Friday Pack of Cards

As promised, I've finally got you something a little more special. While we have just an ever so slight change in gears, I picked a set of cards that has plenty of inserts, and a Philadelphia-Pittsburgh tie-in.

Make the jump



(click for a bigger view)
If you noticed the cards look different, good eye. These are actually 1992-93, one year later than the Parkhurst cards I've been putting up. Also pretty neat, though you can't see it, the text on the back of the cards is in English, then French.

1)Doug Zmolek - San Jose Sharks (Calder Candidate) - The 7th overall pick in 1989, Zmolek is actually American, despite his last name. He was claimed by San Jose in the dispersal draft of Minnesota (when they relocated to Dallas). He was a standout defenseman at the University of Minnesota before being drafted.
2)Fred Shero - Coach (Philadelphia Dynasty Series) - Really, I have no idea why Parkhurst gave the Flyers this series and not the Islanders. I think I would have like the Islanders more. Anyway, Fred is the father of current Penguins' GM Ray Shero. There's your Philadelphia-Pittsburgh connection. Fred Shero was a really intelligent coach, being one of the first to duplicate the Soviet's training methods for his own team.
3)Luciano Borsato - Winnipeg Jets - A rookie card for all intents and purposes, through 57 NHL games over 2 seasons, the center managed 37 points (15+22). He made the second all-star team for the ECAC in 1988, as a member of Clarkston University.
4)Jim Waite - Chicago Blackhawks - It's interesting to look at how equipment has changed through the years, and Goalie Equipment shows it the most. Waite's helmet jumps out to me, as helmets have gotten bigger and less obstructive since that model. Waite himself was never quite starting goalie material, in my memory. I think he backed up Arturs Irbe for the Sharks for a while.
5)Michael Pivonka - Washington Capitals - Pivonka was one of those players who was somewhat dirty, but found ways to to his job. A former member of the Czechoslovakian National Team, he broke into the league 3 years after being a 3rd round pick.
6)Brad Werenka - Edmonton Oilers (Calder Candidate) - Werenka, who looks like he just farted in (I think) Adam Oate's face, was another College hockey standout. While playing for Northern Michigan, he was even named to 3 different College all-star teams in one year (WCHA, NCAA West, NCAA Final Four in 1990-91).
7)Stephen Heinze - Boston Bruins (Calder Candidate) - This Lawrence, Massachusetts native played his College hockey at Boston College, on a line with David Emma and Marty McInnis. In 1991-92, he played for the US National team, then on the US Olympic team, before signing with the Bruins, and playing 14 games, still managing to pick up 7 points in these 12 games.
8)Roman Hamrlik - Tampa Bay Lightning (International Rising Star) - I think this is the earliest insert card that was completely different from the rest of the set that I've seen. Hamrlik was also quite deserving of this card (a rarity in rookie cards at this time, it seems). Also interesting, He was the first ever pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
9)Jason Woolley - Washington Capitals - Woolley played for the Penguins one year before Brad Werenka (#6 this week). However, at this time he was up for the Calder. Woolley, who played for the Canadian National and Olympic teams before signing with Washington, played just one game with the Capitals before being banished to the AHL for further development in 1991-92
10)Michael O'Neill - Winnipeg Jets (Calder Candidate)(Emerald Ice) - If you're wondering what 'Emerald Ice' is, it's the foil logo printed on the bottom left of the card. O'Neill, a native of Quebec, played college for Yale. O'Neill was a first round pick (15th overall in 1988), and played in Finland in 1989-90 to hone his skills. So whatever happened to him? He played a total of 21 games for the Jets and the Anaheim Ducks. First round bust? You decide.
11)Warren Rychell - Los Angeles Kings - Rychel was signed as a free agent to the NHL by Chicago in 1986. Before he wound up in LA, he was very traveled, playing for Chicago and Minnesota and Winnipeg's minor league teams. While he put up respectable numbers in the NHL, he hadn't quite made it to the NHL skill level at the time of this card.
12)Glenn Healy - New York Islanders - Healy was never really a great NHL goalie, at least statistically. The team around him was good enough to carry them pretty well, however. Neat post on the card, not much else to say here, though.

Well, I hope you enjoyed the change of pace for this week. We'll be back with another pack of cards next week. Until then, enjoy some playoff hockey and be sure to make your way back to Technically, Hockey!