TTM Returns: Week Ending 4-25-15

Here's a quick look at my TTM returns for the week ending April 25, 2015:

Jim Rutherford

Randy Wood

John Byce

Phil Bourque

Slava Voynov

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TTM Returns: Week Ending 4-18-2015

As I get more and more TTM returns back from various current and retired players, I have come to the realization that I just simply won't be able to keep up with individual posts for them. So, the quick way to show them off without getting too far behind is to simply just put together a summary for the week, and let the bragging begin. There's a bit of a back log, so this first one might be for a few cumulative weeks, but I just wanted to get things caught up and moving forward.

Tomas Hertl

Kyle Brodziak

Vladislav Namestnikov

Antti Raanta

Darcy Kuemper

Devan Dubnyk

Charlie Coylr

Tom Reid

Yvon Labre

Lowell MacDonald

Brian Propp

Curt Giles

Brayden Schenn

David Backes Autographed Puck

I got my hands on my second autographed St. Louis Blues puck when David Backes did a private signing with St. Louis Sports Collectors back in February.

For one, I love Backes, because he's a Minnesota hockey player, having been born in Minneapolis. Not only that, but he is also a USHL alumnus, and played two years with the Lincoln Stars before being drafted by the Blues in 2003. Backes was named the Blues' captain in 2011.

Daniel Paille TTM Return

My most recent TTM return came in the mail, in the form of three autographed cards of Daniel Paille. These were sent c/o Boston Bruins, and took 53 days to be returned.

The three Paille cards signed were 2014-15 Fleer Ultra, 2010-11 Upper Deck, and 2009-10 Upper Deck. I actually sent four cards, but I guess he kept one of them, which is fine. I honestly can't remember the specific card, but the fact that I can't remember which one it was, means that he kept the right one.

Dan Bylsma TTM Return

I got this puck signed through the mail by former Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma. It took just 20 days from the day it left my home in Moorhead, MN to get to his home in Pittsburgh and back again.

Despite having a great couple of years in Pittsburgh, including a 2009 Stanley Cup victory, as well as coaching Team USA in the 2014 Olympics, Bylsma has not been behind the bench during the 2014-15 year, after the Penguins fired him during the 2014 off-season. With the 2015 break coming up in a couple months, and a few inevitable coaching changes on the horizon, maybe he will find himself another coaching job for the new season.

Peter Bondra Signed Puck and Photo

I recently had the opportunity to get some signatures from a player I've always liked, and felt never really got his due, Peter Bondra, when a fellow SportsCollectors.Net user was taking orders for a public signing in his area. The price was pretty good, and got my hands on a puck and an 8x10 photo.

I always liked Bondra's ability to score goals, despite being on some  very average Capitals teams. Maybe that's the reason his name doesn't really get thrown around as one of the best in his era, but his career goal total of 503 is astounding. He doesn't do a whole lot of public signings, though, so once I had the opportunity to get his autograph, I just had to take advantage of that, and now have two great items to add to my collection. 

Ferguson Jenkins Autographed Baseball

I was able to add another Hall-of-Famer autographed baseball to my collection, just simply by chance, with this ball signed by former Chicago Cubs pitcher Ferguson Jenkins.

When I was in Arizona earlier this month, my cousin and I were going to a Spring Training game. There are plenty of opportunities in the Phoenix area, but being the big cubs fan that I am, of course that was the team I wanted to see. As we were entering Sloan Park, there were signs pointing to a covered area that said "Fergie Jenkins Signing" and pointing us in that direction. Apparently, there was a fundraising event at the field, and I had no idea that it was coming, despite looking in to such opportunities before leaving for my vacation.

In addition to Jenkins, there was Rollie Fingers, Bill Buckner, Gary Mathews, Bob Dernier, Pete LaCock, and Meadowlark Lemon. Unfortunately, it was towards the end of my trip, so my finances were a bit strapped, but I still was able to pick up a ball from a Chicago Cubs Hall-of-Famer.