Signature Sundays - Dave Taylor

This weeks autograph is longtime Los Angeles Kings great Dave Taylor...

Dave played his entire 17-season NHL career with the Kings.  He appeared in 1,111 games with the team, depositing 431 goals and over 1,000 points.  He wasn't afraid to mix it up either, as is evidenced by his 1,500+ career PIM.  Playing alongside Marcel Dionne and Charlie Simmer, the trio was dubbed the Triple Crown line, and was one of the best scoring combinations in franchise history.  Taylor has his #18 retired by the Kings, and rightfully so.  He stayed involved with the team as GM when his playing career ended, and is now with the St. Louis Blues organization.

As an added bonus, here are a couple of my personal favorite Taylor cards...

Dave has a special place in my collecting heart, as he is one of the 196 players featured in the 1989-90 Topps hockey set, the first Topps hockey set I ever collected.  This is how I remember Dave, in black LA Kings sweater with his trademark visor.

Here's a much younger Dave from another of my favorite '80s sets, 1981-82 Topps.

Finally, a great look at Taylor's visor from the 1993-94 Pinnacle release.  I'm happy to have Dave included in my autograph collection.  He's the 34th autograph I've been able to pick up from the 2012-13 Panini Classics Signatures set...