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Welcome to The Real DFG's Pittsburgh Penguin Autograph Project. My goal is to eventually try and get at least one autograph of every player to lace up the skates in an NHL game for the Pittsburgh Penguins. It could have been for one game or 700 games, I will add them. Occasionally I may post cards of former players in their new team uniforms. While the goal is to get autos in Pens uni's, it isn't always possible. Since the team has been in existence since 1967, the list is pretty large. Last I checked, it was somewhere in the range of 624 different players. Currently, I sit at about 100 autographs (with some duplication). Enjoy the posts.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Willy Lindstrom

Willy the Wisp played eight seasons in the NHL.  He began his career for the then WHA Winnipeg Jets.  He led the team in goals for four years in a row before the Jets moved to the NHL.  After that, being on a team loaded with speed helped his game and he had another four seasons with 20 goals or more.  After Winnipeg, he was traded to Edmonton, where he subsequently won two consecutive Stanley Cups with Gretzky's Oilers.  

But since I'm focusing on his time with the Penguins, he was claimed off waivers in 1985 and spent the better part of two seasons with the team.  He had a quick and interesting skating style where he kept his legs far apart, making him almost impossible to take off his feet.  He put up 24 goals and 30 assists over two seasons with the Penguins playing alongside a baby faced Mario Lemieux.  

I don't really remember Willy's time on the Penguins all that much.  But how can you not look back on a guy with a career that included an AVCO Cup in the WHL and the Stanley Cup in the NHL, plus his fortune to play alongside two of the greatest players of all time, with envy?  This card comes from the 1984-85 Topps set and is either a TTM auto or an IP auto.  I didn't obtain it but picked it up second hand from a dealer at a show.  Looks legit compared to others I've seen (plus why would you forge a Willy Lindstrom auto?).

Back in 2010, Classic Auctions sold off a bunch of his personal memorabilia including jersey's, team pictures, his Stanley Cup replica trophy, and his Rings.  The items are still listed although the auction is closed.

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