You Don't Know Jaks...

Pauli Jaks
1991-92 Upper Deck
Czech World Juniors #24

1991-92 Upper Deck Czech World Juniors
Total Cards: 100

Never heard of this guy... But it's an action card with a cool-looking save.

This one's among my favorite looking cards from 1991-92 Upper Deck.

The blue mask and red jersey are quite striking together.
Even the puck is visible.

Same basic card can be found in the regular 1991-92 Upper Deck set as card #663.

Pauli Jaks
1991-92 Upper Deck
Czech World Juniors #24
(card back)

Just happened to pull the Czech version from a re-pack.
Also have a Czechoslovakian puck in my collection.

Jens Schwabe
1991-92 Upper Deck Czech World Juniors #43
(card back)

This makes a total of 4 Czech cards that I've collected of the 100 card set....

Note how the card number is black as compared to the red numbers on the North American release.



Also pulled a pair of German teammates from the same re-packed pack...

In the standard 1991-92 Upper Deck set, Jens Schwabe is card #680.

Hans-Jorg Mayer
1991-92 Upper Deck Czech World Juniors #45
(card back)

Also of Team Germany, Hans-Jorg Mayer.
(1991-92 Upper Deck #682)

Russian Rook...

Nikolai Khabibulin RC
1991-92 Upper Deck #652

Another card from the World Junior Tournament...

Why do I have so many favorites from the 1991-92 Upper Deck set?
Because there are 700 cards, and more than half of them are scan-worthy.

This time, it's goaltender that hockey fans should be familiar with...
Nikolai Khabibulin, of the 2004 Stanley Cup Champions, the Tampa Bay Lightning.



I love this tense moment as the goaltender prepares for the shot.
The shooter may have been forced to his backhand.

In this instant, both player and goaltender seem to have a chance.

Lights Out...

Sergei Bautin
1992-93 Upper Deck #337

Boom! Keep your head up!
Looks like the opposing player is getting clocked in the face on this play.

Craig Wolanin
1991-92 Upper Deck #486
(card back)

Couldn't believe that I hadn't already posted this card...
It's from the previous year; 1991-92 Upper Deck.

Absolutely love the facial expression on the poor Buffalo Sabres player...

Once again, note the absence of jerseys in the crowd during pre-Bettman NHL.

Hockey cards don't have messages. They're just a bunch of hilarious stuff, like people getting hurt and stuff - Stuff like that.

A Few Good Comrades...

Igor Larionov
2004-05 Upper Deck
All-World Edition #87

More cards from 2004-2005 Upper Deck All World Edition.

Located within the base set, really glad to find this pair of unforgettable characters for my collection.

Igor Larionov was part of the Stanley Cup winning Detroit Red Wings, and nicknamed "The Professor" by his teammates.

Vladislav Tretiak
2004-05 Upper Deck
All-World Edition #90

Possibly the most famous Russian goalie of all time, despite never playing in the NHL.

In today's league, Russian netminders are slowly becoming more and more common.