1991-92 Upper Deck High Series

(200 cards: 501-700)

Recently picked up the Upper Deck "High Series" from 1991-92.
Having never purchased a "factory set" before, I wasn't sure what to expect.

Figured the cards would be in order, and they were.
One stack, split in two, checklist in the middle, cards all facing inwards towards the middle, numbers towards the outside.

Includes a few players from the "largest trade" in NHL history... The ten-man deal on January 2, 1992 that sent Doug Gilmour to Toronto. (The only set I know of that features all 10 players with their new teams is 1992-93 O-Pee-Chee.)

(1991-92 Upper Deck #528 Gary Leeman, #609 Alexander Godynyuk, #558 Doug Gilmour)

As I filed the cards into their permanent home inside a binder, I scanned some of my favorites:

Jarmo Myllys
(1991-92 Upper Deck #537)

From the looks of it, he's not 100% sure where the puck is, but it's still a cool photo.
The brand new San Jose Sharks logo shows up prominently on his jersey, while
a Blues player hungrily buzzes around the net, looking for a rebound....
Back of the card is also dramatic, with both players appearing to track an airborne puck.

Scott Stevens
(1991-92 Upper Deck #539)

Among the recently traded players, is Scott Stevens with New Jersey.
Almost looks like he's getting punched in the face...
It's unwise to provoke Scott Stevens.
It's just so weird seeing him in a NJD uniform without a "C" on his jersey.

Mark Messier
(1991-92 Upper Deck #545)

Messier, now with New York.

Great slapshot photo full of intensity.
The power of Pepsi, no doubt.

Rod Brind'Amour
(1991-92 Upper Deck #547)

Flying through the air, looks as if he's just had his legs taken out from under him.

Darryl Sydor
(1991-92 Upper Deck #549)

A young Darryl Sydor...
I tend to think of him as wearing either 5 or 55, but here he is wearing number 40.
Every championship team needs unsung defencemen like Darryl Sydor. He appeared in the Stanley Cup Finals on four separate occasions, and was on the winning side twice.

Grant Fuhr
(1991-92 Upper Deck #553)

Grant Fuhr Makes a save as a Maple Leaf.
Note the shiny, glassy ice in front of him.

Pat Lafontaine
(1991-92 Upper Deck #556)

I just noticed that Pat Lafontaine looks a bit like Danny Briere...

Tom Draper
(1991-92 Upper Deck #552)

Kinda like the simplicity of Tom Draper's mask...
Even though it obviously doesn't match the Sabres' colors.
I believe this is what he wore with the Winnipeg Jets.
From this angle, it reminds me of Ken Dryden's painted mask...

Dominic Roussel
(1991-92 Upper Deck #583)

Not sure if it's a stretch or a save...
A flyer leg is visible, facing away... And a player stick is near the butt of Roussel's goal stick.

Craig Billington RC
(1991-92 Upper Deck #559)

Great profile picture of Devils' goaltender Craig Billington.

Rollie Melanson
(1991-92 Upper Deck #575)

Before "Ollie the Goalie", there was Rollie the Goalie...
I'm sure he probably hated being called that.
My first thought when I saw the photo was that's a tall goaltender...
But apparently he's only 5'10.

Nicklas Lidstrom CL
(1991-92 Upper Deck #584)

This is actually the Young Guns checklist card...
Great portrait of a young Nicklas Lidstrom.

Jeff Odgers
(1991-92 Upper Deck #597)

Action in front of the net...
With another well-placed Sharks logo.





Now this is an All-Star lineup...
Gretzky, Hull and Robitaille played on a line together in the 1991 All-Star Game.

(1991-92 Upper Deck #621 Wayne Gretzky, #622 Brett Hull, #623 Luc Robitaille)

Had considered leaving proper spacing in the binder for series one, if I'm lucky enough to obtain it...
But decided to keep these 200 cards in a small binder, with card 501 in the first slot. I'm glad I did, because this is exactly how these three cards ended up, all together in the same row.

EA NHL '95... Own Goal!

He scores! On his own net...
View Animated Clip

Been playing some of the EA NHL games on the Super NES. The older ones tend to be my favorites. But a funny thing happened while playing NHL 95...

The CPU controlled opponent managed to bump the puck into his own net. Certainly not unheard of in real life... But I'd never seen this kind of thing happen in digital hockey before... Took a few screen captures to put together this Animated Clip.

Cool Card: Andrei Lomakin (1991-92 Upper Deck #518)

Andrei Lomakin
(1991-92 Upper Deck #518)

This is why I love '90s hockey so much...
Just look at the vivid orange on the Islanders' and Flyers' jerseys...

The card scan really doesn't do it justice.

Bright pretty colors aside, it just happens to feature some frantic action around the net with snow spray and the player being chased, likely by a defenceman.

"Over a hundred million people throughout the world have tuned in to see this game. Many of them of course with no understanding of the sport itself, but nonetheless fascinated with the flickering images, and bright pretty colors."

Andrei Lomakin
(1992-93 Upper Deck #428)

Lomakin's Upper Deck card from the following year is equally awesome, with a photo taken from an unusual overhead angle...
We can even see that he's being hooked from behind.

WTF Hockey Card: Eric Fichaud (1996-97 Skybox Impact #150)

This is a decent looking card, but it was Eric Fichaud's mask on the card back that caught my attention. I just assumed that it was an alternate mask, and that the dolphin was somehow part of the NY Islanders Captain Highliner / Fish Sticks motif...

Eric Fichaud
(1996-97 Skybox Impact #150)

But then I noticed an older card of him wearing the same dolphin mask with Toronto...

Eric Fichaud
(94-95 Leaf #443)

As a 1st round draft pick in 1994 (16th overall), I was surprised to discover that Fichaud has no statistics with the Toronto Maple Leafs... The snapshot on the Leaf card must have been taken during an exhibition game. (He was soon traded to the New York Islanders for Benoit Hogue and a couple of draft picks.)

Impressive stat from the Leaf card:
"Eric played in more playoff games last year (26) than any other goaltender in professional, junior or college hockey"

Although the mask actually fit the Toronto Maple Leafs' color scheme quite nicely, it turns out the dolphin design is actually one he wore with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens of the QMJHL.

Eric Fichaud
Chicoutimi Sagueneens

Felix Potvin also played for the Chicoutimi Saqueneens in the QMJHL, and coincidentally was also drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs (2nd round of the 1990 draft, 31st overall). Potvin was eventually traded to the New York Islanders in 1999 for Bryan Berard.

Felix Potvin
(Upper Deck 91-92 #460)

WTF Hockey Card: Mike Leclerc (2002-03 Pacific #5)

Mike Leclerc
(2002-03 Pacific #5)

On your ass, and surrounded by the enemy...
That's exactly how I'd like to be photographed on a hockey card.

It's amazing how many of the Dallas Stars they managed to fit into this shot.

Chris Drury
(2002-03 Pacific #88)

Now THIS is how to take a photo of someone surrounded by oppposing players...

Chris Drury is still on his feet, in the middle of the absolute carnage occuring in front of the Blues net.

Alexander Mogilny
(1992-93 Upper Deck #167)

Also brings to mind this card from a decade earlier...

One of the very first gems I ever pulled from a pack of Upper Deck was this beauty of a card featuring Alexander Mogilny.

Coincidentally, all three cards feature an instance of a player with three opposing players and goaltender.

Cool Card: Neil Little (2002-03 Pacific #283)

Neil Little
(2002-03 Pacific #283)

Every set of hockey cards needs a good portrait or profile...
This closeup of rarely seen Flyers goaltender Neil Little is the only card like it in the set.

Spending most of his career in the AHL, Neil Little only played 2 games for the Flyers, but still ends up with a great looking card.

Cool Card: Damian Rhodes (2002-03 Pacific #20)

Damian Rhodes
(2002-03 Pacific #20)

I love this overhead shot of the Atlanta Thrashers' goal crease with both defencemen in the frame.

Rhodes has either just made a save, or is positioning himself to ensure the puck stays safely out of his net.

















It also reminded me of a trivia question from the NHL Hitz 2002 video game...

Screenshot from NHL Hitz 2002

Get it right, and you're rewarded with points to improve your team.
Finally! A chance to exploit all the useless hockey trivia I've accumulated over the years...

WTF Hockey Card: Dave Christian (1992-93 Upper Deck #194)

Dave Christian
(1992-93 Upper Deck #194)

Upside down, backwards, and on his ass...
Immortalized on a hockey card for all eternity.

(His previous year's Upper Deck card also shows him knocked down, on his knees)

Ironically or deliberately, there's an ad for Upper Deck hockey cards on the boards.

Suddenly makes me wonder if other hockey card companies tried to avoid using snapshots that have the Upper Deck logo in the background. Gonna keep an eye out within my collection...

Dave Christian
(1992-93 Upper Deck #194 card back)

At least Dave Christian is standing on his feet on the back of the card. Bonus points for cameo of Tom Barasso.

Cool Card: Bob Bassen (1992-93 Upper Deck #181)

Bob Bassen
(1992-93 Upper Deck #181)

I absolutely love the action on this card...
Traffic, bodies and chaos in front of the net... This is what hockey is all about!

Lesser known Blues forward Bob Bassen gets a bit of recognition by getting a few votes for the Selke trophy two years in a row, followed by an appearance on this card, which has become one of my favorites in the set.

The retro Hawks jerseys actually comes out really nice in this photo as well. I believe the goaltender is Jimmy Waite.

Bob Bassen
(1991-92 Upper Deck #319)

The 1991-92 Upper Deck Card featuring Bob Bassen is also great... Looks like he's making a pass from behind the goal line.. He also looks like he's about to get crosschecked by Kevin Hatcher...I like the intensity on Hatcher's face!

Pat Jablonski RC
(1991-92 Upper Deck #107)

On goaltender Pat Jablonski's, Bob Bassen can be seen crashing (into) his own net... Props to Jablonksi for hanging onto the net to remain upright.

WTF Hockey Card: Ken Priestlay (1991-92 Upper Deck #525)

Ken Priestlay
(1991-92 Upper Deck #525)

This card reflects a recent trade from Buffalo to Pittsburgh.

The season before this card was released, Ken Priestlay had only played 2 games for the Penguins. (Would go on to play 51 games total for the Pens)

On the back of the card, he's wearing a Penguins jersey with a Stanley Cup Finals patch...
Although he didn't play any games in the finals, I suppose the patch would have been stitched to all players' jerseys within the roster...

Either that, or he simply wore someone else's jersey for the card photo.

Men in Black Masks (A. Raycroft, J. Blue, D. Berthiaume)

Andrew Raycroft
(2001-02 Be a Player #125)

Nothing screams "I just got traded" than a plain white goalie mask. (Might as well paint the word "Noob" on your helmet.)

Perhaps some goaltenders find they can track the puck easier with a white cage shield than a black one. But as far as the helmet goes, black just looks so badass and mysterious... Plus, it goes with everything.

I've managed to find three goaltender cards that feature goaltenders wearing plain black masks... Sometimes it's because it's what they wore until they got a painted mask... Other times, it's just what they seemed to prefer to wear throughout most of their career.

Before getting a mask with a killer paint job, Andrew Raycroft sported a plain black mask. The pads aren't trade proof, but that's a completely separate issue.

John Blue
(1993-94 Topps Premier #209)

John Blue gets traded to the Sabres, no big deal. He can still wear the same mask he wore with Boston. Although with Buffalo, he swapped the yellow cage for white (even though yellow coincidentally fit with Sabres' colors at the time).

Daniel Berthiaume
(1990-91 Pro Set #454)

Daniel Berthiaume kept the black motif when he was traded from Los Angeles to Boston... And then Ottawa...

Maybe he'd add a few small decals of the team logo to his black mask, but that's about it... Being traded makes you say "Fuck this shit".

(He began with the Winnipeg Jets, and actually did have a blue mask with red stars painted all over it)

Cool Card: Rolf Wanhainen (1992-93 Upper Deck #223)

I was intrigued by the face shield worn by this goaltender for Team Sweden in the Word Junior Championship subset of 1992-93 Upper Deck...

Rolf Wanhainen
(1992-93 Upper Deck #223)

It's just the standard player helmet worn by many international goaltenders... But the face shield extends out at the sides, and down over the throat, unlike anything I've ever really seen. Nothing fancy, but simple and (presumably) effective.

Think I'd still prefer to have some additional protection underneath, because I can still see a lot of exposed skin around the neck area.


The closest thing I've seen to this type of cage design in the NHL might be what Swedish netminder Tommy Soderstrom wore (with an additional plastic throat guard).

Tommy Soderstrom
(1993-93 Topps Premier #55)

Also from nineties, was the cage mask worn by Russian goaltender Arturs Irbe.

Arturs Irbe
1991-92 Upper Deck #532
(card back)

WTF Hockey Card: Joe Cirella (1993-94 Topps/OPC Premier #41)

Joe Cirella
(1993-94 Topps/OPC Premier #41)

Some of the Florida Panthers expansion team members were included in Series I of 1993-94 Topps/OPC Premier.

Since no in-game action shots existed in time for Series I, several players posed for photos.

But on veteran Jo Cirella's card, it almost seems like they were experimenting with trying to include a makeshift background...

There's some faded/washed out scenery that resembles hockey boards, and what looks like a Dutch flag.

John Vanbiesbrouk
(1993-94 Topps/OPC Premier #314)

The rest of the Panthers' cards have a simple dark background. Oddly enough, while Series I features several Florida Panthers, it does not include any of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim...

Rob Niedermayer
(1993-94 Topps/OPC Premier #270)

Series II is absolutely riddled with in-game action cards of over 30 players from the Ducks and Panthers;

(16 Panthers cards, the first one being Rob Niedermayer, who would eventually go on to play for the Ducks)

(20 Ducks cards... Damn near a whole flock)

Joe Cirella
(1993-94 Upper Deck #65)

The same Panthers are also featured in 1993-94 Upper Deck, although Upper Deck offers both Ducks and Panthers in their set.

Jo Cirella has a "normal" background on his Upper Deck card. It's possible the shots were taken at the same photo shoot.

Gotta appreciate the fact that Topps was willing to experiment with something to try and make their card look different... But there's no question which card turned out better.

WTF Hockey Card: Mario Lemieux / George H.W. Bush (1991-92 Upper Deck #47)

This hockey card commemorates the Pittsburgh Penguins' visit to the White House in 1991.
Glad I don't own this card... It would probably depreciate the value of my entire collection.
[EDIT: Have since acquired this card to complete the 700 card Upper Deck set]

Mario Lemieux / George Bush
1991-92 Upper Deck #47

The only interesting tidbit off the back of the card is that President Bush was presented with

"...a Penguins jersey bearing number two, the number Bush wore when he played first base for Yale University..."

(Normally the President is given a team jersey with bearing the year the team won the Stanley Cup championship.)

In sequential order within the set, this card is found among several rookie cards... (Card numbers 46-52)
So it's my guess that this card (#47) was originally intended to feature a young rookie, but for whatever reason, they had to come up with filler like this.

In addition to it being out of place within the set, Mario Lemieux was featured two cards earlier on card #45 (50 goals in 50 games club) with Wayne Gretzky and Brett Hull.

Any card that features a politician automatically becomes one of the worst cards ever made...

"Worst hockey card ever."