Signature Sundays - Perreault, Bower & Goulet

Getting towards the finish line here with the 2012-13 Panini Classics Signatures autographs that I have to show.  Today I've got three members of the Hockey Hall of Fame: 

Gilbert Perreault played his entire 17-year NHL career for the Buffalo Sabres franchise.  That means he never won a Cup, but he was the center for the team's famous "French Connection" line, with Rick Martin and Rene Robert on the wings.  Perreault was a 9-time all-star (twice the official Second Team center), won the Calder and Lady Byng Trophies, and got elected to the Hall of Fame in 1990.

With over 500 career goals and 1,300 career points, Gilbert holds virtually every offensive record for the Sabres franchise and probably will for some time.  He's got a very nice autograph as well, the best of the three we'll look at today.

Johnny Bower actually fought in World War II before initially joining the New York Rangers back in the early 1950s.  He was the goaltender for all those Leafs Cup winners in the '60s, the same teams that Red Kelly (who I featured last Sunday) played on.  Johnny was inducted in 1976, and is still kicking at age 89!  What a great photo on this card as well, from a time before goalie masks!

Last but not least, a fantastic new Nordiques autograph in the form of Michel Goulet.  Michel definitely took advantage of the space offered by the on card autograph format, that is one large signature!  Michel was traded to the Blackhawks just as I was becoming a fan, so I always think of him with Chicago.  Quebec was the team he came up with, played the majority of his career with, and logged the most points with though.

Goulet actually began his professional career with the Birmingham Bulls of the WHA before being drafted by the Nordiques in the NHL expansion draft.  He managed to net 548 career goals before a severe concussion knocked him out of the game for good in the mid-'90s.  He became a member of the Hall of Fame in 1998.

There were 113 autographs in this release, if you don't count SP or SSP cards, which have sold for unreal amounts and I don't plan on chasing unless I see a bargain.  These three make 109 now shown here on the blog, which means I've got just four left to go.  I should have this series wrapped up soon and be moving onto some other autographs from my collection.  Hope you're enjoying them in the meantime...