Playoff Goalies - Best Card Match-Up

With round 2 of the NHL Playoffs coming near to a close, I wondered which of the remaining teams' goalies had the best assortment of cards out there.  I'm looking at the difference between quantity, quality and value.  I wanted to show off the best cards of each player that I have in my collection but with all the craziness of my life, I haven't had the time to find, pull, and scan any of them.  I started typing this post when the last game of Round 1 ended.  It's only now seeing the light of day.

So how do we go about doing this???  A head-to-head card stat matchup is just what we need.  Now you can hem and haw about the fact that I used the Beckett Online Checklist to assist in my endeavors but it's only a guide, not the Bible.  I didn't have the time to spend on final sale prices on Ebay or anything so this is  a "just for fun" post to make a comparison.

Maybe I will do a Round 3 matchup with the winners (or maybe not)

Round 2 - Western Conference Semi-Finals  (Chicago Blackhawks vs. Detroit Red Wings)

The Hawks and Wings have a long, storied history of playoff battles being that they are both Original 6 teams. They won't be facing each other as much starting next year but at least we have the Playoffs to reminisce.  For both teams thus far, they have gone with one guy in net.

Corey Crawford vs. Jimmy Howard

Corey Crawford
354 Cards
11 Rookie Cards
122 Memorabilia
24 Autographs
194 Serial Numbered Cards
Total Imaginary Contrived Value:  $2128.30
Average Card Value:  $6.01
2005-06 Rookie Cards

Jimmy Howard
701 Total Cards
17 Rookie Cards
260 Memorabilia
129 Autographs
459 Serial Numbered Cards
Total Imaginary Contrived Value: $8845.45
Average Card Value:  $12.62
2005-06 Rookie Cards

The edge here obviously goes to Howard since he has the volume but if Crawford can continue to anchor a successful Blackhawks squad for a few more years, his cards will only increase in number and value.

Round 2 - Western Conference Semi-Finals (San Jose Sharks vs. Los Angeles Kings)

Who says hockey is dead in California?  We have two teams facing each other for the battle of the Golden State this year.  We almost had another team with Anaheim but Detroit put an end to that in game 7 of round 1.  These teams have a host of goalies on their rosters but only two have gotten the ice time.

Antti Niemi vs. Jonathan Quick

Antti Niemi
623 Total Cards
17 Rookie Cards
235 Memorabilia Cards
129 Autographs
390 Serial Numbered Cards
Total Imaginary Contrived Value:  $6848.45
Average Card Value:  $10.99
2009-10 Rookie Cards

Jonathan Quick
742 Total Cards
3 Rookie Cards
358 Memorabila Cards
112 Autographs
423 Serial Numbered Cards
Total Imaginary Contrived Value:  $11477.90
Average Card Value:  $15.47
2007-08 Rookie Cards

Quick gets the edge slightly ahead of Niemi.  We can definitely chalk that one up to the fact that he won the Cup last season and has been playing consistently well for a while now.  Not only that, he seems to save his best stuff for the playoffs and this year is not exception.  Niemi has that superstar goalie ability but doesn't get the hobby respect yet (and probably never will without some exposure in a Finals).  Being a Hawk early on helped but being in San Jose, I don't expect collectors will jump all over him, even if he takes the Sharks deep.


Round 2 - Eastern Conference Semi-Finals (Pittsburgh Penguins  vs. Ottawa Senators)

This Eastern Conference matchup should be a battle.  There is no love-loss between Pittsburgh and Ottawa but for this season, the Pens have had the Senators' number.  They won all regular season games this season but as we all know, the post season is season 2.0.  Ottawa has been playing great and without the best goaltending on the ice, the Pens could be in trouble.  I hope one of the two guys in net will step up against Ottawa's Anderson.

Tomas Vokoun and Marc Andre Fleury vs. Craig Anderson

Tomas Vokoun
1619 Total Cards
5 Rookie Cards
612 Memorabilia
265 Autographs
1001 Serial Numbered Cards
Total Imaginary Contrived Value:  $15,229.04
Average Card Value:  $9.41
1997-98 Rookie Cards

Marc-Andre Fleury
2232 Total Cards
41 Rookie Cards
1027 Memorabilia
494 Autographs
1419 Serial Numbered Cards
Total Imaginary Contrived Value:  $40,210.41
Average Card Value:  $18.02
2003-04 Rookie Cards

Craig Anderson
453 Total Cards
9 Rookie Cards
154 Memorabilia Cards
60 Autographs
284 Serial Numbered Cards
Total Imaginary Contrived Value:  $3683.25
Average Card Value:  $8.13
2002-03 Rookie Cards

For sheer per card value alone, Fleury smokes his counterparts.  At over $18 per card, he is one of the top draws for collector's out there because of his history, media "likeability", and lights-out capable play.  But the Pens went out and got Vokoun for a reason, and he is showing it in the playoffs so far.  Fleury can only sit back and watch now, hoping for a couple mistakes to get him back on the ice.  Tomas has been around longer but spent a lot of his career behind marquee goalies or on squads without much hobby love.  Now, in Pittsburgh, I'm going to guess the market will start to heat up for his stuff, especially low production cards, GU, and autos.

Anderson has started to gain some popularity, especially amongst Sens fans.  Lets face it, Ottawa wouldn't be there if it weren't for Anderson (Lehner isn't starter material in my opinion).  Although he only has 453 cards, the majority of them are memorabilia, auto'd, or serial numbered, drawing much higher traction in the market.  If Ottawa can pull off a miracle somehow and get to Round 3, his status as a prime time player in the card market may get a huge boost.

Round 2 - Eastern Conference Semi-Final (Boston Bruins vs. New York Rangers)

With the second of two Original Six matchups in this years playoffs, it's a miracle Boston is even here.  Down 4-1 in the 3rd Period against Toronto, Boston came roaring back, scoring three goals and sending it into overtime.  It didn't take long and they put the icing on an improbable game 7 comeback, ending Toronto's season.

Tuukka Rask vs. Henrik Lundqvist

Tuukka Rask
654 Total Cards
12 Rookie Cards
354 Memorabilia Cards
142 Autographs
420 Serial Numbered Cards
Total Imaginary Contrived Value:  $8555.15

Average Card Value:  $13.08

2007-08 Rookie Cards

Henrik Lundqvist
2046 Total Cards
17 Rookie Cards
985 Memorabila Cards
411 Autographs
1322 Serial Numbered Cards
Total Imaginary Contrived Value: $35,795.85
Average Card Value:  $17.50
2005-06 Rookie Cards

Lundqvist is the clear cut winner here, from a card volume stand point, average card value, and rookie class competition standpoint.  He plays for an original 6 team with a huge market and has been an anchor on his team since coming into the league.  Ladies love him, and men want to be him (I don't know why I just said that).

But his on-ice counterpart in Round 2, Tuukka Rask is no hobby slouch.  Despite only having cards going back to the 07-08 season, he has still broken double digits in per card value.  He also plays for an original 6 franchise but one with a more recent success in the playoffs.  People thought he wouldn't be able to crawl out of Tim Thomas' shadow but he seems to be doing just fine.