How to Build a Slap Shot Card Collection

Slap Shot came out 40 years ago and has endured as the greatest hockey movie of all time. However, there was never a set of Slap Shot cards to collect. 

But as you probably know, some of the characters in the film were actually hockey players and did have cards made. Even better, some of the more recent cards are autographed and aren’t too difficult to track down, meaning that you can build a pretty impressive Slap Shot-themed collection. 

If you are so inclined to “foil up” your collection a bit, here’s a list of cards to look for.  

The Hanson Brothers

Hands-down, the most iconic characters from Slap Shot are Jack Hanson, Steve Hanson and Jeff Hanson — known as the Hanson Brothers — played by Dave Hanson, Steve Carlson and Jeff Carlson, respectively. 

There are a few cards that are autographed by all three “brothers”: 

Hanson Brothers Checklist
• 2010-10 Panini Dominion Pen Pals #8 (numbered to 25)
• 2013-14 ITG Enforcers II Triple Autographs #TA-JCSCDH
• 2014-15 ITG Leaf Metal Autographs #HB1
• 2016 Leaf Sports Heroes #TL-13

Each Hanson brother also appears on cards individually. 

Jack Hanson #16 (played by Dave Hanson)

2013-14 ITG Enforcers Autographs #A-DH

Dave Hanson had only one card made during his career, as a member of the Indianapolis Checkers, in 1982-83. About three decades later, both Panini and In The Game made cards of Hanson. 

Dave Hanson Checklist
• 1982-83 Indianapolis Checkers
• 2010-11 Panini Dominion #181 Autograph (numbered to 199)
• 2010-11 Panini Dominion Pen Pals #4 (w/Christian Hanson)
• 2010-11 Panini Limited #225 Autograph (numbered to 299)
• 2011-12 Pinnacle Fans of the Game #3
• 2011-12 Pinnacle Fans of the Game Autographs #3
• 2013-14 ITG Enforcers Autographs #A-DH
• 2013-14 ITG Enforcers Duel Autographs #DA-DHPB (w/Paul Baxter)
• 2013-14 ITG Enforcers Duel Autographs #DA-DHTO (w/Terry O’Reilly)

Jeff Hanson #18 (played by Jeff Carlson)

Jeff Carlson played seven games in the WHA and the rest of his career in the minors. No cards of him were made until well after he retired. 

Jeff Carlson Checklist
• 2011-12 Pinnacle Fans of the Game #4
• 2011-12 Pinnacle Fans of the Game Autographs #4
• 2013-14 ITG Enforcers II Autographs #A-JCA
• 2013-14 ITG Enforcers II Duel Autographs #DA-JCCC (w/Cam Connor)
• 2013-14 ITG Enforcers II Duel Autographs #DA-JCKC (w/Kim Carlson)

(Note: Beckett and a few other online sources list Jeff Carlson as having a card in the 2004-05 Green Bay Gamblers team set. However, this is a different Jeff Carlson.)

Steve Hanson #17 (played Steve Carlson)

2013-14 ITG Enforcers II Autographs #A-SC

Steve Carlson played in the WHA and NHL, but only had a few minor league cards made during his career; good luck finding those! However, he had some more mainstream cards released within the past decade. 

Steve Carlson Checklist
• 1982-83 Birmingham South Stars
• 1989-90 Johnstown Chiefs [coach]
• 1991-92 Johnstown Chiefs [coach]
• 2010-11 Panini Dominion #186 Autograph (numbered to 199)
• 2010-11 Panini Limited #224 Autograph (numbered to 199)
• 2011-12 Pinnacle Fans of the Game #5
• 2011-12 Pinnacle Fans of the Game Autographs #5
• 2013-14 ITG Enforcers II Autographs #A-SC
• 2013-14 ITG Enforcers II Duel Autographs #DA-SCBK (w/Bob Kelly)

Ned Braden (Michael Ontkean)

Ned Braden, the Cheifs’ best player and leading scorer of the Federal League, was played by Canadian actor Michael Ontkean. He played college hockey for the University of New Hampshire in the late 1960s and did all of his own action scenes in Slap Shot

Ontkean had a card in the 2010-11 Donruss Hockey “Fans of the Game” insert set that pictures him from Slap Shot. There is both a signed and unsigned version. He also has a signed card in the 2011-12 Crown Royale Hockey set, but is pictured in regular clothes and not as a Chiefs player. 

Michael Ontkean Checklist
• 2010-11 Donruss Fans of the Game #4
• 2010-11 Donruss Fans of the Game Autographs #4
• 2011-12 Crown Royale Scratching The Surface Signatures #58

Ross “Mad Dog” Madison (Connie Madigan)

When the Syracuse Bulldogs meet the Chiefs in the final game, they stock their roster with the meanest Federal League players of all time. One player was Ross “Mad Dog” Madison, played by former career minor league tough guy Connie Madigan. He spent most of his hockey career in the old Western Hockey League, but he did appear in 20 games for the St. Louis Blues in 1972-73.

2011-12 Panini Certified #200

Almost 40 years later, Panini made a card of Madigan in their 2011-12 Panini Certified set. The card is autographed, and there are several different colored parallel versions of the card. 

Connie Madigan Checklist 
• 2011-12 Panini Certified #200 (autographed)
• 2011-12 Panini Certified Mirror Gold #200 (numbered to 200)
• 2011-12 Panini Certified Mirror Emerald #200 (numbered to 5)
• 2011-12 Panini Certified Mirror Black #200 (numbered to 1)

Hyannisport Presidents #7

At the beginning of the film, the Charlestown Chiefs are getting clobbered by the Hyannisport Presidents. One player in particular, who wears number 7, is always buzzing the net. That was Bruce Boudreau — back when he had hair. Being on camera was all part of his plan. 

As he explained to NHL.com: “So I just kept circling the net, all the time. Because I knew that’s where all the action was…and I knew that’s what the camera was looking at.”

1978-79 O-Pee-Chee #280 - Bruce Boudreau
1978-79 O-Pee-Chee #280

The Chiefs play the Presidents again later in the film, and if you watch closely you see Boudreau getting knocked down by one of the Hansons. 

Boudreau had the longest NHL career out of anyone from Slap Shot — even more so if you count his years behind the bench. He had two O-Pee-Chee cards made during his playing career, and numerous cards from his minor league and coaching career. 

1988-89 ProCards AHL/IHL - Bruce Boudreau
1988-89 ProCards Springfield Indians [AHL] #2

Bruce Boudreau Checklist
• 1978-79 O-Pee-Chee #280
• 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee #354
• 1985-86 Nova Scotia Oilers [AHL] #5
• 1988-89 ProCards Springfield Indians [AHL] #2
• 1989-90 ProCards Phoenix Roadrunners [IHL] #108 
• 1990-91 ProCards Fort Wayne Komets [IHL] (Player/Coach) #541
• 1991-92 ProCards Fort Wayne Komets [IHL] (Player/Coach) #260
• 1993-94 Fort Wayne Komets [IHL] (Coach) #24
• 1996-97 Mississippi Sea Wolves [ECHL] (Coach) #21
• 1997-98 Mississippi Sea Wolves [ECHL] (Head Coach) #8
• 1999-00 Lowell Lock Monsters [AHL] (Head Coach) #25
• 1999-00 Mississippi Sea Wolves (98-99 Champs) [ECHL] (Coach) #1
• 2000-01 Lowell Lock Monsters [AHL] (Head Coach) #28
• 2001-02 Manchester Monarchs [AHL] (Head Coach)  #A15
• 2002-03 Manchester Monarchs [AHL] (Head Coach) #A-03
• 2003-04 Manchester Monarchs [AHL] (Head Coach) #22
• 2005-06 Hershey Bears [AHL] (Head Coach) #18
• 2006-07 Hershey Bears [AHL] (Head Coach) #25
• 2010-11 Heroes & Prospects AHL 75th Anniv. Autographs #AHLAABB 
• 2010-11 Zenith Behind the Bench Autographs #5

Honorable Mentions

Cards of two other players would make your Slap Shot collection really complete. 

The Original Jack Hanson

Jack Carlson was originally supposed to play Jack Hanson in Slap Shot alongside his two brothers, but was called up to play for the Minnesota Fighting Saints of the WHA. So the character that was based on him was instead played by Dave Hanson. 

Dave Hanson and Jack’s brothers Steve and Jeff may be famous for being in Slap Shot, but Jack had the best hockey career out of the four of them. He played 272 games in the WHA and another 236 in the NHL. 

2002-03 Fleer Throwbacks #87 - Jack Carlson
2002-03 Fleer Throwbacks #87

Jack didn’t have any hockey cards during his career, but he did finally get one in the excellent 2002-03 Fleer Throwbacks set long after he retired. Jack may have never actually appeared in Slap Shot, but he was still the inspiration for one of the Hanson Brothers. 

Jack Carlson Checklist
• 2002-03 Fleer Throwbacks #87
• 2002-03 Fleer Throwbacks Gold #87
• 2002-03 Fleer Throwbacks Platinum #87 (numbered to 50)

The Inspiration for Oglethorpe

Slap Shot was written by Nancy Dowd, whose brother Ned Dowd played for the Johnstown Jets along with the Carlson brothers, Dave Hanson and Bruce Boudreau. Ned Dowd was the technical adviser for Slap Shot. Memorably, he also played Ogie Oglethorpe, who was based on infamous minor league hockey tough guy Bill “Goldie” Goldthorpe. 

2005-06 ITG Tough Customers #BG

Ned Dowd does not have a trading card, but the person his character is based on has several. Goldthorpe first had a card in the 2005-06 Tough Customers boxed set, and appears again in the 2011-12 Enforcers set. 

2011-12 ITG Enforcers Autographs #A-BG

Bill “Goldie” Goldthorpe Checklist (selected cards)
• 2005-06 ITG Tough Customers #BG
• 2005-06 ITG Tough Customers Autographs #BG
• 2011-12 ITG Enforcers Autographs #A-BG
• 2011-12 ITG Enforcers Instigator Jerseys #I23
• 2013-14 ITG Enforcers Materials Signatures #ERBG 

(Note: In The Game released numerous cards of Goldthorpe that use a piece of a game-used jersey; many are limited to just one copy each. You can see a complete checklist of his cards here.)

Do you collect any card of the players from Slap Shot? Which one is your favorite? What Slap Shot-themed hockey cards do you wish the card companies would make? 

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Author: Sal Barry

Sal Barry is the editor and webmaster of Puck Junk. He is a freelance hockey writer, college professor and terrible hockey player. Follow him on Twitter @puckjunk

11 thoughts on “How to Build a Slap Shot Card Collection”

  1. Great post Sal. I’d like to offer another “inspiration” card from Hannu Toivonen. For a short period of time he wore as mask inspired by Slap Shot. I can’t remember too much off the top of my head but I’m pretty sure that there was an ITG card showcasing it.

    This would be a really fun collection to build.

  2. One of the Johnstown Jets players who had a fair amount of screen time and a character name (but no lines) was Guido Tenesi (a name that would have been great for the film but he was a blond pretty boy who was always looking at himself in the mirror), who played Billy Charlebois on the Chiefs. He was a Penguins pick but never got higher than the Jets; he played in Italy for some time. Doubt he ever had a card, but he might deserve mention.

    1. Hi Dejordy, and welcome to the site.

      Yeah, I found it annoying that certain Chiefs players like Guido Tenesi didn’t have any lines. It made it weird that some players were not vocal. Even the “quiet guy” on my rec league hockey team speaks up every now and then.

      Guido Tenesi *DID* actually have a sticker from a European sticker album, but it is hard as hell to find. I can’t even remember what year it is from (1983???) or what country it was made in (I assume Italy). Because of all that, I left him off the list above.

  3. I was visiting Portland, ME a while ago, and we stopped in to a Play It Again Sports (new/used sporting goods) and I almost squealed with joy when we walked in. hanging from the rafters was ALL the jerseys from slapshot! all the chiefs, Hanrahan, Ogie, Brophy… all for sale. didn’t get one sadly, but im goin back soon!

  4. I am a big fan of Paul Newman and the Hanson brothers
    I would love to to see some chiefs hockey cards
    Back would be great to remember them and Paul
    Hockey is not the same
    Since the chiefs are in trouble again why not join the nhl ?
    That would be so sweet !
    Long live the Hanson brothers
    From rob Olson

  5. I stumbled onto this thread. Nice read!

    If you’re still interested in building out this collection, I’ve got a couple more cards to recommend:

    First, I’ll confirm the Guido Tenisi stickers. They were produced by Semic, and are available with both Swedish & Finnish backs. The Finnish one is dated 1982, the Swedish is from 1983.

    On the “related” front: You already mentioned Christian Hanson as part of the dual Pen Pals card with his father, Dave. Obviously the son had nothing to do with the movie – but building a complete nameplate from 08-09 UD Black (manufactured patches that spell H-A-N-S-O-N and are signed by Christian) looks cool.

    2016-17 Upper Deck AHL had Mascot cards. One of them features the “Mullet Brothers” – The Hanson inspired mascots of the Cleveland Monsters.

    Leaf got into the action with their recent 2017-18 Masked Men set. Yvon Barrett has Mask inserts (many different colours) as well as autographs.

    1. Sean, thanks for the comment. This is a great addition/addendum. I don’t think I will ever find a Guido Tenisi sticker 🙁

      But I am going to look for a Yvon Barrett card 🙂

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