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| Mike Richter 1993-94 Upper Deck #42 |
It's Freaky Mask Friday with Mike Richter of the New York Rangers...
Looks like Lady Liberty is staring right at us.
Friday, July 4, 2025
Fireworks Factory...
Tuesday, March 25, 2025
Moose Hunt...
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| Johan Hedberg 2001-02 O-Pee-Chee #294 |
Haven't got many cards of Johan Hedberg in a Penguins uniform.
Never knew this card existed, but found it (along with a duplicate) in a huge bag of cards from the 2001-02 O-Pee-Chee set.
Hedberg was only with the Pens for a short while, but certainly made a splash.
From the back of the card:
"Still sporting the Manitoba (IHL) Moose goalie mask he'd worn throughout his brilliant 2000-01 season, Johan joined the Penguins via rade mid-March '01 and immediately caused a sensation..."
Number Forty-Three...
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| Martin Biron 2008-09 SPX #26 |
Having previously featured cards of Biron with the Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders, here he is backstopping the Philadelphia Flyers.
By this point in time, the popular black jersey (first introduced in 1997) had become one of the Flyers official uniforms.
Really like the look of the cards in this SPX set. Lots of "graphics" in the background, but they blend nicely with the card design, making it look like a poster.
Friday, March 14, 2025
Freaky Mask Friday (Jim Carey, Washington Capitals)
Playing Net Detective...
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| Jim Carey 1996-97 Donruss Elite Painted Warriors #3 |
Had previously heard of the "Painted Warriors" subsets, although can't say that I'd ever feasted my eyes on one...
Didn't even know what this was when I found it - Spied it in a binder for $1 per card, and knew I would take it simply because it was a goaltender closeup.
(My immense dislike of insert cards gets over-written by the fact that it's a goalie subset)
1996-97 Donruss Elite - Painted Warriors
Total Cards: 10
This subset saw two die-cut releases in Donruss Elite Sets in 1995-96 and 1996-97.
Also surprised to learn that a "Painted Warriors" subset exists in 1993-94 Leaf. (appearing to be standard rectangle format)
NHL goaltender Jim Carey was around for such a brief time that he's easily forgettable. But just mention his name, and it rings a bell for anyone in the hockey world.
Poor guy had the misfortune of sharing his name with a Hollywood star. (kinda like the character Michael Bolton in the movie Office Space)
Also incredible how someone can come into the league, win the Vezina Trophy as top goaltender (in just his second season) only to retire from the league a few seasons later.
Seems the NHL was a bit too much excitement, as he sought the most boring job possible in becoming the CEO of a Medical Billing Company. (Makes me cringe... I'm already bored to tears just reading that!)
Still, seems like he cleverly invested his NHL earnings instead of partying it away...
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| Jim Carey 1996-97 Donruss Elite Painted Warriors #3 PROMO (card back) |
It also turns out that this Painted Warriors card is a PROMO.
Half the value, but still cool nonetheless.
Fact or fiction (or opinion), also stumbled upon this piece "The Jim Carey Mystery".
https://mscapsfan.tripod.com/carey0700.html
Still surprised that webpages even exist on tripod.
(last updated in 2001, with the headline story being the acquisition of Jaromir Jagr)
Wednesday, March 12, 2025
Gettin' Duped!
Stay Away From The Blue Acid...
Keepin' an eagle eye out for sweet deals - Which sometimes can be a gamble.
Ever wary of junk dealers, but as they say "it is what it is".
Guys simply looking to peddle something for more than they paid for it.
I'm just out for some cheap entertainment.
As long as everybody wins - Or at least feels they did.
After scoring a couple decent "sealed" bags (of relatively worthless) turn-of-the-century OPC, got a small stack loaded with so many duplicates that I thought my own vision had gone blurry.
Still, most the extras I got weren't that bad.
Ray Bourque with the Avs, All-Star patch on his jersey.
Roenick, one of my favorite characters (most people forget he was a Coyote).
Nice shot of Roman Turek.
Another goalie card, Pittsburgh's J-S Aubin playing the puck. And of course, Pat Verbeek in a Detroit uniform (with Brendan Shanahan cameo)
Some of the cards were damaged - Guessing the duplicates were included to "replace" most of the roughed up cards (while appearing to fill out space in the lot).
Actually don't mind having extra copies of these cards for my "Favorites" binder. Still haven't put together a full page of consecutive cards from this set just yet
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| Ed Belfour 2001-02 O-Pee-Chee #90 |
Got pair of Eddies - Rather appropriate with Belfour getting the nod as one of the official goaltenders of this blog's collecting season.
This is actually a really beautiful set.
Only had but a couple of cards from 2001-01 O-Pee-Chee before picking up these 50 (which in reality, turned out to be more like 36 after pulling out the extras).
Player names don't scan well as they're printed in foil, but at least they're capitalized.
(Sets from this era don't lose points from me in this department
because I'm familiar with the players)
The set also has 360 cards, making it one of the larger OPC sets before the second lockout era (which basically killed the company).
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| Ed Belfour 2001-02 O-Pee-Chee #90 (card back) |
On the reverse, League Leader stats in red - Belfour has quite a few of them...
TEN times he's led all goalies in a particular category...
Games Played, Shutouts... Even later in his career he's leading the league in Goals Against Average and Save Percentage (at around age 35).
Cards within this set offer some interesting player bios - Although with veterans like Eddie (and a career full of stats), there's no room for that colorful blurb.
Still think it's a terrific set from what I've seen so far.. (have also been fond of the following year's OPC set)
Saturday, March 8, 2025
Original Six Saturday (Detroit VS Toronto)
Red Versus Blue...
This old photo of a game between the Maple Leafs and Red Wings caught my eye for the simple fact that both teams appear to be wearing their dark (traditionally "away") uniforms...
"Ted Lindsay circles back for a rebound in a 1947 game against Toronto."
In another snapshot [early 1950s] the Maple Leafs are wearing white.
"Ted Lindsay drives to the net against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Known as "Terrible" Ted Lindsay, he was a fierce competitor who never backed down from a fight. Hated in other arenas around the league, the Detroit star took it as a sign of respect when he was booed by opposing fans."
Friday, March 7, 2025
Freaky Mask Friday (Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils)
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| Martin Brodeur 1997-98 Pinnacle Masks #3 PROMO |
Devil May Care...
Not an overly freaky mask - But undeniably iconic.
Almost couldn't believe my eyes when I spied this collector's piece for a dollar.
Pinnacle Masks are still highly sought - This one turned out to have "PROMO" stamped on the back (making it half as 'valuable' as the regular variation).
Still can't complain. Just another neat thing to have in the hockey card collection.
Tuesday, March 4, 2025
A Blogroll Please...
Collecting Under The Influence
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| Tomas Vokoun 2013-14 O-Pee-Chee #200 |
Entering the SEVENTH season for this Sports Card Blog.
(Time really flies when you're wasting it!)
Have been absent for a few seasons here and there...
Still, the stats are adding up. Hard to believe this is post number FIVE HUNDRED.
Looking at some of the blogs that have inspired this one, along with helping to form new collecting habits.
Taking in other people's comments, observations, and all the neat trivia they share that really adds the color commentary that I feel is essential for maximum enjoyment of the hobby.
So many sets and years that it's virtually impossible to see it all.
It's often during a Google search that one of these blogs will turn up, offering an answer to the question I seek...
Also the desire to better organize our collections - And no organization system is perfect.
In many cases, the content is just as (if not more) entertaining than a sports magazine. The link list of ten blogs that discuss hockey hasn't changed - But felt it was time to taking a quick look at which blogs are still active.
So many great posts that I obviously haven't read them all.
But these were the blogs that I found myself spending the most time with when I got back into the hobby again, and was re-familiarizing myself with an overwhelming amount of new information.
Definitely see a bit of myself in the following collectors...
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| Ed Belfour 1993-94 SPX #27 |
Saturday, March 1, 2025
Made of Stars
Greats of the Game...
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| Gilles Gilbert 2006-07 In The Game Between The Pipes - Greats of The Game #90 |
On a really big "Between The Pipes" kick lately.
Entire sets comprised of goaltender cards (of which I've been lucky enough to obtain a handful).
2006-07 In The Game
Between The Pipes
Total Cards: 150
Most of the "Between The Pipes" sets contain several neatly organized sections within the main set.
Typically some prospects, active stars, and retired stars.
In this case, "Greats of the Game" (spanning card numbers 78-104)
This card features NHL All-Star goaltender Gilles Gilbert.
(other "Greats of the Game" within the set include Resch, Giacomin, Cheevers, Hall, Bower, Wregget, Palmateer, Vachon, Barasso, Hextall, Esposito and Tretiak)
From the back of the card:
"Gilbert first saw NHL action as a member of the Minnesota North Stars from 1969-70 to 1972-73 and his arrival in Boston allowed him to step into a starting role.
The move paid off as he took the team to the Stanley Cup Final in 1973-74 and he appeared in the All-Star Game. He twice won over 30 games in a season and often worked in a tandem with Gerry Cheevers that kept the Bruins near the top of the standings."
While death is inevitable for us all, it's always a bummer to collect a card only to discover that the player has passed away just recently.
Felt compelled to scan the card and learn some more about Gilles Gilbert.
He backstopped the Bruins to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1974.
(with Boston goaltender Gerry Cheevers defecting to the WHA)
Gilbert also played in the 1974 NHL All-Star Game.
Gilles Gilbert was born in 1949.
Died August 6, 2023 at age 74.
According to Wikipedia:
"Gilbert was a pro scout and goaltending coach for the New York Islanders from 1996 to 2001."
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| Gilles Gilbert 1976-77 O-Pee-Chee #255 |
Happened across this card from 1976-77 O-Pee-Chee.
The card seemed to speak to me, so I made sure to add it to my hoard.
Cards of this era are typically stored in toploaders within my collection.
(Previously had just a lone OPC card from this season)
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| Gilles Gilbert 1976-77 O-Pee-Chee #255 (card back) |
Scanned the reverse side of this 1976-77 OPC card because enjoy the color and the cartoon...
Plus, having just a few cards from this era, I really like to take a few moments to appreciate the design.
Relatively primitive at a glance - But they've stuffed a lot of neat stuff on there, along with the vital stats that cleverly blend with the background (but are still legible).
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| Gilles Gilbert 1981-82 O-Pee-Chee #88 |
Gilles Gilbert's last NHL season was 1982-83 with the Detroit Red Wings.
Gilbert remained active long after his NHL career, tending goal with the "Greatest Hockey Legends on Ice".
As recently as 2019, he posed for a photograph in goal, striking a classic goaltender pose with goal stick in hand.
Gilles Gilbert with the Boston Bruins.
Absolutely love the stars on his mask.
(note defenceman Ray Bourque wearing jersey number 7)
Found a webpage featuring the same image used on the "Between The Pipes" card - A full un-cropped picture of Gilles Gilbert posing for a photo while he was a member of the Boston Bruins.
Frosty's Hockey World
https://frostyshockeyworld.com/Players/GillesGilbert.aspx
Original Six Saturday
Chicago Versus Toronto
Another amazing moment captured in time for appreciation decades later...
"Bobby Hull 'The Golden Jet' feels the pinch as he is corralled by the Maple Leafs. Hall of Famers Tim Horton, Red Kelly, Allan Stanley and Terry Sawchuk are determined to keep Hull off the scoreboard this game.
A young Phil Esposito closes in to help out his Chicago teammate. All six players proved their worth in the National Hockey League and all earned a deserving place in Hockey's Hall of Fame."
Friday, February 28, 2025
Freaky Mask Friday (Petr Mrazek, Detroit Red Wings)
Man or Machine?
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| Petr Mrazek 2016-17 Parkhurst #119 |
This one caught my attention because it looked like Robocop...
Apparently it's supposed to be Peter Griffin as Robocop.
The weireder, the better.
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| Petr Mrazek 2016-17 Parkhurst #119 (card back) |
Sunday, February 23, 2025
Project Lineup...
"Chainsaw & Hockey Mask"
Taking a look at what's in store for this year's collecting season. Certainly won't be going to a store to purchase any cards... Prefer to get massive boxes for next to nothing, along with countless cards given to me. Tons of unsorted junk anyway, so lets' begin!
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| Semyon Varlamov 2019-20 Upper Deck #344 |
2025 Projected Lineup (Designated Starters):
- 1980's Commons: Card Sets Now "Vintage".
- 1990's Junk: Using Wax as Low-Cost Wallpaper
- 2009-10 - 2019-20 Upper Deck: Sorting & Filing
- Original Six: Snapshots From a Simpler Time
- NHL All-Star Game: Flashing Back to Decades Past
- Expansion Teams of 1998-2000 (Preds, Thrashers, Jackets & Wild)
Most of my cards
are in binders - But still have a few thousand that could also stand to be filed
in such an album to be displayed and enjoyed.
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| Bob Sauve 1981-82 O-Pee-Chee #23 |
Have nearly 70% of the 1981-82
OPC set in my posession.
All commons, acquired for a couple dollars - Missing the
really great cards, but still quite a chunk of hockey history right there.
Would take
44 binder sheets to tuck them away, leaving space for the missing cards...
That's
the discouraging part, because it could easily get frustrating ensuring that the
correct spaces are left, to "display" the cards properly,
and allow the slots necessary should I happen to acquire a few more.. Maybe stick
to one or two teams per sitting, and finish it over a few days instead of trying
to stuff it into an afternoon.
Returning Segments:
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| Pascal Leclaire 2005-06 In The Game - Heroes and Prospects #89 |
- Minor League: Occasional cards, mentions of teams & players.
- "Freaky Mask Friday": Scary or unusual goalie masks on hockey card (preferably a decent angle).
- NHL Playoffs: The REAL Hockey Season. Particularly fond of cards that feature snapshots from the Playoffs.
- "WTF Hockey Cards": Attempting to explain how such a bad card could ever be made - Or making sense of what's going on in the photo".
- Random Re-Packs: Misadventures in Junk Wax for a few cheap thrills.
- Goalie Cards:
HOFers, backups & unknowns added to my collection.
Saturday, February 22, 2025
Original Six Saturday
New York Rangers & Montreal Canadiens
Another classic pulled from the Chainsaw & Hockey Mask archives...
(aka the semi-organized pile of relics occupying space in boxes and containers)
Just love the way Richard is protecting the puck with the blade of a (presumably) straight stick.
No names visible (or needed) on the uniforms - All players in the photo have had their jersey numbers retired by their respective organizations.
No names visible (or needed) on the uniforms - All players in the photo have had their jersey numbers retired by their respective organizations.
"In this shot featuring three Hall of Famers, the Canadiens' Henri Richard swoops in on Eddie Giacomin while Jean Ratelle makes a last ditch effort to break up the play.
Richard won an NHL record 11 Stanley Cups, Ratelle was a two-time winner of the Lady Byng trophy and Giacomin shared the Vezina trophy in 1970-71."
Friday, February 21, 2025
WTF Hockey Card: Peter Ahola (1992-93 Upper Deck #41)
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| Peter Ahola 1992-93 Upper Deck #41 (card back) |
Head Hunting...
Another edition of "WTF Hockey Cards".
Haven't done one of these in ages.
Can only guess what's happening here - But I suspect that Marty McSorley (number 33) has gotten in a fight...
His teammate Peter Ahola is possibly transporting McSorley's helmet and jersey to the penalty box.
Still, it makes for an entertaining scene.
Have seen a few other WTF cards while browsing a couple of my albums. Started using page flags to help find cards later.
Freaky Mask Friday (Martin Biron, New York Islanders)
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| Marin Biron 2009-10 Upper Deck #311 |
The vivid orange make those evil blue eyes stand out.
"Makes it look mean!"
-Slap Shot (the movie)
Settling an Old Score
Are We Learning Yet...?
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| Glen Featherstone 1990-91 Score #25T |
Total Cards: 110
As I finally get around to sorting all these old cards, and making sense of the Score sets...
I'm just now discovering that there was a yellow "Traded" set alongside the original 1990-91 Score.
(Was previously only aware of the green "Traded" cards from the following year, 1991-92)
Really enjoy the composition of this shot.
Shows grit and determination appearing to flip the puck.
Just lucky that the photo was snapped just in time for us to see the round, airborne disk.
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| Ken Linesman 1990-91 Score #95T |
Of course, we've seen better...
But considering the photo contains at least half an ounce of excitement, this card gets a passing grade.
Especially enjoyable since the Kings and Oilers were bitter rivals, meeting in the Playoffs several times after the Gretzky trade.
Sunday, February 16, 2025
Life is Just a FANtasy...
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| Brad Ference 2003-04 In The Game Action - NHL All-Star FANtasy Team Sets #495 |
Never a fan of parallel sets (especially ones that are easily confused for the base set)...
Found this one in a re-pack years ago, and it caught my attention right away.
"In the game Action" has lots of great-looking cards.
Part of the reason I enjoy the card is the nostalgia of the Phoenix Coyotes uniform -
The funky green Kachina (in use from 1998-2003).
This is a really great jersey - Aside from the somewhat busy desertscape that isn't really visible in this shot (which probably makes it look better).
(They came out with a "Reverse Retro" version of the uniform in 2023, deciding that purple might suddenly spark the sales, but I digress...)
Back to the cardboard in question: Clearly stamped with an obnoxious silver foil logo of the 2004 NHL All-Star Game in Saint Paul, Minnesota
In my cynical adult mind, I assume they excess stock and decided to stamp the worthless pieces of cardboard with the All-Star Game logo right smack in the middle.
(rendering the card worthless? Or more valuable?)
Since the number of hockey fans in Phoenix is surely lower than the number of cards produced, they were unable to give them away so they ended up in re-packs.
This is purely my guess (and a bad one at that).
(If a card company s looking for advice on how to completely ruin a parallel set, check out Upper Deck MVP 2019-20 Silver Script for some inspiration)
Still, this card doesn't bother me because I could tell right away that the card was a parallel.
Therefore, it was relatively easy to look up.
It's actually kinda neat to have an oddity like this.
Now that I've confirmed what it is, some additional curiosity over where it came from.
2003-04 In The Game Action -
NHL All-Star FANtasy Team Sets
Total Cards: 624
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| Brad Ference 2003-04 In The Game Action - NHL All-Star FANtasy Team Sets #495 (card back) |
(This certainly doesn't mean it's valuable, as they've done a remarkable job of flooding the market with incredibly rare cards of little value)
I'm going to stick up for this set because I like it. Overall it's fairly underrated.
True, the photographs may not be as epic as some of the one's we've come to expect from competitor Upper Deck...
But I'll give these cards a chance. I only have a handful of them in my collection, so it's not really a fair sample. Most seem to contain a photo that is scan worthy.
Just to add a bit of confusion into the mix, there's also a serial parallel set called "NHL All-Star FANtasy" (minus the "Team Sets" suffix).
Fortunately there's only 10 numbered copies of each card, so those particular specimens are highly unlikely to find their way into my collection. (The serial number is stamped on the front, in huge numbers beside the All-Star emblem to make the card even less desirable).
Saturday, February 15, 2025
Just Like The Movies...
Puttin' On The Foil
The game has barely started and the Hanson Brothers have been involved in three fights....
Now that's some old fashioned good-time hockey!
Apparently it's available in hockey card size or 8x10.
Freakin' kickass, that's for sure.
God bless the Internet.
Original Six Saturday
Another snapshot from a previous era featuring the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks:
"A puck from an unseen stick is redirected by the outstretched toe of Wings' goaltender, Roger Crozier. Bill Gadsby reaches for Stan Mikita, who has parked himself on the goalstep in hopes of a more opportune rebound. In 1966, Roger Crozier was the first to win the Conn Smythe trophy while playing on a losing team in a Stanley Cup Final."
[The Detroit Red wings fell to the Montreal Canadiens during the 1966 Stanley Cup Final.
The winning goal being scored by Henri Richard in overtime during Game Six]
"A puck from an unseen stick is redirected by the outstretched toe of Wings' goaltender, Roger Crozier. Bill Gadsby reaches for Stan Mikita, who has parked himself on the goalstep in hopes of a more opportune rebound. In 1966, Roger Crozier was the first to win the Conn Smythe trophy while playing on a losing team in a Stanley Cup Final."
[The Detroit Red wings fell to the Montreal Canadiens during the 1966 Stanley Cup Final.
The winning goal being scored by Henri Richard in overtime during Game Six]
Thursday, February 13, 2025
Punching Out...
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| Ray Emery 2009-10 Upper Deck Victory #288 |
The Razor's Edge
Ray Emery was known as a goaltender who seemed to enjoy fighting - Participated in countless brawls, often squaring off against other players (including non-goaltenders). He would even don a few masks featuring boxer Mike Tyson.
Backstopped the Ottawa Senators to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2007 (wearing the oldschool jersey number 1).
Was credited with a Stanley Cup win as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks in 2013 (a season in which he posted a ridiculous 17-1 record).
Shared the 2012-13 Jennings Award (fewest goals scored against) with teammate Corey Crawford in Chicago.
NHL Career: 2002-2015:
145 wins, 86 losses in 287 career games.
Posted 16 shutouts with a 2.70 Goals Against Average.
(Ottawa, Philadelphia, Anaheim, Chicago, returned for two additional seasons in Philadelphia.)
In July of 2015, Ray Emery jumped into the water for a morning swim and did not resurface.
His death officially ruled "non-criminal" with a mention of "misadventure".
Granted, the incident occurred in the offseason, and he did embrace somewhat of a partying lifestyle which one could draw endless speculation from. But there's just something about a 31-year old athlete kicking off during his morning workout that doesn't sit right...
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| Ray Emery 2009-10 Upper Deck Victory #288 (card back) |
Back to the 2009-10 Victory cards, trying to make sense of which cardsets they fit into...
2009-10 Upper Deck Victory
Total Cards: 250
This being card number 288, I had to scratch my head for a moment...
Back of the card says 2009-10 Upper Deck Victory Series II.
Apparently, card numbers 251-350
"were inserted into Series Two packs of 2009-10 Upper Deck and are listed as an insert within that set."
-tcdb.com
Simply including the cards as a bonus would be sufficient...
But tuning a hundred base cards into an insert set within an unrelated set is needlessly confusing.
So is this considered a base card or an insert? Technically it's both - Although the odds of actually completing this particular base set are instantly discouraging.
Yet another brilliant marketing strategy as the NHL and Upper Deck do everything they can think of to maximize profits and drive away lifelong fans.
The NHL (and shareholders) would claim that it makes the items "more collectible".
I say it makes the collecting experience "less fun".
They would say that enjoying record profits is "more fun".
Who am I to argue.
Wednesday, February 12, 2025
Conked Out...
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| Ty Conklin 2009-10 Upper Deck MVP #49 |
Ty Conklin appears with his new team - The Detroit Red Wings.
But apparently, he's sinced moved to St. Louis!
(It's hard to keep up with this guy)
Also visible on his jersey is the 2009 Winter Classic patch.
The NHL outdoor game took place in historic Wrigley Field, Chicago where the Red Wings defeated the Blackhawks 6-4.
This was just the second NHL game to be marketed as a "Winter Classic".
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| Ty Conklin 2009-10 Upper Deck MVP #49 (card back) |
"Conklin had a campaign to remember in 2008-09...
...earning the nod as the starting goaltender in the third outdoor game of his career (with Edmonton, Pittsburgh and Detroit)"
Played for SIX different teams in his 9-year NHL career.
(Edmonton, Columbus, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Detroit and St. Louis)
Was completely unaware that he returned for a second stint with Detroit (15 games) in 2011-12.
Detroit 101...
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| Ty Conklin 2008-09 Upper Deck MVP #100 |
Taking a moment to examine the cards as I make the swap...
Noticed Ty Conklin in a Pittsburgh Penguins uniform, listed as a member of the Detroit Red Wings!
Particularly noteable, as the Penguins and Red Wings had met in the 2008 Stanley Cup Final.
Conklin bailed the Penguins out of a jam towards the end of the 2008 regular season when he stepped into the net to replace an injured Marc-Andre Fleury.
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| Nicklas Kronwall 2008-09 Upper Deck MVP #101 |
From the same page, the next consecutive cards is another noteable character from the 2008 (and 2009!) NHL Playoffs.
A fairly new NHL blueliner at the time, Nicklas Kronwall had just 9 regular season games under his belt when he was called up to join the Wings for the postseason.
Cool Card: Curtis Joseph (2002-03 Upper Deck #64)
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| Curtis Joseph 2002-03 Upper Deck #64 |
He even gets to retain his number 31, which he wore throughout his entire NHL career.
Hoped his move to Detroit would finally be his chance to win a Stanley Cup, but it wasn't meant to be. Curtis Joseph remains one of the best goaltenders to never win the elusive trophy.
Hull Tracking Device...
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| Brett Hull 1991-92 Upper Deck Brett Hull's Hockey Heroes 9 of 9 (Checklist) |
Checklisted
Wouldn't normally be enthused to obtain a checklist card, but this was on my wantlist simply to complete the "Brett Hull" subset in 1991-92 Upper Deck.
It instantly became my favorite in the set. All other cards in the subset have photographs, but the checklist has some great artwork.
The 1991-92 Upper Deck collection is becoming ridiculously heavy... (Figured nothing would top the binder with 705 cards from 1990-91 Pro-Set).
A few insert sets have slowly tipped the scales, and now that 1991-92 Upper Deck binder contains enough cardboard to give someone a concussion. (a good item to store on a top shelf)
Upper Deck invites us to "Relive Brett Hull's illustrious career" with the Brett Hull Hockey Heroes segment.
Not normally the kind of set that would appeal to me, especially since I'm not necessarily a huge Brett Hull fan. But this is a very nice little subset with a great variety of moments from 1983-1990.
Friday, February 7, 2025
Freaky Mask Friday (Calvin Pickard, Colorado Avalanche)
Just Don't Call It a Yeti...
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| Calvin Pickard 2013-14 Panini Prizm #224 |
With a midwinter dumping of fresh powder, it seems like an ideal time to bring out another Avalanche goaltender card.
Shown here with his first NHL team (Colorado), Pickard has also played for Toronto, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Detroit.
Currently backstopping the Edmonton Oilers, the goalie will surely be jinxed with a mention that he's currently one of the hottest goalies in the league in terms of wins.
Hasn't lost a game in 2025, and has managed 11 wins in his last 12 games.
Sunday, February 2, 2025
Shadow Games...
Groundhog Day
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| Mark Messier 2002-03 Pacific #256 |
Shane Corson is an excellent shadow-man, and he makes a cameo appearance on several players' cards within 2002-03 Pacific...
To find the same player harassing FOUR star players within a 410 card set, it's actually rather impressive. A very neat occurrence.
(Having nearly collected 75% of the set, would be amused to find Corson on other cards)
Here's Shane Corson making sure his Mark doesn't make a Mess of the scoresheet...
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| Vincent Damphousse 2002-03 Pacific #332 |
They were born in 1966 and 1967 respectively...
Both of them are former first round picks (8th and 6th).
But I believe the confusion arose by the fact that each played for Toronto, Edmonton and Montreal - And BOTH of them wore 21 for Edmonton at some point...
They were also traded for one another during the 1992 offseason.
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| Shayne Corson (with Jeremy Roenick cameo) 2002-03 Pacific #358 |
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| Jaromir Jagr 2002-03 Pacific #392 |
Certainly not the first card I've seen of Jaromir Jagr being "Czeched" by one of the other team's best defensive players...
The card earns a bonus point for pizza ad on the boards.
Also noticing that many stripes adorn the socks of Toronto's turn of the Century uniforms.
Saturday, February 1, 2025
Original Six Saturday: Detroit VS Toronto
Old Time Hockey at its Finest...
More memorabilia that hasn't seen the light of day in years.
I like it when a photo comes complete with a caption.
"Toronto's goaltender Terry Sawchuk and Red Kelly (#4) face Detroit, the team with which both previously starred. Battling for puck control behind the Maple Leafs' net is Red Wings captain Alex Delvecchio, while Dean Prentice (#20) straining to get at the loose puck."
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