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| Maxim Bets 1994-95 Parkhurst #10 |
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| Joel Otto 1993-94 Upper Deck #124 (card back) |
Saturday, April 25, 2020
Play Ball
Inserted Wings...
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| Ray Sheppard 1994-95 Topps Premier Finest #6 |
Including a pair of Detroit Red Wings, both from 1994-95.
The first one is Ray Sheppard, from 1994-95 Topps Premier Finest. Card number 6 of 23.
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| Dino Ciccarelli 1994-95 Parkie Gold #65 |
Dino Ciccarelli in his favorite spot - Camped out in front of the opposing team's net.
Wednesday, April 22, 2020
Moog Mask...
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| Andy Moog 1993-94 Topps Premier #476 |
Traded to the Dallas Stars, seems he actually kept the bear design for a brief while, after having the colors on the bear modified to green and gold.
He still had the bear design during the 1994 playoffs. (Along with his bright yellow blocker & trapper)
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| Andy Moog 1995-96 Collector's Choice #62 |
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| Andy Moog 1995-96 Collector's Choice #62 (card back) |
This is actually a great card... In addition to the awesome photo, we get an entire career of stats, pertinent vitals, and a simple, legible card number in the top left corner, where it belongs.
Only thing missing is a bio. Can't have everything though.
Tuesday, April 21, 2020
Canvasing The Discount Rack
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| Alex Iafallo 2017-18 UD Canvas #C226 |
Not necessarily a huge fan of UD Canvas, but I've pulled a couple of them.
My first one was from 2016-17 Upper Deck (Series One), and this one is from a discounted box of 2017-18 Upper Deck Series II. I have no problem waiting for previous year's boxes to go on sale.
I definitely enjoy the overall design. Only thing that loses points in my book, is the excessive yellow "paint" on the front of the card. Still, I'm giving it an "A minus".
Probably one of my favorite finds from this year's collecting season, and one of the best UD Canvas designs I've seen.
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| Alex Iafallo 2017-18 UD Canvas #C226 (card back) |
Hadn't actually heard of Alex Iafallo, but with the slated UD Canvas odds per pack at 1:12, and UD Young Guns Canvas being 1:96, I suppose my scavenging has been rewarded with a rather lucky pull... Especially considering I've actually seen him on the ice (as opposed to sitting on the bench of playing in the minors).
Got The Jack...
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| Jack Campbell 2013-14 Upper Deck #473 |
Did not have a single card of Jack Campbell...
Found one of his cards in a bin, which happens to be his Young Guns RC.
Shown here wearing #1 with Dallas, he's since opted to don jersey number 36 (with LA and Toronto).
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| Daniel Berthiaume 1991-92 Topps #313 |
Some research has let me to discover that Jimmy Waite of the Chicago Blackhawks also wore 36, albeit briefly.
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| John Gibson 2019-20 Upper Deck MVP #92 |
(Born in Pittsburgh, Pensylvania)
Scoring Machines
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| Jonathan Cheechoo 2006-07 SP Authentic #18 |
Total Cards: 250
Filed this card into my collection, and discovered that I had two others from this set (in my post-lockout Upper Deck binder). Barely have any cards from 2006-07.
Card design is relatively good. Certainly not my favorite SPA design, but I've seen much worse. Team-themed color scheme actually works quite well against the white background with light grey/silver.
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| Jonathan Cheechoo 2006-07 SP Authentic #18 (card back) |
They did an outstanding job on the back... It's simple, neat, and accomplishes a lot without being cluttered.
Jonathan Cheechoo scored 170 goals and 135 assists for 305 points in 501 career games.
Didn't realize that he also won the Rocket Richard Trophy for most goals in 2005-06. (season following the lockout)
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| Martin Havlat 2006-07 SP Authentic #79 |
Too bad the Hawks weren't able to keep him... Instead, he was dealt to Minnesota and then San Jose, where he was never heard from again. (Might as well be playing on Mars)
Both the Sharks' teal and the Hawks' red look particularly good on this card design.
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| Martin Havlat 2006-07 SP Authentic #79 (card back) |
"A dangerous scoring machine anywhere on the ice, Havlat is highly valued for his ability to play all three forward spots."
Martin Havlat scored 242 goals and 352 assists for 594 points in 790 career games.
Another Crown...
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| Jeff O'Neill 2001-02 Pacific Crown Royale #28 |
Total Cards: 180
Surprised to find one of these within a random bulk acquisition.
I keep all my Crowns in plastic toploaders to protect the edges, and this one's no exception... (Even though the front photo seems washed out, over an extremely dark background)
Another vertical card, which I actually prefer.
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| Jeff O'Neill 2001-02 Pacific Crown Royale #28 (card back) |
Jeff O'Neill was one of the original Hartford Whalers, before the team moved to Carolina.
Scored 237 goals and 259 assists for 496 points in 821 career games.
Scott Young (1989-90 O-Pee-Chee #209)
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| Scott Young RC 1989-90 O-Pee-Chee #209 |
(Still missing 11 cards towards completing this set!)
Scott Young is shown here as a member of the Hartford Whalers, wearing number 27. He wore 34 for the Pittsburgh Penguins, then while in Quebec/Colorado, wore number 48 for the rest of his career.
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| Scott Young 1992-93 Upper Deck #397 |
Just felt like scanning this one, because I had a loose copy of this card kicking around from a random re-pack. Reminds me of pulling this one from an actual pack of 92-93 Upper Deck back in the day.
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| Scott Young 1996-97 Score #140 |
Impressive stat: Scored at least one goal in every single playoff year in which he's participated. 19 goals in 44 playoff games.
Picked Up Soviet AK-27 (Alexei Kovalev - 1996-97 SP #104)
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| Alex Kovalev 1996-97 SP #104 |
Total Cards: 188
My very first card from the third-ever release of Upper Deck's SP brand.
From the back of the card:
"The first Soviet player taken in the first round of an NHL Entry Draft (1991), Kovalev is poised to put up career numbers for the Rangers in 1996-97."
It's a relatively good-looking design. The diagonal deadspace on the bottom left seems off balance, and always throws me off, however.
Team color also plays into the design. (Blue looks awesome for the New York Rangers... But the maroonish brown chosen for Buffalo looks weird)
I wouldn't mind collecting at least one of the early SP sets... This one might be a candidate, although the player's first name is more legible than their last name... Should be the other way around.
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| Alex Kovalev 1996-97 SP #104 (card back) |
Don't usually approve of seeing a player get knocked down on their own card (but for Kovalev, I'll make an exception).
Gotta be Kidding Me...
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| Trevor Kidd 1994-95 Upper Deck - SP #SP-12 |
Total Cards: 180
Not to be confused with Upper Deck's SP brand, is the SP Insert set within 1994-95 Upper Deck...
Didn't realize this was an insert Insert Card when I got it... Although I had read somewhere in a Beckett magazine about the possible confusion back when the products were first released.
It's definitely dark in color - Almost like a predecessor to Upper Deck's Black Diamond brand.
I still like the design... Maybe because I'm a fan of red & black... And maybe because my first card from this set happened to be a goalie card. I've since collected a couple more of these.
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| Trevor Kidd 1994-95 Upper Deck - SP #SP-12 (card back) |
I'm not sure about the card to pack ratio, but completing the entire 180 card set seems like quite a challenge - Although I'm sure people out there have done it.
For now, I'll gladly file any of these into my 1990s Upper Deck binder.
SPecial Consideration (Tony Granato - 1995-96 SP #56)
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| Tony Granato 1995-96 SP #56 |
Total Cards: 195
Another card from the very first SP set. (Not to be mistaken for the 1994-95 Upper Deck SP Insert Set within the main Upper Deck set... Let the confusion begin!)
I really like the front design of these cards... Simple and classy. Just thrilled that I finally got one of these things to scan properly (without rainbow glare coming off the gold foil).
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| Tony Granato 1995-96 SP #56 (card back) |
Might be a good dose of nostalgia, but I love oldschool Upper Deck.
While I normally prefer to collect the flagship UD set, I think I'd prefer this SP set, as far as 1994-95 is concerned. (Actually had a chance to score a complete die-cut set. Still debating the decision, but I prefer rectangular cards)
As a set builder, only thing I dislike is the tiny card number (which could also be a bit more towards the top left). But I can understand keeping the card number small, not to take away from the beauty of this card design.
Re-Pack Rat...
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| Robert Kron 1997-98 Pinnacle Be a Player #140 |
Often wondered about the origin of these "re-pack" cards that I've been adding to my collection... Are they pre-owned? Or simply leftover stock that was never sold? Or Both? Aside from the odd 1990s card with bad centering, most of them have been in mint-condition.
Finding this card had me flipping through some of my old Beckett Hockey magazines to locate this article:
From Beckett magazine
Issue No. 101
March 1999
"NHLPA Senior Director of Business Affairs and Marketing Ted Saskin recently confirmed that the majority of the 1997-98 Be A Player cases never actually reached the marketplace - and probably never will...
...the NHLPA has no plans to make a deal with anyone to release the product, unless the marketplace changes dramatically. It's been speculated that much of the unreleased or returned Pinnacle hockey product currently in storage will end up shredded. -Kevin Allen"
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| Robert Kron 1997-98 Pinnacle Be a Player #140 (card back) |
But with many collectors obsessed with the sheer "value" of the card (as opposed to education & nostalgia), limiting the number of cards in the market helps give a sense of worth.
Two of my Finest, Cheapest Cards (part 2)
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| Sergei Zubov 1995-96 Finest #171 |
Total Cards: 191
I like the previous year's design just a tad more than this one... This one still looks cool, but I just don't understand why the word "DEFENDERS" needs to take up so much space... I actually thought this was an Insert Card.
From the back of the card:
"Sergei will stand up to the puck carrier at his blue line to force the play. If he creates a turnover, Sergei will quickly get involved in a transition game."
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| Sergei Zubov 1995-96 Finest #171 (card back) |
Career stats are there, and there's something interesting that I've never seen before - The line that would normally contain the stats from last season has been replaced by the players statistics at that year's NHL All-Star break. When this set was printed, that info would have been more up-to date than other cards released that year.
Two of my Finest, Cheapest Cards (part 1)
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| Mark Tinordi 1994-95 Finest #25 |
Total Cards: 165
More cards covered with a layer of plastic film. Both of them happen to be defencemen from two different years of the same brand, Topps Finest.
From the card front:
"TOPPS FINEST PROTECTOR
PEEL AND REMOVE COATING"
Just neat to have a couple of these relics in my collection (especially with the plastic intact), although I don't think I'd be interested in collecting an entire set or anything.
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| Mark Tinordi 1994-95 Finest #25 (card back) |
The only thing I dislike is the placement of the card number. As a set builder, I feel that the card number belongs in the top left corner.
Sharks Goaltenders of the Past... And Future?
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| Arturs Irbe 2014-15 Upper Deck Trilogy #90 (Radiant Blue) |
A couple cards that I picked up a few months back, both of them coincidentally being netminders for the San Jose Sharks.
First one is nineties goaltender Arturs Irbe, featured in a modern set... (2014-15 Upper Deck Trilogy).
It's also a low-numbered parallel, in radiant blue color... Which actually looks pretty cool with the Sharks' motif.
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| Aaron Dell YG RC 2016-17 Upper Deck #478 |
Always nice to find insert cards & rookie cards of goaltenders.
Seems the color orange has started appearing on the San Jose Sharks uniforms... Even the goalie pads have orange on them.
Monday, April 20, 2020
Cool Card - Traffic (Alexei Zhamnov - 1993-94 Topps/OPC Premier #420)
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| Alexei Zhamnov 1993-94 Topps/OPC Premier #420 |
(From the High Number Series)
Another random pick. Alexei Zhamnov (of the old Winnipeg Jets) tries to stick-handle his way through a pair of opposing players. Jarri Kurri of the LA Kings also makes a cameo.
Sunday, April 5, 2020
The Head That Wears The Crown
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| Ryan Clowe 2011-12 Panini Crown Royale #77 |
Total Cards: 182
While an entire set of die-cut cards doesn't really appeal to me, I do enjoy occasionally finding one or two.
Didn't realize that Panini now has the Crown Royale brand - But I believe this card was visible as bait for me to purchase a re-pack...
I prefer vertical cards to horizontal ones, so I kinda like this one. The silver crown is awesome, and the front of the card is relatively well done.
Just not sure why they chose such a large font for "2011" and "2012". (To me, that information is better kept to the back of the card)
Overall, the card design definitely gets a passing grade (probably a "B plus" or an "A minus").
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| Ryan Clowe 2011-12 Panini Crown Royale #77 (card back) |
Also not a fan of the format used for the player's height, weight, date of birth, with alternating colors... Find it too awkward to read.
Ryan Clowe scored 112 goals and 197 assists for 309 points in 491 career games.
(also had 46 points in 70 playoff games)
Feelin' Used?
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| Jason Pominville 2007-08 SP Game Used #89 |
Total Cards: 200
The "Game Used" brand name seems to imply that every card contains game-used material... (Of course only an idiot would expect that to be the case)
The set does contain a ridiculous number of insert sets, all of which appear to be jersey cards, letters, numbers, etc.
Someday, they might even claim that the actual rolls of cardstock were physically in an NHL arena while a game was taking place.
Either way, I don't mind settling for the faux jersey and stitching graphics printed on cardboard, which actually look kinda cool.
Wouldn't normally seek out cards from these sets, but just happened to find a random base card from SP Game Used in a re-pack.
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| Jason Pominville 2007-08 SP Game Used #89 (card back) |
Always nice to offer the jersey number and position - Although in this case, it's white on yellow (Could have had a black outline, a shadow or something). Overall, would give this card design a mark of "B" or even "B plus".
Jason Pominville scored 293 goals and 434 assists for 727 points in 1060 career games.
The "New" Vintage...
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| Mariusz Czerkawski 1994-95 Parkhurst - Vintage #V55 |
Total Cards: 90
Going through my "cards that I only have one of" pile, attempting to sort them and put them into some kind of home within my collection... Turns out that this one is an Insert Card from 1994-95 Parkhurst.
Score bonus points for a vintage card design featuring an Original Six team.
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| Mariusz Czerkawski 1994-95 Parkhurst - Vintage #V55 (card back) |
Definitely hoping to locate a few more cards from this set. Fingers crossed for Chicago, Detroit or New York.
Appreciating Victory After Defeat (Neal Broten - 1994-95 Fleer Ultra #187)
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| Neal Broten Fleer Ultra #187 |
Total Cards: 400
Stanley Cup winning teams usually have veteran players who've been there before - Some of them have gone all the way, only to lose in the final round.
Neal Broten was a member of the Minnesota North Stars who were defeated in the 1991 Stanley Cup Finals by the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Neal Broten would go on to join the New Jersey Devils in 1995.
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| Neal Broten Fleer Ultra #187 (card back) |
"Veteran center Neal Broten...
...notched four postseason game-winning tallies, including the Cup-clincher vs. the Red Wings"
Seeing how I only have a handful of cards from this set, it's rather fitting to have a card of the guy who scored the most important goal in the previous season.
Wing Man (Jarri Kurri - 1994-95 Topps Premier #25)
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| Jarri Kurri 1994-95 Topps Premier #25 |
Total Cards: 550
It's a funny quirk to see someone other than the centerman take the faceoff... Might only happen once or twice per game, but just neat to see an instance show up on a hockey card.
I kinda like the design of these cards... Got a whopping pile of someone's duplicates. Nice to get a feel for the set.
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| Jarri Kurri 1994-95 Topps Premier #25 (card back) |
I'd be interested in collecting them all, although the horizontal orientation of the back makes 'em more difficult to read - And I like flipping through my sets, kept in binder sheets as opposed to boxes, hence more enjoyment of the cards.
On The Prowl (for Discount Cards)
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| Brian Campbell 2013-14 Panini Totally Certified #147 |
Total Cards: 250
Not usually a fan of Panini cards, but I kinda like the design of this set - Even though this is the only card in my collection.
Simply mistook "Certified" for "Topps Totally Certified"... And that's exactly what I thought this was, as one of the visible cards that swayed my decision to choose a particular package of re-packed cards.
While I'd like to see a few more cards, I'm willing to give this set an honorable "A" for design. Quite generous, because I have some pretty strict policies. Still, it's managed to become one of my favorite base set acquisitions of the year.
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| Brian Campbell 2013-14 Panini Totally Certified #147 (card back) |
I'd normally like to see a player snapshot on the back, this card manages to pull it off without a back photo. (Sometimes I feel it's worse to re-use the same photo than simply going without a snapshot on the back)
Been looking at many, many cards lately... This card design stands out as having relatively good concept and overall composition.
Brian Campbell scored 87 goals and 417 assists for 504 points in 1082 career games.
A Markus Opus (Markus Naslund - 1993-94 Donruss #269)
1993-94 Donruss
Total Cards: 510
Always glad to collect random 1990s cards that I don't already have.
Markus Naslund, a first round draft pick from 1991 (16th overall). Knew him to wear number 29 or 19. Didn't recognize him here with jersey number 14.
Always knew that the Pens had traded him away to Vancouver, but had to look up the details: They swapped him for Alek Stojanov (1st round pick in 1991, 7th overall).
But did it really improve the team to trade away Naslund for Stojanov? Here's a look at the career stats for these two wingers:
Markus Naslund: 395 goals, 474 assists for 869 points (with 736 PIM) in 1117 career games.
Alek Stojanov: 2 goals, 5 assists for 7 points (with 222 PIM) in 107 career games.
Back of the card design is different - But I like it. Full sized snapshot that takes up the entire card, with just a small box containing the vitals and necessary logos.
Was never overly excited to pull one of these from a re-pack, but the set design is solid, and it's starting to grow on me.
Total Cards: 510
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| Markus Naslund 1993-94 Donruss #269 |
Markus Naslund, a first round draft pick from 1991 (16th overall). Knew him to wear number 29 or 19. Didn't recognize him here with jersey number 14.
Always knew that the Pens had traded him away to Vancouver, but had to look up the details: They swapped him for Alek Stojanov (1st round pick in 1991, 7th overall).
But did it really improve the team to trade away Naslund for Stojanov? Here's a look at the career stats for these two wingers:
Markus Naslund: 395 goals, 474 assists for 869 points (with 736 PIM) in 1117 career games.
Alek Stojanov: 2 goals, 5 assists for 7 points (with 222 PIM) in 107 career games.
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| Markus Naslund 1993-94 Donruss #269 (card back) |
Was never overly excited to pull one of these from a re-pack, but the set design is solid, and it's starting to grow on me.
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