1,000 Point NHL Player Autographs - #79 Ray Whitney

The most recent member of the 1,000 NHL points club is Phoenix Coyotes forward Ray Whitney. Completing the task in his 1,226th game, Whitney's ascension to the group is partially due to skill and partially due to longevity.

With 365 goals and 638 assists for 1,003 points, Whitney is likely to move up 15-20 more spots on the list if he continues to play into 2012-13 and beyond. Drafted by San Jose in the 2nd Round of the NHL Entry Draft in 1991, Whitney has played for San Jose, Edmonton, Florida, Columbus, Detroit, Carolina, and Phoenix. With 77 points in 2011-12, it's very likely this 2005-06 Stanley Cup Champion will be back for at least one more season.

 
From 1997-98 Pinnacle Be A Player comes this hard-signed autograph of Ray Whitney during his time with the Florida Panthers. A relatively easy-to-find card, this one has been in my collection for years. Often under-rated and under-appreciated, Whitney's cards have never been in great demand. However, he's the first check-mark on my list of hard-signed autographed cards of the 79 1,000 NHL point producers.