Joe Matte was a member of the Hamilton Tigers team that competed at the 1919 Allan Cup and was acquired by the Toronto St. Pats in January of 1920. After only 17 games with Toronto Matte was dealt to the Montreal Canadiens but never suited up for the club, as he was shortly acquired by Hamilton in the NHL. Played 4 seasons in Western Canada before signing as a free-agent with the Boston Bruins in December of 1925. Three games into his season with the Bruins, Matte was claimed on waivers by the Montreal Canadiens in January, 1926. He went on to finish the year with Montreal before opting to retire following the 1925-26 season. He would never get a hockey card issued.
Bill Cupolo spent two years of junior with the Stratford Kroehlers then, as a result of wartime player shortages, joined the Boston Bruins in 1944 straight out of junior. Cupolo played 47 games for the B's and scored 11 goals and 24 points then suited up for seven more playoff contests. Cupolo notched another goal and three points in the post-season. With Bruin regulars returning to the roster in 1945, Cupolo's NHL career was over. Cupolo played Senior hockey with the Sydney Millionaires for two seasons starting in 1950 then briefly returned to professional hockey in the Eastern League during the 1951-52 season. Cupolo played his final season, back at the Senior level, with Chatham and Stratford then retired in 1954. He would never get a hockey card issued.
Stan Baluik played seven games with the Boston Bruins in 1959-60 but spent the majority of the season with Providence in the AHL, where he was the league's rookie of the year. For the next four years he was among the AHL's top scorers, earning a reputation for his play-making and face-off skills, but failed to earn another try with the Bruins and retired in 1964. He would never get a hockey card issued.
Bobby Lalonde excelled as a Montreal Junior Canadien, tallying 127 points in 61 games in 1970-71. The Vancouver Canucks secured his rights in the 1971 Entry Draft and he played parts of six seasons with the Canucks, breaking the 20-goal plateau during his first full campaign. In 1977, he was claimed by the Atlanta Flames and he tallied 24 goals and 32 assists in 1978-79. Joined the Bruins for the next 2 seasons before playing his last NHL game with Calgary in 1981-82. He had his rookie card issued as a Canuck in the '72-73 OPC set but never had a Bruins card issued.
Ray Neufeld was a scrappy competitor who used his size and scoring ability to good effect during his 595-game NHL career. He recorded four 20-goal seasons and set up his linemates for many goals through his hard work in the corners. After scoring 54 goals for Edmonton of the WCJHL in 1978-79, he was taken 81st overall by the Hartford Whalers at the NHL Entry Draft. Neufeld played mostly in the AHL for three years before earning a full time slot on the Whalers in 1982-83. Early in the 1985-86 season he was traded to the Winnipeg Jets where he spent 3 more seasons before he was traded to the Boston Bruins. Played 15 games as a Bruin over 2 years but spent most of his time in the minors for his new club. He retired in 1990 after scoring 27 goals for the AHL's Maine Mariners. He had his rookie card issued as a Whaler in the '83-84 OPC set but never had a Bruins card issued.
Greg Zanon played three seasons in the BCHL before enrolling at the University of Nebraska-Omaha in the fall of 1999. Following an impressive collegiate career, Zanon joined the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals in the fall of 2003 and was a key contributor in the club's run to the 2004 Calder Cup championship. For the next several seasons Zanon would split time between the AHL and the Nashville Predators. On July 1, 2009, Zanon signed on with the Minnesota Wild as an unrestricted free agent and provided the Wild with a stable defensive presence. His time in Minnesota would come to an end in 2012 when he was traded to the Boston Bruins. After 17 games in Boston he signed with the Avalanche and played his final 44 NHL games with them in 2012-13. He had a handful of 2005-06 Predator rookie cards but never got a Bruins card issued.
Simon Gagne was an NHL regular just a year after being drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in 1998. The skilled, speedy forward posted huge numbers during his final year of Junior, then stepped right into the Flyers lineup and posted 20 goals without a day spent in the minor leagues. He would spend 10 seasons in Phillie but dealt with concussions for part of that time. In 2010 he was dealt to Tampa Bay but after just one season in Tampa he was on the move again. This time, as an unrestricted free agent, he inked a deal with the Los Angeles Kings. Won a Stanley Cup with the Kings in 2011-12 but appeared in just 11 games during the 2012-13 season before being traded back to Philadelphia. Played 27 games as a Flyer before being released and signing as a free agent with the Bruins but retired after playing 23 games in the 2014-15 season. His rookie card was issued in the 1997-98 Upper Deck Team Canada set, he did not get a Bruins card fr his final season.
Andy Bathgate had an NHL HHOF career that doesn't need a lot of bio so we will concentrate on his life after the NHL. After the 1970-71 NHL season, spent in Pittsburgh, he ended his playing career as a player-coach in division A in Switzerland. In 1973-74 he took over behind the bench of the WHA Vancouver Blazers who limped their way to a 27-50-1 won, lost, tied record. That was his last coaching foray but the next season he came out of retirement lacing up with the Blazers for 11 games. Here's a WHA custom card.
Ray McKay toiled for three different NHL clubs in parts of six seasons in the 1960s and '70s, making his rookie debut in 1968-69 as a Blackhawk. In 1971, the Buffalo Sabres picked up McKay and he played 39 games on the club's young blueline. In 1972-73, McKay was with the AHL's Cincinnati Swords when they won the Calder Cup. A few weeks later, the California Golden Seals claimed him and he played 72 games in 1973-74. McKay joined the WHA's Edmonton Oilers in 1974-75 and ended up playing for Cleveland, Minnesota, Birmingham and back in Edmonton over the next four years. He returned to the AHL in 1978-79 with the Springfield Indians then retired the next summer after playing most of the year with the Hershey Bears. None of that would earn him a hockey card, we had previously created customs as a Blackhawk and a Golden Seal, here's his Oilers WHA creation.
Bob Jones played two NHL games with the New York Rangers in 1968-69. He next spent time with the AHL's Buffalo Bisons, as well as the Seattle Totems, Salt Lake Golden Eagles and Portland Buckaroos of the WHL. In 1972 he was chosen by the Houston Aeros in the WHA General Player Draft and his rights were traded to the Los Angeles Sharks. Jones also played for the New York Raiders, Baltimore Stags and Indianapolis Racers. He retired after the 1975-76 season spent with the Mohawk Valley Comets of the NAHL, where he scored 109 points, before retiring. He would never get a hockey card issued, we previously created a Rangers custom rookie, here is his Racers custom.
Jeff Brubaker spent parts of eight seasons in the NHL during the 1980s. The rugged forward was chosen 102nd overall by the Boston Bruins in 1978 but opted to start his pro career in the WHA with the New England Whalers. He ended up in the NHL anyway when the franchise became part of the WHA-NHL merger in 1979-80. He also made NHL stops in Montreal, Calgary, Toronto, Edmonton, New York and Detroit. Not enough to get him a hockey card, we created a Maple Leaf custom, here is his WHA creation.
Richard "Rich" Baska played 18 games for the Denver Broncos in 1976-77 recording 1 fumble recovery. Undrafted out of UCLA he signed with Denver for 1976 appearing in 14 games. After 4 more games in 1977 his football career was over, never earning a card, here's his Broncos custom creation.
Letroy Guion is the nose tackle for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He played college football at Florida State and was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played with the Vikings from 2008 to 2013 before signing with the Packers in March 2014. He finally earned a Panini card, as a Packer, in 2016-17, here is my custom creation.
Aaron Ripkowski is a fullback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He played college football at Oklahoma. Ripkowski was drafted by the Packers in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. In his rookie season, Ripkowski was the Packers' backup fullback behind veteran John Kuhn. He appeared in 15 games, finishing the year with nine tackles on special teams. Ripkowski recorded his first career NFL reception, an 18-yard catch and run from Aaron Rodgers against the Carolina Panthers in Week 9. In 2016 Ripkowski became the starting fullback after the Packers did not re-sign John Kuhn. He has not had a football card issued to date.
Thanks goes out to Bob Mooney for these CTNW ideas !!
You can purchase these cards, or any of my Missing Link creations, for $10 each postpaid, or $7.95 each for 3 or more. Email me at: [email protected], volume discounts available on larger orders.