Minnesota North Stars, Bobby Smith, 1983–84 O-Pee-Chee #181

This card is burned into my brain. It was a big deal for me to pick it up in 1983, likely out of a pack I bought at the old Hector Arena in Pictou. It was big deal because Smith was born in Nova Scotia, which I thought was pretty cool, and he had just been traded to my favourite team, the Montreal Canadiens.

But that’s not why the card stuck in my head. I remember thinking how cool it was that Smith had his hand on his heart during the national anthem. It wasn’t until about 30 years later that he told me he was not “listening to the f—ing song,” rather he was adjusting an annoying pair of shoulder pads that were always falling out of place. And yes, I know it’s officially a Canadiens card. But like Lanny on the Rockies, I get a pass here.

Montreal Canadiens, Steve Penney, 1985–86 O-Pee-Chee #4

Take a close look at the top of this card. It’s still there, the tack hole. When I was a kid, I pinned this card (and a lot of other Canadiens cards) onto my wall. Steve Penny was the closest thing I’d ever seen to Ken Dryden. Dryden arrived on the scene for the Habs in the spring of 1971 and led them to a Cup. Penny did his best Ken Dryden impression in the spring of 1984. He came out of nowhere (actually, the Nova Scotia Voyageurs) and led the Canadiens to within two games of the Stanley Cup Final. Penney only lasted another couple of seasons in Montreal before Patrick Roy did his best Dryden impression. Penney played his last NHL game in 1987–88 for the Winnipeg Jets. This card has been with me since 1984.

New York Islanders, Butch Goring, 1980–81 O-Pee-Chee #254

Butch Goring was perhaps the first ever Deadline Day trade that really made the difference in a post-season run. The Islanders, loaded with young talent, picked up the 31-year-old, and he put them over the top. He won four straight Cups with the Islanders. But, again, just like Craig Ramsay, this card is all about the lid. What a beautiful piece of technology.