Out of Place – Wendel Clark, Chicago Blackhawks

1999-00 Upper Deck – Wendel Clark

The 1999-2000 season was Wendel Clark’s last ride in the NHL, and it ended as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs and a 6-game series loss to the New Jersey Devils, which included one of the greatest ovations I’ve ever seen in his last game at the Air Canada Centre.  A lot of Leaf fans remember that one.

A lot of fans, however, don’t remember his 13-game stint with the Chicago Blackhawks earlier that season – and I think we’d probably not remember that.  Actually, let’s just forget about Quebec, the Islanders, Detroit and Tampa Bay as well, and watch this video instead:

And also this hockey card:

1990-91 Bowman – Wendel Clark

There, that’s better.

Out of Place – Grant Fuhr

1999-00 Upper Deck - Grant Fuhr

I had completely forgotten that Grant Fuhr played for the Calgary Flames.  Then, I came across this card, and I was reminded of something that would have been deemed unthinkable ten years earlier by those in both Edmonton and Calgary.

You may recall that this was a pretty dark era for the Flames, one they didn’t really come out of until their (almost) Cup run in 2004.  The team almost left, nobody watched the games, and the on-ice product was, well, a lot like fans should expect this season.  Even 1987 Grant Fuhr couldn’t have saved them, and 1999 Grant Fuhr definitely couldn’t.