As usual, Sidney's cards and those of other players, can be purchased through Checkoutmycards.com and Sportsbuy.com. Pictures of the cards will bring you to COMC and the links will bring you to Sportsbuy.com.
Only a week left until the olympics, and I realized that I forgot to highlight any of Team Canada's goalies. So, although today's player will most likely be riding the bench behind two great goalies (Luongo & Brodeur), he has undoubtedly earned the right to wear Team Canada's colors: Marc-Andre Fleury.
Much like all the other days for the past couple weeks, I'll be highlighting a player from Team USA and Team Canada in the upcoming Vancouver Olympics. Today's player from Team Canada and a kid that will one day be the foundation of the LA Kings' blue line: Drew Doughty.
Drew's cards, and those of other players, can be purchased through checkoutmycards.com and sportsbuy.com. The pictures of the cards will take you to COMC and the links will bring you to sportsbuy.
Today I'm going to change the format up a little bit. I'm going to give you the cards and video's but none of the bio, since that can be found on the player's wiki page. Just like yesterday, the day before that, and the week before that, I'll be highlighting a player from Team USA and Team Canada in the upcoming Olympics. Today's player of the day from Team Canada and the Anaheim Ducks, line mate of fellow Team Canada teammate Ryan Getzlaf, is the sharp shooting Corey Perry.
As I have been doing the for the past weeks, I'm showcasing a player from Team USA or Team Canada as a player of the day. Today's player is the heart and soul of the Columbus Blue Jackets, their franchise player, the prototypical NHL power forward and a sniper to boot: Rick Nash.
Rick played for the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) where he got 66 points as a rookie. His rookie point total won him the Emms Family Award as the OHL's top rookie. The following year he amassed 72 points in 54 games. Following his sophomore season with the Knights he was drafted 1st overall in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets.
He joined the Blue Jackets the same year as his draft and scored a goal in his first game. He was the eighth player taken 1st overall to score a goal in his first game, and the first to do so since Mario Lemieux. After his rookie season, he was nominated for the Calder Trophy, but eventually lost out to Barrett Jackman of the St. Louis Blues. The following year he was tied with Jarome Iginla and Ilya Kovalchuck for the league lead in goals with 41. He was also the youngest player in history to lead the NHL in goals.
During the NHL lockout he joined Joe Thornton playing for HC Davos. While playing for Davos, he recorded 46 points in 44 games. He also recorded 11 points in 15 playoff games and helping to lead Davos to the Swiss League Championship and the Spengler Cup.
The year following the lockout Nash was sidelined with knee and ankle injuries. Despite being out for most of the beginning of the season, he was still named to Team Canada for the 2006 Olympics in Turin. After returning to the Blue Jackets for the remainder of the 2005-06 season, he recorded points at a point per game pace and totaling 54 points and games played.
As always Rick's cards, and those of other players can be purchased through Checkoutmycards.com and Sportsbuy.com. I should also mention that I will be accepting offers, no ifs ands or buts, at Checkoutmycards.
Each day, I have been highlighting a player from Team USA and Team Canada leading up to the Vancouver Olympics that has a chance to stand out during the games. Today's player from Team Canada is a standout shutdown defensemen for the Chicago Blackhawks, who usually is second in ice time per game on the team, and plays a very effective shutdown role against other teams top lines: Brent Seabrook.
Brent's junior career started and ended with the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the Western Hockey League (WHL). He was drafted by the Hurricanes in the first round of the 2000 bantam draft. He played 4 years with Lethbridge and had his best year in 2004-05 when he had 54 points, was a +25, and accumulated 107 penalty minutes. After his final season of junior hockey, he played 9 games for the Norfolk Admirals of the AHL.
His first season out of juniors (2005-06) he made the Blackhawks roster out of training camp and played in 69 of the Hawks games. Each season in the NHL his plus/minus has improved steadily, while logging top minutes against other teams best lines. Always one to stand up for his teammates, he is willing to drop the gloves with just about anybody, despite his important role with the Hawks. During the 2008-09 playoffs, he was able to put up 12 points in 17 games. Over the course of those playoffs, he effectively shut down the Iginla (Calgary) and Sedin (Vancouver) lines, while also doing a good job shutting down the Zetterberg (Detroit) line in the Western Conference Finals.
He has played in 3 international tournaments. The first was the World Junior Championships in 2004 where he helped Canada win a silver medal. The following year at the World Junior Championships, he helped Canada win a gold medal. He also played for Team Canada at the World Championships in 2006.
Below are is a card that can be purchased through Checkoutmycards.com . Other players cards can be purchased through Sportsbuy.com. I should also mention that all cards at Checkoutmycards.com can be had for 50% off my asking price. Feel free to make an offer.
Not that I need to remind you, but Jonathan's cards and those of other players can be purchased through checkoutmycards.com and sportsbuy.com. Pictures of the cards will take you to COMC and the links will bring you to Sportsbuy.
In case you missed it , I will be highlighting a player from Team USA and Team Canada leading up to the Vancouver Olympics. Today's player, from Team Canada and the newest captain of the Carolina Hurricanes, is Eric Staal.
Beginning in 2000-01, through the 2002-03 season, Eric played for the Peterborough Petes on the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Each year he was able to increase his point totals to 49, 62, 98 respectively. Coming off of his 98 point season he was awarded the Top Draft Prospect Award. He was also named to the OHL's second all star team and the Canadian Hockey League's (CHL) first all star team.
He was selected second overall in the NHL's entry draft in 2003, and began his NHL career during the 2003-04 season. He played in 81 games that season and put up respectable numbers with 11G-20A-31PTS. During the lock out year he spent a season with the Lowell Lock Monsters of the AHL. He played 77 games with Lowell and put up 77 points. The next season, 2005-06, Eric was instrumental in the Hurricanes' playoff run, ultimately leading to them winning the Stanley Cup. Since the lockout he has played in all 82 of the Hurricanes' regular season games.
Over the summer of 2007 he helped Team Canada win a gold medal in the World Hockey Championships. While on the verge of getting married over the summer of 2007, Eric and his brother Jordan were arrested after partying a little too hard at Eric's bachelor party. The following summer, 2008, he helped Team Canada win a gold medal at the same tournament.
In case you missed it , I will be highlighting a player from Team USA and Team Canada leading up to the Vancouver Olympics. With no further adeiu, I give you today's player: Duncan Keith.
The fleet footed Keith is currently the Number 1 defensemen, and ice time leader game in and game out, for the Chicago Blackhawks. Originally drafted by Chicago in the second round, 54th overall, in 2002. Duncan took a different route than most players to the NHL. He started off playing in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL), then moved on to playing NCAA hockey for Michigan State scored his first collegiate goal in the Cold War game, where he spent two years, before moving on to the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League (WHL). After his last year of junior eligability he spent two years honeing his craft in the American Hockey League with the Norfolk Admirals. He played in 81 games with the Blackhawks as a rookie in 2005-06 and got on the score sheet for 21 points (9G 12A) and 79 penalty minutes.
His only international experience came in 2008 when he played for Team Canada in the World Championships and helped Canada win the silver medal. During his 9 game run with Team Canada in the World Championships, he only contributed 2 assists, but was a +9 while shutting down some of the best hockey players that were out of their leagues' playoffs.
As always these cards can be purchased. Either click on the images above to be taken to Checkoutmycards.com or cards of other players can be purchased through Pats Cards on Sportsbuy.com.
Player of the Day: Mike Richards-Captain of the Flyers
Why he will succeed: In 2002-03 he was the leading scorer for the Kitchener Rangers, of the Ontario Hockey League, with 87 points. That same year, he was one of the teams leading scorers and helped the team capture the Memorial Cup by racking up 27 points in 21 games. In 2005 he was the captain of Team Canada during the World Junior Championships. Mike led that team to its first gold medal since 1997 while getting 5 points in 6 games. In 2004-05 he joined the Philadelphia Phantoms and helped them win the Calder Cup. Throughout the AHL playoffs, he became a key player for the Phantoms and recorded 15 points in 14 playoff games. He was announced as a finalist for the Selke Trophy after the 2009 season, but narrowly lost to Pavel Datsyuk by 3 votes. Because of his defensive abilities he is a premier penalty killer, and because of his offensive abilities he was able to score a league leading 7 short handed goals in the 2008-09 season. After the 2008-09 season it was revealed that Mike had needed surgeries on both shoulders since training camp, but was able to play the entire season by taking anti-inflammatory medication.
Ryan is the power behind Anaheim's offense and one of the players representing Canada in the Vancouver Olympics. A power forward with grit and a quick shot, he has no problem taking the puck to the net or putting opposing defensemen through the end boards.
Why he will succeed: He's always been able to put up points, and no one should think that the olympic stage will be any different. 18 points as a rookie with the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League. He then followed his WHL rookie season with a 68 point sophomore season. During the Ducks Stanley Cup run in 2007 he lead the team in playoff scoring with 17 points in 21 games. After the Ducks were eliminated from the playoffs in 2008 he joined Team Canada in the World Championships in which he recorded 14 points in 9 games. The following season he was named a starter for the Western Conference in the 2009 All-Star Game. During that same season he put up career highs in goals (25) and points (91).
Tonight on the NHL Network, Team USA v. Team Sweden at 6:00 p.m. Eastern. Tomorrow night on NHL Network, and (I think) on TSN in Canada, USA v. Canada at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. See tomorrow's NHL stars today. Definitely something worth checking out.
