Autograph Alley: The cement-head edition

I love hockey, as you haven't probably guessed by now. I love collecting autographed hockey cards, too, which is what this column is about.

This is all about enforcers, or "cement-heads," as my wife likes to call them. They are protectors for their other teammates and eager brawlers on the ice. Some of the better "cement-heads" of all time you might recognize on this list.

-- First and foremost, we'll head to the top line of photos, where we've got - left to right - Paul Bissonnette, Rick Rypien, Zack Stortini, Zac Rinaldo and Derek Boogaard. This is the tragedy line as both Rypien (of the Vancouver Canucks) and Boogaard (of the Minnesota Wild/New York Rangers) are dead. Rypien battled depression for years before committing suicide in 2011. Boogaard battled drug and alcohol abuse before succumbing to it in a 2011 death. If you haven't ever read an incredible three-part series on Boogaard's hockey career by the New York Times, here's a link to the first story: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/04/sports/hockey/derek-boogaard-a-boy-learns-to-brawl.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0.

-- The second row from the top goes (left to right) Raitis Ivanans, Tim Conboy, Cam Janssen, George Parros and Ben Eager. Ask former Cedar Rapids RoughRiders winger Kevin Brooks about some of his battles with Omaha's Conboy sometime. Good stuff.

-- The third row from the top includes (left to right) Joe Rechlicz, Ryan Flinn, Colton Orr, Tie Domi and Bob Probert. Probert, of course, also died, in 2010, after abusing alcohol and drugs in his career. Had to buy his signature on Ebay. Orr, the Toronto Maple Leafs cement-head, was a good return through the mail, especially the inspirtational "Believe!" moniker before his signature.

-- Bottom row of tough guys features Stu Grimson, Georges Laracque, Brian McGrattan and Jared Boll. Grimson, otherwise known as "Grim Reaper" did a commerical for "A Better Life" in which he sings the itsy-bitsy spider song to his daughter over the phone for a game. Boll also played in the USHL with the Lincoln Stars. He's now a Columbus Blue Jacket.