What we're hearing today about Beezer

John Vanbiesbrouck, the famous but soon-to-be former Saultite, is making more news this weekend.

The Upper Deck Co. has announced that Beezer topped the polls to be included in hockey's first ever fan-voted trading card set, as the greatest-ever player with Florida Panthers.

Vanbiesbrouck collected 16,432 votes to win the franchise honour.

Other players who were either born or played in the Sault expected to be included in the 37-card set include Tony Esposito (103,638 votes as all-time best rookie), Ron Francis (48,264 votes as best-ever Carolina Hurricanes player) and Wayne Gretzky (two cards - 16,847 votes as all-time best rookie - 50,689 votes as best-ever Edmonton Oilers player).

Here's the Upper Deck news release:

********************* 1963 Maple Leafs voted NHL's 'All-Time Greatest' Single-Season Squad

Join six rookies, one player per team in industry's first-ever fan-voted trading card set

Fan-voted collection featuring select players hits retail in fall

CARLSBAD, Calif., April 28 - The 2005-06 NHL regular season ended last week, with the Toronto Maple Leafs beating the Pittsburgh Penguins in the league's final game, 5-3.

The final of Upper Deck's All-Time Greatest Collection tournament, with fans voting on the League's best single-season squad ever?

The same two teams, the same outcome, the same margin of victory.

Just with different players from different eras.

Receiving 64 percent of the vote, the 1962-63 Leafs beat the 1991-92 Pens, completing Upper Deck's weekly 16-team season-long tourney pitting the NHL's all-time greatest teams.

Along with the 1963 Maple Leafs, six all-time rookies and one player per team will be included in the collection, the industry's first ever fan-voted trading card set.

The collection will feature 37 cards in all and hit retail stores this fall.

The rookies: Tony Esposito (Chicago Blackhawks), Mario Lemieux (Penguins), Guy Lafleur (Montreal Canadiens), Gilbert Perreault (Buffalo Sabres), Steve Yzerman (Detroit Red Wings) and Wayne Gretzky (Edmonton Oilers).

Each team's individual player* representative can be found listed below.

While only one player per team made the All-Time Greatest Collection - with players really only battling other members from the same franchise - it was a battle all season to see who would finish with the most overall votes.

The New York Rangers' Andy Bathgate led the vote for the contest's first three months, all the way up until the contest's final two weeks.

Bathgate will still represent the Rangers in Upper Deck's collection, but was overtaken for all-time greatest player by both Boston's Bobby Orr (No. 1) and Montreal's Maurice Richard (No. 2).

Orr won the title by less than one-tenth of a percent of the overall all-time player vote.

In total, 4.5 million votes were tallied across the contest's three categories.

Notable storylines

- rookie Alexander Ovechkin, who became only the sixth rookie in NHL history to score at least 100 points in a season, was voted the best Washington Capital ever, besting Mike Gartner

- Gretzky and Perreault were the only players to have two cards in the set: one rookie and one all-time greatest player for their individual team

- fans of Hockey Hall of Famer Bobby Hull and son, former NHLer Brett, came in mass to vote. Brett was St. Louis' all-time player representative while finishing in the top-six all time; Brett also nearly beat Mike Modano to become Dallas' all-time greatest player

- Bobby Hull, who was not listed on the ballot, got the most write-in votes of any player, with 2,225 for his tenure with Chicago

All-Time Greatest Collection: Team Representatives

Bobby Orr - Boston Bruins Maurice Richard - Montreal Canadiens Andy Bathgate - New York Rangers Ted Lindsay - Detroit Red Wings Brett Hull - St. Louis Blues Stan Mikita - Chicago Blackhawks Bobby Clarke - Philadelphia Flyers Mario Lemieux - Pittsburgh Penguins Mike Modano - Dallas Stars Alexander Ovechkin - Washington Capitals Darryl Sittler - Toronto Maple Leafs Wayne Gretzky - Edmonton Oilers Ron Francis - Carolina Hurricanes Daniel Alfredsson - Ottawa Senators Al MacInnis - Calgary Flames Martin Brodeur - New Jersey Devils Teemu Selanne - Anaheim Mighty Ducks Pavel Bure - Vancouver Canucks Joe Sakic - Colorado Avalanche Gilbert Perreault - Buffalo Sabres Rick Nash - Columbus Blue Jackets Ilya Kovalchuk - Atlanta Thrashers John Vanbiesbrouck - Florida Panthers Bryan Trottier - New York Islanders Marcel Dionne - Los Angeles Kings Marian Gaborik - Minnesota Wild Shane Doan - Phoenix Coyotes Martin St. Louis - Tampa Bay Lightning Tomas Vokoun - Nashville Predators Evgeni Nabokov - San Jose Sharks

For the complete voting results, visit http://www.thealltimegreatest.com

Please note the names mentioned above may or may not be included in the final checklist for inclusion in the All-Time Greatest Collection and are dependent upon the availability of the player.

About the Upper Deck Co.

Founded in 1988, The Upper Deck Co. is a premier global sports and entertainment-publishing company that delivers a portfolio of relevant, innovative and multi-dimensional product experiences to collectors, sports and entertainment enthusiasts.

Website: http://www.thealltimegreatest.com

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