014
Returned: December 15, 2014

Drafted 18th overall by the Leafs in 1988 Robert Cimetta is better known for being in the Twin Towers on 911. Cimetta would only play 103 NHL games, bouncing between the minors before playing out his career in Europe.

You can read about Cimetta surviving the 911 attacks here:
http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/13360-Backchecking-Surviving-911-gave-former-NHLer-Rob-Cimetta-a-new-outlook-on-life.html

Gary Nylund

Mailed out:September 15, 2014
Retuned: December 8, 2014

Drafted 3rd overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1982, Gary Nylund is best known for being the first NHL player to change teams via free agency, when he signed with the Blackhawks in 1986. I mailed him his 91 92 O Pee Chee card for my set, Nylund switched it out with 3 other cards that beautifully show him with the three teams he played for throughout his career. Today Nylund is a firefighter in British Columbia, as well as a part owner of the BCHLs Surrey Eagles.

Tom Fergus

Mailed out: October 24, 2014
Returned: November 25, 2014
Return #110

Drafted in 1980 by the Boston Bruins Tom Fergus, he took no time jumping into the line up for the 1981-1982 season putting up 39 points. His numbers continued to grow over the next couple seasons, and then the Bruins traded Fergus to the Maple Leafs. He would continue to light it up in Toronto until a groin injury derailed his career, and never regained his scoring touch. Fergus would go on to play for the Canucks, and then in the Swiss league before calling it a career.

Mike Krushelnyski

Returned: September 17, 2014
Mailed out: November 4, 2014
Return #90

Originally drafted by the Bruins Mike Krushelnyski joined the Oilers in 1984 going on to win three Stnaley Cups as an Oilers. When Wayne Gretzky was traded to the LA Kings in 1988 he requested that Krushelnyski and Marty McSorley go with him. After retiring he would join the Red Wings as an assistant coach winning the cup for a fourth time in 1997.

Vincent Damphousse

Mauled out: June 23, 2014
Returned: October 8, 2014
108 days - Return #73

In 1991 Vincent Damphousse became one of only four players - at the time - to score four goals during a NHL all star game. Originally a first round pick of the Maple Leafs in 1986, Damphousse was part of a big trade in 1991 that saw Edmonton give up Glenn Anderson, and Grant Fuhr for him. Later dealt to the Canadiens during the 1992 offseason he went on to win his only Stanley Cup as a member of the Canadiens.

Gary Leeman

Mailed out: June 23, 2014
Returned: September 19, 2014
c/o home - 88 days


Gary Leeman is best known for being just the second player in Maple Leafs history for potting 50 goals in a season back in 1990. Known as a gritty all around winger Leeman, formed the Hound Line along with Wendal Clark and Russ Coutnall. In 1991 he was sent to Calgary as a part of the trade that brought Doug Gilmour to Toronto, in 1993 he won the cup as a member of the Montreal Canadiens.

David Reid

Mailed out: September 5, 2014

Returned: September 16, 2014

c/o home - 11 days

While he may be pictured in a Leafs uniform on this card Reid found success in Dallas and Colorado where he captured two Stanley Cups. I asked him which cup was more meaning for him, and do people ever bug him about Hulls skate in the paint. Reid said, "The Dallas Cup being my first was very special and people don't bug me about it. The Colorado Cup was just as special because we won at home and my children were there with me." 

Johnny Bower

Mailed out: July 7, 2014
Returned: July 24, 2014
c/o home return #43

John Kiszkan changed his name to Johnny Bower in his first year of professional hockey make it easier for sports writers, betcha ya didn't know that one. It's crazy to think that Bower played 9 seasons in the AHL before actually getting a shot in the NHL, even after that he still bounced between the two leagues for a few more seasons. The wait just allowed him to make his career more illustrious because he won three Calder Cups while in the minors, he added four Stanley Cups to his resume that included the Leafs three-peat, and to top it all off the China wall also owns a couple of Vezinas.

I included two toonies for my two cards to be signed, the soon to be 90 year old included the NHL Alumni card.

Mark Osborne

Mailed Out: June 23, 2014

Returned: July 15, 2014
return #38

Drafted by the Red Wings in 1980, Osborne made an impression during his rookie campaign tallying 67 points in 1981-1982. In 1983 the Wings sent Osbrone to the Rangers, where he played three and a half seasons before being traded once again to his hometown Maple Leafs. Gary Leemman, Ed Olczyk, and Mark made up the GEM line in Toronto. He's currently a hockey analyst with the Leafs Network.  

He signed my O Pee Chee card, and included the Rangers card as well as the personalized NHL alumni card. 

David Broll

Mailed out: May 5, 2014

Returned: June 24, 2014

return #30

David Broll appears to be the hidden gem from 2011 draft, drafted by the Leafs in the 6th round 152 overall. They didn't waste anytime inking the big winger to an entry level contract later that summer. He started off this past season with the Leafs but spent the majority of the season with their farm team.

James van Riemsdyk

Mailed out: May 5, 2014

Returned: June 19, 2014

c/o home return #29

A super cool return today, I've run out of forever USA stamps so I sent JVR 3 dollars in hopes he would cover the return postage and guess what he came though! He was drafted second overal in 2007 behind Patrick Kane making them the first Americans to go 1and 2 in the NHL draft. 

He burst onto the scene in 2009 playing the entire season with the Flyers becoming an offensive threat. After inking a six year extension in 2012 the Flyers turned around and traded him in exchange for Luke Schenn. He's found his way in Toronto alongside fellow countryman Phil Kessel. 

Morgan Rielly

Mailed out: May 25, 2014

Returned: June 5, 2014

c/o home return #27

A very cool return from the 5th overall pick of the 2012 draft, Rielly was able to stick around with the big club for all of last season.

I watched the Leafs play live here in Edmonton, where everyone thought they witnessed his first NHL goal, however the league later gave Kadri credit for the goal after deflecting Riellys shot. In 73 games the rookie racked up 27 points this past season. Capping off a very successful season Rielly represented Canada at the World Championships. 

Randy Carlyle

Mailed Out: February 24, 2014
Came Back: March 13, 2014
C/O Toronto Maple Leafs - return #8

Randy Carlyle has arguably one of the toughest jobs in the NHL, being the bench boss for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The market, the media, the fans... man all that pressure. What a lot of people forget about Carlyle is that he was actually drafted by the Leafs back in 1976, and had a lengthy career in the NHL as a blue liner with the Leafs, Penguins, and the Jets. He played in 4 all star games, and won the Norris trophy in 1981. The Anaheim Ducks gave him his first head coaching stint in 2005, where his team was upset by the Cinderella run of the Edmonton Oilers in the 2006 playoffs. However, the next year he lead the Ducks to their first Stanley Cup in 2007. He's got a nice big signature that clearly showed up, this is my third Pee Chee card back. 

The first few hockey TTM successes - Norm Ullman, Henri Richard, Bryan Little

return #1, #2, #3
c/o home




Recently my parents home caught fire, I had taken my set of O Pee Chee 91/92 cards out along with a few other cards not long before. I started looking into TTMing a month or so after the fire and sent out a few cards to see what I could get in return. Over a week and a half period Hall of Famers Norm Ullman and Henri Richard returned my cards to me in faster time than you wait for Air Canada to track down your luggage and get it back to you.



Unfortunately after that I didn't see much success until today. I had mailed out a batch of cards without any top loaders on February 24th, and today on March 6th I found an envelope waiting for me when I got home. It felt hard inside so I had no idea who the return was from other than the fact that it had a Canadian stamp on it. When I opened it I found 2013 O Pee Chee card of Bryan Little, signed and placed in a top loader. I had used the Jets star players parents address.