sbangayan86’s (@richie.rocket.cards) JIGAWATT update 2023: MORE Customs, Autos, Buybacks, Meet-ups, & TOP 10!! (++scans)

[richie.rocket.cards]

sbangayan86’s (@richie.rocket.cards) JIGAWATT update 2023: MORE Customs, Autos, Buybacks, Meet-ups, & TOP 10!! (++scans)

Hello HI friends!

And just like that, we are at the end of 2023—and what a year it has been! Every time I start writing one of these, I’m partly thinking…could this possibly live up to the posts from years past? Those thoughts are quickly put to rest when I start the reflection process: reviewing the pick-ups, the photos, the mail days…there is no slowing down when it comes to this collection!

While the TTM scene has certainly cooled the last while, this year was super fun still in particular with the plethora of backlogged hockey card releases coming out in bunches—including the release of (in my opinion) one of the greatest sets of all time [scroll down to see]!

Annual update with my Canucks autograph collection: I’ve maintained my status at 99.4% completion as new additions to the team have come (and some gone already). One of the players I’m missing is one Dennis McCord, and this year I made some potential headway by making acquaintance with a family member of his—no cigar on an autograph yet but you never know

For those of you who are new, this Show-and-Tell will be seriously GINORMOUS: go grab your beer, All-Dressed Ruffles, and suggest some key lime pie while you enjoy the SHOW!

(Once again, hockey items will be sandwiching entertainment/non-hockey adds in an intermission section. Top 10 at the bottom!)

Every year, there is a late addition that just misses the cut for this annual review; last year it was this MONSTER dual, which arrived the day I posted the 2022 review:
(Again, why Linden is in the Orca uniform is a total head-scratcher, but it is still a beauty!)
16-17 UD Trilogy Dual Signature Pucks Pavel Bure & Trevor Linden auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

First, some updates on mini player PCs; if you took a random checklist from a 90s McDonald’s set, those are basically all my favorite players…guys I grew up watching as a kid. I also love that UD is making a strong effort to avoid recycling photos for the same player across sets. Okay, enough talking, onto the CARDS!

Dominik Hasek: he has been signing for UD a lot these past few years, and the cards, especially with these old Sabres jerseys, look AWESOME
20-21 UD Cup Exquisite Rookie Autograph Dominik Hasek auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
19-20 UD Buybacks (01-02 Top Shelf Goalie Gear) Dominik Hasek auto pad by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 Ultimate Collection 97 Legends Dominik Hasek auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

How about old school Whalers jerseys? Here’s Pat Verbeek
13-14 Panini Crown Royale Silhouette Pat Verbeek jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Some very big additions to the Luc Robitaille collection! Outside of Canucks, he is now one of the main players I collect:
09-10 UD Cup Limited Logos Luc Robitaille auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Black /5. Love the old purple Kings jerseys!
11-12 UD Artifacts Black Luc Robitaille auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Here’s my first pick-up from the Fall Expo 2023; it was $20 and I was not aware of its existence but it was on the top of a stack somewhere. I only realized when cataloging it that this card is actually numbered /3! (you can see the numbering faintly below the auto)
16-17 UD Overtime Top Rated Gold Rainbow Luc Robitaille auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
15-16 UD Cup Scripted Sticks Luc Robitaille auto stick by Richard Ho, on Flickr
2011 UD World of Sports Luc Robitaille auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
13-14 UD Cup Program of Excellence Luc Robitaille auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
06-07 UD Sweet Shot Signature Shots Stick Signings Luc Robitaille auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Nice to seem some Red Wings stuff too:
20-21 Ultimate Collection (1997 Legends) Luc Robitaille auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
12-13 Panini Dominion Luc Robitaille auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr

I have slowly now become a bit of a Vincent Damphousse collector. He looks good in pretty much any jersey eh
14-15 UD Premier Collection Retro Vincent Damphousse auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr
14-15 Upper Deck 25th Anniversary Buybacks (90-91 UD) Vincent Damphousse auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
13-14 Ultimate Collection 97 Legends Autographs Vincent Damphousse auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
13-14 UD Team Canada Signatures Vincent Damphousse auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
14-15 Sp Authentic (94-95 SP Retro) Vincent Damphousse auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

This was on my want-list for some time after I kicked myself for being too slow last year on another copy, which was being sold on Instagram; glad to have added one now!
14-15 UD Cup Gold Base patch auto Vincent Damphousse by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Glenn Hall: he has one of the coolest vintage RCs in my opinion; what better than to have a reprint auto?
01-02 Topps Archives Glenn Hall auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Bernie Nicholls: the guy generally doesn’t get a lot of hobby love…until the low numbered stuff appears! Who are these secret Nicholls collectors out there?
20-21 Sp Game Used Legendary Inked Sweaters Bernie Nicholls patch auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
13-14 Panini Crown Royale Silhouette Bernie Nicholls jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
22-23 UD Artifacts Black Bernie Nicholls auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 Sp Authentic SOTT 90s Bernie Nicholls auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
11-12 Donruss Elite Prime Numbers Bernie Nicholls patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr
19-20 UD Exquisite Collection Bernie Nicholls auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 Ultimate Collection Bernie Nicholls auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 Ultimate Collection (1997 Legends) Bernie Nicholls auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
19-20 UD Engrained Complete Sticks Signatures Bernie Nicholls stick auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Charlie Simmer
18-19 UD Chronology Charlie Simmer auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

A cool Dino Ciccarelli OPC Buyback; I loved this 91-92 OPC set
07-08 OPC Buybacks (91-92 OPC) Dino Ciccarelli auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Dave Taylor: another underrated King
06-07 Ultimate Collection Autographed Jersey Dave Taylor auto jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
04-05 ITG Franchises Dave Taylor auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 UD Ovation Praised Penmanship Dave Taylor auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
22-23 UD Artifacts Black Dave Taylor auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Eric Staal: he looks odd, but cool, in the Sabres uni:
20-21 Ultimate Collection Signatures Eric Staal auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Thanks for the trade on this @wraparoundcards
14-15 UD Premier Collection Retro Eric Staal auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr
And one /2 from The Cup:
19-20 UD Cup Top 10 Picks Eric Staal auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Andy Moog: I heard he recently was diagnosed with cancer. Hopefully it is early and that he does well with treatment.

I was fortunate to meet him this spring at a local show, where he signed these for me:
15-16 UD Exquisite Material Signatures Andy Moog auto jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Andy Moog 8x10 auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Andy Moog by Richard Ho, on Flickr
12-13 Sp Authentic SOTT Andy Moog auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Doug Gilmour the Killer
17-18 Ultimate Collection (1997 Legends) Doug Gilmour auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Joe Mullen: some cool OPC buyback pick-ups!
07-08 OPC Buybacks (85-86 OPC) Joe Mullen auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
07-08 OPC Buybacks (86-87 OPC) Joe Mullen auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
09-10 OPC Buybacks (08-09 OPC Legends) Joe Mullen auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
06-07 Ultimate Colleciton Signatures Joe Mullen auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Kirk Muller: love the old Devils red and green gear
17-18 UD Cup Color Coded Kirk Muller auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
18-19 Ultimate Collection 97 Legends Kirk Muller auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Manon Rheaume
1993 Classic Pro Hockey Prospects Manon Rheaume auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Owen Nolan
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends Owen Nolan auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 Ultimate Collection (1997 Legends) Owen Nolan auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Jose Theodore
01-02 UD Mask Collection Goalie Pads Jose Theodore pad by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Team Canada dual via trade: Vincent Lecavalier with Dany Heatley
13-14 UD Cup Dual Programme of Excellence Vincent Lecavalier Dany Heatley auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

I’ve started collecting some John Vanbiesbrouck now too; that Panthers mask…so classic
20-21 UD Cup Brilliance John Vanbiesbrouck auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 Sp Authentic Retro (01-02 SpA) John Vanbiesbrouck auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 Ultimate Collection (1997 Legends) John Vanbiesbrouck auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 UD Stature John Vanbiesbrouck auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 UD Cup Inked Insignias John Vanbiesbrouck auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 UD Cup Exquisite Rookie Autograph John Vanbiesbrouck auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

A random Evgeni Nabokov, just cause
01-02 Pacific Evgeni Nabokov auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Clark Gillies: a legend we lost this year, RIP
12-13 Sp Authentic Limited Clark Gillies auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Dale Hawerchuk from Score Recollection: another legend we lost, RIP
13-14 Score Recollection (90-91 Score R&T) Dale Hawerchuk buyback auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Marian Hossa: so apparently he finally signed and returned these cards which were supposed to be included in the 2008-09 UD Cup pack-out...I guess it really is better late than never!
08-09 UD Cup Emblems of Endorsement Marian Hossa auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr
08-09 UD Cup Limited Logos Marian Hossa auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Brian Bellows: these North Stars jerseys!
14-15 UD Trilogy Signature Pucks Brian Bellows auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
14-15 UD A Piece of History 1000 points club Brian Bellows jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
19-20 UD Engrained Complete Sticks Brian Bellows stick by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Brian Propp and Bobby Smith: more North Stars jerseys!
21-22 Sp Authentic UD Authentics Bobby Smith auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
17-18 UD A Piece of History 1000 point club Brian Propp jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
17-18 UD Ice Rinkside Signings Brian Propp auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Joe Nieuwendyk: this guy has very few certified autographs out there, but lately a few things have popped up, which I think has to do with Panini finally mobilizing on some long-awaited redemptions?!

So what else can you do? You make a custom!

This was done via send-in during the spring Expo:
04-05 Sp Authentic Rookie Review Joe Nieuwendyk auto jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
11-12 Panini Conruss Elite Signings Joe Nieuwendyk auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
13-14 Panini Prime Namesakes Joe Nieuwendyk auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
13-14 Panini National Treasures Past Present Future Joe Nieuwendyk Mikael Backlund Sean Monahan auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Also I added this MASSIVE card (and it is quite a heavy thing too) – National Treasures Buried Treasure! Thanks Jeremy (@jlee_sportscardslive)
13-14 Panini National Treasures Buried Treasure Joe Nieuwendyk auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

And here’s a nice 8x10 for the wall:
Joe Nieuwendyk 8x10 auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Here’s an upgrade on one of the newest inductees into the HHOF: Tom Barrasso, with some killer yellow swatches!
17-18 UD Cup Emblems of Endorsement Tom Barrasso auto patch upgrade by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Pierre Turgeon: I slowly keep discovering new Turgeon cards; they seem to sneak a card or two into various sets!

This OPC Platinum is /5
14-15 OPC Platinum Legend Pierre Turgeon auto /5 by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Another Expo purchase, thanks @quincy
08-09 UD Montreal Centennial Habs Inks Pierre Turgeon auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
13-14 Panini Crown Royale Silhouettes Pierre Turgeon jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
13-14 Panini National Treasures Colossal Pierre Turgeon auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr
19-20 UD Engrained Complete Sticks Signatures Pierre Turgeon stick auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

1/1 Buyback
15-16 UD Buybacks (93-94 UD) Pierre Turgeon auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Another 1/1 Buyback!
19-20 UD Buybacks (08-09 UD Canadiens Centennial) Pierre Turgeon auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Clear Cut HG /10
19-20 UD Clear Cut High Gloss Pierre Turgeon auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Speaking of Clear Cut, love these UD Clear Cut Retro (Rookie) cards:
19-20 UD Clear Cut Retro (90-91 UD) Mark Recchi auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 UD Clear Cut Retro Peter Bondra auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
18-19 UD Clear Cut Tribute Rookie (03-04 Trilogy) Eric Staal auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 UD Clear Cut Retro Mike Modano auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

And to finish off this segment, here’s a pick-up from a set that seems to have made a resurgence all of a sudden…I get a few messages every few weeks asking if these are available. It is a gosh darn nice set, only done one year in 07-08:
07-08 UD Cup All Star Royalty Patrick Roy auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Dang what a start, and that was just Act I, part I!

In the spring, the Canucks added a number of college free agents, and also new players via trade. It is a bit of a scramble to get things prepared for these guys, but necessary because who knows where they’d all be come the off-season, and beyond. Check these outings:

The big acquisition was of course, Filip Hronek, who’s playing lights out this year and will probably be getting a huge raise soon:
16-17 UD Tim Horton's NHL Signatures Filip Hronek auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Filip Hronek by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Akito Hirose signed out of college:
21-22 UD Black Lustrous Rookies Gold Akito Hirose auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
19-20 Panini Flawless Premium Ink (NBA) Filip Hronek auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
19-20 UD CHL Autographs Akito Hirose auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Cole McWard: a future piece on our right side D?
21-22 Sp Authentic Retro (01-02 SpA) Limited FW Cole McWard auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
18-19 UD Ice Rookie Rinkside Signings Cole McWard auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Cole McWard by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Christian Wolanin who was called up
19-20 Panini Flawless Excellence (NBA) SILVER Christian Wolanin auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Aidan McDonough: a 7th round pick working his way up the ranks
Here is a cool Canvas card I made, featuring his first ever NHL goal. I did give him an extra copy of this, which he told me he was gonna frame and give to his dad:
20-21 UD Canvas Legends Aidan McDonough auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 UD CHL Aidan McDonough auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
12-13 Score Hot Rookies Aidan McDonough auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

And here is the first certified auto for him!
23-24 UD Parkhurst Priority Signings Aidan McDonough auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Lane Pederson
Lucky to have gotten this guy as he was in and out of Vancouver in a jiffy
21-22 UD Black Diamond Futures Lane Pederson auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
19-20 Ultimate Collection Base Lane Pederson auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Some additions from Abbotsford:
05-06 Sp game used SIGnificance Danila Klimovich auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
2008 Upper Deck Draft Edition (NFL) Arshdeep Bains auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
06-07 OPC Autographs Alex Kannok Leipert auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
08-09 OPC Signatures Noah Juulsen auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
19-20 Panini One Timeless Moments (NBA) Arturs Silovs auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Linus Karlsson, who made his NHL debut just a few weeks ago:
18-19 UD Clear Cut (13-14 Black Diamond Rookie Gems) Linus Karlsson auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

And the other piece from the Horvat trade: Aatu Raty (who so far from UD, still has no Canucks cards)
07-08 Sp Authentic Rookie Authentics Signatures Aatu Raty auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
2005 UD Exquisite Collection Debut Signatures (NFL) Aatu Raty auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Aatu Raty by Richard Ho, on Flickr

I was also invited to attend the Canucks year-end season ticket holder event at Rogers Arena, for some meet-and-greets:

First stop was to Thatcher Demko’s table (with Kyle Burroughs):
12-13 Sp Game Used Gold Base Thatcher Demko auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
07-08 Sp Game Used Significance (NBA) Kyle Burroughs auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Thatcher Demko & Kyle Burroughs by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Then J.T. Miller and Sheldon Dries:
JT Miller 8x10 auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
JT Miller and Sheldon Dries by Richard Ho, on Flickr

New acquisition Anthony Beauvillier, along with Ethan Bear and Tyler Myers
16-17 UD Cup Gold Spectrum base Anthony Beauvillier auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 Parkhurst Emerald Ice Anthony Beauvillier auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
2020 Panini Immaculate Collection Comeback Signatures (NFL) Anthony Beauvillier auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Ethan Bear, Anthony Beauvillier, Tyler Myers by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Dakota Joshua
13-14 UD Canvas Signatures Dakota Joshua auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Collin Delia
09-10 UD Signature Collection auto (NBA) Collin Delia auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
14-15 UD Overtime Legends Collin Delia auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Collin Delia by Richard Ho, on Flickr

The last time I met OEL, he’s going to be paid by the Canucks till Kingdom come
19-20 Sp Authentic Limited Oliver Ekman-Larsson auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Phil Di Giuseppe
21-22 Panini Noir Shadow Signatures (NBA) Phil Di Giuseppe auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Di Giuseppe by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Jack Studnicka
21-22 Upper Deck Series 1 Base snow spray Jack Studnicka auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Jack Studnicka by Richard Ho, on Flickr

But by far the most popular table that day was the three Russians: Vitaly Kravtsov, Vasily Podkolzin, and Andrei Kuzmenko:
16-17 Panini Immaculate Moments (NBA) Vitali Kravtsov auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
16-17 UD Top Draft Pick Vasily Podkolzin auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Andrei Kuzmenko 8x10 auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Kravtsov Podkolzin Kuzmenko by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Then fast forward to the early summer, and the Canucks hosted a Prospects Camp for some of the young guns, including some of the newly drafted 2023 players:

Hunter Brzustewicz (3rd round)
2012 Sp Authentic Golf Rookies Signatures Hunter Brzustewicz auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
03-04 Sp Authentic SP Signatures (NBA) Hunter Brzustewicz auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Hunter Brzustewicz by Richard Ho, on Flickr

That ‘other’ Elias Pettersson
21-22 SpX Black Obsidian Scripts Elias Pettersson auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Tom Willander (1st round): his autograph is already ugly =D
2021 Panini Immaculate Signature Moves (NFL) Tom Willander auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
01-02 Sp Authentic FW Tom Willander auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Tom Willander by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Also met Adam Foote that day:
Adam Foote by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Rick Tocchet, nice guy, ugly autograph
07-08 UD Cup All Star Royalty Rick Tocchet auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Rick Tocchet by Richard Ho, on Flickr

At the CHL Top Prospects Game, which was held in Langley this year, I met Scott Niedermayer!
Scott Niedermayer & rich by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Then late in the summer, Troy Stecher hosted pre-training camp practice sessions in Richmond, BC, with many NHLers from the local area participating:

Carson Soucy, one of the Canucks’ newest acquisitions. He had not yet even suited up for the Canucks yet at this time. Hence, the magic of Photoshop:
21-22 UD Credentials Star of the Night Carson Soucy auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Carson Soucy by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Bowen Byram
17-18 UD Premier Signature Champions Bowen Byram auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Bowen Byram by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Brendan Dillon
Brendan Dillon by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Troy Stecher himself
13-14 UD Team Canada POE Signatures Troy Stecher auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Brendan Gallagher
Brendan Gallagher by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Tanner Pearson
20-21 Parkhurst Emerald Ice Tanner Pearson auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Milan Lucic
Milan Lucic and rich by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Sam Reinhart, on a card along with his dad. I’m sure there is nothing else out there like it:
17-18 Sp Authentic SOTT 2 Sam Reinhart & Paul Reinhart auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Sam Reinhart by Richard Ho, on Flickr

And we saw Thatcher Demko participate as well, in town early pre-training camp
Thatcher Demko 8x10 (horizontal) autograph by Richard Ho, on Flickr

And to finish off Act I, part II…

Early in 2023, I was contacted by fellow collector @turco_cards, with a HUGE update. As you may know, I have, over the years, sent cards over to Tim for help with IP autographs with players in, or crossing through, his region.
Welp, this was a one for the ages, as he helped me complete one of the only three non-active Canucks which I was still missing!!

Nate Schmidt! The guy just keeps eluding me…first COVID, then he was injured on a trip with the Jets, and another time, it was pre-season and he didn’t travel. Anyhow, thanks Tim for these!
19-20 UD Exquisite Collection Signatures Gold Nate Schmidt auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
19-20 Ultimate Collection Signatures Nate Schmidt auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

I did also make a cut autograph, but man, the hard-signed is so much better:
19-20 UD Engrained Signature Shots Nate Schmidt cut auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Part III: a Rookie Update with some killer BGS 9.5 RCs (I like my cards blazing sharp), and also some very nice vintage adds:

Joe Thornton 96-97 Black Diamond BGS 9.5 RC – is this the top RC of the 1990s? I think so. Jumbo Joe is a first ballot HHOFer, and this card is pretty low pop at only 6:
96-97 UD Black Diamond Joe Thornton BGS 9.5 RC by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Some other rarely graded HHOF RCs:

Sergei Makarov
90-91 Upper Deck Serge Makarov BGS 9.5 RC by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Slava Fetisov
This card I actually converted from a PSA 10 into a BGS 9.5; what can I say, I love the gold labels
90-91 OPC Viacheslav Fetisov RC BGS 9.5 by Richard Ho, on Flickr
90-91 Upper Deck Viacheslav Fetisov RC BGS 9.5 by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Sergei Zubov
May do the same with this Zubov
92-93 Upper Deck Sergei Zubov RC PSA 10 by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Chris Pronger: surprisingly difficult to find in a BGS; there are 41 BGS 9.5 copies, none higher. (Conversely, there are 102 PSA 10s)
92-93 Upper deck Chris Pronger RC BGS 9.5 by Richard Ho, on Flickr

As part of the lot for the Pronger, I also scored a whole host of other gold label RCs (thanks @hkybarn_collectibles):
81-82 OPC Dale Hunter RC BGS 9.5 by Richard Ho, on Flickr
89-90 OPC Gary Roberts RC BGS 9.5 by Richard Ho, on Flickr
89-90 OPC Theoren Fleury RC BGS 9.5 by Richard Ho, on Flickr
90-91 OPC Premier Sergei Fedorov RC BGS 9.5 by Richard Ho, on Flickr
90-91 OPC Premier Owen Nolan RC BGS 9.5 vers 2 by Richard Ho, on Flickr
90-91 OPC Premier Curtis Joseph RC BGS 9.5 by Richard Ho, on Flickr
90-91 OPC Premier Alexander Mogilny RC BGS 9.5 by Richard Ho, on Flickr
90-91 Upper Deck Jeremy Roenick RC BGS 9.5 by Richard Ho, on Flickr
90-91 Upper Deck Owen Nolan RC BGS 9.5 by Richard Ho, on Flickr
90-91 Upper Deck Peter Bondra RC BGS 9.5 by Richard Ho, on Flickr
90-91 OPC Arturs Irbe RC BGS 9.5 by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Lidstrom Young Guns – this card doesn’t have the official RC designation but I think I prefer it to the WJC version from series 1, the same year
91-92 Upper Deck Young Guns Nicklas Lidstrom RC BGS 9.5 by Richard Ho, on Flickr
91-92 Upper Deck Doug Weight RC BGS 9.5 by Richard Ho, on Flickr
91-92 Upper Deck Alexei Kovalev RC BGS 9.5 by Richard Ho, on Flickr
91-92 Upper Deck Keith Tkachuk RC BGS 9.5 by Richard Ho, on Flickr
91-92 Upper Deck Tony Amonte RC BGS 9.5 by Richard Ho, on Flickr
91-92 Upper Deck French Glen Murray RC BGS 9.5 by Richard Ho, on Flickr
92-93 Upper Deck Ray Whitney RC BGS 9.5 by Richard Ho, on Flickr
94-95 SP Ed Jovanovski RC BGS 9.5 by Richard Ho, on Flickr
95-96 Upper Deck Jose Theodore RC BGS 9.5 by Richard Ho, on Flickr
97-98 UD Black Diamond Vincent Lecavalier RC BGS 9.5 by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Here’s a Tim Horton RC that was previously in a partly cracked BVG holder; this is the first time I’ve actually converted a BVG card into PSA, and pretty nice result I would say:
52-53 Parkhurst Tim Horton PSA 2 RC by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Here are a few 80s RCs in BGS holders from PWCC:

Brendan Shanahan pop 32, love this card:
88-89 OPC Brendan Shanahan RC BGS 9.5 by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Dave Andreychuk
84-85 OPC Dave Andreychuk RC BGS 9.5 by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Mark Recchi UD French
90-91 Upper Deck French Mark Recchi RC BGS 9.5 by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Tom Barrasso: new HHOFer, and pop 19!
84-85 OPC Tom Barrasso RC BGS 9.5 by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Dale Hawerchuk pop 5!
82-83 OPC Dale Hawerchuk RC BGS 9.5 by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Not PWCC, but got this for a good deal on eBay:

Ron Francis pop 43
82-83 OPC Ron Francis BGS 9.5 RC by Richard Ho, on Flickr

To finish off, some pre-1980 vintage goodness:

Red Kelly 1951 Parkie: this card is pretty darn sharp, and I think very nice for the grade
51-52 Parkhurst Leonard 'Red' Kelly RC PSA 5 by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Yvan Cournoyer 1965 from the Fall Expo, I love these yellow backgrounds with the red jerseys, it just pops
65-66 Topps Yvon Cournoyer RC PSA 7 by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Guy Lapointe 1970 from a FB deal:
70-71 OPC Guy Lapointe RC PSA 7 by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Jacques Lemaire 1967 from eBay: I was looking for a nice copy of this RC at the Expo but funny, with all the cards present there, could not find one that was satisfactory. Happy with this one:
67-68 Topps Jacques Lemaire RC PSA 7 by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Clark Gillies 1975: this is hard card to grade higher..there are 16 PSA 9s and 4 PSA 10s; I think this is on the nicer side of the 8s!
75-76 OPC Clark Gillies PSA 8 RC by Richard Ho, on Flickr

And then, one of my better pick-ups from a PWCC weekly auction earlier this year:

Bernie Parent 1968 in PSA 7! I had to go surprisingly high to obtain this card, but I guess it’s justified as there are really only 18 graded higher.
68-69 OPC Bernie Parent RC PSA 7 by Richard Ho, on Flickr

INTERMISSION

Yea guys, that was only Part I, still so many more hockey cards to come!

But here, we’ll take a break and like my previous posts, I will update you on some non-hockey acquisitions.

First, the LPGA Canada’s CPKC Women’s Open came to Vancouver, after being postponed 2 years due to COVID. This was a fun week, and the tournament was named the back-to-back winner of the LPGA Tour of the Year:

The big fish was Nelly Korda, with a few custom cards I had been holding for some 4 years—now completed!
2014 Sp Authentic Rookies (Golf) Nelly Korda auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
(The Jessica Korda autograph was obtained in Portland in 2019)
2012 Sp Authentic Golf SOTT 2 Nelly & Jessica Korda auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Nelly Korda by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Few, (only Kang and Thompson) of these players sign for UD for some reason, including both Korda sisters, some customs (for now) are the way to go:

Local up-and-comer Lauren Kim
2021 Sp Authentic Golf Limited Lauren Kim auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Lauren Kim by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Danielle Kang
19-20 Panini One Timeless Moments (NBA) Danielle Kang auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Danielle Kang by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Current world No. 1: Lilia Vu
2021 Sp Authentic Golf Authentic Moments Lilia Vu auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Lilia Vu by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Lydia Ko (former world No. 1):
Lydia Ko by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Lily Muni He (yes, she dates Alex Albon from Formula One); she did stop to admire and comment on these custom cards:
2021 Sp Authentic Golf Limited Muni Lily He auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
2014 Sp Authentic SOTT (Golf) Muni Lily He auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Muni Lily He by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Lexi Thompson
2012 Sp Authentic Golf Rookies Signatures Lexi Thompson auto 2 by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Lexi Thompson 2023 by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Lorie Kane a Canadian legend:
Lorie Kane by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Minjee Lee (world No. 4)
2014 Sp Game Used Golf Spectrum Minjee Lee auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Minjee Lee by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Ruoning Yin (world no. 2)
2021 Sp Authentic Golf Authentic Rookies Ruoning Yin auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
2021 Sp Authentic Golf Retro Ruoning Yin auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Ruoning Yin by Richard Ho, on Flickr

And good to see home favorite Brooke Henderson again also:
19-20 Sp Authentic FW Employee Exclusive Brooke Henderson auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
2021 UD Artifacts Scratch Signatures (Golf) Brooke Henderson auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Switching to winter sports, I took a day out to Calgary for the FIS Snow Rodeo World Cup event (featuring snowboard Slopestyle and Half-pipe), my first time seeing these events live:
Jasmine Baird, snowboard slopestyle/big air:
20-21 Sp Authentic Celebrated Moments Jasmine Baird auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 Panini Noir Shadow Signatures (NBA) Jasmine Baird auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Jasmine Baird by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Elizabeth Hosking, halfpipe
19-20 Panini One Timeless Moments (NBA) Elizabeth Hosking auto (ERR) by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Elizabeth Hosking by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Laurie Blouin: Olympic Silver 2018 Pyeongchang in Slopestyle
2016 Panini Impeccable Seasons (NFL) Laurie Blouin auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
2012 Sp Authentic Golf Rookies Signatures Laurie Blouin auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Laurie Blouin by Richard Ho, on Flickr

One TTM return from Rachael Karker, ski half-pipe Olympic bronze in Beijing 2022
20-21 Panini Hoops Hot Signatures (NBA) reverse Rachael Karker auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
18-19 UD Cup Signature Renditions Rachael Karker auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

And one IP auto obtained by a friend of mine, who met Clara Hughes (Olympic speed skating and cycling) at the Memorial Cup. Did you know she is the only Canadian to ever medal in two separate sports disciplines?
2021 Sp Authentic Golf Authentic Moments Clara Hughes auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Then in the summer, the Canadian Track & Field Championships (nationals) were again held in Langley, BC. If you’ve never been to a live track event, I strongly encourage you to check it out as the human feats are just that much more crazy up close!

Got to meet Ethan Katzberg (hammer throw), who has had a monster season winning Gold at both the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, and Pan American Games in Santiago, breaking Canadian records all the way in doing so. The best thing is, he’s only 21 and just getting started:
He inscribed these cards for free (and without me even asking):
2022 Panini Immaculate Collection Moments (WWE) Ethan Katzberg auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
12-13 UD Signature Sensations Ethan Katzberg auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Ethan Katzberg (hammer throw) by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Marco Arop (800m): this man also took home gold at the World Championships in Budapest this year
14-15 Sp Authenci SOTT (NBA) Marco Arop auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
2021 Panini National Treasures Trackside Signatures (Nascar) Marco Arop auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Marco Arop (800m) by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Georgia Ellenwood (heptathlon): unfortunately she had a second set-back with an ankle injury; hope she’ll be back to it in no time:
20-21 UD Canvas Legends Georgia Ellenwood auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
06-07 BAP Up Close & Personal Georgia Ellenwood auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Georgia Ellenwood (heptathlon) by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Pierce LePage (decathlon): another gold medalist at the World Championships in Budapest!
2020 Panini National Treasures Field Pass (NFL) Pierce LePage auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
16-17 OPC Team Canada Signatures Pierce LePage auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Pierce LePage (decathlon) by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Damian Warner (decathlon): Olympic gold in Tokyo 2020
13-14 UD Black Scenes (NBA) Damian Warner front by Richard Ho, on Flickr
13-14 UD Black Scenes (NBA) Damian Warner inner cover by Richard Ho, on Flickr
13-14 UD Black Scenes (NBA) Damian Warner auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Damian Warner (decathlon) by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Camryn Rogers (hammer throw): the women’s 2023 World Champion:
2021 Sp Authentic Golf Authentic Moments Camryn Rogers auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
15-16 OPC Signatures Team Canada Camryn Rogers auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Camryn Rogers (hammer throw) by Richard Ho, on Flickr

And now the Team Canada throws coach: Dylan Armstrong, who took Olympic bronze for shot put in 2008 Beijing:
09-10 OPC Signatures Dylan Armstrong auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Dylan Armstrong (shot put) by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Jerome Blake: Olympic silver in 4x100 Tokyo 2020
22-23 Panini Immaculate Collection Ink (soccer) Jerome Blake auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Jerome Blake (4x100m silver medal) by Richard Ho, on Flickr

And of course there is Andre De Grasse: how many Olympic medals does he have now?

He is best known for his gold medal victory in Tokyo 2020.
08-09 UD Black Inscriptions (NBA) Andre De Grasse auto (upgrade) by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Andre De Grasse (100m, 200m) by Richard Ho, on Flickr

And lastly, here are some major non-sport updates!

Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman), via an SWAU private signing; can never have too many Gadots!
Gal Gadot 8x12 Wonder Woman promo auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Britt Robertson from 2014 Rittenhouse: I got this for what turned out to be a steal at $25 CAD at the Expo!
2014 Rittenhouse Under the Dome Britt Robertson auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Kate Beckinsale (Underworld), via Celebrity Authentics:
Kate Beckinsale 11x14 “Underworld” by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange), via SWAU. Apparently after this private signing, he has since changed his signature into a more short-hand form, glad to get the full thing here:
Dr Strange - Benedict Cumberbatch 8x12 auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

I only traveled to one comic con this year—Fan Expo San Francisco. This was one I knew I had to get to because they had invited Ewan McGregor (Star Wars) to attend…and you know I’m a nerd for Star Wars! You couldn’t ask for such an opportunity to be closer to home:
Ewan McGregor by Richard Ho, on Flickr

(This autograph was obtained previously through a private signing, but posted here for reference):
Star Wars I - The Phantom Menace - Ewan McGregor auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Finally, here is a crazy thing I picked up, which is not something I typically collect, but was too cool to pass up:

Hot Toys 1:6 Back to the Future Delorean time machine (1.21 JIGWATTS!)
Okay, this thing is as detailed as they come, and the wheels can transform to convert this baby into the flying Delorean!
Hot Toys 1:6 BTTF II Delorean (driver's side) by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Hot Toys 1:6 BTTF II Delorean (passenger side) by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Hot Toys 1:6 BTTF II Delorean (back) by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Hot Toys 1:6 BTTF II Delorean (profile) by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Act II

Welp, the best release of the last decade in my opinion, has to be 20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends! I like the design of these base cards and base autos over prior iterations such as Chronology and ITG Franchises, and like many others, I also love the All-Time Future Watch cards!

First, here is Clark Gillies FW, the gold parallel /10: as above, a legend we lost recently and this may be one of his last ever certified autographs:
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends All-Time Future Watch Gold Clark Gillies auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

My man Rod ‘the Bod’ Brind’Amour FW
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends All-Time Future Watch Rod Brind'Amour auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Dave Taylor FW
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends All-Time Future Watch Dave Taylor auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Theoren Fleury FW
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends Future Watch Theoren Fleury auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Dave Andreychuk FW
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends Future Watch Dave Andreychuk auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Bernie Nicholls FW
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends All-Time Future Watch Bernie Nicholls auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Owen Nolan FW
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends All-Time Future Watch Owen Nolan auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

The SPs:

Doug Gilmour FW
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends All-Time Future Watch Doug Gilmour auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Bryan Trottier FW
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends All-Time Future Watch Bryan Trottier auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Luc Robitaille FW
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends All-Time Future Watch Luc Robitaille auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

The skate-logo Canucks, but why was the Neely FW pictured in Bruins uni?
Trevor Linden FW
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends All-Time Future Watch Trevor Linden auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Rick Vaive FW
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends All Time Future Watch Rick Vaive auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Igor Larionov FW
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends All-Time Future Watch Igor Larionov auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Some limited black base /10 autographs, these look sleek man, sleek:
Luc Robitaille
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends Black Luc Robitaille auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Theoren Fleury
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends Black Theoren Fleury auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Pat LaFontaine
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends Black Pat LaFontaine auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Simon Gagne
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends Black Simon Gagne auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Denis Savard
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends Black Denis Savard auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Doug Gilmour
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends Black Doug Gilmour auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

This year, has probably been the smallest year with respect to hockey TTM send-outs and returns in quite a few years. This is a bit of a dying method of obtaining autographs it seems, but it is still cool to see a self-stamped envelope come through the door:

Dave Gagner: I sent these out in 2012, and they arrived back in 2023! Thank the world for Forever stamps:
06-07 Sp Authentic Chirography (NBA) Dave Gagner auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
06-07 SpXcitement Dave Gagner auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Jason Jaffray:
07-08 Ultimate Collection Rookies Jason Jaffray auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
03-04 MVP Pro Sign (NBA) Jason Jaffray auto (update) by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Emma Maltais: perhaps with the new PWHL starting soon, there will be more opportunities for TTM graphing!
Also, seriously, is this the worst pen selection you’ve ever seen or what! =p
2020 Panini National Treasures Treasured Signatures (NBA) Emma Maltais auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
2020 UD Team Canada Juniors Program of Excellence Emma Maltais auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

And most recently, Tim Hunter, who I messaged on Instagram!
15-16 Panini Immaculate Collection Autographs (NBA) Tim Hunter auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
09-10 UD Fleer Ultra Fresh Ink Tim Hunter auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

But I will say the number of private signings popping up is growing, and players I thought would be unreachable are more and more, coming onto the scene!

A custom card for Brandon Prust, who did a private signing with Morphan Collectibles:
18-19 UD Ice Glacial Graphs Brandon Prust auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Here is Larry Gould, who played 2 games with the Canucks (that was his whole NHL career), in 1973-74. Like, how did Morphan even find this guy?
18-19 Black Diamond Rookie Team Logo Jumbos Larry Gould auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Brian Bellows, who played a few exhibition games for Vancouver:
18-19 Sp Authentic Black Limited Brian Bellows auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

And for the first time (that I am aware of), JLB Sport Rarities organized an Arturs Irbe signing! Nice
17-18 Sp Game Used Inked Sweaters Arturs Irbe jersey auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

A few adds to the women’s hockey collection:
20-21 UD Team Canada Juniors Emily Clark auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr
18-19 UD Team Canada Juniors Rebeccas Johnston auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr
22-23 UD Team Canada Juniors Ella Shelton patch auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
23-24 UD Team Canada Juniors Emerance Maschmeyer jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
22-23 UD Team Canada Juniors Emerance Maschmeyer auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Act II, Part II: And the Canucks PC hits keep coming, with no shortage of big pick-ups this year!!

Roberto Luongo – recently inducted into the HHOF and now Canucks Ring of Honor; I’m always saying UD needs to make more Canucks cards of this guy, because look how good these look!
10-11 Panini Dominion Peerless Patches Roberto Luongo patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr

A sick dual with Canucks legend Richard Brodeur!
11-12 Panini Limited Back to the Future Roberto Luongo - Richard Brodeur auto back by Richard Ho, on Flickr 11-12 Panini Limited Back to the Future Roberto Luongo - Richard Brodeur auto front by Richard Ho, on Flickr
13-14 UD Artifacts Emerald Roberto Luongo jersey patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr
10-11 UD Artifacts Frozen Artifacts Roberto Luongo jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
10-11 Panini Limited Banner Seasons Roberto Luongo auto jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
06-07 BAP SIgnatures Roberto Luongo auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
07-08 Spx Flashback Fabrics Roberto Luongo jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
09-10 Be a Player Signatures Roberto Luongo auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
10-11 Panini Crown Royale Coat of Arms Roberto Luongo patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr
13-14 Panini National Treasures duals Roberto Luongo Jacob Markstrom auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
09-10 Be A Player Roberto Luongo auto SP by Richard Ho, on Flickr
19-20 UD Cup Scripted Sticks Roberto Luongo auto stick by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Also added some nice Cory Schneider cards, always thought his goalie mask featuring various other goalie masks in Canucks history was super awesome:
12-13 Sp Authentic Moments Cory Schneider auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Here is another Back to the Future card with Charlie Hodge:
10-11 Panini Limited Back to the Future Corey Schneider auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr 10-11 Panini Limited Back to the Future Charlie Hodge by Richard Ho, on Flickr
12-13 OPC Signatures Cory Schneider auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
10-11 UD Artifacts Auto-Facts Cory Schneider auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
10-11 Sp Authentic SOTT Cory Schneider auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
10-11 Panini Crown Royale Scratching the Surface Cory Schneider auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
13-14 UD Trilogy Signature Pucks Cory Schneider auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
12-13 Panini Dominion Cory Schneider auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr

How about some Eddie Lack
11-12 Panini Prime Rookies Eddie Lack auto jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
13-14 Panini Score Signatures Eddie Lack auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
11-12 Panini Contenders Calder Contendors Eddie Lack RC auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
11-12 Panini Elite Eddie Lack RC auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
12-13 Panini Rookie Anthology Prizm Eddie Lack auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
11-12 Panini Certified Eddie Lack auto jersey RC by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Jannik Hansen
07-08 UD Cup Rookies Jannik Hansen auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr
07-08 Sp Authentic Future Watch Jannik Hansen auto RC by Richard Ho, on Flickr
07-08 UD Sweet Shot Sweet Beginnings Jannik Hansen jersey auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
09-10 UD Signature Sensations Jannik Hansen auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
07-08 Fleer Hot Prospects Jannik Hansen auto patch RC by Richard Ho, on Flickr
07-08 Sp Game Used Rookie Exclusives Jannik Hansen auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
07-08 OPC Premier Gold Jannike Hansen patch auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
07-08 Ultimate Debut Threads Jannik Hansen patch auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
07-08 UD Ice Premiere Patches Jannik Hansen auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Mason Raymond
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends Gold Mason Raymond auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
07-08 UD Sweet Shot Sweet Beginnings Mason Raymond auto jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
19-20 UD Engrained Remnants Mason Raymond stick by Richard Ho, on Flickr
08-09 UD Priority Signings Mason Raymond auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
08-09 OPC Buybacks (07-08 OPC) Mason Raymond auto RC by Richard Ho, on Flickr
07-08 Sp Game Used Rookie Exclusives Mason Raymond auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
07-08 Ultimate Collection Debut Threads Mason Raymond patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr
09-10 Be a Player Mason Raymond auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
12-13 Panini Dominion Mason Raymond auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr
07-08 OPC Premier Rookies Mason Raymond jersey auto RC by Richard Ho, on Flickr
12-13 Panini Dominion Peerless Patches Mason Raymond auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Cody Hodgson
Here is a nice dollar bin buy at the Western Canada Sports Collectors Convention (Langley)
11-12 Ultimate Collection Rookie Duos Cody Hodgson & Brett Connolly patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr
11-12 UD Artifacts Rookie Cody Hodgson auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
11-12 Sp Game Used Rookie Exclusives Cody Hodgson auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
11-12 Sp Authentic FW Cody Hodgson auto RC by Richard Ho, on Flickr
11-12 Ultimate Collection Debut Threads Cody Hodgson patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr
And a nice dollar bin buy at the Expo:
11-12 Sp Game Used Significant Numbers Cody Hodgson jersey auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Zack Kassian: happy retirement
11-12 Panini Dominion Zack Kassian auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr
12-13 Sp Authentic Limited Zack Kassian auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
13-14 Trilogy Clearcut Combos Cory Schneider Zack Kassian auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
11-12 Panini Dominion Peerless Patches Zack Kassian auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Jared McCann: the first rounder we should have kept!
15-16 UD Premier Collection (03-04 Retro) Jared McCann patch auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
15-16 Sp Authentic FW Jared McCann auto RC by Richard Ho, on Flickr
15-16 UD Artifacts Rookie Redemptions Jared McCann auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
15-16 UD Cup Trios Virtanen McCann Hutton jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
15-16 Sp Authentic Premier Prospects Jared McCann auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
15-16 UD Cup Honorable Numbers Jared McCann patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr

And some names that will make you go: “Who?”

Even more than the star players and legends, I love these obscure guys! Can you name these players without peaking at each nameplate? =p
09-10 UD Ice Premiere Patches Sergei Shirokov auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr
09-10 UD Ice Fresh Threads Sergei Shirokov jersey auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
10-11 UD Artifacts Auto-Facts Sergei Shirokov auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
09-10 UD Cup Signature Patches Sergei Shirokov auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr
2022 UD Parkhurst Priority Signings (Fall Expo) Travis Dermott auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
13-14 Panini Dominion Nicklas Jensen auto patch RC by Richard Ho, on Flickr
13-14 Sp Game Used Authentic Rookie Gold Nicklas Jensen auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
13-14 Panini Luxury Suite Pacific Nicklas Jensen auto jersey RC by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 Sp Game Used Authentic Rookies Kyle Burroughs RC by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 UD Stature Rookie Kyle Burroughs RC auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 UD Stature Rookie Kyle Burroughs RC auto variant by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 UD AHL Star Rookies Joel Hofer auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
05-06 UD Game Jersey Alex Auld jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
10-11 Panini Zenith Yours Truly Rick Rypien auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
10-11 Black Diamond Quad Jerseys Steve Bernier jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
05-06 UD Trilogy Scripts One Nathan Smith auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 UD Debut Dates Jack Rathbone jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 Ultimate Collection Rookies Jack Rathbone auto RC by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 Black Diamond Jewels of the Draft Olli Juolevi auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 UD Clear Cut Exquisite Rookie Olli Juolevi auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 Ultimate Collection Rookies Jumbo Patch Olli Juolevi patch auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 MVP Rookies Kole Lind auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 UD Ice Rookie Premieres Marc Michaelis RC by Richard Ho, on Flickr
13-14 Panini Rookie Anthology Frank Corrado jersey auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
13-14 Panini Select Frank Corrado auto RC by Richard Ho, on Flickr
13-14 Panini Score Rookies Frank Corrado auto RC by Richard Ho, on Flickr
19-20 UD Allure Pink Diamond Zack MacEwen auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
19-20 Sp Game Used Authentic Rookies Zack MacEwen auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
19-20 Sp Authentic Future Watch Retro Zack MacEwen auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
19-20 Sp Authentic FW Auto Patch Zack MacEwen auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr
15-16 UD Premier Collection Rookie Jersey Hunter Shinkaruk jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
15-16 Ultimate Collection Retro Rookies Jake Virtanen auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
18-19 Spx Super Scripts Jake Virtanen auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
18-19 UD Artifacts Purple Jake Virtanen dual patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr
15-16 Sp Authentic Limited Future Watch Jake Virtanen auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr
19-20 UD Synergy Rookies Red Brogan Rafferty by Richard Ho, on Flickr
13-14 ITG BTP Goaliegraph Curt Ridley auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
19-20 UD Artifacts Autofacts Tanner Pearson auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
15-16 UD Trilogy Rookie Premieres Ben Hutton auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
18-19 Sp Game Used Authentic Rookies Aston Sautner RC by Richard Ho, on Flickr
13-14 Panini Crown Royale Silhouette Jordan Schroeder auto jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
13-14 Sp Game Used Rookie Inked Sweaters Jordan Schroeder auto jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
13-14 Panini Dominion Jordan Schroeder patch auto RC by Richard Ho, on Flickr
16-17 UD Cup Gold Autographed Rookie Troy Stecher auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
19-20 UD Synergy Rookies Red Brogan Rafferty by Richard Ho, on Flickr
22-23 Upper Deck Base Snow Spray Curtis Lazar auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
15-16 UD Cup Autographed Rookie Gold Ronalds Kenins auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
15-16 Sp Game Used Rookie Relics Ronalds Kenins jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr

My first Seismic Gold card…these look amazing in person!
15-16 OPC Platinum Seismic Gold Ronalds Kenins auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
18-19 OPC Platinum Retro Red Adam Gaudette auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
18-19 Ultimate Collection Rookies Adam Gaudette auto RC by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Too bad this guy didn’t pan out, but this is a cool retro FW card!
18-19 Sp Authentic Future Watch Limited Adam Gaudette auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Current Canucks additions:
Elias Pettersson with a massive break-out season last year, hitting 102 points!
20-21 Sp Authentic Limited Auto Material Elias Pettersson auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 Sp Game Used Blue Elias Pettersson auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 UD Artifacts Emerald Elias Pettersson jersey patch auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

And some custom cards for the new guys in 2023-24:

Sam Lafferty
21-22 UD Premier base Sam Lafferty auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 UD Overtime Sam Lafferty auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Pius Suter
21-22 Sp Authentic SOTT Pius Suter auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
99-00 UD Ionix Authentics Pius Suter auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Teddy Blueger
22-23 Sp Authentic SOTT Teddy Blueger auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 UD Premier Signature Pursuit Teddy Blueger auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Mark Friedman
16-17 UD Signatures Mark Friedman auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
22-23 Sp Authentic Chirography Mark Friedman auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Casey DeSmith, who surprisingly has no certified auto’d cards anywhere:
15-16 Sp Authentic Scripted Stoppers Casey DeSmith auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 Ultimate Collection Signatures Casey DeSmith auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Vasily Podkolzin
Have to say, I really like these Allure Rainbow card:
21-22 UD Allure Rainbow Vasily Podkolzin auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 Sp Authentic Chirography Vasily Podkolzin auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 UD Standing Ovation Rookie Signatures Vasily Podkolzin auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 Sp Game Used Blue Vasily Podkolzin auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 UD Premier Collection Vasily Podkolzin jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 UD Synergy Rookie Purple Vasily Podkolzin auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 Skybox Metal Universe Premium Rookie Vasily Podkolzin auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 Spx Rookie Super Scripts Vasily Podkolzin auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 UD Allure Rookie Red Rainbow Vasily Podkolzin auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 Skybox Metal Universe Vasily Podkolzin auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 Sp Authentic FW Vasily Podkolzin auto RC by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Andrei Kuzmenko: what an offensive outburst last season; hope he will find the scoring touch again in the Tocchet system
22-23 UD Star Rookies Andrei Kuzmenko auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
22-23 UD Priority Signings Andrei Kuzmenko auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
22-23 UD NSCC Top Shelf Rookies Andrei Kuzmenko auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Ilya Mikheyev: here is a custom he signed for me at said event:
2001 UD Evolve (Golf) Ilya Mikheyev auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Bo Horvat: best to him in Long Island
21-22 UD Black Diamond Silver on Black Signatures Bo Horvat auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
14-15 UD Ultimate Collection Rookies Bo Horvat auto RC by Richard Ho, on Flickr
17-18 Sp Authentic Limited Bo Horvat auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
14-15 Spx Rookies Bo Horvat jersey auto RC by Richard Ho, on Flickr
15-16 Sp Game Used Bo Horvat auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
16-17 UD Ice Glacial Graphs Bo Horvat auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
14-15 UD Artifacts Top 12 Rookie Signatures Bo Horvat auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
14-15 UD Cup Signature Patches Bo Horvat auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Guillaume Brisebois (who’s technically made the team this year, but still on IR?)
19-20 UD Synergy Purple Guillaume Brisebois auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
19-20 Ultimate Collection Rookies Guillaume Brisebois auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
19-20 UD Overtime Guillaume Brisebois auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
18-19 Sp Authentic FW Guillaume Brisebois auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Did you notice that was a custom? =p
19-20 Sp Authentic Future Watch Retro Guillaume Brisebois auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
19-20 UD Premier Collection Rookie Auto Guillaume Brisebois auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Brock Boeser: having a resurgence this year, nearing the 20 goal mark already!
17-18 UD Cup The Show Brock Boeser auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
19-20 UD Stature Brock Boeser patch auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
19-20 Ultimate Collection Material Signatures Brock Boeser jersey auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 UD Clear Cut Canvas Brock Boeser auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 Sp Authentic Limited Auto Material Brock Boeser patch auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
17-18 UD Premier Collection (03-04 Retro) Brock Boeser patch auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Conor Garland: this guy is in almost every new release this year, love it:

First, a custom with the flying skate logo
2014 Sp Authentic SOTT (Golf) Conor Garland auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 SP Hockey Authentic Profiles Conor Garland auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
22-23 UD Artifacts Black Conor Garland auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
22-23 UD Artifacts Signs of Success Conor Garland auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 SP Authentic Signatures Conor Garland auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
22-23 UD Trilogy Conor Garland auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 UD Ovation Signatures Conor Garland auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 Fleer Ultra Silver Foil Conor Garland auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 OPC Platinum Autographs Conor Garland auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
22-23 UD Allure Blue Line Conor Garland auto jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Nils Aman
First, a custom card:
2019 Panini Chronicles Absolute Rookie Autographs (MLB) Nils Aman auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
22-23 Skybox Metal Universe Rookie Nils Aman auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
22-23 Skybox Premium Rookie Nils Aman auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
22-23 Sp Authentic FW Retro Nils Aman auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
22-23 Spx Super Scripts Rookie Nils Aman auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Nils Hoglander: playing his way up the line-up

Got this dual custom done when Hogs was finishing out the season in Abbotsford last year:
19-20 UD Trilogy Dual Signature Pucks Nils Hoglander & Vasily Podkolzin auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Nils Hoglander by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 Sp Game Used Authentic Rookies Nils Hoglander patch auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 SP Retail Nils Hoglander auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 UD Cup Brilliance Nils Hoglander auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 UD Premier Expose Nils Hoglander auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 Sp Authentic FW Nils Hoglander auto RC by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 UD Cup Inked Insignias Nils Hoglander auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Captain Quinn Hughes!
21-22 Sp Game Used Banner Year Quinn Hughes jersey banner by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Thanks RAVMAN:
20-21 Sp Authentic Limited Auto Material Quinn Hughes auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Thatcher Demko: he’s actually being featured in many products as of late, which is awesome
21-22 UD Ice Glacial Graphs Thatcher Demko auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
16-17 Fleer Showcase Hot Prospects Thatcher Demko auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
22-23 Sp Authentic Retro Thatcher Demko auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 Sp Game Used Blue base Thatcher Demko auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 Spx Winning Materials Thatcher Demko jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
16-17 UD Top Shelf Rookies Thatcher Demko auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
19-20 UD Signature Sensations Thatcher Demko auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
16-17 Ultimate Collection Rookies Thatcher Demko auto RC by Richard Ho, on Flickr

I didn’t actually notice there was a diamond embedded in this card until actually receiving it in person:
22-23 UD Black Diamond Stars Thatcher Demko auto diamond by Richard Ho, on Flickr

J.T. Miller, the guy just keeps on getting it done. I hope that whenever his time in Vancouver is over, fan will be able to appreciate what this guy has done for both the team on ice and off the ice:
20-21 UD Cup Founcations JT Miller jersey auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
2022 UD Parkhurst Priority Signings (Fall Expo) JT Miller autograph by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Supreme Patches, so supreme:
21-22 Sp Game Used Supreme Patches JT Miller patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr
22-23 Black Diamond Emerald JT Miller auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 UD Synergy FX Green JT Miller auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 UD Allure Red Rainbow JT Miller auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
22-23 UD Trilogy J.T. Miller auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 UD Cup Inked Insignias JT Miller auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 Sp Game Used Banner Year JT Miller jersey banner by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 UD Cup Limited Logos JT Miller auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr

More past Canucks legends, starting with some D-men!

Jovo-Cop: he was invited to sign at a local show last year, and it took a few months to finish off this custom booklet
17-18 UD Cup Autographed Rookie Gear Ed Jovanovski auto jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
17-18 UD Cup Autographed Rookie Gear Ed Jovanovski back by Richard Ho, on Flickr
03-04 ITG Ultimate Autographs Ed Jovanovski auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
06-07 UD Signature Sensations Ed Jovanovski auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Limited /10 (are these the best SpA base cards ever?)
04-05 Sp Authentic Limited Ed Jovanovski auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
05-06 UD PowerPlay Power Marks Ed Jovanovski auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
04-05 Sp Authentic Buybacks (03-04 Rookie Update) Ed Jovanovski auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Another from 2004-05, underrated sets IMO
04-05 Ultimate Collection Auto Patch Ed Jovanovski auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr

From that era also, Brent Sopel
00-01 BAP Signature Series Gold Brent Sopel auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
01-02 Sp Authentic SOTT Brent Sopel auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Mattias Ohlund: so cool UD has him signing again. Give me more!
21-22 Sp Authentic UD Authentics Mattias Ohlund auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
97-98 Pinnacle Be a Player Mattias Ohlund auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 UD Exquisite Collection Endorsement Relics Mattias Ohlund auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Sami Salo
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends Sami Salo auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Garth Butcher
18-19 UD Chronology Garth Butcher auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Dana Murzyn
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends Evolve Dana Murzyn auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Murray Baron
20-21 UD Canvas Legends Murray Baron auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Dan Hamhuis
10-11 Panini Select Monikers Dan Hamhuis auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
13-14 Panini Crown Royale Sovereign Sigs Dan Hamhuis auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Quad with Bieksa and Markstrom also (and who the heck is Joe Cannata?!)
13-14 Panini National Treasures Quads Kevin Bieksa Dan Hamhuis Jacob Markstrom Joe Cannata auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

On that theme, here’s Kevin Bieksa, love this guy’s TV segments
07-08 Sp Game Used Significance Kevin Bieksa auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
07-08 Sp Authentic SOTT Kevin Bieksa auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
06-07 UD Game Jersey Kevin Bieksa jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Dual with Luc Bourdon, what a card:
07-08 Sp Game Used Extra SIGnificance Luc Bourdon Kevin Bieksa auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Alex Edler
06-07 Sp Game Used Rookie Exclusives Alexander Edler auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
06-07 Fleer Hot Prospects Prized Prospects Alexander Edler auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
08-09 BAP Signatures Alexander Edler auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
09-10 UD Priority Signings Alexander Edler auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
08-09 Sp Game Used SIGnificance Alexander Edler auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
A dual with Willie Mitchell
08-09 BAP Signatures Willie Mitchell and Alexander Edler auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Willie Mitchell solo
20-21 UD Canvas Legends Willie Mitchell auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Adrian Aucoin
18-19 UD Chronology Adrian Aucoin auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
99-00 BAP Millennium Signature Series Adrian Aucoin auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
18-19 UD Chronology Letterman Adrian Aucoin auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

And Haroooolld Snepsts!
20-21 Ultimate Collection (1997 Legends) Harold Snepsts auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends Harold Snepsts auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Loui Eriksson: yes, UD made a lot of cards of him in Canucks uni
16-17 Ultimate Collection Loui Eriksson auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
17-18 UD Artifacts Loui Eriksson jersey auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
16-17 UD Cup Scripted Materials Loui Eriksson patch auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Dan Cloutier (still love the old Cooper mask):
05-06 Sp Game Used Significant Numbers Dan Cloutier auto jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
12-13 Panini Classic Signatures Dan Cloutier auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
02-03 BAP BTP He Shoots He Saves Dan Cloutier jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
02-03 BAP BTP Future Wave Dan Cloutier jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
02-03 BAP BTP Game-Used Pads Dan Cloutier jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
05-06 Sp Game Used Authentic Fabrics Dan Cloutier auto jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Donald Brashear!
00-01 BAP Memorabilia Tough Material Donald Brashear jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Michael Grabner: this is my first ever draft boards card
09-10 UD Cup Draft Boards Michael Grabner auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Darcy Rota
18-19 UD Chronology Darcy Rota auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
04-05 ITG Franchises Darcy Rota auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Dennis Ververgaert
20-21 Ultimate Collection (1997 Legends) Dennis Ververgaert auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Rick Lanz (picture is actually Thomas Gradin lol)
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends Rick Lanz auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Tony Tanti
11-12 Parkhurst Champions Tony Tanti auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Richard Brodeur
08-09 UD Masterpieces Brushstrokes Brown Richard Brodeur auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
12-13 Panini Classics Richard Brodeur auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Felix Potvin
00-01 Pacific Titanium Draft Day Edition Felix Potvin jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
00-01 Pacific Private Stock Titanium Felix Potvin jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Jacob Markstrom
14-15 Fleer Ultra Fresh Ink Jacob Markstrom auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Corey Hirsch
13-14 ITG BTP Game-Used Patch Corey Hirsch by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Dave TIGER Williams
07-08 UD Artifacts Auto-Facts Dave Tiger Williams auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
07-08 UD Game Jersey Dave Tiger Williams jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
01-02 Fleer GOTG Tiger Williams auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
07-08 UD Artifacts Treasured Swatches Tiger Williams jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
04-05 UD Legends Classic Signatures Dave Tiger Williams auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Ryan Miller: oft forgotten he actually played 3 seasons here
16-17 UD Trilogy Signature Pucks Ryan Miller auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
16-17 Sp Game Used base Ryan Miller auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
15-16 Ultimate Collection Ryan Miller jersey auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
16-17 UD Ice Glacial Graphs Ryan Miller auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

And here’s one I was not aware existed, as I don’t really collect Tim Horton’s sets any more; very happy to land this awesome relic:
16-17 UD Tim Horton's Relics Signature Ryan Miller auto jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr

One nice Kirk McLean addition:
16-17 SpX Kirk McLean auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr

They also got Cliff Ronning onto the UD roster!
21-22 Sp Authentic SOTT 90s Cliff Ronning auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
22-23 UD Artifacts Autofacts Cliff Ronning auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Gino Odjick in black, that’s sleek. RIP
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends Black Gino Odjick auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends Decagons Gino Odjick auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Always cool when they use Cam Neely pictured in Canucks gear:
17-18 Ultimate Collection 97 Legends Cam Neely auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Alexander Mogilny: anyone have the Prismatic variation?
Here is the Die Cut (foil variation)
97-98 Pinnacle Be a Player Die Cut Alexander Mogilny auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Another rare 90s numbered auto, which came in a slab. As you can see, it has been freed:
98-99 Sp Authentic SOTT Gold Alexander Mogilny auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

And more Pavel Bure

This Gemography card is really awesome to me because it uses a picture that, as far as I know, is not used on any of his other autographed cards! I’m picky like that; it’s also a very hard card to find:
13-14 Black Diamond Gemography Pavel Bure auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
99-00 BAP Memorabilia Pavel Bure jersey stick by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Can’t go for any long stretch without adding some new West Coast Express cards!

Markus Naslund – Nazzy:

I especially love adding these older cards from when he was in his prime; these were cards that were out of reach when I was a kid!
03-04 SpX Signature Threads Markus Naslund jersey auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
08-09 UD Game Jersey Markus Naslund jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
01-02 UD Premier Collection Signatures Markus Naslund auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
15-16 OPC Platinum Blue Rainbow Markus Naslund auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Buyback /2
04-05 Ultimate Collection buyback (02-03 SpGU Piece of History) Markus Naslund jersey auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Brendan Morrison – BMO
08-09 Sp Game Used Significant Swatches Brendan Morrison auto jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
07-08 UD Big Playmakers Brendan Morrison jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
05-06 Sp Game Used Stat-scriptions Brendan Morrison auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

And this monster:
05-06 UD Cup Scripted Swatches Brendan Morrison auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

And of course can’t forget Todd Bertuzzi – Bert

2 from @gropmancards
05-06 UD Cup Noble Numbers Todd Bertuzzi & Chris Pronger patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr
05-06 UD Cup Scripted Numbers Todd Bertuzzi & Chris Pronger auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Thanks @lansdowneflyer_cards for gifting this to me:
05-06 Sp Game Used Auto Draft Todd Bertuzzi auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
03-04 Sp Game Used Signers Todd Bertuzzi auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
05-06 UD Ice Signature Swatches Todd Bertuzzi jersey auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Got to meet Trevor Linden this spring at a public signing, always good to see the former captain. He signed this crazy thing for me:

09-10 Sp Authentic Rookie Review Trevor Linden auto jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Trevor Linden 2023 by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Added some other Lindens also:
13-14 Ultimate Collection (1997 Legends) Trevor Linden auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends Gold Trevor Linden auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
16-17 UD Trilogy Signature Pucks Trevor Linden auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
22-23 UD Artifacts Aurum Signatures Trevor Linden autograph by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Got this through trade with GP Sports Cards at the Expo:
18-19 UD Chronology Diamond Relic Trevor Linden auto diamond by Richard Ho, on Flickr

A few new Alexandre Burrows:
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends Gold Alexandre Burrows auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 UD Canvas Legends Alexandre Burrows auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
13-14 Sp Authentic SOTT 3 Ryan Kesler, Alexandre Burrows, Nicklas Jensen auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Ryan Kesler: does this card look weird without an auto?
11-12 Panini Crown Royale Coat of Arms Ryan Kesler patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Some big adds to the Sedin PC:

Starting with this triple along with Burrows; for a while, this was the best line in hockey!
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends Century Legends Triple Signatures Alexandre Burrows Henrik Sedin Daniel Sedin auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 Ultimate Collection 97 Legends Daniel Sedin auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Another triple, this time with Jason King: the 2 twins and a King formed the Mattress Line early in the Sedins’ career:
15-16 UD Cup Enshrinements Trios Daniel & Henrik Sedin & Jason King auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Here’s the other Jason King from that day:
02-03 Sp Authentic FW Jason King auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

01-02 UD Top Shelf Signatures Henrik Sedin auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
01-02 UD Top Shelf Signatures Daniel Sedin auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
01-02 UD Ice Clear Cut Autographs Daniel Sedin auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
08-09 UD Ice Glacial Graphs Henrik Sedin auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
01-02 UD Top Shelf Signatures Daniel Sedin auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 Ultimate Collection NHL Legacy Daniel Sedin auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr

A cool HHOF poster from the 2022 induction weekend:
2022 HHOF Inductees - Sallinen, Sedin, Luongo, Alfredsson, Sedin 11x17 auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

On that note, here is a triple with all three 2022 Canuck HHOFers
11-12 Panini Contenders NHL Ink Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin, Roberto Luongo auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

The pairing from Dominion (thanks @902hockeycards):
11-12 Panini Dominion Peerless Patches Daniel Sedin patch auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
11-12 Panini Dominion Peerless Patches Henrik Sedin patch auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Dang that was a lot of Canucks! In case you are wondering, at this point we are on page 73 of the Word Document I am drafting this post in!

Act II, part III: 2023 fall hockey events

There was the annual Canucks Autism Network Pro-Am held in Surrey. This is a cool weekend tournament in which fundraisers get to play with drafted ex-pros onto their teams!

Darcy Hordichuk, one of the guys I was most looking forward to meeting; he was very nice and definitely took some time to ask me about my custom cards:
21-22 Spx Signatures Darcy Hordichuk auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
10-11 Black Diamond Gemography Darcy Hordichuk auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Darcy Hordichuk by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Another tough guy Matthew Barnaby
Matthew Barnaby by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Martin Gelinas
04-05 ITG Franchises Martin Gelinas auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Peter Schaefer
17-18 Sp Game Used Authentic Rookies Peter Schaefer auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
21-22 Sp Authentic SOTT Peter Schaefer auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Peter Schaefer by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Local boy Kyle Turris
Kyle Turris by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Brad May
12-13 Panini Classics Brad May auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Frankie Corrado
13-14 UD Cup Autographed Rookie Frank Corrado auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
12-13 Black Diamond Gemography Frank Corrado auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Frank Corrado by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Cliff Ronning
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends base Cliff Ronning auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Always good to see Jyrki Lumme again:
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends base Jyrki Lumme auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Jyrki Lumme by Richard Ho, on Flickr

A few weeks after, there was another annual hockey charity event, for which I volunteer for: Hockey Helps the Homeless:

First time meeting Neil Eisenhut (13 game stint with the Canucks in 1993-94)
05-06 BAP Signatures Neil Eisenhut auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Neil Eisenhut by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Always good to see Corey Hirsch again, my favorite goalie growing up:
08-09 Sp Game Used SIGnificance Corey Hirsch auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Corey Hirsch 2023 by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Just a picture with Ron Sutter
Ron Sutter by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Autograph on a custom card of RICH Sutter
21-22 Upper Deck Series 1 Base snow spray Rich Sutter auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

And Becky Kellar: x3 Olympic gold and a lot of World Championship golds also!
22-23 UD Team Canada Juniors Black Becky Kellar auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
18-19 Sp Authentic Moments Becky Kellar auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Becky Kellar by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Jannik Hansen
22-23 Sp Authentic Curated Signatures Jannik Hansen auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Denis Pederson
05-06 Ultimate Collection Signatures Denis Pederson auto 2 by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Dave Babych: uncorrected error, my bad on this one!
2017 Panini Contenders Rookie Ticket (NFL) Dave Babych auto UER by Richard Ho, on Flickr

My team’s pros were Doug Bodger and Wayne Babych this year!
Doug Bodger and Wayne Babych by Richard Ho, on Flickr

And that same weekend, there was the Western Canada Sports Collectors Convention in Langley, BC, which is sort of a mini-Expo out west. The organizers brought in some great signers for the event:

The Courtnall brothers: I don’t think they have any certified autos together on one card!
2020 Panini Flawless Dual Autographed Silver Geoff & Russ Courtnall auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Geoff Courtnall by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Russ Courtnall by Richard Ho, on Flickr

And Chris Chelios!
Chris Chelios by Richard Ho, on Flickr

As alluded to above, I did attend the Fall Expo once again in Toronto. The line-up of signers who were invited that weekend was spectacular!

Mike Vernon: congratulations to this man on being inducted into the HHOF!

I don’t think he has ever signed a single hockey card for Upper Deck, and it doesn’t look like he’s about to get started. Even with other companies (e.g. Donruss, ITG), he has very very limited offerings.
So customs are the way to go!
20-21 Sp Signature Edition Legends Black Mike Vernon auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Always thought he looked cool in the Sharks jersey:
21-22 Sp Authentic Retro Mike Vernon auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Mike Vernon by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Also met Patrick Lalime:
Patrick Lalime by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Dave “Tiger” Williams
04-05 UD Legendary Signatures AKA Dave Tiger Williams auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Dave 'Tiger' Williams by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Dave Taylor of the Triple Crown Line
20-21 UD Trilogy All Star Signature Pucks Dave Taylor auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Dave Taylor by Richard Ho, on Flickr

And some real BIG NAMES:
Brett Hull
Brett Hull by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Peter Forsberg
Peter Forsberg by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Paul Coffey: I think literally minutes after his signing, it was announced he would be an assistant coach for the Oilers!
Paul Coffey 8x10 auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Paul Coffey by Richard Ho, on Flickr

And one of the signers I was most looking forward to: Vinny Damphousse (of course, given I am sort of a Damphousse collector now!)
10-11 UD Cup Emblems of Endorsement Vincent Damphousse auto jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Vincent Damphousse by Richard Ho, on Flickr

The last section here is devoted to a portion of my collection that I’m most happy about this year, with some very VERY big additions, most of which I overpaid for but in all honestly, I don’t miss the money!

These are Upper Deck Buyback autographs; you may have seen a few scattered through this post, but the following were issued in the several years at the turn of the century, and feature some real tough signers:

Zigmund Palffy: you were probably wondering where all the Palffy cards were! There was 1-2 years where it seemed like Palffy was signing a lot for UD, but everything was pretty low numbered. Palffy autos and mem hence go for a surprisingly good amount at auction, so happy to land all these:
03-04 Upper Deck Buybacks (01-02 UD) Zigmund Palffy auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
03-04 Upper Deck Buybacks (96-97 UD) Zigmund Palffy auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
03-04 Upper Deck Buybacks (99-00 UD) Zigmund Palffy auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
03-04 Upper Deck Buybacks (00-01 UD) Zigmund Palffy auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
04-05 Ultimate Collection buybacks (01-02 SPGU) Zigmund Palffy jersey auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
03-04 Upper Deck Buybacks (02-03 UD) Zigmund Palffy auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
04-05 Ultimate Collection Buybacks (99-00 MVP) Zigmund Palffy auto stick & puck by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Marian Hossa: again, he has signed here and there for UD, but has gone long stretches without. As above, it took him 10+ years to finish up those 08-09 UD Cup cards!

Here is his Upper Deck base RC, with a buyback auto:
03-04 Upper Deck Buybacks (97-98 UD) Marian Hossa RC auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
03-04 Upper Deck Buybacks (01-02 UD) Marian Hossa auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
03-04 Upper Deck Buybacks (02-03 UD) Marian Hossa auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
04-05 Sp Authentic Buybacks (03-04 UD Ice) Marian Hossa auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Jose Theodore:
03-04 Upper Deck Buybacks (00-01 UD) Jose Theodore auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Mike Modano: couldn’t pass up a card with Modano picture in vintage Stars gear
00-01 UD Reserve Buybacks (92-93 UD) Mike Modano auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Markus Naslund: some of these nearly made it into the Top 10 this year! As you all know, I was a very big Nazzy fan growing up, and many of these base cards were favorites of mine as a kid.

How cool is it to now have them with a certified autograph! These first 2 are particularly awesome because they feature Nazzy in his very early days as a Canuck, sporting the old school skate logo jersey!
03-04 Upper Deck Buybacks (95-96 UD) Markus Naslund auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
03-04 Upper Deck Buybacks (96-97 UD) Markus Naslund auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

And how about his RC:
03-04 Upper Deck Buybacks (92-93 UD) Markus Naslund RC auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
03-04 Upper Deck Buybacks (00-01 UD) Markus Naslund auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
03-04 Upper Deck Buybacks (01-02 UD) Markus Naslund auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
04-05 Ultimate Collection buyback (02-03 SpGU Piece of History) Markus Naslund jersey auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

And where there’s Naslund, not far away, there’s also Todd Bertuzzi!
03-04 Upper Deck Buybacks (98-99 UD) Todd Bertuzzi auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
03-04 Upper Deck Buybacks (01-02 UD) Todd Bertuzzi autograph by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Here’s a cool one, featuring another Vancouver franchise in the Grizzlies: Shareef Abdur-Rahim! (Note to self: Rich, don’t start collecting Grizzlies, don’t start!)
01-02 Upper Deck Buybacks (99-00 UD) Shareef Abdur-Rahim auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Joe Nieuwendyk: one of my favorite players, but I think all together, he only really ever signed a single year for Upper Deck…way back in 03-04; that just makes these so much more awesome:

03-04 Upper Deck Buybacks (91-92 UD) Joe Nieuwendyk auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
03-04 Upper Deck Buybacks (92-93 UD) Joe Nieuwendyk auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
03-04 Upper Deck Buybacks (01-02 UD) Joe Nieuwendyk auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Sergei Fedorov: I guess this isn’t really a buyback, but one of the early inserted autographed cards in 1994-95 Fleer Ultra
94-95 Fleer Ultra Performance Highlights Sergei Fedorov auto (with Fleer authenticity stamp) by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Martin Brodeur from 96-97 SP: I miss these hologram cards, which were such a big theme of the mid-90s Sp card sets:
00-01 Sp Authentic Buybacks (96-97 SP) Martin Brodeur auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

And finally, if you thought this post was light on Pavel Bure, never fear…the big hitters are here!

I definitely prefer this 91-92 UD base card to his 90-91 YG card, and some people consider this card his true RC (per modern rules).
03-04 Upper Deck Buybacks (91-92 UD) Pavel Bure auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
99-00 Sp Authentic Buybacks (98-99 SpA) Pavel Bure auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
03-04 Upper Deck Buybacks (97-98 UD) Pavel Bure auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Phew! That was a lot of cards up there, and a lot of fun this year!
BUT, we’re still not done yet…as for the grand finale, I will present to you (as always): the Top 10 for 2023!!

#10. 1955-56 Parkhurst Jacques Plante RC in PSA 5. This is a hard card to find in nice condition, and it is a pretty important RC from the 1950s of both a pioneer and legend of the game. Happy to have found this one with very sharp color, and which is relatively clean:
55-56 Parkhurst Jacques Plante RC PSA 5 by Richard Ho, on Flickr

9. My favorite completed custom card this year is this:

07-08 UD Cup Dual Honorable Numbers Pavel bure & Andrei Kuzmenko auto jersey

The Bure auto was obtained through JLB Sport Rarities, while Kuzmenko was signing at a car dealership:
07-08 UD Cup Dual Honorable Numbers Pavel Bure & Andrei Kuzmenko auto jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Ilya Mikheyev & Andrei Kuzmenko by Richard Ho, on Flickr

8. Sean Connery autographed 8x10: this was one of the big guys left on the wantlist going into 2023, and I wanted it to be picture as Henry Jones Sr. (from the Indiana Jones franchise). These will be harder and harder to come by moving forward, RIP:
Sean Connery 8x10 autograph by Richard Ho, on Flickr

7. Meeting Pierre Turgeon at the Expo/HHOF weekend.

This was certainly a highlight of my entire year. I have tried for a few years to meet Turgeon, whether after a legends game, or when he was coaching with the Kings…I even came close to flying to the (formerly) Anti Expo to a public signing but that got derailed by COVID!

Anyhow, glad it finally was checked off my list, and he signed 2 customs for me:
09-10 Sp Authentic Rookie Review Pierre Turgeon auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr
05-06 Ultimate Collection Signature Logos Pierre Turgeon auto jersey by Richard Ho, on Flickr
Pierre Turgeon by Richard Ho, on Flickr
2023 HHOF Inductees - Barrasso, ouellette, Lundqvist, Hitchcock, Turgeon, Vernon 11x17 autographs by Richard Ho, on Flickr

6. Henrik & Daniel Sedin: a pair of Emblems of Endorsements from 20-21 UD Cup.

There are many Sedin cards out there, and both are still actively signing for UD. But these two cards just stand out to me more than the rest. When I saw them, I knew I had to acquire both…and I managed to find a pair with some KILLER patches too:
20-21 UD Cup Emblems of Endorsements Henrik Sedin patch auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
20-21 UD Cup Emblems of Endorsements Daniel Sedin patch auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

5. Connor McDavid: if you can believe, this is actually my very first McDavid auto.

I thought for a long time I would one day pick up the Future Watch auto, but I like the look of this RC much better from UD Premier. Not only is it lower numbered at /199, but it also has a patch, and McDavid is pictured in home Oilers uniform:
15-16 UD Premier Rookie Auto Patch Connor McDavid RC by Richard Ho, on Flickr

4. Sergei Fedorov pair of Bowman’s Best Autograph Refractors, from 1998-99!

Fedorov only has a handful of certified autograph cards out there, and many are from the BAP NHLPA series, which unfortunately use mostly cookie-cutter designs and are not my favorite.

However, these Bowman’s Best cards are next level…especially these Refractor parallels which are literally BLINDING in person:
98-99 Bowman's Best Autograph Refractor Sergei Fedorov A4B auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
98-99 Bowman's Best Autograph Refractor Sergei Fedorov A4A auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

3. Pavel Bure 13-14 Ultimate Collection Autographed Threads auto patch /10!

This is similar to a Cup Limited Logos card, but is even more scarce, and I really like the rainbow gold foil they use on this thing! The patch is a monstrosity and can’t complain that this is jersey numbered #10 also:
13-14 Ultimate Collection Autographed Threads Pavel Bure auto patch by Richard Ho, on Flickr

2. Keanu Reeves autograph on a 27x40 “The Matrix” poster!

Another tough signer here, who’s never done a sit-down or send-in signing as far as I know. Fortunately, Keanu has recently been touring with his band Dogstar this past few months, and a street grapher was able to get this beauty done. I got it authenticated by PSA DNA at the Expo and this baby will soon be framed up on our wall:
Keanu Reeves - The Matrix 27x40 auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Before we get to #1, here is an Honorable Mention: okay this is couldn’t really be in the top 10 as it was not really an acquisition, but remember when I flew down to Fan Expo San Francisco to meet Ewan MacGregor? Well, that wasn’t the only big meet and greet I did…

Mark Hamill. Yes, Luke Skywalker himself in the flesh!

There was a period in which he was doing private signings periodically, and making appearances at cons as well, but since the Sequel Trilogy arrived, he has been mostly absent from these scenes. And he is not getting any younger. So when it was announced he would be in San Francisco, I knew this would be a once in a life-time opportunity:
Mark Hamill by Richard Ho, on Flickr

I did not actually get anything new signed this time around. Just the picture.
For those of you wondering, I have shown the Hamill Star Wars auto in my collection before (obtained nearly 10 years ago via private signing), but I’ll repost it here:
Star Wars VI - Mark Hamill auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr

And finally, at #1: not one, not two, not three, but FOUR Sergei Fedorov 03-04 Upper Deck Buyback autographs!!

As mentioned above, Fedorov certified autographs are HARD to find, and highly sought after still.

I recall seeing a few of these cards actually posted for sale here on HI way back in 2006 by a Red Wings collector. They had each listed at $200 CAD. But I was a high school student and couldn’t afford them then, so passed on all of them.

Welp, it took me some 17 years later to actually finally acquire these! Thanks @fedorovcollector for making the deal with me, to land these grails!
03-04 Upper Deck Buybacks (91-92 UD) Sergei Fedorov auto by Richard Ho, on Flickr
03-04 UD Buybacks (92-93 UD) Sergei Fedorov autograph by Richard Ho, on Flickr
03-04 UD Buybacks (93-94 UD) Sergei Fedorov autograph by Richard Ho, on Flickr
03-04 UD Buybacks (96-97 UD) Sergei Fedorov autograph by Richard Ho, on Flickr

Welp, that’s all for now!

Thanks everyone for the read, hope you enjoyed this MASSIVE update! Can’t wait to see what is in store in 2024, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and till next time!

 

[The Big M]

First of all, terrific show! Allowed me to put off the start of my work day by 1/2 hour... for good reason.
Second, what a great gesture to provide a copy of you artwork to McDonough to frame and give to his father. Kindnesses like that go so far to make it better for all fans!
Thoroughly enjoyable show (as always)!
Michael

 

[crjeff]

well done as usual , love reading these every year. Your take on the hobby and commitment to sport and charity in general are special.2 notes. Jumbo , wow. and DeLorean also wow. well done sir.

 

[Ironman Indy]

Great year end show and tell as always Richard!

Thanks for taking the time

Lots of nice ones to choose from.
The Francis and the Plante personally for me

:beer:

 

[steveottfan]

Love your posts, so much killer ink!! Your customs are second to none. Incredible stuff.

 

[GabbyGuy]

I thought I was reading "War and Peace".......nope, just a Richard epic post.

Congrats on ALL the great pickups!!! :beer:

--Curt

 

[fedorovcollector]

Holy moly Rich!
What a show and tell. You won!
I’m so glad the buybacks found the perfect home, it fills my collector heart with such joy ��
Looking forward to seeing your collection grow.
Take care and talk to you soon.

 

[gomaz]

Outstanding as always Richard. Congrats on a great year and all the best in 2024!

 

[bamlinden]

Exceptional….as always.

The custom Linden had me mopping up drool. ��

I have such appreciation and admiration for your continued pursuit and dedication to all the areas of collecting you’ve carved out. What an amazing sight.

All the best in 2024.

Cheers!

 

[Whoop]

Always look forward to this post Rich!

Out of all the great cards I like that Cole McWard Rinkside Signing. Just like the design of that card.

 

[capsfan30]

As I say every year, this is the one post I look forward to most of all as the year dwindles into the next. Another amazing show. I can't imagine how long it takes to put the entire post together. Congrats!

 

[Uhtred the Viking]

This is a post I always look forward to, such a diverse group of cards, and your custom cards are amazing. As a Flames fan the Sam/Paul Reinhart card and the Mike Vernon cards really stood out for me. Thanks for sharing and all the best in 2024!

 

[Avalanchefan21]

You sir have an unbelievable custom ability

That Byram auto is absolute fire

Love the dual puck auto and hasek 1/1

 

[Chinner]

As usual, another awesome read! Those customs keep on getting better and better! I'm glad you were able to knock a few Naslund buyback auto's off of your list.

 

[plubers]

I literally missed the second period of the Kings vs Sharks game looking and reading through this freaking insane thread. So many insane cards and memories

 

[OT Sports]

Bruh.

Amazing show and tell as always. And I'm happy that I can contribute something to this post every year. Although I have been toying with the idea of a Hansen PC. So I may need that Ice RPA back...

 

[oliber]

what a post ! worth the read ! have the Selanne black SP legends auto if you want

 

[Greg Brown]

Nice post, as always. Great work on all of your customs. I still can't believe that is Scott Niedermayer.... I would have never recognized him. AT ALL.

 

[Netorack]

Well, those are some autographs! Thanks for the show. I love the North Stars ones!

 

[creasecollector]

Rich, man, what an incredible show as always. Took me a few days to scroll through this amazing thread and taking many breaks throughout. Just so much to go through and your passion for the hobby shines really bright. Kudos to you, dude.

It was also so great to meet you after all these years at the Fall Expo as well.

Congratulations on another stellar year for your collection! It's impossible to choose a favourite of course, but you had many epic goalie cards in here. Gotta love it!

All the best to you and your family in 2024. I'm sure you'll be acquiring some great things!

:beer: