Anton Khudobin, Dallas Stars

Unlike the other players on the list, the hobby future is now for Khudobin. At 34, Dallas’s unexpected star isn’t likely to carve out a spot on the Hot List or build significantly on his game in the years he has le . Still, his stellar play since assuming the starting role and powering his team’s unlikely postseason run caught the eyes of collectors.

What they’re discovering is that his excellence is far from a fluke. Khudobin led the NHL in 2019-20 with his .930 save percentage, and his 2.22 GAA was second only to Tuukka Rask. Both marks were career bests for the veteran backup, whose play hinted at that of another late-blooming hobby favorite.

“He reminds me of Tim omas, a little bit,” said teammate

Tyler Seguin.

Khudobin’s cards had largely languished in commons bins since he hit the scene in 2009-10. at changed with this run. His signature-only RC from e Cup (#92), easily available for $10 or less during the season, sold for as much as $90 heading into the Final, while his Young Guns (#469) – a card that was seen in quantity at the last Toronto Expo for a buck a copy – sold for upwards of $30.

Given his situation, it’s unlikely that these prices will grow, or even hold their ground long-term. But their explosion is a reminder a great story always sells, and that no

RC should ever be written off as long as the player is still lacing them up.

“He reminds me of Tim Thomas, a little bit,” said teammate Tyler Seguin.