1979-80 Topps #206 Bobby Smith (RC)

Here it is.  Sure, it would have been nice to own a Wayne Gretzky or Bobby Orr rookie card, but when I was a kid my most wanted hockey card was Bobby Smith's rookie.  Now, at the ripe old age of 32, I finally have it!  And it's a beauty, eh?

1979-80 Topps #22 Ron Zanussi

1979-80 Topps #177 Tom Younghans

The tiny little green spot at the middle of the bottom border was probably the biggest blemish in my entire '79 Topps North Stars team set.  Amazing.

1979-80 Topps #36 Tim Young

1979-80 Topps #11 Greg Smith

As someone who grew up in the '80s, it's still weird for me to see pictures of anyone other than Brian Bellows wearing the #23 sweater for the North Stars.

1979-80 Topps #93 Glen Sharpley

1979-80 Topps #52 Gary Sargent

Speaking of injury-shortened careers...

Interestingly enough, perhaps the most famous injury-shortened North Stars career was that of Henry Boucha, who happens to be Gary Sargent's cousin.

1979-80 Topps #64 Steve Payne (RC)

Payner was one of the most naturally gifted players to ever lace up skates for the North Stars.  It's a shame injuries ended his career so prematurely.  I didn't even realize I was getting his rookie card when I purchased this team set!

1979-80 Topps #118 J.P. Parise

1979-80 Topps #136 Gilles Meloche

1979-80 Topps #231 Brad Maxwell

This is more like it!  Brad Maxwell with a 'stache.

1979-80 Topps #151 Kris Manery

I certainly do not intend any disrespect to Kris Manery, but this is the least interesting card in the '79 North Stars team set.  Not only is he the player in the set of whom I'm easily the least familiar with, but it's also the only non-action shot in the set.

1979-80 Topps #104 Al MacAdam

I loved Al MacAdam.  Actually, he kind of scared me when I was a kid, but I love him now.  Possibly my all-time favorite North Stars mustache.

1979-80 Topps #219 Mike Fidler

1979-80 Topps #192 Per-Olov Brasar

1979-80 Topps #251 Minnesota North Stars Team Checklist

The 1979-80 set has always been my favorite set of hockey cards.  Never mind that I had never owned a single card from the set until last week.

The dominating blue borders were unlike any Topps/O-Pee-Chee outings that I had seen in any sport.  From a big picture standpoint, the set included the biggest card in the hobby (Wayne Gretzky's rookie card).  Locally, my most wanted hockey card was Bobby Smith's rookie card.

I had my eyes peeled for a nice '79 North Stars team set ever since I started going nuts with this project several weeks back, and I finally found one on eBay.  I got a great deal on it, and it was advertised as "EX-MT" condition.  When it arrived, I was stunned to find every card in gorgeous NM-MT condition.  This team set is one of the cornerstones of my budding collection.