MY HOCKEY CARD OBSESSION

ONE SHEET, ONE SET - 2007/08 BTP, The Rival League

2012-02-01T00:29:00.003-07:00

I got around to working on my collection over the weekend and sorted through some cards that ended up in my 'One Sheet, One Set' project.

And while there's still a lot of organizing to do, I feel a little better knowing that I've got an actual post to celebrate the progress.

This set is for all you retro card lovers. I definitely fall into that category. A good old school design (with solid photos) really speaks to me.

Let's see what these cards have to say.

2007/08 In The Game
Between The Pipes
The Rival League

This subset has become a standard inclusion in the popular goalie product. Every year these cards are released, I check out the WHA inspired cards first. Sometimes ITG hit the nail on the head...other years they miss the mark.

In 07/08, In The Game included 11 'Rival League' cards into their 100 card set. A decent representation, but it leaves me looking for more.

It's important to note that in the mid-70's, the WHA was more than just a feeder league or a place for the older guys to head off to and prolong their career. This league put the NHL on notice that there was another option for players (and fans).

Sure, they had some recognizable veterans wearing their sweaters, but they also managed to pluck some top prospects away from the NHL as well.

What many consider to be chaotic league ended up being a very important era in professional hockey.

There's lots to be learned from the history of the WHA.

And that's what these cards try to offer...some insight into 'The Rival League'.

The first thing that hits me when I see these cards are the photos. Much like cards from the 70's, there's lots of room laid out for the pictures. No overlapping textures or color gradients. Just a simple framing for a photo that will let the shot speak for itself.

These cards employ a very consistent photo style. The 3/4 shot. Top of the head to about the knees. What I like about this is that you get a good look at the great looking jerseys, all-brown pads, waffle blocker and tiny catching mitt.

Some of these guys don't even look like they're wearing equipment when you match them up to their current counterparts.

What I do wish though, was that more of the goalie would have been wearing their masks. The majority of the photos are either staged shots (against the 70's style off-white wall) or warmup pics. A pretty big miss in my books.

Still, I've seen the photo selections from other years' Rival League subsets and the 07/08 selection is one of the best.

One thing I would like to see (and I'm not sure what limitations ITG has on WHA material) would be a mention of team names on the card front. The Cleveland Crusaders, The Cincinnati Stingers, The Toronto Toros, The Philadelphia Blazers.

That just reeks of retro.

As for the card design, ITG really hit the retro feel bang on. Rounded corners are aplenty and the double line border gives me that feeling of vintage familiarity.

The bottom of the card gives us some differing colors for the background to the players names. A decent selection that has an air of pastel. The grey used behind 'The Rival League' is nice....the blue behind the ITG logo is ok (maybe a little too bold).

You really can't get much simpler that this for a design. Well.....actually you can. I appreciate that ITG didn't do that though.

The back of the card looks like it comes straight from a WHA set back in the day.

A simple layout, blocks instead of curves (interesting) and with a palette based in browns.

Much like the front of the card, the back employs a nice font style. Simple, all capitals, tall and comfortable to look at.

If you notice, the team name appears on the back. Again, the omission of this information on the front can't be overlooked.

The one line of career WHA statistics are acceptable on these cards since they celebrate the entire career. What this leaves room for is more information below.

Sadly, this is where I think these cards fail slightly.

Rather than give us some great stories or unique quips about the players, the information basically lists how and when they came into the league, where and when they played during their WHA career and when it ended.

It lack personality big time.

While it must be difficult being a writer for card backs, I think there's more than enough space to come up with something that would make a person reflect, remember or dream.

By going the route they did, I would have preferred a year-by-year breakdown of their stats.

It's very minimal when it comes to the logos and copyright information on the back. It just makes the illusion of a retro card that much more believable.

Because this is a subset featured in a product that celebrates goalies from today and yesterday, the card stock has a much more modern feel.

Definitely more glossy, smooth, precisely cut and centered, it would be cool to really emulate that cards from the 70's (if you know what I mean).

Still, if you're a fan of the WHA, this subset (and the Rival League cards from other years) are a must.

With just a little searching, they can be had for the same price as the regular base cards. Waiting a year or two after the release might even get you some cards thrown your way for nothing.

A solid concept that could be pushed just a little further in my opinion.

3.5 out of 5

YESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2012-01-29T03:43:00.003-07:00

Short but sweet post tonight (this morning).

After a grueling 7-hour session Saturday night/Sunday morning, I have completed the most complicated and (in my eyes) stunning custom card I have ever created.

I stepped outside the box and tried some new things.

In the end - I'm thrilled with the outcome.

Sorry, no scans at this time. I promised the owner of the card he will without question get first dibs.

Soon though. He should have it by mid-week.

WOO-HOO!!!!!!!!
(time for bed)

1 vs. 100 - "2-1+24+2=2......minus 1"

2012-01-27T23:45:00.004-07:00

About a year ago, I came across probably the toughest card to track down for my 1 vs. 100 project.

While some of you might think that it would be the 1/1, you'd be wrong. The oversaturation of cards /1 makes them not only easy to find....but relatively cheap.

Plus, I already had the /1 in my collection even before I started this project.

No, for me it was the card /2 that caused me the most concern.

After all, how many cards out there numbered /2 would have lesser known players on it and/or not cost an arm and a leg.

I did find one such card. For the past year it has become one of my favorite acquisitions for this pc.

Shortly after purchasing this card and showing it off on my blog, I received an e-mail from a collector who focuses on enforcers. He was very interested in the card and asked if I would be willing to trade it. I said no problem.....as long as it would be replaced for another card /2.

A few months went by and then I received another e-mail from the same person. He indicated that while he tried to track down another card /2, he didn't have any success (too expensive). He also indicated that he was restructuring his collection and was no longer interested in the card. No prob. I'll hang on to it.

Fast forward to about a month ago. I received yet another e-mail regarding this card and I made the same request for a card in return. This time though, there was a much better chance of a trade actually going down.

There have been a number of cards /2 released in this year's Artifacts release. Coming across a suitable card for trade was much more likely - as well as affordable.

Last week, I received an e-mail saying that a card has indeed been bought and was on its way. It showed up today.

2011/12 Upper Deck Artifacts
Patch/Tag
#32 Kris Verteeg /2

This suits the bill nicely. So I will be packaging up the Orr/Carkner this weekend and shipping it off.

While I'm a little sad to see it go, I am more happy that this card (and this project) has created the opportunity for someone else to land a pretty darn rare card for their collection (really rare since I know the other copy of the card is gobbled up in another person's pc).

Note: If anyone out there wants to trade for the Versteeg, I have no problems doing so.

What was really cool was that in addition to the Versteeg, this card was sitting in the envelope.

2008/09 Upper Deck The Cup
Gold Rookie Auto
#75 Jonas Frogren /24

To be able to gain this card for the project was huge. It was such a kind gesture (as I was just looking to trade one-for-one straight up).

It's another unique card to the collection and a tougher one at that.

Thanks again for the trade Sean. I'll have your card in the mail this weekend.

81 out of 100 (81%)

Custom Creations - Making Progress... FINALLY!

2012-01-25T23:51:00.006-07:00

Those of you who have followed my blog for past couple years know that I love creating custom cards. Be it cut autographs, cards to be signed or just simple concepts.

Sadly, the number of actual completions has been much smaller than I would have hoped by now. I just find it hard at times to commit hours on end designing and building these pieces of work.

This past week though has been a bit of a breakthrough.

In addition to finally constructing this Reggie Lewis cut auto (which is slowly turning into one of my favorites), I have hit that 'Eureka' moment when it comes to one of the most important cards I've tackled to date.

A couple of years ago, I showed you a ticket stub card from a Beatles show. It was part of a collective request I received a while back.

In addition to that ticket stub, there were a number of autographs (many of which have been built) and one final item.

This ticket stub comes from the 1967 Toronto Maple Leafs Stanley Cup run (the last time they hoisted the Cup). Through a little detective work, it was determined that this particular stub came from Game 3, which happened to be a Toronto victory....3-2 in double overtime.

Wow! That is one cool piece of history.

So of course I want to put together a smokin' card to house this stub. And so it began. Draft after draft, revision after revision, I kept coming to the same conclusion. I don't like it.

Just to give you some context...I've been in communication with the owner of this item for over 3 years now. THREE YEARS! For 3 years, he has been patiently waiting for this stub to return home.

Well. This week I was able to jump over that major hurdle.

I have finally come up with a look that I am happy with. And while I still have to add the final touches, I wanted to share it (because I'm just really proud to have crossed that threshold).

With the ticket stub taking up a substantial amount of space on the card, I kept finding it difficult to put any sort of design or information on the front.

I tried doing some simple box shape concepts, but found they were too bland. And every time I tried to add some info, it got too busy.

But this idea just hit me one day and I ran with it. Within a few hours I knew I had it.

Over the past day, I've been refining and adding the final touches. I should be able to start the back of the card by Friday. And from past experiences, the back of the card comes together in a fraction of the time.

On top of that, I've got a couple of ideas for how I will assemble it (ideas that I've never tried before, but if they'll work it'll make for a stunning frame). Fingers crossed.

And if you're reading this Greg....thank you VERY MUCH for your patience.

RATE MY MASK - Cory Schneider

2012-01-25T00:57:00.005-07:00

I'm a sucker for retro. And I absolutely love the ol' fibreglass goalie masks of the 60's, 70's and 80's.

So this mask should fit right in to my style. Right?

Late last season, Cory Schneider switched from a mask design that paid tribute to a number of past Vancouver goalies and turned his focus to just one retro tender.

For those of you who might not know, this 'X' logo design pays tribute to Canucks goalie Curt Ridley.

He played at a time where the team was just trying to tread water in the NHL. Appearing in about 100 or so games between 1976 and 1980, Ridley was the starting goalie for just 2 seasons. Wins? Well they were quite scarce.

By the time he was just starting to gain strides with the organization, a young upstart named Glen Hanlon wrestled the starting gig away from Curt.

He was traded to Toronto for cash in 1980 and played in only 9 more games (registering just one win). His career would end much like it started - struggling just to make a name for himself.

As for Curt's mask, it consisted of the west coast colors and if you look closely, you can see the gorgeous weave texture in the mask...something that all fibreglass masks had back in the day.

Now take a look at Cory's mask. That texture is included. An amazing attention to detail. The faded and worn white also adds to the vintage look.

Mark Hart of Hart Designs was responsible for the look and feel of Schneider's new lid. In addition to the Ridley tribute, Hart added some of the Canucks logos along the sides - and he wanted them to appear as if they were underneath ice (note the 'skate marks' painted on).

From a distance, Cory's mask really pops out. Something that is sorely missing with a lot of goalie masks these days. They are too detailed or busy and a person sitting in the stands can't really appreciate it for the work it is.

This mask gives the fans the best of both worlds. You can get a strong sense of the theme from far away while appreciating the attention to detail upon closer inspection.

Take a moment to watch this video where Cory explains the inspiration for his mask as well as what his backplate is all about.

A solid looking mask (and better than his older one in my opinion).

3.5 out of 5

Now it's your turn to Rate My Mask!

CARDBOARD PHOTOGRAPHY - Willi Plett

2012-01-23T20:45:00.005-07:00

With ITG's 'Enforcers' product out in full force, I thought I'd take a look at a pretty unique looking card from the 1970's depicting one of the lesser known tough guys of the time..

It's the 1977/78 OPC set specifically and it's got a very basic design which really lends well to photos that are well thought out.

In this case, I feel that it was.

1977/78 O-Pee-Chee
#17 Willi Plett

The Flames were still a couple seasons away from relocating to Calgary and I would have been 5 years old at the time this card was released. Needless to say, it slipped by me the first time around.

But Willi made the city of Calgary take notice that first year in 1980. He notched 38 goals and accumulated 239 penalty minutes. He continued his hot hand in the playoffs tallying 8 goals and 4 assists in 15 games while sitting in the sin bin for 89 minutes.

Speaking of the sin bin, you don't normally see hockey card photos showing this aspect of the game.

There's a lot I really like about this card, so let's break it down.

First, the isolation of being the only person on the bench. These days, there's 8 other guys in suits sitting next to you. Either telling you when you can leave, or asking for a quick interview.

Willi's a big guy (6'3" and 205 lbs) even by today's standards. But when I look at this photo all I see are the small pants, lack of padding above the knee, the non-football-like shoulder pads and of course the lack of helmet.

I don't think any player in the league would dare go out on the ice wearing what Plett is in a game today.

I like the towel in his hands. It has the appearance of movement to it. The waterbottle sitting next to him on his right while his wood stick is propped up to his left.

The bench itself has the wear and weathering of a 30-year-old outdoor rink. The black bumper is just chipped enormously with character and the glass looks as though it's seen better days.

In the background, you can see hundreds of fans in the crowd. Did they just witness a scrap involving Plett? Did Willi get lazy and trip someone up? We'll never know for sure.

What I can say is that the layout of this card fits the photo quite well. And the photo....well, if you got the original, blew it up and framed it - it would make one heck of a hanging in your man cave.

As for Willi, did you know he was a six-time 20-goal scorer? He also cracked the 200 penalty minute mark 7 times.

In addition to the Flames, he played for the Minnesota North Stars and Boston Bruins finishing with over 200 goals, 400 points and 2500 PIMs. Not too bad for a 5th round pick.

I think he could have fit into today's game quite well.

OPINION: INSERTION NUMBERS

2012-01-22T13:46:00.001-07:00

The recently released Panini Limited product has once again thrown Trevor Linden into the checklist. And I'm more than happy about that. But it wasn't revealed to me right away to what capacity he would be included.

Now he has a few insert set additions like 'Game Pucks' and 'Select Signatures'. He also has a 'Back To The Future' dual autograph with Ryan Kesler (where each side features a full photo and autograph)...I'm really looking forward to that one.

It's more the base card.....or should I say cards that made me take a closer look at the overall list of Linden cards.

You've all seen the card of Trev I pulled from my pack of Limited. It's numbered /299 and features a nice photo of him in his Canucks uniform. It's a sharp looking card.

There are also 5 parallels of it. A 'Ruby' /49, a 'Gold' /25, a 'Platinum' /1, a 'Monikers Gold auto' /19 and a 'Monikers Platinum auto' /1.

Seems simple enough. Right?

You with me?

Now take a look at this.....

That's right. It a Trevor Linden base card /299. From the same product.

But he's wearing his Washington Capitals attire.

The addition wouldn't be so bad if there weren't so many parallels. Now, instead of chasing 6 versions from the base set, I have to go after 12. 4 of them being 1/1's.

Overall, Trevor has 18 cards in Panini Limited this year (up from the 13 last year).

I guess it could be worse. I know of a Tim Thomas collector who cringed considerably when he realized that there were 55 different cards produced in the 2011/12 Panini Certified product.

That's right - 55!

Don't get me wrong, ultimately I'm happy that Trev's got more and more cards for me to chase. Keeping me busy for many years to come. I just can't help but feel that at times his popularity in the hockey card world has pushed companies to insert him - heavily at times - into numerous products.

Does he deserve a spot in a set? Absolutely. Does he deserve two spots in a set? Not really.

Another great example would be the quad autograph from Dominion.

Does he deserve to be in the high-end set? Sure. Does he deserve a spot on an autograph card with Mario Lemieux, Steve Yzerman and Joe Sakic? I don't know.

My heart says yes....my wallet says no.

I remember back in the late 90's when companies like Pacific, Pinnacle and Topps would introduce 'parallel hell' on player collectors. These days, it's seems like a simple splash of water compared to the tidal wave of cards a player can have in any given set.

How much is too much when it comes to a player being put into a product? Should there be limitations on the number of appearances a player can have within a certain product?

BOX BREAKS: 2011/12 Enforcers

2012-01-21T18:42:00.005-07:00

Well, with all the hype and anticipation leading up to the release of In The Game's 'Enforcers' product, I told myself a number of weeks back that I'd give it a shot.

Even though there are no cards that I'm really pursuing for my own collection, I feel that it would be a fun break and it would give me a chance to gain some traders in hopes of landing a Linden or two.

2011/12 In The Game
Enforcers

Before I begin, I should say that I've already traded a couple cards away, so this is not really what I received in my box break. It was just a couple of the base cards as opposed to the auto or memorabilia pieces.

I had a pair of the 'Bloody Battles' cards. You can see an example of one in the piece I wrote back in December. And while I really like the looks of these cards, I had no problem trading them away since I received some nice stuff in return.

So the base cards in my 'box break' might feel a little thinner.

There are 12 cards that come in a box of Enforcers. 5 base cards, 2 game-used memorabilia cards and 5 autographs.

These 'Record Holder' cards might seem like an oversight, but upon closer look can really give you a glimpse of what the tough guys in the league have cemented into hockey's history.

It was the Oilers team of 1990 that hold the distinction of racking up the most penalties in a single game - 44 (26 minors, 7 majors, 6 10-minute misconducts, 4 game misconducts, and a single match penalty).

Immediately, I thought the opponent would be their 'Battle Of Alberta' rival, the Calgary Flames. But not so.

The LA Kings were on the receiving end, but they managed to dish out a bunch too. 41 penalties for the guys in black and silver.

Man that must have been a long game to watch.

Second looks are important when it comes to cards. This Chris Nilan selection is a perfect example of that.

Probably least known as a Bruin (80 games over two seasons late in his career), many of you might be disgusted by seeing 'Knuckles' in Boston colors. I know I was. But then I took a closer look at the card.

Most Penalty Minutes In A Game

It was in 1991 when Boston played Hartford that Nilan would set a record by receiving 10 penalties in a game. And he was kicked out of the game midway through the third period.

I look at this card and am more impressed that In The Game would take the time to track down an obviously tougher-to-find photo of Chris in a Bruins uniform.

That attention to detail is something that as a consumer I appreciate.

I gained a couple of these 'Tale Of The Tape' card in the trade I mentioned earlier. A nice concept that has a brief writeup on the back of the card as well as the boxing-style stats.

While not overwhelming, these are a nice subset in the base card product.

Of course, the real draw to this product are the memorabilia and autograph cards.

This two-color Terry O'Reilly card continues the run of Boston guys in my box break. It's a fair sized piece and I'm happy that I got someone from the 70's/80's era as opposed to today's game.

When I think of tough guys in the league, it's not long before the name Bob Probert comes to mind. He's probably one of the most sought after players in this release so seeing him on a dual jersey card (along with Tony Twist) is a welcomed sight.

Not the biggest fan of the design layout here, but I've seen worse.

Now on to the signature cards. I can definitely see this set being actively pursued by a number of collectors.

86 different autograph cards are included in this product - and not a single one of them a redemption (something In The Game demands of all its releases). A tremendous checklist.

Well, maybe not too tremendous to someone who isn't really well versed on his tough guys.

I know who Craig Berube is (he had a cup of tea with the Flames in the 90's), Paul Laus...the name kind of rings a bell and Jay Miller - another Boston guy.

I will say that I really like the design of these cards. Anyone who builds this set will have some really cool binder pages. Not only that, but the range of players included is pretty diverse.

You gotta give ITG points for that.

Garth Butcher. I was happy to see some Canucks love in my purchase. And even though In The Game don't have the authority to show team logos (which really restricts their photo usage), I really like the pic they chose of Garth.

Only Canucks fans love the yellow.

Speaking of yellow....did I get a Bruins 'hot pack' or something?

Actually, in addition to the Bruins, John played for the Blues, Nordiques (which I'm guessing this photo is of), and Rockies/Devils franchises. Although I do wish John would have been pictured in his infamous Boston garb.

The moment I saw this signature in my box break, I immediately reminisced about my encounter with Mr. Wensink when I was in high school.

I worked at a skate sharpening shop in town (actually owned by tough guy Tim Hunter) which gave me the chance to talk sports on an almost daily basis.

One day, out of the blue, this hulk of a guy walks in. I can't remember if he was travelling with a team that happened to be playing at the rink or if he was visiting someone or what, but I soon found out who he was from others in the shop.

When I heard the name John Wensink, I knew who he was. He played in that late-70's era for the Boston team coached by the legendary Don Cherry.

And believe it or not, he had a 28-goal campaign in 78/79....not too shabby.

I had the chance to introduce myself to him and stuck out my hand for him to shake. Never.....NEVER in my life have I ever received a handshake from someone with such a stone-like grip. It actually hurt.

All I could think about was how those huge mitts would have felt scrapping it out on the ice. To this day it still makes me shake my head.

In my moment of amazement, I forgot to ask him for his autograph. Well, 20-odd years later, I finally got it.

Overall, the box break didn't have the huge 'wow' factor (it hasn't been my week for box breaks) but that doesn't always happen. I'm glad I broke this box but with no cards or sets that I'm going to go after, it's unlikely I'll open any more.

But if you like your tough guys....give it a shot. There's some stunning cards in the product.

And for you John Wensink fans...

The end of the video made me chuckle. I have no doubt he wanted it to happen (and he'd have given them more than they'd want).

LINDEN CARD OF THE WEEK - One More Down, One To Go

2012-01-21T17:42:00.006-07:00

I got home Friday night to see a single mailer poking out from the mailbox. Looking at the return address, I knew immediately what lay inside.

For almost a year now I have been hunting down cards from In The Game's 'Decades' product. Autographs, Jerseys, Numbers, Emblems and combinations of the sort. And while I do have most of them now....the remaining few are going to be the big challenge.

Thankfully, there are a bunch of great people out there that know who I collect and keep their eye out for me.

I received a message from one such person stating simply....'Do you need this one? It's available. Throw me an offer.'

2010/11 In The Game Decades 1980s
#M-62 Game Used Emblem Silver
(limited to 3 copies)

Do I need it? I don't care. I'm going to try and get it regardless.

Actually, I did need it......all the better.

I knew that from past purchases and seeing what other cards of the sort have gone for the type of ballpark I should be in when making an offer. The last thing I'm trying to do is lowball or squeeze out the cheapest price.

I wanted to make a fair offer that we could both be happy with.

And it was as simple as that. I paid a little more in order to have the card shipped express (with tracking and all that jazz).

Thrilled! Absolutely thrilled to strike this off the wantlist.

For those of you who have labored through my numerous Decades post might like to know that there are 9 of these types of cards (3 jersey, 3 number and 3 emblem). One is a 'black' level, one 'silver' and the final one (and rarest) is the 'gold'.

I now own 8 of the 9 cards. All I am missing is the toughest one - the gold emblem. And of course, there is only one card of that type in the product.

For those of you who are interested, here are some of the others...

3 different ones

Number Gold

Number Silver

Baby steps. Sometimes big purchases.... but baby steps.

PACK WARS: You Win Some, You Lose Some

2012-01-20T20:42:00.003-07:00

Pack wars. It's an opportunity to snag a lot of cards for a little cash. There's just one small catch - you have to win.

Hang-ups!

I like participating in a few rounds of pack wars at the monthly trade night and last week I was in the mix for some 2011/12 Upper Deck Series 1 and Black Diamond as well as a couple goes of 2010/11 ITG Between The Pipes.

And this time around, lady luck was with me. Well......most of the time.

I'll start with the Between The Pipes. There were about 6 or 7 people participating and the winner just needed to have a card in their pack with the shortest last name.

Olivier Roy.....thank you very much.

2010/11 ITG
Between The Pipes
Game Used Jersey Gold
#M-03 Calvin Pickard (limited to 10 copies)

While I was hoping for some of the Masked Men III inserts, I was pretty happy to land the big hit of the box.

This jersey piece has a real thick bulging seam in it. Almost patch-like. Which is what one would expect with the gold versions of these cards.

I don't know much about Pickard (I think he has a brother, Chet) but I now own a piece of his Subway Super Series jersey.

Cool.

Now I was also very much in the running when it came to the Upper Deck Series 1 breaks. I ended winning one round and my big hit was a Matt Frattin Young Guns card. He's no Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, but still not a terrible card.

Speaking of RNH, this takes us to our 'you lose some' segment.

It was the last round of 2010/11 Black Diamond and all I needed was a card depicting the player with the highest career plus/minus. Halfway through my cards I notice some shlub named Gretzky.

Winner, winner, chicke.......

Not so fast.

"Bobby Orr!" someone shouts out.

Wouldn't you know it. The one, single card that would trump mine. And to make matters worse....... you guessed it....... part of the winnings included a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins rookie card.

Ouch. So close.

In the end though, pack wars was a lot of fun, and that's what it's all about.

BOX BREAKS: 2011/12 Panini Limited

2012-01-20T00:19:00.007-07:00

With Trevor Linden making it into yet another 2011/12 product, I thought I'd roll the dice on a box of Panini Limited hoping to land one of the coveted pieces of cardboard.

And if I didn't get any Linden goodies....maybe I could land some solid tradebait.

I don't think I got anything of the sort.

2011/12 Panini Limited

This is a mid-range product hovering around $100 a box. In it, you get one pack of seven cards. There's a guarantee of 3 autographs or memorabilia cards.

Fingers crossed.

The base cards are a definite improvement from last year. I like the simple design and the photos are nice. The regular base cards are numbered /299.

Nothing fantastic, but that was a 'known' going in.

By the way.....I'm leaving the third base card for the end - HINT.

The jersey card too is a nice upgrade from last year. The window for the material is better shaped and has a border. Simple, but way more effective.

This Subban card is /99. Not bad, but the white swatch all but throws this into the cheap trade box.

Pronger! This is the second nice Chris Pronger card I've landed in a month.

In December, I won a round of Panini Certified pack wars and got a great looking patch card /5. Great card.....not so great player.

This Limited 'Prime' patch is /25 and has a nice thick seam down the middle.

Now I just need to find a Pronger collector.

There are a lot of different insert sets in Limited. Some are nice, some are niche (that sounds rare).

And some have Linden in them. Awesome and not awesome at the same time.

The Retired Numbers set doesn't look as nice to me as last year, and I don't see this Bucyk being an overly-desirable catch (even if it is /199).

Pronger! Again!

At least he's on one of my favorite insert sets - The Stanley Cup.

Numbered /199, these cards have a shiny look to the front, almost like one of those cards where you peel off the top protective layer.

They don't scan well at all but are a very sharp looking card.

Now, there are these manufactured patch autograph cards of this season's rookie crop. Guys like Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Gabriel Landeskog and Mark Sheifele are the big grabs.

Anyone know who Jonathon Blum is?

Well, I got his auto /299.

Maybe I'll disassemble this one to see how they are made. That's more interesting to me that the actual player card itself.

So.....not such a great box break so far.

Well, there's hope. For I was lucky enough to see the name Trevor Linden inside my box of Limited.

And even though it's his regular base card /299, it was an exciting pull.

Sad how this simple base card becomes the 'bit hit' in the box.

So if you counted right....that's eight cards. Bonus! (sarcasm)

In all fairness, I saw some pretty nice cards come out of this product and I was doing everything possible not to feed the urge to buy a second box. I'm using that money to buy Linden singles from the set.

But there is some silver lining to this Limited cloud.

One of the other box breakers pulled a Daniel Sedin jersey card. And since he is a rabid Canucks hater and I'm 'the Canucks guy' he passed it over not expecting anything in return.

A much appreciated gesture.

In addition, another box breaker pulled the same Daniel Sedin...but the autograph card version. He really had no use for it and so we pulled off a nice quick trade (and I was actually able to add a much coveted Cup Raiser as well).

Here are the pair of Sedin cards.

The two-colored jersey is /25 and the auto is /49.

That pulled my poor box break into the world of average.

Still.....it was a lot of fun. And I'm looking forward to even more fun tracking down my Linden wants.

1 vs. 100 - Big Trade

2012-01-19T00:01:00.003-07:00

This slow and steady project got a big boost at the monthly trade night on Wednesday.

Whenever I look through other people's trade boxes, I keep an eye out for cards that would fit into this project. In fact, the majority of cards in this collection came via trade or pickup locally as opposed to buying on ebay. It has saved me a lot of dough....and it's been more fun to build quite frankly.

When I came across this card, I really put a big effort in trying to trade for it. It's one of the tough ones I have remaining on the list.

2011/12 Upper Deck Artifacts
Auto Emerald Jersey/Patch
#44 Jay Bouwmeester /8

Wow. That set name is a mouthful. But it's not about the set name, the product, the player, the auto, the patch.....nothing except the serial number. 5/8.

These auto/jersey/patch cards are all numbered /8. Why? I have no clue. Why not /10 or /5....something more 'rounded'?

At the end of the day, this confusing parallel only benefits me as I needed it for the pc.

With it being Jay-Bo (even though he's in a Flames uniform, and I live in Calgary) the desirability factor is very small. A bonus for me.

After asking if we could trade, the owner of the card took a look through my stuff. He came across a couple cards and we quickly worked something out.

One of the cards (and my niece might be a little sad) is the infamous '$1 Taylor Hall RC'. This is a perfect example of how a book value really doesn't impact a trade for me. I saw that Hall as a $1 out-of-pocket purchase as opposed to whatever it books for - and I still don't know.

It was a no-brainer for me and I am thrilled to scratch this number off the list. It leaves me with just a pair of cards numbered to less than 10 remaining on the wantlist.

Slowly but surely.

80 out of 100 (80%)

LINDEN CARD OF THE WEEK - It's A Red Jersey!

2012-01-17T07:27:00.000-07:00

The only time I pick up Trevor Linden cards already in my collection are when

1. They are an upgrade
2. They are super cheap (and rare)
3. They are for someone else

This Linden card really doesn't fit into any of those categories specifically (although I guess you could consider it an 'upgrade').

2007/08 Upper Deck Artifacts
Tundra Tandems
#TT-ML Trevor Linden/Brendan Morrison /125

The reason I picked this card up off ebay during the Christmas break was pretty simple - the red jersey piece.

It's pretty rare to find a solid red jersey piece on a Linden card. In fact, I think in my entire collection, there's only one other instance of it.

And while it's nice to get away from the boring ol' white jersey pieces normally adorned in these cards, I don't really go out of my way that often to track down cards like the one above.

But when the price is right.....I'll snag it.

I'm not sure what to do with this card though. There are examples in my collection where I have multiple cards, each with a different colored jersey piece. Other examples have me caring less and going with just whatever is there.

Especially with multi-player cards.

But then I do a quick check of my card box and I can find a couple examples of it. Clearly I'm not focused with my own rules on the matter.

Maybe that's something I can figure out this year. Or maybe I just could care less and instead go after the cards I like.

I like the Linden card with the red jersey. It'll stay in the collection for now.

Do different color jersey pieces matter to you? Do you go after multiples because of it?

RAISE THE CUP - Yzerman Defined

2012-01-16T10:33:00.000-07:00

This single Stanley Cup-raising card might just go down as the steal of the weekend card show for me.

I saw on it the table and was immediately drawn to it......even though it had a pretty hefty price tag associated to it.

Normally with this project, I'm looking for cards that are relatively inexpensive, but this was not just an ordinary base card.

1997/98 Upper Deck Diamond Vision

Defining Moments

#DM3 Steve Yzerman

Remember Diamond Vision. These were some high-end cards back 15 years ago. In fact, if I'm not mistaken, it was the first 'single card pack' ever released.

I thought they were so cool, but too expensive for my collecting dollar at the time (I was more into quantity than quality). I think the retail on them at the time was $20 or so. I only ever bought one pack.....sure enough, it had the Gretzky base. Traded it soon after and pretty much dropped 'Diamond Vision' from my vocabulary.

Good thing...much like the junk wax era has turned hundreds of thousands of pieces of cardboard into just that - cardboard, the Diamond Vision set has dropped steadily in price.

Lack of demand kills the almighty dollar.

These Defining Moments card were an insert. 1 in every 40 packs. So they were even more desirable at the time, and I think even more so today vs. their base card counterparts.

It's a 6 card set that celebrate some of the best names in hockey at the pinnacle of their career. That one moment - their Defining Moment.

Sounds like a great idea for a set.

For Yzerman, it's his Stanley Cup win in 1997. And you have to remember, back in '97, the Red Wings were in a 42-year Stanley Cup drought. Crazy to imagine that.

Of course, Diamond Vision utilized 'amazing technology to create fluid action sequences on their cards'. I just move the card back and forth and the player inside it moves. Neat.

That's why the scan is so bad. There are actually 5 photos used in the sequence. It really doesn't look too impressive until the tilting commences.

When I saw the card on the table, I was happy to find another card that would fit into my 'Raise The Cup' project, but bummed by the $100 price tag. There was no way I was going to spend that much for it.

I have dealt with the dealer numerous times before, which is the only reason I asked about the card. Maybe he could drop his price.

He mentioned that he'd had the card for some time and grabbed the price guide to confirm it still booked that high.

He couldn't find the page with the set listing....which benefited me as he dropped his price considerably - $30.

I still thought that was a bit more than I wanted to spend for a card going into this project. I offered him $20 and he took it.

When I got home I tried to track down the book value in one of my guides. It only took me a few seconds.

bv $40 lo $100 hi

So he was correct with his book value. And I was happy with my purchase price. Was it a steal? Maybe not. But at 80% off, I'll take it.

It's definitely the most unique card in my 'Raise The Cup' binder.

Current Collection - 68 cards

MY COLLECTION: The Rest Of The Mish Mash

2012-01-15T21:48:00.006-07:00

Saturday's trip to the card show was beneficial on many fronts. Normally when that happens, I tend to pick up a few more cards either to knock down the cost in a bundle or because I'm just a sucker for a good deal.

These were more in the "I'm a sucker" category.

2011/12 Panini Certified
Throwback Threads
#10 Gary Simmons

Gary Simmons' mask is awesome. Nicknamed 'The Cobra' because of his quickness, the moniker soon translated to the design on his lid.

Forget the team colors.....just paint it black and put a snake on it. Love it.

While the photo used is average at best, it sure beats the maskless, blue-wall background shots heavily used in the 70's.

I snagged it the moment I saw it. For a buck - it was worth it.

2011/12 Panini Certified
Masked Marvels
#11 Roberto Luongo & #17 Miikka Kiprusoff

Also in the stack with the Simmons was this pair of 'goalie mask' cards. I'm planning on building the set, so I grabbed these at a buck a piece as well.

2011/12 Panini Score
NHL Shield Die-Cuts
#7 Alex Ovechkin

Hey Paul! I found this one. Trade ya' straight up for the Crosby?

It was a buck.

2008/09 In The Game
1972: The Year In Cards
Bob Leiter & Jacques Lemaire

These too were a buck a piece (I see a trend).

Sounds like a lot eh? Well, not so fast. The reason I didn't put the numbers of the cards down is because...

they're blank backs.

I'm happy to pay a loonie each for them when they're lacking this much information.

2008/09 Upper Deck Artifacts
#44 J.P. Dumont /10

Now I didn't pay a buck for this one.....I paid two.

And I don't know if this is the silver, shiny, foil, gray, holo or exclusive version. I could care less to be honest. It's the serial number on the front that caught my eye.

A card /10 for $2. Every time.

2006/07 Upper Deck Trilogy
Ice Scripts
#IS-BB Brad Boyes

I picked up a trio of these cards for $2 a piece. Man are they thick. It's like they printed the cards on a sheet of fibreglass. Absolutely no bend to them.

And hard signed. I thought they were a solid pickup.

See how I did that.

They're not rare by any means as far as I can tell, so they might go towards my 'One Sheet, One Set' project. But for mow, they'll head to the trade box.

2009/10 Upper Deck The Cup
Jersey
#67 Dale Hawerchuk /25

I have seen this card sitting on this guy's table for months. It's got a boring white jersey piece and a rather uninspired design. Always with a price tag that turns me off of a card that I really didn't need in the first place.

But when I saw it in the $5 box, I bit.

I figure that a Hawerchuk jersey card from The Cup numbered /25 (even with a white swatch) was worth the fiver.

Love the ol' Jets uniform.

2011/12 In The Game
Canada vs. The World
Triple Gold Jersey
#TG-05 Niklas Lidstrom
Silver Version (print run of 50)

When I came across this card, I was trying to remember how 'rare' these were. I couldn't figure out if they were more or less than 10 copies.

I think part of the confusion also came in the name Triple Gold. I thought gold version (which would be the most rare).

I picked it up hoping it would be.

If I had only read the back of the card where it clearly indicated Silver Version. Still, I thought it would be rare than the 50 copies it claims to be.

Not a disappointing pickup, but I probably wouldn't have grabbed it if I had my info correct.

2009/10 In The Game
Heroes and Prospects
Jumbo Number
#JM-15 Jared Staal
Silver Version (print run of 3)

Now I had a much better idea of the rarity of this card.

Even though Jared sits fourth on the depth chart....in his own family, I couldn't resist picking this card up.

What a nice beefy piece of number we have here and, as mentioned, only 3 copies exist. I thought the $10 I laid down worked nicely.

In addition to the card above, I picked up a few other bit here and there. Some you'll see over the next few posts or the next few months, some will forever sit in my psudo-organized collection, maybe never to see the light of day again.

Nah.....shouldn't be that bad.

REVIEW - 2010/11 Panini All Goalies

2012-01-14T20:55:00.004-07:00

It was the first card show of 2012 and I had been looking forward to it all week. I was gung-ho for heading down there when the doors opened at 10:00 am.

Yeah......that plan didn't work out so good.

So about 12:30, I trot in looking for a few deals (and hopefully a Linden or two). Hockey Night In Canada was down there so it was a little more packed than usual. That just added to the excitement.

I picked up a bit of a mish-mash of cards. A few masks, a couple Cup Raisers, some cards for my One Sheet, One Set project and even a Linden (although I already had it).

Overall, it was a fun afternoon.

While scanning in some of my goods, I decided to throw this set in that I picked up during my time off from work. It's not really a 'box break' so I'm calling it a review.

2010/11 Panini All Goalies

This product is essentially a factory set. No packs were released.

I had heard about this all goalie release and was immediately intrigued, but the lack of mask shots left me holding off on picking it up.

When I saw that it was marked down almost half price, I bit.

The set consists of 100 cards (89 of them current NHLers or those in the system). If you ever wanted a snapshot of the NHL goaltending depth chart at the time....this is your set.

The cards are a basic design and the photos aren't overly exciting, but they're not too bad. Consistent at least.

The player selection could have better. While some teams (like Calgary) are represented by only a pair of cards, other teams....

C'mon......really? FIVE CARDS? You couldn't drop one and add Leland Irving or something?

That's a little bit weak, especially when one of the players isn't even in game action.

I mentioned that the first 89 cards consist of current players. That leaves the remaining 11 for past stars.

Can't beat that. Some solid names in the abbreviated 'legends' portion of the product. Fuhr, Cheevers, Esposito, Roy, Barrasso, Potvin just to name a few.

This one's my favorite though. Can't beat a nice Richard Brodeur card. Especially when it contains a photo that I've never seen before.

Now in addition to your 100 card set, you also get 5 'randomly inserted' Up Close cards.

As you can see, Panini has added a black & white close up of the player on the right hand side of the card. Kind of a nice bonus and adds some excitement to the break as opposed to just having a predetermined factory set.

I use the words 'randomly inserted' loosely. Here are my other 4 cards...

Riiiiiiiight.

I guess it could have been worse. Did you see the Sharks fab five?

Lastly, if these 105 cards aren't enough for you, there's one more piece of cardboard in the box.

And it's got a piece of jersey attached to it.

I've seen a nice jersey piece of Pekka Rinne's come from this product, so getting just a shlub jersey isn't always what you can expect.

And Kipper isn't the worst pick out of the bag.

Overall, this is a nice product, nothing fantastic or mind-blowing. It retails for about $20-25. I picked mine up for $15 (and that's the max I would pay for the product). If you can find a box out there for $10 or less - snag it. It beats a lot of the blaster boxes out there and you are guaranteed a complete set.

3.5 out of 5

BEHIND THE MASKS - Almost Done

2012-01-14T02:03:00.000-07:00

For almost a year, the Memorable Masks set inserted into In The Game's 'Decades 1980' product has had a few lingering cards remaining on my wantlist. Last month at Traders Night I was able to pick up a pair taking me within one of finishing the set.

While it's not a tough set to build by any means, it is one that I'm looking forward to finishing. I just haven't really pursued the remaining numbers.....and that goes for a few of my mask sets.

I don't know why that is. Maybe these sets are more pedestrian for me - not my primary focus? Maybe it's because I've been filtering my money into my Linden pc? Or maybe it's because I just refuse to pay a certain amount for these cards (for some reason the difference between paying $5 vs. $2 is huge).

Regardless, I'm glad to add them to the collection and who knows, it might push me to actually finish the set sometime this year.

2010/11 In The Game Decades 1980
Memorable Masks
#MM-07 Michel Dion

One of my favorite masks from this era. Dion's lid just captured my imagination. I loved getting any of his hockey cards back in the day. And remember, back then you rarely got to see these teams on television (well, for me anyways growing up in Calgary, Alberta, Canada).

2010/11 In The Game Decades 1980
Memorable Masks
#MM-01 Grant Fuhr

Grant had a number of stunning lids during his NHL career.....and I'm not just talking about his masks.

AWESOME! Where's the Fuhr afro tribute mask?

OK, back to the card. It's one of the better photos from this set. You can really see Grant's eyes piercing from behind his mask. And while it's not my favorite Fuhr mask from his playing days with the Oilers, the full fibreglass treatment of these cards are just a real treat.

In addition, I landed a card from this year's Masked Marvels set inserted into packs of Panini Certified.

These cards were a bit of a miss for me last year, and by the looks of things, Panini didn't learn their lesson.

2011/12 Panini Certified
Masked Marvels
#2 Tim Thomas

Way too much blank space on the front of this card. I think they could have easily increased the size of the photo and provided us fans with some stellar goalie mask pics.

I will say though that the sharpness of the mask photo does make it a little easier to accept. I'm looking forward to building this set and hope to do it on the cheap.

Which means I'll still have some cards on the wantlist this time next year.

CARDBOARD PHOTOGRAPHY - James Reimer

2012-01-12T07:37:00.000-07:00

Before I go ahead and write up a 'One Sheet, One Set' post for the new Pinnacle product, I thought I'd give one card a little extra time in the spotlight.

Great photo, great timing, great action. This card really emphasizes the horizontal standard that has been adapted by Pinnacle this year.

2011/12 Pinnacle
#134 James Reimer

My what a biiiiiiiiiggggggggg stretch you have there 'Optimus Reim'. But wait! Isn't that the puck already in the net (just below the Leafs logo)?

Not so fast. Before we throw this card to the spokes, let's look at what the back of the card says.

"Soccer goalkeepers everywhere were bug-eyed and giving Toronto backstop James Reimer a standing ovation after he made an extraordinary save against Washington's Marcus Johansson on April 5, 2011. Borrowing a move from the guys who defend the big nets on the pitch, Reimer dived in a last-ditch effort. The shot hit his blocker, and the save stood out as the masterpiece of his 39 stops, even though the visitors won 3-2, in a shootout."

And there it is. You can see the puck about to be batted away by his blocker. An exceptional photo. Crisp, full of action and taken at just the right moment. A split second earlier and the full impact of Reimer's effort would have been missed. A split second later and the puck would be gone.

The eye of the photographer needs to be very trained and the mind - patient but ready to pounce. It's a real treat to see more photos like this one making it on to hockey cards. And while I've been giving Pinnacle a hard time for their minimally inspired design, it gets very solid marks from me for its photo choices.

But that Pinnacle logo and 'Nike swoosh".....(broken record).

WHO AM I? - Eye Of The Beholder

2012-01-11T23:07:00.001-07:00

This one stumped more people than I thought. Cool.

But there was one of you (actually two) who figured it out.

While I'm sure Kevin knew who the sigs belonged to, he was cryptic in his response (probably thinking I would post the comment). I hold off on posting all the guesses for just that reason. Sadly, I can't fully count his picks.

That leaves Jess as the only one to figure out this penmanship puzzle.

Marian Hossa

Probably the easiest of the three. While his signature has 'evolved' over the years (or should I say 'devolved'), it remains probably the most unique autograph in the NHL....maybe of all time.

Yutaka Fukufuji

I got a lot of you with this one.

How many of you remember Yutaka tending goal for the Kings back in 2006? 4 whole games (actually not even whole games.....96 minutes) and 3 losses to his record.

But one of the coolest autographs to get. This Kanji version of his signature was a short print parallel in this Between The Pipes series. A great decision by In The Game.

Chris Mason

This signature was the inspiration for the post. Chris' auto is very blunt and purposeful. I like it. While it's not necessarily a 'scribe', it's definitely not a scribble. I'll call it a 'shishkebab'......it looks like one.

Thanks to all who guessed.

RAISE THE CUP - Yes Or No....Maybe So

2012-01-10T23:59:00.003-07:00

I've got a few more cards for the 'Raise The Cup' project that have strolled in here and there recently. Some of which have left me asking whether or not to add them to the binder.

Have you ever gone to a card store and 'talked shop'. I'm sure many of you have. The newest releases. What's good, what's not so good. Hot rookies. Tough pulls. Crappy products. All that jazz.

Have you ever chatted it up with the owner for 4 hours? Just you and him? I did....and it was a blast.

I think sometimes we forget that these card store owners are more than just businessmen (at least the ones I know). They're collectors - or at very least, passionate about the hobby.

It was just fun to listen, debate and express my point of view on a subject I thoroughly enjoy - hockey cards. If you haven't done so recently I suggest you give it a shot. Maybe not for hours on end, but chat it up for a bit. Get to know a little more about the people living by you who invest in the inner circle of the hobby.

What does that have to do with this post? Well, I picked up this card from that gab session.

2011/12 Parkhurst Champions
Renditions
#136 Patrick Roy

Much like the card that inspired this project, this Patty Roy card is an artist rendering. Man it feels like a lifetime ago since he raised the Cup wearing the Bleu, Blanc et Rouge.

This next card comes from a pack wars victory last month at the monthly Traders Night I attend. And before I show it, I'm putting an asterisk next to it.

2011/12 Certified
Certified Champions
#15 Scott Niedermayer *

It's a great card, and definitely meets the requirements for my project. So what's the problem you ask?

Well, much like last year, this card is part of an insert set that has blatantly stolen my idea.

Before I add it to my project, I plan on building and completing the set. So it will go into the binder, but it won't get added to the final tally just yet.

It's a great looking card and a real improvement on the design from last year.

Speaking of design.....up next is a pair of cards from one of the most boring set designs I've seen in a long time. And it's a shame too (I'll explain in a second).

2011/12 Pinnacle
#17 Milan Lucic

This year's Pinnacle release has been trumpeted by many as an improvement from last season's attempt. I think the extremely basic card design is something so uninspiring that I just flat out can't get past it.

The Pinnacle logo and 'Nike swoosh' just is painfully slapped on the card. It just sticks out like a sore thumb.

2011/12 Pinnacle
#250 Tim Thomas

And what a shame. This product has some fantastic photography (I'll do a 'One Sheet, One Set' post soon to further prove that point). This Thomas card is a great snapshot in time, capturing what easily is Tim's 'Pinnacle' achievement. It's a shame that my eyes are drawn to the product logo instead.

But, on the plus side.....it's another card for the binder.

The next two cards round off the post and they were both another kind gift from Brian (Captain Canuck) over at Just A Bit Offside.

He's been a staple at the monthly Traders Night and I'm always interested to see what he's got in the trade box and hear about what he's found, picked up and still searching for.

Thanks for being a part of what makes this hobby fun for me.

2011/12 Score
Season Highlight
#32 Mark Recchi

What a way to go out. You score 48 points in your final season (missing only one game), you record your 1500th point and you call your shot a couple months before raising the Cup.

"If we win a championship, I'm gone." said Recchi after a win over Chicago in late March.

At 43, you couldn't have asked for a sweeter end. And the photo says it all.

1983/84 O-Pee-Chee
Highlight
#2 Denis Potvin

Now when I first laid eyes on this card, I was immediately shot back to about 9 or 10 years of age. This was one of the first cards that really grabbed me. Definitely one of my early favorites.

Just everything about it reeks of cool. Look at Potvin's face - elation and exhaustion; his jersey - battered, torn and old school; the fans in the background; the cameraman looking for that perfect snapshot (clearly on the wrong side).

But what really got me reminiscing was the condition of the card (I scanned it a little looser so you could appreciate it as I do).

Rounded corners and creases do not always mean a 'damaged' card. This is the truest definition of a hockey card.

It's a wicked piece of cardboard and I am more than happy to swap it out with the copy currently in my project binder.

Thanks again for the cards Brian.

Current Collection - 67 cards

WHO AM I? - One Of A Kind (Times Three)

2012-01-10T12:30:00.000-07:00

Have you ever come across a signature that makes you stop and think "I have never seen anything like this before"? And I don't just mean a rare multi-player card or uber-tough-to-find auto.

I'm talking about the type of scribes that are so unique, so memorable, so one-of-a-kind that it almost transcends the signature card itself.

Here are three such examples.

While you might not know the player linked to the signature, these autographs will undoubtedly ingrain themselves in your brain from here on out.

Prepare to always know who these three sigs belong to.

The only thing connecting these autographs....they are truly one-of-a-kind.

LINDEN CARD OF THE WEEK - No 'Fabrique' Gold

2012-01-09T22:05:00.004-07:00

When it comes to my Trevor Linden collection - I am a completest.

I want one of everything....show cards, oddballs, regional issues, food issues, parallels and variations. Just the slightest difference is all that I need to add it to the list.

And this pickup is definitely one that has been a long time coming.

1997/98 Katch
#146 Gold version
**no 'Fabrique au Canada'**

For years, I have known about these Katch coins. A simple product release with a regular, silver and gold version.

It took a while, but I eventually tracked down all three colors and was happy to brag about the trifecta. That was until I learned about a slight variation to the coins.

I called it - the 'Fabrique au Canada' version.

You can see here on the back of this one....well.....nothing. But stay with me...you'll soon learn of my geekness towards variations.

If you take a close look at the two coins, you will see a difference.

Here's a closer look.

The simple text on the one saying 'Fabrique au Canada' has turned one coin on the list into two.

Now when I first learned about this alternate version I searched high and low for the non-'Fabrique' versions (since I had the ones with the extra print). It was a few years before I tracked a regular version down and for a while, I was even questioning their existence (although I had seen the variation on other players' coins).

Now with the regular copy in the books, the search for the silver and gold was on.

Obviously, with a smaller print run, it would be a tougher task. Again, I questioned their existence until one day just a few years ago I found the silver copy. That was the real breakthrough.

Now I knew that the gold version existed. But those coins almost never came up on ebay or hobby boards in general. Finding one would be near impossible.

Key word - near.

I can now proudly present the six pack of Katch coins - and I think they look stunning all together.

A real accomplishment for the Linden pc and some of my favorite pieces. That's the geek in me talking.

It's a great reminder to me that even though an item may be on the list for many years, it's never a reason to stop looking for it.

Back on Board

2012-01-09T07:25:00.003-07:00

Hello everyone. It's been almost two full weeks since I last posted. I've been off work for my Christmas break since Dec. 16 and while the break has been very welcomed, it has also been a bit of a hectic and stressful one (more than I would have liked).

In a nutshell, 'home renos' and 'holidays' do not match. I learned that one the hard way.

But things are in its final stretch as I get ready for work this morning and I hope to have distant memories of the past couple weeks real quick.

On the hobby front it's been a really slow month or so. I've picked up a few new items (which I'll be sharing with you over the next week or two), opened a few packs and have had the chance to secure a couple of custom card projects that I'm excited to work on.

As for my blog, it sort of whimpered into the new year with only 9 posts in December. That said, I managed 190 total posts in 2011 (just 15 less than in 2010). That more than 1 every two days. I'm really happy that I've continued on with blogging and have enjoyed writing up the posts and sharing my collection and thoughts.

I now have 62 'followers' which is about double the amount from this time last year. While that number really doesn't matter to me, it is nice knowing that there are more people checking out what I have to say. I get about 100 visitors to my page a day (it's been less recently due to my lack of posts) and I thank each and every one of you for popping by. I'm looking forward to more great comments from you in 2012.

Surprise, surprise - no hobby resolutions for me this year. I'm staying the course. After some solid thinking about the state of my collecting last fall, I can say that I'm happy with what I'm collecting and the budget I'm spending.

Lastly, I'd like to wish everyone a Happy New Year and all the best to you and yours in 2012. Now let's have some fun out there!

Custom Creations - Bound And Determined

2011-12-27T18:45:00.004-07:00

For months I have told myself that during my three weeks off over Christmas - I would work on some custom cards that have been on my plate for far too long.

To me, creating a custom card is more than just slapping together some pictures, logos and team colors. I go through revision after revision, refining my designs (and sometimes re-working them completely).

I hate the thought of "First draft = final draft".

So I've spent the day in front of my computer working on some concepts. Since my vacation started, I have finalized a couple cards.

So I thought I'd share them.

This first one is a cut auto of Celtics star Reggie Lewis. Reggie was well on his way to super-stardom before he collapsed on the court and passed away at the terribly young age of 27.

I'm making this one for Casey over at Drop The Gloves. He mentioned that he had gotten his autograph during a chance meeting and wanted to have a better 'display' for it.

The toughest part with these cut signature cards is getting a nice clean cutout window for the autograph to sit in. I normally use a swivel exacto blade and/or precision scissors.

To this point, neither one has quite done the job for me. I'm anticipating a number of 'trial & error' sessions before I give this the slam dunk.

The next card is for a very patient person. How patient? He sent me a bunch of stuff to turn into cut cards over 3 years ago. You heard me - THREE YEARS.

Now in that time, I have created a number of cards which stand as some of my favorites.

From a set of golf cut autos

to some Montreal legends

to a Gilles Gilbert

to a really special Beatles ticket stub

and a few others. So I've been keeping busy.

But there are still a few more autos in his stash as well as one last ticket stub card (which I am going to get done before I go back to work).

Here's the first card I've created of the current ones he'll be getting...

I've always remembered Wilf Paiement as a Colorado Rockies player. But try finding photos of him in that uniform.

So I thought I'd try something different. I like the way this one is heading. I still have the back to do, but I really like the retro-type feel this card has. And the Rockies colors are great for an eye-catching card.

So that's what I've been doing today. Stay tuned....I plan on having at least one more show & tell in the next week or so.

LINDEN CARD OF THE WEEK - A Little Christmas Cheer

2011-12-27T15:39:00.004-07:00

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas, was able to spend the day resting and relaxing and received some nice gifts under the tree this year.

My present haul is normally minimal, but more often than not it's filled with some great thinking and sincere gestures on the part of family and friends.

To top everything off, this year was stellar when it came to gifts from my niece and nephew.....stay tuned for that.

A late Christmas bubble mailer arrived today and contained a card that proves patience pays off.

2010/11 Panini Score
Recollection Collection buyback auto
#32 English Version /15

This card comes 13 months after I landed the bi-lingual version. At the time, I had just found out that there were indeed two versions of the coveted card. A plus in that there was another Linden added to the wantlist, but a minus in that yet another card would be coming with a somewhat hefty price.

That's where my patience paid off. Over the past year, I have seen three or four copies of this card come up for auction. All with price tags over $100. Now with the first or second copy of the card out of the gate, I can see it getting that price, but once the first few go - interest dies off considerably.

Recently, there have been a couple copies up for quite some time. Reason being, the asking price is just too high. I was bound and determined to get this card for no more than $65.

A few weeks ago I saw another copy of this card come up for grabs. The seller was taking offers though (which I always think is a smart idea). I threw out a $60 offer thinking I could barter up to $65. To my pleasant surprise - he took it.

A short wait and the card arrived today. And a big thanks to the seller for packaging it well. The bubble mailer had been punctured right through to the card. If there hadn't been an extra toploader on each side of the card, there would have been a good chance the card would have seen some damage.

Glad to knock this one off the list. It takes me down to just 11 cards (not including 1/1's) left to track down from the 10/11 season of Linden releases.

Slowly but surely.

Now, on to some of the great stuff I got for Christmas.

My nephew makes me laugh - lots. He's almost 10 and is becoming more creative and 'thinkative' (I just made that up) by the day.

As I was opening the gift from him he said "I know you like juice". What the heck does that mean?

Sure enough, his interpretation of "I like juice" means a big decorated container filled with single serving juice crystals - 90 packs worth...

...and a cheesy Christmas tie for good measure. Awesome gift. I love the thoughtfulness. Thanks so much Kyle!

My niece is starting to pick up on what I say when we're out a lot more.

A recent trip to the mall had us in Jersey City buying a gift for her dad. While we were there, I noticed a shirt that caught my eye. I simply mentioned to my niece that I liked it.

She put that info in her memory bank.

This retro Canucks t-shirt was wrapped and under the tree with my name on it. Such a simple gift, but I'm really impressed that she took the time to remember - and then follow up by buying it.

Of course, it was the name on the back that trumped the logo on the front.

I love it. Thanks Shauna!

The only other hockey-related item I received was NHL 12 for the PS3. I haven't fired it up yet as my player is a little buggered. Maybe I'll look at that today.

Thanks again guys. And a heads up - the hints start now for next year.

PACK RIPPING: My Niece Has Some Good Luck

2011-12-23T12:13:00.005-07:00

Before I get into some of my recent 'Trade Night' pickups, I thought I'd take a moment to show you a couple of pack breaks that my niece helped me out with.

Last weekend was the last card show of the year. It just so happened that it was going on in the same building as the library my niece and I were going to. So we stopped in and took a quick browse around.

After finding very little, I decided to buy a few packs of cards. Rarely do I do this as I am more of a 'I'll save my money for cards for my pc' guy, but with my niece there I thought it would be fun to bust some packs.

One of the products I went to was 2011/12 Parkhust Champions - one of my favorite sets of the year so far.

We only purchased two packs since I had some of the singles already.

The base cards are pretty nice. Good player selection, nice colors and a simple design.

But these cards weren't what I was hoping to land.

In our two packs, my niece pulled out this Doug Gilmour mini. They fall in 1:2 packs so it wasn't a huge surprise to find one.

Still, in a two-pack break, it was nice to at least play the odds.

Did I say play them? My niece beat them.

With her second pack, she pulled this...

A nice hard-signed auto of recent Hall Of Famer Mark Howe.

Now while I would have loved a plethora of other guys, this auto was a welcome sight in a simple two-pack break.

Nicely done kiddo.

Fast forward to last night. My niece and I are out again (oddly enough to the library) and I asked if she wanted to stop at Toys R' Us to see if I can pick up one last Christmas gift for her brother.

While I didn't find what I was looking for, I did come across a few of these packs.

At a buck a piece, I couldn't resist. Who knows, a little luck from my niece might pay off again.

Can you guess where this is going?

With the first few packs my niece opened, she commented on how the photos look really nice (these are some of her faves). She said I should use them for my 'Cardboard Photography' posts. And she's right.

There were some vertical cards that caught her eye too. This Jokinen being the most memorable.

Drew Doughty was not on her 'wow' list.

It's funny, after seeing that card, all I could think about was this one...

Drew is clearly getting the short end of the stick when it comes to actual hockey playing shots. Is he in that big of a funk?

Once again, there were more than just base cards in the 10 packs I purchased. Again, can you guess where this is heading?

A pair of Yzerman insert cards - a nice start.

A retro Mike Fisher. My niece liked this one. I like it too.

And yes - THREE Young Guns. With these cards coming in 1:4 packs, my niece once again beat the odds.

And a Cam Fowler.....not too shabby.

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But you knew this post wasn't about to end just yet.

After the first couple of packs, I told my niece that the 'big card' in the set was the Taylor Hall Young Gun.

With just a couple packs left to open, she sifted through and blurted out "Taylor Hall".

Are you kidding me! What awesome luck.

On a side note, she'll be picking my Sport Select tickets this weekend, my playoff hockey pool picks and the magic Power Max lottery ticket numbers. But not until we hit the library. I'm not superstitious or anything. :)

Nicely done kiddo. I hope you had as much fun as I did.

TO THE BIKE SPOKES!!! - Henrik Sedin

2011-12-22T14:43:00.004-07:00

Last night was the final 'Trade Night' before Christmas.....and it was one of the most productive when it came to my collections.

There was some ever-present generosity (which is always much appreciated), a couple 'pack wars' victories and a few good ol' fashioned trades (yup, they still exist).

It was really just simply a fun time and it will give me numerous blog post subjects over the next week or so.

This first one is of a card that made me do the 'head tilt'... kind of like when a dog is pretending to listen to you...

Seriously. I was trying to figure out if the card was made as a joke, or if I happened to miss something.

You tell me...

2011/12 Upper Deck Series 1
#13 Henrik Sedin

Last time I checked, you guys lost the Stanley Cup Finals. You don't 'win' second place.

Is it me, or does this card just seem weird?

I can just hear Henrik chanting "We're number 2! We're number 2!".

He'd be holding something over his head....if he had won anything.

This photo just brings back bad memories. Why go there Upper Deck. Why go there.

For the simple fact of forgetting who actually were the winners....this card get's the mighty

PPPPPFFFFFFFTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!

TO THE BIKE SPOKES!!!!

LINDEN CARD OF THE WEEK - Vintage Pucks Signature

2011-12-20T08:11:00.005-07:00

One of the nice things about not working this week is that I get to check the mailbox right when the letter carrier arrives.

Today, I saw two bubble envelopes peeking out of the slot. It's like Christmas has come early.

I have a few items en route and am hopeful they arrive before the Christmas smash. If they don't show up in the next day or two, things are bound to get ugly.

I was really excited to see this first card in the mail. It's one that has been on the radar for most of the year.

2010/11 Panini Limited
#10 Vintage Pucks Signatures /10

A really tough parallel to track down (without breaking the bank). This card popped up a couple times last year when it was first released. I passed on them as I didn't want to dish out that much cash on one.

Fast forward a year later and I started to wonder if I'd see another copy at a reasonable price again. Remember, once one gets scooped up into a Linden pc, that's one less card out on the market.

I'm guessing there are about 5 copies left to find a home in a collection.

This one comes from a fellow Linden collector who happened to have an extra. He's the one who I purchased the Made To Order card for. We finally got around to finalizing a trade and the packages were delivered in time for the holidays.

Sadly, there was a bump in the road with the MTO I purchased. It took a few extra weeks to get the card re-sealed. I also think we both were a little on the lazy side getting this deal done.

After all, neither one of us is in a rush.

But seeing this card arrive really makes me happy that I'm able to cross it off the list. Some of these low numbered parallels are stubborn finds.

2011/12 In The Game
Ultimate Memorabilia 11th Edition
Base Gold /9

Speaking of... this card is a deceptive one. I've opened 9 packs of the product and have landed 3 base gold parallels. I figured they would be a little easier to find.

Not so. Numbered to just 9, this Linden is the first copy I've even seen. I was able to trade a couple of base cards for the gold and was thrilled to add this one to the collection.

Funny thing is, other than the Hot Patch card /9 (and the numerous 1/1 parallels), all that's left for me to track down from this monstrous product is the base card /63. The easiest (and what should be cheapest) card in the lot to track down.

I'm a patient guy though.

OUTSIDE THE BOX - Limited Cuts

2011-12-19T00:42:00.002-07:00

If you've ever taken a gander at some of the web pages card companies use to promote their products, then you know that they often like to put the best of the best photos up for all to see.

Makes sense obviously.

And every once in a while, I come across a photo or card design that just makes me stop and do a double take.

It could be from any sport, any time period, any player - anything. Good is good......simple as that.

2011 Donruss Limited Cuts
Elvis Presley/Michael Jackson dual cut autograph 1/1

Well, I saw this on Panini's blog this week and sure enough...the card made my jaw drop. Now that's what I call a cut autograph card. While I'm not huge into 'entertainment' cards, this one would definitely be a welcome addition to my collection (doubtful we'll ever cross paths though).

Clearly, the first thing I'm drawn to with this card is the subject as opposed to the presentation. While the card does look nice, I think it's a difficult task to produce an aesthetically pleasing card that only has a couple of autographs in it.

Take a look at some of the other cards from the product.

Any one of these cards would likely be a pinnacle piece in a person's collection. The history embedded in these pieces of cardboard are quite outstanding.

Obviously, there are only a finite amount of certain autographs (like Cosell and Cobb), and some of the scribes are delicate and difficult to work with. But that said, I am a big believer in using the autograph to build the design of the card (not the other way around).

Take another look at the cards. The cutting off of a person's signature (like the Jackson auto) or the edges of the paper showing (like in the Rose) just leaves me slightly less impressed.

I would have preferred a card where the die-cut made for the signature to go into be customized to the limitations of the autograph.

It's interesting....When I was at the Toronto Expo last month, I had a discussion about just that topic with a person who has a few spectacular cut auto cards - and a lot of them are very aesthetically pleasing.

2010/11 ITG Heroes & Prospects Baseball II
Paper-Cuts Cut Autograph
#HP-HW Honus Wagner 1/1

Plain and simple....this is how a cut autograph should look in my opinion. The autograph is clean, the window it goes in was made for this card (and even vice versa...look at the edging on the autograph paper itself).

Now again, I realize it's tough sometimes when you are limited to the autograph you have in hand (that Cosell one especially), but I feel that there are always options.

From my limited experience at working with cut autos, I've quickly adapted the goal of having the signature that sits within the card look as visually pleasing as possible. That means having most - if not all - of the autograph visible, having no 'paper edges' showing and if they do, then trying to mask it as best as possible.

This Gilles Gilbert I made is a perfect example. Take a look at the upper left corner where the autograph sits. There is a visible paper edge. Now if this signature were written on blue paper, the edge would be way more predominant. What I did (and it would work on the blue as well) is to take a scrap piece of the autograph paper and place it behind the autograph in the window. Yes, you can still see the edge, but the paper used fills the window.

Another technique I've used is to create a window that works with the handwriting of the signature.

This Richard auto was my first attempt at it. It took quite a few tries, but I finally got a shape that I was happy with. And I think the autograph just pops out of the card even more as a result.

But this Jack Nicklaus card is probably the best example of customizing the die-cut. From the time I built the Richard auto to the Nicklaus, I purchased an exacto knife with a swivel head. A must in my opinion if you are doing custom windows like this.

The autograph works with the card design - just like I had intended.

Overall, these cut autos from icons past are a spectacular innovation to the hobby. If you ever get a chance to get one - do it.

But if you ever get a chance to see one - stop and take a moment to look at it, hold it and appreciate what it takes to build one of these spectacular cards.

OPINION: ENFORCERS

2011-12-16T07:23:00.002-07:00

Well, this is it! Today is my last day of work for 2011.

Since the start of June, it has been one massive push, hitting deadline after deadline along the way. With just a couple last puzzle pieces to put in place today, I can walk away knowing that the book will be shut on 2011. I'm looking forward to the new year in the sense that it will be a fresh, empty book that we will start with (and will quickly be added to).

Anyways, sorry for the lack of posts of late. I thought this week would be a little kinder to me, but not so. In addition to work (and some Christmas shopping), I had a fun time dealing with a broken furnace. Although the temperature wasn't -30 degrees Celsius, even at -10, it got mighty cold in the home. Not fun.

Alright......on to some card talk.

I was over at my mom's place this past week for dinner and for the first time ever, she brought up the topic of hockey cards.

"So, did you hear about the new cards coming out with fighters in blood?"

I knew right there that this product will be unlike any released in the past. Ever.

For those living under a rock (or who haven't watched the news in Canada), In The Game, who have produced products like Between The Pipes, Heroes & Prospects, Decades and my favorite Ultimate Memorabilia, are about to release its newest creation - Enforcers.

NOTE: I'm going to be doing a lot of linking so you can see the product and hear the reactions first hand as opposed to getting the 'Coles Notes' version from me (I'll just be supplying my opinion).

I was first made aware of the 'Enforcers' product back at the Toronto Expo a little over a month ago (before the media storm). My first impression was "Cool. I like the concept." Much like a goalie-only product or capturing a moment in time, this release hits a niche market interested in the fighting, enforcer, goon, battler, scrapper aspect of hockey.

Knowing that Trevor Linden would not be making an appearance in this release (the guy just did not fair well when dropping the gloves), I didn't take a super close look at what the set had to offer.

That said, the press sheet and card mock-ups really impressed me. I liked the looks and designs of the cards and knew that it would be yet another popular release.

But I don't think even In The Game thought it would become this popular...

CTV news story

CBC news story

Puck Daddy blog

Slam Hockey story

In a nutshell, the 'Enforcers' product has created a media firestorm.

I don't believe it's really even about the fact that the product celebrates the role the enforcer plays on a team. I don't believe it's about the 'glorification' of fighting in hockey. I don't believe it's about the player selection for the checklist.

To me, it all has come down to the design of some of the cards.

It seems that some (Georges Laraque being one) are not happy with the 'blood splatter' background on the cards. To me, that 'some' is a very small percentage of people who the product is geared towards.

When I look at the cards, I don't see the 'blood splatter' first. I see the player photo, the autograph or jersey insert and then the overall card design. Sure, I realize that there is that 'blood splatter' look on the card, but it doesn't shoot out at me like it does to some others.

What's really disappointed me is that a lot of news stories have been getting the reaction from the general public and it's no surprise that a lot of them have a problem with it. But this product isn't geared towards them at all. I have no doubt that a lot of the people questioned have never set foot in a card shop or have opened a pack.

The reaction presented on the news is a stark contrast to the reaction on the hobby boards that I participate in. On there, the reaction was a much more positive one. People were excited for the product's release. People were thrilled to see a dedicated enforcer set to collect.

Instantly, I thought of two things - niche market and product knowledge.

Hence, it came as no surprise when my mom took the opposite side of the argument to me when discussing the cards. I think it changed slightly when I gave her my take.

My mom also talked about how the product is showing some bad timing when it comes to its release. Over the summer there have been some high-profile deaths to some of the NHL's recent enforcers. In addition, there have been some stories on research done on Derek Boogaard's brain.

National Post story

CBC story

I see the timing as more coincidental. I have no doubt in my mind that the concept and initial production steps happened way before the events this past summer. Hockey card products just don't 'spring up' out of nowhere in a couple months.

For those who do not approve of this set's timing, would there ever be a 'right time' to release a product like this. Probably not.

The one aspect of this story that I feel most uneasy about is when I hear the Belak family's response. Wade Belak (an NHL enforcer who killed himself over the summer) is included in the product. Again, this decision would have been made before his death. Hearing the reaction from Wade's mom leaves me on the fence when it comes to how In The Game should react.

You can hear some of the interview with Belak's mom on the CBC page linked above. There is a Georges Laraque interview that plays some of audio.

Clearly the product's release is something that the Belak family is not happy with. I can't help but think though "Would her reaction be the same if Wade was alive today?" 'Would her reaction be the same if there wasn't the numerous media stories on this 'Enforcers' product and fighting in general in the NHL?"

Part of me sees the Wade Belak inclusion to the 'Enforcers' product as a tribute. I know for a fact that there are numerous collectors who are thrilled to see him as a part of the checklist. Part of me also sees that it might be best to pull the card from the product out of respect to the Belak family.

Georges Laraque also wants his card pulled from the product (or at least re-designed, removing the blood).

With the product slated for release in less than a month, I don't see that happening. Dr. Brian Price, President of In The Game recently said that it won't regarding the Laraque request.

Beckett Media story

I am glad to see that there is some representation of In The Game's side of the story when it comes to this release. I don't feel like there has been enough of it though in the mainstream media. I think it is important to get both sides of a story before coming to a conclusion or creating an opinion.

Just yesterday, Dr. Price was involved in a chatroom talk on the hobby boards I go to often. While I was not able to participate or even listen to, I have heard that a transcript of the event will be made available in the near future. I look forward to reading it. I think it will give me a very strong insight when it comes to the position In The Game has on the whole situation.

Ultimately, the product is one that I support. I have enjoyed the past releases from In The Game and see this series as a tribute to the 'tough guys'. I have no doubt that the 'Enforcers' set will be hugely successful (in part to the numerous news stories presented).

My prediction.....by March, this topic will pass right on by. Much like all the other previous hockey card releases.

Sorry for the long post....and I didn't even introduce the angle of "the influence of the card's blood design on kids". Ooops...I guess I just did.

So, where do you stand on the 'Enforcers' product?

What are your thoughts to the press given to the cards?

CONCEPTS - Beards

2011-12-08T00:32:00.008-07:00

Some of you might be asking "Beards? As a concept?"

That's right.

When it seemed all the avenues of concepts have been exhausted, Upper Deck comes out with a sneaky little parallel set that can be either intriguing, frustrating or flat out boring.

I choose the first one.

2011/12 O-Pee-Chee
#1 Scott Hartnell
Playoff Beard version

O-Pee-Chee released a 50-card parallel set that celebrates the decades-old tradition of playoff beards. Each card depicts the player proudly wearing their sign of playoff success (you never really see guys wearing full beards in game one or two of the first round....unless they're cheating).

The card looks exactly the same as the regular version say for a couple tweaks.

2011/12 O-Pee-Chee
#1 Scott Hartnell
Regular version

First (and most obvious) is the photo. But if you look closely, you'll see that some of the text is a different color. The regular version has gold lettering for the player name and the 'O-Pee-Chee' slashing through the card at the bottom of the photo. The 'Beard' version has this text in silver.

The backs of the cards are exactly the same. There's no serial numbering, no text indication - nothing.

Without a doubt, there are people out there building the set that have no clue about the variation. To many, it might not even matter.

I, on the other hand, would not be able to put a 'Beard' variation in the spot where a regular card should go.

It just doesn't work that way in my world.

So, how rare are the 'Beard' variations? They are 1:25 packs. Not super rare, but still a good hunt is required to build the full 50-card set at a reasonable price.

I kind of like this idea. These photos aren't just from 'any' game. They are from the most important games of the season. And there are a number of players who seem to transform into another character once that beard has fully formed.

So, once I discovered this unique concept, I thought to myself if there were other instances of 'facial hair' being a theme for a set.

Believe it or not, it has happened before.

1996/97 Leaf Limited
Stubble
#16 Joe Sakic /1500

How many of you remember these beauties?

This set was actually inspired by the playoff beard tradition, but was a bit more of a miss as a lot of the photos just don't reflect that sentiment.

This 20-card insert set did have some big names though. Yzerman, Lemieux, Gretzky and Roy just to name a few. And since they are numbered to 1500 (which at the time was a pretty rare card), they hold half decent value (Gretzky just recently went for about $30 on ebay).

All the card fronts show head shots of players 'sporting' stubble. I think some of these pics are of guys who are just too lazy to shave.

To make things even cheesier, the player name and 'Stubble' text have a fuzzy felt-like texture. It reminds me of books that I read when I was one.

'Stubble'? I think not. This is just a poor inclusion to the set. I don't think I've ever seen Alex grow any sort of beard, goatee, sideburns or moustache. Ever.

Now did someone say - MOUSTACHE?

Thinking about this concept, there was a clear lane to this obvious avenue that I'm sure will soon be gobbled up by a card company.

At least you can say you saw it here first.

I give you - "The Movember Set"

Again, for those living under a rock, November is the month where us guys refrain from shaving the ol' stache in support of men's health (specifically prostate cancer).

And a bunch of the NHLers have jumped on this ship big time.

You probably saw the Jonas Hiller Movember mask I showcased at the start of the month. But he wasn't the only goalie to get in on the excitement. Tim Thomas had a great looking Movember mask designed as well.

Both the Hiller mask and the Thomas will be raffled (or auctioned....I can't remember which) off with all the proceeds going to support the cause.

So why not do the same with hockey cards?

I think each team should designate one player to represent their team on a 'Movember' card. Only available in that team's city. Math concludes that this would mean a 30-card set.

I think the initial purchase of the card be set at like $20 bucks with only a limited number of them available (say 1000).

If every card sold in every city and all the money from the cards went to fight prostate cancer, that would be $600,000.

Some people might only want cards from their favorite team or city, some might want to build the set. There are player collectors as well.

And of course, the money would go to a very worthwhile cause.

And think of the fun photos you could come up with.

Cal Clutterbuck might just lead the charge. His 'Clutterstache' as he calls it is so popular, it has its own Twitter account. Hilarious.

Even better.......his stache was interviewed by NHL.com. Outstanding!

There are guys that just should never be seen in public with a moustache. I think this group of players play for the Habs.

In addition to this nasty caterpillar on Cole's lip, do some hunting for Carey Price's contribution. Yikes!

This tandem just made me laugh. Goofy face on Moulson and goofy staches on both. Love it!

But my favourite might just be Jagr's attempt. It actually suits him. This coming from a guy who had the worst mullet in league history.

Hey, now maybe that should be a card set. No...no, no ,no. Ignore that thought.

Of course, no blog post on facial hair would be complete without a card from this guy.

Got Heeeem!

Enough said.

Almost Done!

2011-12-07T01:18:00.003-07:00

And I mean that in a good way.

This week is the final push to the season ending projects that have been a virtual bulldozer over the past few months.

The light at the end of the tunnel gets bigger and bigger everyday.

Friday is deadline day and then it's a good month of R&R.

I've got a couple posts on the horizon that should be fun. Here's a sneak peek...

Stay tuned.

ARTICLES: "Cardbacks For Dummies"

2011-11-30T22:01:00.005-07:00

Saw this great post over on Panini's blog site. Thought it would be of interest to some of you.

An often overlooked aspect of sportscard creation - the 'write up' - is almost as much of an art form as mocking up a design for a card front. I myself am a nerd for card creations and all aspects of design (even the boring text). So I found this article to be a unique look at an underappreciated talent.

How many of you take the time to read the backs of cards (ok...not ALL of them, but some)? These words don't grow on trees.

Have you ever tried to write up a card back yourself? It's not as easy as you might think.

To me, things like where the word appears on a given line, the length of the line in comparison to the others, the overall aesthetics, the font size, the descriptive words, the accuracy of the information....I could go on. It all plays a role in making the cards comfortable to look at and consistent from one to the next.

Thank you Panini for taking a moment to give the writers center stage.

LINDEN CARD(s) OF THE WEEK - More, More, More

2011-11-30T02:04:00.000-07:00

With this recent haul of bubble envelopes, I admit to having mixed emotions. On the one hand, I have three more top notch Linden cards to show off (and cross off the wantlist), but I currently have no more cards incoming.

No trades, no purchases, nothing to look forward to.

Nothing.

Actually, it's not all that bad. My bank account surely appreciates the rest it's getting. And I know that there will be more on the horizons.

The lull is nice to be honest. Panini recently released it's 'Certified' product for 2011/12. Last year, there were nine Linden cards in the mix (and at the time I thought that was rough). This year - NONE!

Thank goodness I'm not a Tim Thomas collector. In just this year's 'Certified' product alone - over 50 different cards on the various checklists. Parallels, inserts, subsets, autos, jerseys, patches.

Insane.

On to the Linden show.

2010/11 In The Game Decades
Game Used Jersey Gold
#M-62 SHOW The National Chicago 1/1

Another expo redemption card to add to the crazy long list. With 9 different jersey/emblem/number cards in the regular release, I can only assume that there is an equivalent redemption card to go with it.

I have show cards from both the Chicago National as well as the Summit II in Edmonton last April.

That makes 18 different 1/1 show cards (if a complete run of each was released).

I have a whopping 4 of them.

I've got a loooooonnnng way to go.

This card though has a nice seam in it and for the price, it was a no-brainer.

2011/12 In The Game
Ultimate Memorabilia 11th Edition
Cup Finals Silver /24

Oh, this card is bitter sweet. On the one hand, it's a great reminder of what I consider the greatest Finals series I've ever seen.......but the wrong team lost game 7. On the other hand, it's the first card to feature both Linden and Mr. 'I'm not going to type what I'd really like to type' Messier.

I love that the Linden piece is two-color as well.

2011/12 In The Game
Ultimate Memorabilia 11th Edition
Ultimate Legend Autograph Silver /9

This is a stunning looking card. I really like the design of it.

That must be the reason why I accidentally paid way too much for it.

So I notice this card on one of the hobby boards and immediately go to work on researching what I should offer the seller for it.

The first place I go - ebay.

Lucky me.....a completed auction. For a little over $160. I thought that was a little high. So I offer $125 thinking that was fair.

Well, the seller agreed - with enthusiasm.

After I paid for the card, I went back to the ebay auction. It seems that I used the 1/1 parallel of the card as the price gauge. Hoo-boy.

I probably could have gotten the card for half what I paid for it (well, maybe not that low....but definitely under $100).

What could I do other than wait for the card to arrive.

I guess proudly show it off. :)

With this pickup, I am now down to the base card /63, the gold parallel /9 and a card called Hot Patch /9. The Hot Patch cards came only in 'hot packs' where all three cards would be of a unique design - all bearing a nice looking patch card (makes sense).

I've seen two of the Hot Patch cards so far, but neither had a patch that made me say 'wow'......in a good way.

I guess there's always something to wait for.

RAISE THE CUP - A Winning Pair

2011-11-28T23:38:00.004-07:00

A slight delay from me in showing off the second card in this post. I wanted to get the first on in the mail before I showed off this particularly prominent pair of pieces for your perusal.

I recently saw this first card in another person's show and tell post. I had never seen this card (or the set it came from) before. I was thrilled to learn that it was an upgrade (the original had a colored jersey piece). He was more than happy to work out a trade for the white jersey colored card.

2001/02 Be A Player Memorabilia
Stanley Cup Champions
#CA-13 Dave Reid

Now, I was also told that this card is limited to just 40 copies. What a great piece.

And guess what the concept is of this set? You guessed it, the Stanley Cup Champions - Colorado Avalanche - raising the Cup over their heads.

This 14-card set includes Patrick Roy, Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg and Ray Bourque.

The only card not showing a player with the Cup over his head is Burnaby Joe.....he dished the Cup over to Bourque rather than hoist it.

Now that's was class.

While I'd love to build this set, some of the biggies don't come cheap. This Reid will have to act as the representative of the set for now.

And I'm not complaining.

The second (and last) card in this post comes courtesy of a person whom I've gained a lot of respect and admiration for over the past year. And it's a fitting card to post today seeing as he's become the newest head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes (and I think he'll do a bang up job).

1993/94 Upper Deck
#148 Kirk Muller

A couple weeks ago, one of the local card shops had their Traders Night. It's something that I've tried to attend more and more of this past year. A great way to get collectors together to 'talk shop'.....or eat pizza.......or both.

Anyways, Brian (Captain Canuck) over at Just A Bit Offside is someone always offering up a 'how's she going?' when I arrive at the shop. This month though he also asked if I was collecting 'Cup raiser' cards...while pulling this Muller out of his trade box.

He plunked it down in front of me and said 'Here you go'.

Now to most people, this card is just a penny common from a 20-year-old set. To me, it's a fine addition to a set I've been slowly building over a couple years.

A simple gesture of awareness and kindness....something I LOVE about this hobby.

Thanks very much (again) Brian. It will sit proudly in the binder.

Gotta root for Captain Kirk. In his 19-year NHL career, this was his only Cup championship. Surprisingly, he only played with the Habs for a couple seasons before he was off to the New York Islanders. Signing with the defending champs from Dallas a few years later almost notched him a second Cup, but the team he was originally drafted by, the New Jersey Devils, were one better that year.

I'm looking forward to seeing the type of coach he is in Carolina (I sense 'player's coach') and the impact he has on the team this year and over the next couple seasons. Carolina's got a better team than they are showing on the ice. Should be interesting.

Current Collection - 63 cards

OPINION: DIDN'T REALLY NEED IT

2011-11-26T02:47:00.004-07:00

Have you ever had someone contact you saying "Hey, you have a card I need......wanna trade?" I'm sure it happens to a lot of us (some more often than others).

For me, it doesn't happen too much. I think part of the reason is I'm not flaunting my traders on multiple hobby boards, my blog, a separate website and on ebay with ridiculously high BIN prices. OK, I do have a separate site for my traders list, but it is soooooooooooo out of date.

A few weeks ago, I received an e-mail from someone out of the blue expressing interest for a card that I recently pulled. He simply asked if we could work out a trade.

Instantly, I said "Sure!" Always glad to help someone out (especially when the card in question is one I really have no desire for).

So he sends me a link to his traders list. I take a look at it. And I take a look at it again. A third time and even a fourth.

Nothing. There was absolutely nothing that stuck out at me. And I wasn't even looking for a card I needed. I was just looking for a card that I'd be happy putting in my traders box.

And this is where the dilemma came in....

Do I make a trade just for the heck of it? Just so the other person can get the card they want? So I'm stuck with a card I don't really want?

Or do I say "Pass."? Nothing of yours interests me.

It's a tough one. On one hand, I have no real use for the card I have that he wants, but it's the same the other way.

Is it a wash? Or am I out something? Did I gain?

Anyways, I finally settled on a card and we proceeded with the trade.

It arrived in the mail recently.....and ever since, I can't get the thought out of my head that "I just really don't want this card".

2009/10 UD MVP
Super Script
#50 Joe Thornton /25

It's not a terrible card or anything, it just has no impact on my collection (even if it's just going straight into my traders).

I'm happy that I helped out someone else, but I just feel 'blah' about this card.

For the record, this guy had about a bazillion Joe Thornton cards for trade. If you're a Joe collector, he's a guy that has got a ton. For me though, Joe is not overly exciting.

I don't feel ripped off or anything and I feel that everything about the trade was on the up-and-up.

I just don't really need this card.

Has this ever happened to you? What do you do?

LINDEN CARD OF THE WEEK - Dominion Printing Plate

2011-11-23T21:12:00.004-07:00

A small mailday only in numbers today - not in quality of cards.

I've been looking forward to this one for about a month.

2010/11 Panini Dominion
#150 Printing Plate Blue (I think) 1/1

I was a little concerned when I opened the Priority envelope only to find a little damage to the bubble mailer. Inside was the card inside a toploader - tightly taped shut.

Now with base cards (or thin stock cards), taping it shut is not a huge issue. But when the card is 130pt (or THICK), this can put a lot of strain on the toploader.....which it did. Cracking it.

I was a little worried that the card might be scratched, so I spent a lot of extra time not aggravating it.

Thankfully, the card escaped unscathed. But a simple note to the sender came abruptly after.

Enough of the drama, let's enjoy the card.

I think this is the 'blue' plate as it does have a predominantly bluish hue (makes sense). Dominion also included a 'black', 'red' and 'yellow' plate in their release.

As I mentioned, these suckers are thick. And they have a metallicy surface while the bulk of the card is just thick card stock.

Here's the back. It's a true 1/1.

I also like that the corners are rounded (I don't know why simple things impress me).

I was surprised at how little I ended up paying for this card. It seems that anytime a low print run Linden comes up for bids, the price starts going through the roof.

This one went for less than half of what I figured it would - and I'm happy it did.

In addition to the Linden printing plate, another card from the whirlwind ITG Ultimate Memorabilia 11 arrived.

2011/12 In The Game
Ultimate Memorabilia 11th Edition
Dynamic Duos (with Pavel Bure) /24

It's dynamic.

Although I never really connected these two as a 'duo'. Yes, they played on the same team at the same time, but they never really shared a ton of ice time together.

Rarely did I hear "Linden to Bure.....he scores!"

Nonetheless, it's another great card to add to the rapidly growing 'slabbed card' portion of my Linden collection.

And that's that.

Custom Creations - I Changed My Mind

2011-11-20T21:12:00.005-07:00

A little while ago, I completed work on the front side of the Patrice Bergeron Stanley Cup Champions card that I was making for Colin. He won a friendly wager last playoffs and his reward was a one-of-a-kind Patrice Bergeron card for him to sign.

Tonight, I finally got started on the back side of the card. But within moments, I was contemplating the work I had already finished.

I tried to ignore it and continue on, but the more I thought about it, the more it bothered me.

So......I started over.

It took a while, but I came up with something that I'm happier with. Judge for yourself...

I am hoping to get the back of the card done tonight. It's been far too long since the wager ended and I need to get Colin his card.

My apologies........I just want to let you know it's something I haven't forgotten about.

EDIT: I finished the back of the card. I'll work on the assembly tomorrow. :)

BEHIND THE MASKS - Some Toronto Goodness

2011-11-17T23:54:00.010-07:00

Believe it or not, I actually picked up some cards not in the Ultimate Memorabilia 11 product this past weekend at the Toronto Expo.

For real.

And while the quantity isn't as great, there's still some quality mask goodness here in this post.

I said some.

2010/11 In The Game Decades
Memorable Masks
#MM-04 Tom Barrasso

I'm almost done with this insert set (just three more to go). I'll admit, it's cards like this one that creates a lack of effort on my part when searching.

Quite simply, this mask is not memorable at all. In fact, I remember Tom with the good ol' helmet and cage...

Oh yes, that brings back memories.

While I appreciate the effort of ITG to put together a quality mask insert set, it just comes up a tad short the more I see some of the photos.

A little grainy and a little ho-hum with some of the player selection.

2010/11 In The Game Decades
Memorable Masks
#MM-03 Mike Liut

Now this was one of my favorite masks growing up. The solid white, the long beak staring down at you. I also think the fact that I rarely saw it made me appreciate it more. Today's masks just don't have that same impact.

Again, the photo is on the grainy side, but I can forgive this one a bit more.

2010/11 In The Game Decades
Memorable Masks
#MM-05 Bunny Larocque

First of all, I think it's pretty cool that Michel's nickname adorns the front of the card (to me.....he's Bunny).

Second, this mask is killer. just simple blue and white, but I'm sold - instantly.

Great sharp photo on this one. I guess they tracked down a good high res shot. Just look at those eyes piercing out from behind the fibreglass.

And you can see the hidden Playboy bunny logo on the cheek. Nice.

2009/10 In The Game 1972 The Year In Hockey
Masked Men
#MM-01 Doug Favell

Finally! A set killer.

This was another slow build. Not because I didn't like the cards, but because I wanted to do this set more 'on the cheap'.

I picked this final piece of cardboard for a buck. And it'll go down as one of my favorites in the set.

Doug's starburst mask wasn't the first painted lid he had. Anyone remember the fully painted orange mask?

Doug became the first goalie to wear a fully-painted mask in NHL history.....and it was done as a practical joke. Here's the story.

Great stuff. It's too bad though that the 'pumpkin' no longer exists.

2010/11 In The Game Between The Pipes
Inspired Masks
#IM-06 Jaroslav Halak

This was a nice find at the Expo. I'm slowly building up this set and am looking forward to the day where I can display them all as a complete set.

Notice in Halak's mask the picture of Patrick Roy raising that Stanley Cup. This iconic pose is what the Inspired Masks theme is all about.

2010/11 In The Game Between The Pipes
Inspired Masks
#IM-03 James Reimer

Lastly, this card was not a show pickup, but rather a mailbox gift upon my return.

Still some Toronto goodness though.

Reimer was the buzz of the league before his whiplash......er concussion-like symptoms......er upper body injury.....um, let me ask his mom. Whatever it is, it's keeping him out of the game - for a while. Never good to see.

And with the way Ben Scrivens is playing, he might be out of a starting job before he really had a chance to solidify it.

And that's not Colonel Sanders on his mask, it's supposed to be Don Cherry. Sometimes it's tough to draw a picture, of a drawn picture, on a mask....on a mask.

Better than I can do.

1 vs. 100 - Finally!

2011-11-17T02:16:00.002-07:00

Well it's about time! Six whole months have gone by since I've added a card to this project.

Way too long of a span if you ask me.

Granted, I haven't really been pursuing any of the cards on the wantlist too aggressively. Plus, the ones left aren't the easiest to find.

I had one deal for three cards fall through a few months ago. A tough break, but what can you do.

This card though was as easy a transaction as you could ask for.

2008/09 Upper Deck SP Game Used
Significant Numbers
#SN-PB Pierre-Marc Bouchard /96

One of the higher numbers left on the list finally gets scratched off.

I knew of this card as it was in the three-pack I was supposed to get a while back.

A rock solid trade from a guy who I actually met at the Toronto Expo....just a couple days before the card arrived in the mail.

He actually asked me if I had received the card yet. Genuine concern over the transaction - now that's a lost art.

Thanks very much Wes for the great trade. This one's a keeper.

79 out of 100 (79%)

BOX BREAKS: 2011/12 Ultimate Memorabilia

2011-11-15T22:46:00.007-07:00

Well, last night it was the Linden haul. Tonight, I show off my box (and a bit) break of UM11.

I pre-ordered a box (5 packs) before going to the Expo so it would be nice and toasty warm when I got there.

While I've opened a pack or two of the high end stuff, I've never bought a box. It was pretty cool (and I could see how it would get addictive).

The last day of the expo, I was very comfortably under my spending budget so I thought I'd give the product another chance by opening a couple more packs (hence, the seven packs).

Here are the goods.

2011/12 In The Game
Ultimate Memorabilia 11

There are three slabbed card to a pack. In it you'll normally receive a base card and a couple of memorabilia cards. Pretty simple.

These are the silver base cards numbered to either 62 or 63 depending on the player.

I ended up with the following guys...

Roberto Luongo /63
Theoren Fleury /63
Tony Esposito /63
Doug Harvey /62
Glenn Hall /62

Not bad, but not great either. In a couple months, these will turn into the 'throwaway cards' of the set. I don't know why, I think that it would be a cool set to build.

Some of the sketches are a little rough, but I like the concept. I wish they were in color though.

Here's the Doug Harvey. A nice mix of the current guys and the oldtimers. Something I like about the ITG products.

There are also gold parallels of the base cards numbered /9. I managed two of them. This Jari Kurri /9...

and Ray Bourque /9. Or.....a pair of scrubs. :)

Ultimate Future Star Autograph Silver
Griffin Reinhart /30

Now that we are done with the base cards, we can move on to the goodies.

This Future Star autograph doesn't really do it for me. I'm not a big fan of the junior guys other than in Heroes and Prospects.

And I think we have another graduate of the scribble school.

Ultimate Future Star Autograph Silver
Colton Gillies /30

Second verse....same as the first.

I'm sure some of you enjoy these cards, and I can appreciate that. That's what makes UM11 a great product. It's more of a 'pick and choose what you want' and leave the rest behind.

So I'll leave these behind.

Goalie Generations Silver
Patrick Roy/Mike Vernon/Tom Barrasso /24

Now we're cookin' with gas. This is an interesting selection of players. Gotta love the Montreal version of Roy. Mikey's gotta put his lid on though.

And boys and girls, always read your card backs. Do you know what common stat these three share?

They all played 19 years in the league. Now you know.

Ultimate Autograph Silver
Mikko Koivu /19

I like the simpler design of this card. Really sharp. And the way that ITG uses the recessed insert for the auto rather than the sticker totally works for me.

It's done with purpose and feels like the player actually signed the card. Only when the auto tucks underneath (as it does with this one) do I lose the effect.

Still, I like it. I just didn't want it to be Koivu. Linden.....yes.

Ultimate Legend Autograph Silver
Scott Niedermayer /9

Seems like the ol' farts don't sign as many cards. Works for me.

Another nice vertical design. The photo is a little fuzzy, but still passable. The hint of red in the design really finishes it off nice.

A solid pull from the product.

All-Stars Silver
Dominik Hasek /24

I can see this being a highly under-appreciated card. But think about it, it's got pieces from four different All-Star games (1997, 1999, 2001, 2002). You don't see that everyday.

And a pair of two-color pieces....very nice.

Ultimate Auto/Stick and Jersey Silver
Nicklas Lidstrom /9

Plain and simple - one nice card.

Symmetrical. I'm a sucker for that. Just another nice looking card with a hint of red to make everything pop.

And it's Lidstrom....../9. Awesome.

Dynamic Duos Silver
Mark Messier/Brian Leetch /24

Hoo-boy. I had to get this pair didn't I. And to kick a Canucks fan when he's down, I know that there's a Linden/Bure dual from this same subset.

Harsh.

I'm holding out hope for a simple swap.

600th Goal Combo Silver
Mike Gartner/Chris Terreri /24

Now this is an interesting concept. How often will you see this duo on a card?

Makes me think of all the weird combos you could come up with.

600th Goal Combo Silver
Wayne Gretzky/Greg Stefan /24

Like this one. And yes, woo-hoo.....a two-color Stefan jersey piece. I'm so lucky.

Still, it works for me. If they can do a full representation of the 600 goal club though....now that would be impressive.

Oh yeah, that's right - they did!

Now on a couple of the pieces, there's two jersey swatches from just the player (eg. Joe Sakic), anyone care to guess why?

Ultimate Autograph Gold
Ilya Kovalchuk 1/1

Out of the seven packs I opened, I pulled two 1/1 cards. Pretty good odds. This is the gold version of the auto card. Again, it's eye-catching. Great design and colors (rich and not overpowering).

Now I just need to find a Kovalchuk collector.

Goalie Generations Gold
Jacques Plante/Harry Lumley/Terry Sawchuk 1/1

This was the number one card from my box break. It's a gorgeous triple memorabilia piece. Two two-color jersey pieces and some vintage pad on the Sawchuk. This card looks sweet in person.

I'm really hoping to parlay this one into some Linden goodness.

Now, those were all the cards that came out of the packs......but my show and tell isn't quite done.

You see, when you purchased a pack of UM11 and opened it at the In The Game Land booth they had set up at the show, you would receive a redemption card - FREE.

Free is good last time I checked.

By the way, they are all quad jersey cards (you'll see what I mean). It's all awesome.

In total, I received seven expo redemption cards. Here they are.

Fall Expo Redemption Silver /25
Winnipeg Jets (Chris Mason/Bryan Little/Ben Maxwell/Andrew Ladd)

J-E-T-S Jets! Jets! Jets! Jets!

And it's not my favorite card.

Did you notice....these cards are numbered /25! And there were some gold versions /5 in the mix as well. Crazy.

Fall Expo Redemption Silver /25
Dallas Stars (Brett Hull/Mike Modano/Joe Nieuwendyk/Brendan Morrow)

Another great group of guys. Cool to see them all on one card.

Fall Expo Redemption Silver /25
Los Angeles Kings (Dave Taylor/Charlie Simmer/Bernie Nicholls/Marcel Dionne)

That's right, not all of them have just current players. Vintage stuff rocks. And LA Kings purple and yellow lead the way (next to the Canucks.......well, all the Canucks).

Fall Expo Redemption Silver /25
Vancouver Canucks (Harold Snepsts/Tiger Williams/Richard Brodeur/Tony Tanti)

Speaking of....here's a nice looking card that brings back good memories. Although I would have loved Garth Butcher over Tony Tanti (no offence).

Fall Expo Redemption Silver /25
Buffalo Sabres (Danny Gare/Rick Martin/Gilbert Perreault/Roger Crozier)

More oldies but goodies. Gotta love Gare's lid. I miss the 'Lanny' helmet.

Fall Expo Redemption Silver /25
Toronto Maple Leafs (Bob Baun/Dave Keon/Tim Horton/Terry Sawchuk)

Say......no......more.

Even you Leaf-haters gotta give this card some props. It is one great looking group.

And for the last card, I received this group of scrubs...

Fall Expo Redemption Silver /25
Team Canada (Mario Lemieux/Steve Yzerman/Joe Sakic/Scott Niedermayer)

Wow........just wow.

Well, that's all of them. My 2011/12 Ultimate Memorabilia break. Hard not to give this product two thumbs up. Some great concepts, designs and player groupings. A couple of 'meh' cards for me, but hey, you can't win them all.

Thanks to the guys at the ITG booth as well for their enthusiasm and help for this rookie box breaker. I may be hooked.

LINDEN POST OF THE YEAR - It's Ultimate!!

2011-11-15T01:18:00.006-07:00

Alright! Are you ready to witness what is without a doubt the greatest Trevor Linden show & tell post EVER?

Well are you?

After a whirlwind Toronto Expo trip, I arrived home yesterday in awe of not only the scale of the show, but the huge number of passionate hobbyists - some of whom were actually pretty cool to talk to.

OK, actually, a lot of them were great to chat it up with.

And the boys from In The Game really made this a weekend to remember. My bank statement says so. :)

Today (as the title says), I'm going to focus on the Trevor Linden cards I picked up. I felt heading into the show that I'd knock a few cards off the list, but never thought I'd hit this many of them.

It'll be a fun ride, so get a drink (I'll wait for you) and enjoy.

2010/11 Panini Zenith
#138 Red Hot

Yes, it's a low-end Linden parallel. But it was a card on my wantlist, I picked it up from the Expo, so it gets due time in this post.

I'm happy to add it and show it off. Every Linden card is a good Linden card.

2010/11 Panini Dominion
#TL2 Private Signings (Montreal)

There are two versions of this card, a Vancouver version and this tougher Montreal version. I was pretty happy to knock this one off my list as it's apparently a super shortprint card.

2011/12 In The Game
#A-TL Canada vs. The World auto

This was another autograph I picked up from the same seller as the above auto. It's currently the only Linden autograph card featuring him in his Team Canada garb.

I still think it's pretty cool that he got to play in an Olympic Games. A rarely talked about career moment.

2010/11 Panini Dominion
#3 Pen Pals Triple (w/ Brodeur & Williams) /25

This was the trifecta for me. Landing this card was a very pleasant surprise. And there's a good story as well.

Near the end of day Friday, I was passing by a booth I had been to earlier. The guy I was chatting with stopped me and simply indicated that he thought he saw a Linden Team Canada auto I might need. He told me what table it was at.

The next morning, I bolted straight to the table. I was surprised to find the Private Signings autograph there instead. Even better.

I asked about the Team Canada auto and sure enough, he had that too. I asked if he had any more Linden autos and he said no.

But right before I paid, I took one last look at his display case and saw this triple signature card staring back at me.

I jokingly asked him what else he was hiding as I pointed the card out to him.

What made the transaction even better is that I was able to get a bulk purchase 'discount'. I probably knocked off a good $10-15 off of what I would have spent if I had picked up the card individually.

A big thanks to the gentleman who works at Collecto-Sports in Drummondville, Quebec (sorry, I forgot his name). That simple gesture really made me feel good.

I made it a point to head over to him right after the purchase, shake his hand and sincerely thank him. I like people like that who just enjoy helping others out.

2010/11 In The Game Decades
#RJA-TL Game Used Jersey & Autograph Silver

Now this card I didn't think I'd see at the show.

With only 3 copies of this card made, I figured they either were gobbled up by collectors, or were sitting in unopened boxes.

The funniest part is that the guy who had it just happened to be sharing a cab with me to the show. We were just casually talking about what we collect.

Fancy that.

What's sad is.......I can't remember what the guy's name is. Now that deserves a head shake.

Thanks anyways cab partner.

Now on to the real meat and potatoes of the post.

In The Game released its Ultimate Memorabilia 11 product on the same weekend as the Toronto Expo. It was one of the big reasons why I decided to make the trip out.

I took a look at some of the mock-ups of the cards as well as the checklist. I'll admit, I was a little scared. The cards looked amazing and there were a number of Trevor Linden goodies to be had.

Did I have success? My bank statement says yes (and surprisingly no at the same time).

2011/12 ITG Ultimate Memorabilia 11
Past Present, Future Silver /24

This triple jersey card (with Henrik Sedin and Cody Hodgson) was one of the first pickups of the weekend.

Just happened to see it on a table, simply asked about the price and was actually quite surprised at how low it was going for (since I was decked out in my mid-90's Canucks alternate jersey).

I couldn't get the cash out of my pocket quick enough.

2011/12 ITG Ultimate Memorabilia 11
Idols Silver /24

This card reinforces my knowledge that Trev was a huge Lanny McDonald fan growing up.

Both played for the Medicine Hat Tigers and Linden even wanted to wear the number 9 with the Canucks, but that ultra-slick Tony Tanti was wearing it at the time.

I like 16 better anyways (no disrespect Lanny).

2011/12 ITG Ultimate Memorabilia 11
Ultimate Automates Silver /9

This was a jaw-dropper when I saw it pulled from its pack.

I was just finishing up opening my box of UM11 when the guy next to me showed me this beauty.

It took a little negotiating, but we soon made out a great trade (both of us were happy).

This card is a huge addition as I know there are a few Bure collectors gunning for this one too.

2011/12 ITG Ultimate Memorabilia 11
Complete Jersey Silver /9

This one just screamed out at me from one of the display cases late on day one.

After a couple minutes of talking with the seller, we both realized that he had made a sale with me a few months earlier on a hobby trade site.

That may have helped me snag this card for a very reasonable price. Actually, he's a really cool guy to deal with - and fair. THAT'S the reason why.

A huge addition as it is the first Linden complete jersey ever.

The emblem and number patches are stunning (I still can't believe that they got that level of coolness in such a small square).

2011/12 ITG Ultimate Memorabilia 11
Complete Jersey Silver /9

Your eyes are not fooling you.....it's another Complete Jersey.

I couldn't help picking this one up as it was part of a package deal along with the last card in the post (now don't go scrolling down and ruining things!!!!!!).

I love that ITG used the ol' skate logo jerseys (the red and yellow just pop off the card better than the blue and green).

I should have a nice time trading this for some more Linden goodies down the road.

Almost home.

One of the very cool parts about the Toronto Expo was that the card companies were promoting their products with various redemption programs and such.

In The Game had a fantastic program where you would receive a special card for every pack of UM11 you opened at their booth. Free!

Free stuff is good. Especially when it looks like this....

2011/12 ITG Ultimate Memorabilia 11
Fall Expo Redemption Quad Silver /25

Now, I didn't receive this one in my batch of redemption cards, but as soon as I saw this one, I knew I had to snag it.

Redemption card in the secondary market are not fun. No sir, not fun at all.

And just look at the players. Linden (nice two color piece), Bure (I heard he's good), Kirk McLean (a very cool pad piece...with stitching) and Gino Odjick...................

A stunning card - and did I mention it was FREE!

What could be better? Well.......

2011/12 ITG Ultimate Memorabilia 11
Fall Expo Redemption Quad Gold /5

How about the gold parallel /5!

By this point, I think I just went into some crazy Linden card cardiac arrest. Just too many Lindens all at once.

Again......FREE! (well, ok, I didn't receive this one either. I actually paid a little more than I wanted, but I knew the chances were slim that I'd see another. And hey.....it's the Toronto Expo! I had saved up my money....so I could spend a little more liberally).

On to the final two card of this monstrous post. And they are the big boys.

A lot of my time this weekend was spent hovering around certain tables that cracked a lot of UM11. They must have hated me constantly asking "Do you have any Lindens?"

I spent even more time at the ITG section watching people box upon box of the product.

I'll admit, even if there were no Linden cards pulled, it was still a pretty sweet show. Some amazing cards in this release. Stay tuned for my box break. It was really fun.

Anyways, I happened to bump into a couple guys just finishing up their breaks when I asked if they had any Linden cards. They had one.....this one.

2011/12 ITG Ultimate Memorabilia 11
Gold Press Plate 1/1

This is the printing plate used to create the base cards for this set.

I asked which booth they were set up at and they indicated that they were just collectors.

I knew that if they left my vicinity, I'd never see the card again. I asked if they would consider selling and they wanted to know what I'd pay.

I hate that question.

Do I go low and hope to work my way to a reasonable compromise? Do I go high and just rip the band-aid off quick?

I threw out a mid-range number and they might have gone for it. The ITG staffer mentioned that he heard the silver 1/1 went for $80.

The owner of the card then countered with $100 (since he felt the gold was more rare....news flash - they're both 1/1's).

I bit and paid the man, got the card and the bad feeling was instantly gone.

Actually, $100 is a pretty darn good price if you ask me. I'd have paid more (but don't tell anyone that).

Last card. And one last story.

I arrived at the show Friday afternoon around 2:00. The show had been going on for about an hour.

I met up with a couple fellow hobbyists I had met in the past and the topic soon drifted to the Canucks. I asked if any Linden card had been seen yet.

One of the guys unzips his bags and pulls out TWO Linden 1/1 cards. The base card sketch card and the gorgeous looking Emblem (although not quite as nice as mine from last year).

I just shook my head. I was there mere minutes and already two huge Linden card were gone. Thankfully, I was told that they were heading off to another Linden collector (who I know) and I knew they were going to a good home.

Still, I wanted to find that 'big' card as well. And on the Saturday, the opportunity presented itself.

2011/12 ITG Ultimate Memorabilia 11
Ultimate Tag 1/1

This card was literally shoved in my face after a huge Sakic collector tracked it down (along with one of the Complete Jerseys from above). He was actually looking for me so that we could work out a sale.

He simply gave me the price (the price he said he paid for the cards), and who was I to argue. It was just the card I was looking for - and again, I was at the Toronto Expo.....I decided to spend a little.

I was thrilled that it was me he was on the lookout for - made me feel good.

Well, that's the Trevor Linden portion of my Toronto Expo adventure. It was truly one of the best hobby experiences I've ever had.

A big thanks to everyone I met, to everyone who makes these great cards and to everyone who stuck it out through this entire post (you're all crazy people...and I mean that in the best possible way).

I'm Back!!!!!

2011-11-13T22:57:00.002-07:00

Well, I have been quiet about this for the past couple weeks. I don't really like advertising to the internet world when I will be flying off on some vacation.

In a nutshell......

I went to the Toronto Fall Sportscard Expo.

And in another nutshell....

My Linden collection grew - LOTS!

I will conclude by saying that this expo happened to land on the weekend when ITG Ultimate Memorabilia 11 came out (and Linden makes many appearances).

An 'Ultimate" show & tell will happen Monday.

Don't you dare miss it!

Custom Creations - Mark Scheifele

2011-11-10T01:01:00.004-07:00

It's been a busy week on a number of fronts. Work is still in high gear (probably until the first week of December), I've been trying to get some year end paperwork in order (yeah....good luck with that), I've made a couple feeble attempts at Christmas shopping (last year I spent the first 3 days of my vacation time shopping....it's not happening this year) and I have a very important trip upcoming (details on that to follow).

Man.....I can't wait for the new year to hit. I need a break. :)

Back to my trip for a minute. It's a trip I've been wanting to take for a number of years but have just never pulled the trigger.

This trip even inspired me to quickly slap together this custom card (all will be revealed at a later point).

This Mark Scheifele custom celebrates his first NHL goal. What I like about the custom is that it's simple (say for the fact he's cut out) and both the picture on the front and back are from the game where he scored his first goal.

I like stuff like that.

I gotta say, the more I see the Jets logo, the more I like it. I think it looks rock solid in the background of this custom.

I tried printing it out on different paper as well. It was more of a textured matte paper. I liked it a lot, but the paper stock was too thick. When I put taped the front and back together and put it through my die-cutter, the edges curled slightly.

Either the final product was too thick, or the blades on the cutter need a sharpen.

Regardless, I got one printed, assembled and cut that looks good to me.

I can't wait to put it to good use.

RATE MY MASK - Jonas Hiller

2011-11-05T00:58:00.006-06:00

Another week has sped by and I feel a little behind with things.

I was away in Edmonton this past week. Not for business, but to check out a concert that was circled on the calendar for over a year.

I heard rumblings almost two years ago that one of my favorite performing groups was preparing an homage to one of my niece's favorite performers.

When I saw tickets go on sale, I snagged enough for everyone to go. It was a no-brainer.

Fast forward to this week and we made the trek up to the provincial capital to sit back and enjoy the wonderment of one of the best (if not THE BEST) concerts I've ever seen.

The Michael Jackson Immortal Tour put on by the Cirque du Soleil troupe ended up being sensory overload. My eyes and ears couldn't keep up at times with everything that was going on. Note: this video does not do the performance justice. Everything.....EVERYTHING was spot on perfection.

From a rock solid live band to state of the art video board (and some amazing video editing) to the instantly identifyable 'Cirque' costumes to the performers (and performances) themselves. It was just awesome hearing some of MJ's hits filling an arena the likes of a generation ago.

Absolutely stunning.

If you're a fan of Michael Jackson or Cirque du Soleil.....I highly recommend this production.

Well, upon return to Calgary, I was invited to a screening of a documentary that I've had on the radar for a number of months.

Senna is the story of F1 legend Ayrton Senna. From his beginnings in F1 in 1984 to his domination of the racing sport (winning 3 World Championships) to his tragic death in 1994, this documentary has some incredible archive footage and some really insightful interviews.

Not knowing much at all about Senna before seeing the film, I enjoyed the doc even more as the learning curve was even greater. I was able to appreciate the movie on numerous levels.

Check it out if you get a chance.

Now, on to the mask.

A perfect choice for this month.

Jonas Hiller wanted to do something special for 'Movember' and he let his mask do the talking.

Movember is a time to both have some fun growing some crazy moustaches as well as raise awareness (and hopefully some money) towards fighting prostate cancer.

A stark contrast to the (some would say) boring black lid Hiller's been wearing the past while, this Movember mask shows each member of the Anaheim team dedicated a photo. Each photo has a nice Sharpie moustache drawn on.

Classic.

What's even cooler is that at the end of the month, Jonas will have the mask auctioned off with all the money going to battle prostate cancer.

Hiller himself makes an appearance on the backplate. And if there was ever a cool goofy pic....this would be it.

There's no question that this unique design and outside the box thinking will definitely lead to some copycat masks down the road. If it can raise even more money - I say go for it.

A slam dunk 5 out of 5 rating. Great concept, great execution, great job of raising awareness.

Now if I could only grow half a Sharpie moustache.

Your turn now to Rate My Mask!!!!

As a bonus video (since I'm in the video mood), here's an interview with Jonas talking about his Movember mask.

LINDEN CARD OF THE WEEK - Panini Certified Expo 10

2011-10-31T23:18:00.000-06:00

Only one Linden card arrived in the mail this past week, but it was one I never thought I'd be adding to the collection.

No......it's not the quad auto (although I'm working on it). :)

2010/11 Panini Certified Immortals #170 Trevor Linden Toronto Fall 'Expo 10' /5

This card was a redemption insert when you opened up Panini products at the Fall Toronto Expo last year.

Numbered to only 5, I saw a couple of them sprout on ebay and the price grow quickly (too much for my liking).

I hadn't seen one for months and just came to the conclusion that the five of them were sitting either in other collectors' pc's or in the basement at Panini remaining unclaimed.

When I saw this one hit ebay a couple weeks ago, I immediately put the crosshairs on it. The best part is that I paid about a third of what I expected it to go for.

A double bonus for me.

Another toughie off of last year's list.

OPINION: GENEROSITY

2011-10-30T20:55:00.001-06:00

I've said many times in the past - Do good things and good things happen. That extends out from the simple boundaries of hockey card collecting (obviously), but for this post, I will stick to just that circle.

Over the past couple weeks, I've been the recipient of a few acts of generosity from other hobbyists and hockey fans. While I know a couple of them read this blog, not all might. Regardless, I'd like to offer a big 'Thank You' to everyone who've been generous in sending me a gift, a card, a package, a piece for my pc. The cards upcoming in this post are just a few recent receipts, but there have been a few as well in the past.

Thank you!

On to the show & tell.

2010/11 In The Game Decades Autograph #A-TLI Trevor Linden

This card is one that I have wanted since it came out last spring. A nice hard-signed Linden auto. One of the first autos released by In The Game since Trev agreed to sign with ITG.

But the price tag has always been too high for my liking. I was really hoping to trade for one.

It took a number of months, but I finally found a copy at a previous traders night and the wheels were in motion to try and work a trade.

No luck that night (but I knew there would be more chances the following month).

Well, a few months have passed and at the last traders night, the owner of the card just handed it to me. He said we could work something out down the road, but for now the card belonged in my collection.

Talk about trust and generosity.

Of course, me and my 'Achilles Heel' issue of not remembering names.....can't remember his name. I think it's Mike (in fact, I'm pretty sure).

I do know that he collects HOF autographs, and I'm making a point of finding a card that will fit nicely into his collection.

1991/19 Score Young Superstars #11 Trevor Linden

This card along with the one below came from the same trade night.

Brian (Captain Canuck) pulled this Linden out of his stashed box of cards and simply plunked it down on my box of traders. Not looking for anything in return.

And although I already have a copy of this card, it's the gesture and the thought that counts (cheesy as it may sound). But what I do plan on doing is replacing the copy currently in my collection with this card. It might be a little more 'worn', but it will be a card that will remind me of a very simple gesture that really means a lot.

1991/92 7th Inning Sketch #283 Jamie Linden

This is the second card Brian gave me. Another Linden....but not Trevor this time.

I had always contemplated starting a collection of Jamie's cards. Trevor's younger brother has a couple dozen out there. If I ever do, this one will sit proudly in the pc.

As it stands, this one's not going anywhere.

Thanks again Brian!

2007/08 Upper Deck Ice Glacial Graphs #GG-SA Marc Savard

There are two people I have to thank for this last grouping of cards. Casey (over at Drop The Gloves!) and Steven Kampfer.

Who's Steven Kampfer you ask?

I was asking the same thing after joining Casey's contest at the start of the season. Kampfer was on the 21-man starting roster for the Boston Bruins this year. Casey's contest consisted of people winning when the first goal was scored, first assist, etc. Each entry was given a random player.

I was given Kampfer.

The problem.....he was injured. The benefit....that made me a winner right off the bat.

I received a beefy package from Casey last week and the Savard was the one of many great cards to add to the collection.

Let's take a look at some others.

2005/06 Upper Deck Trilogy Ice Scripts #IS-MT Marty Turco

This hard signed Turco is a really nice card. I've never really taken the time to look at this set. Man these cards are thick. It's like a solid piece of fibreglass. It won't bend and I'm sure it would snap as opposed to tear if you tried to split it in half.

2010/11 Panini Playoff Contenders Leather Larceny #1 Cam Ward

I've seen these cards in the past and was really happy to see one included in the package.

It's got a look and feel of leather (ok...not a real feel of leather, more like a leather looking texture). Still, a pretty neat idea.

Some of the photos on these cards in the set are a little 'meh' for me, but the Ward is pretty darn solid. Just look at him showing off the puck he's found in his glove.

2010/11 O-Pee-Chee Marquee Rookie #605 Jacob Markstrom

I really liked the looks of this card when Casey showed it off on his blog. I even commented on it. I can't help but think he made a mental note when I saw this card within the stack I received.

Just that little bit of something that means just that much more to me.

Of course, if it was just a coincidence then I feel like a bit of a maroon....but I'm betting on the prior.

This card represents the goalie cards that were included in the package. I nice assortment, some with a nice closeup shot of the mask. Cool beans.

2005/06 Upper Deck Rookie Threads #RT-BB Brandon Bochenski

In addition to the autos and goalie cards, there were a few jersey cards. Very cool.

How many of you remember Brandon when he lit it up with Ottawa that one preseason? How many of you took him in your hockey pool as a result? Let's not talk about that anymore.

I wonder where he is now?

2010/11 Panini Playoff Contenders #99 Daniel Sedin

This Sedin card represents the bundle of Canucks cards included in the package. It was very nice of Casey to make a note that I am a Canucks fan. Some cool base cards from recent releases that will fit nicely into my 'One Sheet, One Set' project.

1991/92 O-Pee-Chee #422 Chris Terreri

Yes! Chris Terreri makes an appearance on my blog. It might be the only time he does.

I just really liked this photo of Chris getting snowed. Looks like a Flyer was the culprit.

This card represents some of the 'old school' cards from back in the day. There were some great Upper Deck cards from the early 90's and a few OPC goodies.

1980 Topps #77 Dave Stieb

Talk about a guy who might never see the light of day ever again on my blog. Dave Stieb.

Yes, in addition to the many hockey cards I received, there was some baseball included in the lot.

Blue Jays - all of them.

It instantly took me back to the early 80's when I collected both hockey and baseball. I miss those days.

Very cool stuff.

Overall, Casey fired off 45 cards my way. More than I ever would have expected from simply entering my name into his start-of-the-season hockey contest.

A very generous contest at that (since I was not the only winner).

Thanks very much Casey!

These are just three examples of the generosity that I see on a pretty regular basis. Not just towards me, but in general. At shows, at stores, online...it happens more than one might think.

Often, a random act of kindness gets overshadowed by some of the negativity that hovers around this hobby like a vulture. I really wanted to make a point that this generosity is something that can easily overpower the negative if one wants it to.

Thank you again to everyone who's been a part of the positive in the past. It's something that has not gone unnoticed by me.

RAISE THE CUP - A Little Peach Fuzz

2011-10-30T15:43:00.003-06:00

What a great weekend! The weather is awesome (I contemplated breaking out the golf clubs one more time), I spent some time with my niece and nephew, I watched a couple movies, caught a couple games on TV, went to a card show and most importantly - I did not work a single second.

Oh how I have missed you weekends.

This afternoon, I'm hanging out watching some football and getting caught up with my hockey cards. It's an escape day.

First post - more Cup raisers.

I picked up these three from the show I went to yesterday. This first one though was a neat find.

2011/12 O-Pee-Chee
#49 Marc-Andre Fleury (playoff beard variation)

This was an insert set I was unaware of until yesterday. The first 50 cards in this year's OPC set has a duplicate insert. The card looks the same say for the silver writing of the player's name and the different photo.

The photos in these parallel cards all show the players sporting their playoff beards (except for a few of the Penguins young ones......there's a difference between a beard and peach fuzz).

I thought it was a neat idea and picked up a few more for my 'One Sheet, One Set' project. Sadly, I only picked up 7 more, leaving this Fleury card in limbo. Do I put it in the 'Raise The Cup' pc or the 'One Sheet, One Set' pc?

Stanley Cup set is where it will go.

2008/09 Upper Deck
Montreal Canadiens Centennial Set
Coupe Stanley Cup #198 Yvon Cournoyer

Another one from 'The Roadrunner'. I like this pic. I just wanted it a tad wider so I could see the whole Cup.

A great card from a fantastic set. A must for any Montreal fan IMO.

Man some of these guys have a lot of rings.

2005/06 Upper Deck
Power Play Cup Celebrations
#123 Wayne Gretzky

Last but certainly not least - another one from The Great One.

I never lose interest when I see a shot of Wayne raising the Cup. This set from Power Play is a definite favorite of mine. Finding this Gretzky for half price was a nice bonus at the card show.

Three more for the binder.

Current Collection - 61 cards

CARDBOARD PHOTOGRAPHY - Brett Hull

2011-10-28T07:30:00.003-06:00

Wow....almost a full week between posts. Work was a 'fun' one this week. One thing I enjoy about my job is that there are rock-solid deadline days. What I hate about my job sometimes.......rock-solid deadline days.

Yesterday was one of those days.

The good news is today will be a breeze (maybe even a little movie watching at work) and I've got an extra long weekend as I'm taking a few days off next week.

But enough about that....on to the card.

Warning: The following image might be disturbing in nature.....if you're a Buffalo Sabres fan.

2011/12 Upper Deck
Parkhurst Champions
#105 Brett Hull

Last week, I was introduced to the 'wire image photo' cards inserted into this year's Parkhurst product. Every time I see one, I'm drawn to it.

This one was a must have as soon as it was pack pulled from a game of pack wars.

Not only does it have great view of such a controversial moment, but it's timed as such to show almost the exact time that the infraction in question was made.

Hasek is his usual self....sprawled out on the ice, flopping around like a fish trying to stop the puck (hey, whatever works), and Hull is ever the opportunist.

The black & white tinting of the shot really adds to that 'news' feel. Capturing a moment...for posterity.

What confuses me a bit is text at the bottom of the card. It states that Mike Modano (9) is looking on.

Now I'm no expert in hockey, but even an untrained eye can see that Mike Modano does not appear in the shot.

This makes me wonder if these wire photo cards use actual wire photos and captions? Or if Upper Deck writes their own captions?

Either way, an avoidable blunder on what otherwise is an outstanding card.

.....unless you're a Buffalo Sabres fan.

RAISE THE CUP - New Favorite Card

2011-10-22T00:23:00.005-06:00

Three new cards to add to the collection...and a mighty nice trifecta if I do say so myself.

1999/00 Upper Deck
Wayne Gretzky Living Legend
#85 First Stanley Cup 83/84

This card was part of a 99-card set commemorating the career of The Great One. I picked up the set last weekend at the local card show for a whopping $5. At the time, I thought there would be a few cards showing him raising the Stanley Cup.

Sadly, this is the only one.

Now I only need one card to complete the set. :)

2011/12 Upper Deck
Parkhurst Champions
#74 Brent Sutter

This card came from the hot product of the night at traders night a couple days ago.

Parkhurst Champions has the feel of one of my all-time favorite sets - 2006/07 Parkhurst.

The player selection is diverse both in eras and abilities and the photo selection for the most part is a breath of fresh air.

I plan on doing a more involved post down the road. I gotta say, the more I saw of the product as the night went on, the more I liked it.

If you want a good overview of the product now though, check out this box break from Captain Canuck over at Just A Bit Offside.

The card itself has a great pick from an era that's near and dear to my heart. The early 80's was when I really started getting into hockey and hockey card collecting.

Too bad it wasn't a Trottier, Bossy, Smith, Goring, Gillies, Nystrom, Potvin or Arbour. But I guess this would be the next best thing.

2011/12 Upper Deck
Parkhurst Champions
#124 Mark Messier/Jari Kurri

This 'wire image photo' card made me do a solid double-take when I first laid eyes on it. What a gorgeous photo.

At first I wasn't a huge fan of the design concept, but when I saw these cards in person and when I saw the subject and photo selection - I quickly changed my tune.

This pic of Messier and Kurri is another strong example of the essence of the 'Raise The Cup' project. And as much as I hate The Moose, I must say that seeing him in his Oilers gear purely celebrating victory makes this one Messier that can come along for the ride. A new fave in my collection.

Stay tuned for more of these wire image cards. I might just try building the set.

Current Collection - 58 cards

BEHIND THE MASKS - One And Done

2011-10-20T01:05:00.005-06:00

The third Wednesday of the month can only mean one thing. Trade night!

I tried my best to resist the urge to bust a box or two. I'm really leaning towards going to the Toronto Expo next month and wanted to save the case for that trip.

That didn't mean I walked out empty-handed.

I played a few rounds of pack wars (and lost them all). It sucks because there were some amazing pulls tonight, highlighted by a Parkhurst Champions Gretzky Printing Plate 1/1.

I made a few trades as well. One of which had stemmed from my Dominion break a month ago.

2010/11 In The Game
Between The Pipes
Inspired Masks
#IM-12 Carey Price

This is the fourth card to make into the collection from this eye-catching Inspired Masks set.

The mask Carey is wearing comes from the Heritage Classic played in Calgary last season. The design was inspired by the king of the goalie mask, Jacques Plante.

Crude and frightening, Plante was often taunted for wearing the mask. Most opponents called him 'chicken' for wearing protective head gear. I'm sure they would have been singing a different tune if they had a few hundred stitches in their face.

It might not look pretty, but it saved him countless times from suffering more broken bones. It also prolonged his career for many years. I'm sure that's why he became heavily involved in the production of goalie masks.

Gotta love dynamic lighting. It just makes his mask even more creepy.

Back to the Price card. It's one of the more sought after cards in the set, so to add it to the collection for what I thought was more than a fair trade makes me even more happy.

What I love about the card is the seamless transition between the hair on the mask and Carey's hair. The ear placement is bang on where it should be. It really gives the illusion that he's donning an old school lid.

Stay tuned for the rest of my trade night pickups. There's a couple of tremendous pc pickups and some good ol' hobby generosity.

Fantastic stuff!

ONE SHEET, ONE SET - 2008/09 MVP Rookies

2011-10-18T05:49:00.003-06:00

I was flipping through my binders last night, trying to find a sheet that had a bit of an eye-catch to it. After the simplicity of the Enshrined product, I wanted a little more excitement to the card.

Here's what I came up with.

2008/09 Upper Deck
MVP Rookies

This 92-card subset to the MVP product definitely delivers in 'loudness'. The first time I saw these cards, I was immediately reminded that these are ROOKIE cards.

I've always remembered MVP as being a more subtle and simple product.

Not these cards.

MVP went with a more bold approach in design and text. While it does give it a 'stop-and-look' effect, it can also come across as a product geared towards a younger collector.

Obviously, the first thing you see when looking at this card is the 'Rookie' text at the bottom. It takes up a lot of space, but allows for a decent amount of photo still. The font style is pretty bold and simple and the matching of color to the team palette is a nice touch.

The photo is encased in a moderately thick white border - again a little more bold than most releases. It offsets the background texture nicely (which is a consistent blue gradient line effect with what looks like the middle section erased).

The team name is along the left side (nicely fitting in the white space for easy reading) and the player name sits along the bottom. Simple but consistent text font is again used.

Within the photo sits the Upper Deck logo (in silver foil) in the top left corner and the MVP logo (again in silver foil) just above the 'Rookie' text. I'm on the fence with what they did to the MVP logo. It's somewhat unobtrusive, but looks a little messy as well. Something a tad smaller and more in the corner of the photo might have been better.

The photo itself is ok at best. Nothing too spectacular with action. And the quality of the pictures is a little bland. Some even slightly out of focus.

Not enough 'dynamic' shots for such a bold card.

The back of the card continues with the 'loud' theme.

The team logo screams off the card along with the text to the right of it indicating when the player was drafted. While it's consistent with the front of the card, it's a little much for my taste.

The player name, number, position are in the upper section. I like the way it is framed on the card, I like the simplicity of it as a header and I like the simple card number in the upper left.

That said, I think it lacks information. Give me more than just his height, weight and when he was born. It seems sparse.

A tidbit about the player appears under the team logo. Tidbits are nice, but when all you have are tidbits.....not so much.

All of the text is framed nicely in the 'file-tabbed' shaped rectangle. It fits in with the front of the card and is maybe a little more striking since there is a ton of white.

It doesn't show as nicely with the blue, but the team color is incorporated in the border as well as the bold text of the player name and draft info. Points for that.

A ton of white because there's no information. More beef, less bun please.

The MVP logo sits in the background and is a little more bold than on the front of the card.

The bottom logos and text isn't too bad.....I've seen worse. But I can't understand why there isn't just a little more in terms of statistics. Give me his final year in junior....something - anything.

Overall, the card design has some hits and some misses. I can appreciate the attempt, but I think some slight refining would have launched this card to the next level.

As for the checklist of players, Steven Stamkos is definitely the number one guy on the list. Followed by Drew Doughty, James Neal and then it drops off after that.

With it being slapped with the MVP label, these cards sit on the lower end of rookie cards. A nice option if you want an inexpensive RC of one of the top players. A quick ebay search shows the Stamkos being had for $5-10. Not bad.

Not the worst set I've ever seen, but not the best.

Definitely one you won't miss when looking for it.

2.5 out of 5

CONCEPTS - Nicknames

2011-10-17T05:56:00.005-06:00

While scouring the tables at the local card show this past weekend, I was talking with one of the dealers about a recently released card. That discussion has motivated me to finally write up this post.

Through the decades, card companies have introduced new cards to us hobbyists. New ideas, new concepts. From inserts to jersey cards, autographs to limited print runs, there's always something on the horizon to try and make the hobby feel fresh and exciting.

Sometimes new ideas are far fetched, sometimes they are a dud. Every once in a while though, a new concept is produced that catches my eye and makes me stop and appreciate them.

So, I'm going to do just that. First up.....'Nicknames'.

2010/11 Panini Dominion
Notable Nicknames

This was the card that we were talking about. It's one of 10 cards in the new Notable Nicknames Autograph set released by Panini in their Dominion product.

Hard signed and numbered to just 50 copies, I commented that something as simple as Jarome adding "Iggy" to his card immediately places that card in a different light for me.

What I like about it is that it put a bit of light on the individuality of the player.

Do you remember the first time you pulled an autograph card from a pack? I bet it was pretty cool. A new idea...the thought that the player was actually holding on to the very card now in your hands. But year after year of seeing autographs...seeing sticker autographs...over-saturation, it just diminishes the 'specialness' of the autograph card.

Now, by having the player add a little personal touch to the card, that connection to the player is reinforced.

Some of the other cards in the set include this Doug Gilmour favorite of mine. Additionally, the checklist includes Dustin Byfuglien, Felix Potvin, Ed Belfour and Mark Messier. I've seen a Messier....sadly, he didn't grasp the concept - he only signed his name.

The one card in the set I'm looking forward to seeing most is the Jean Beliveau. In addition to his phenomenal signature, I can already appreciate the time and care he would have put towards making this nicknames project the best it can be.

One card in the set had me scratching my head though....

Sadly, I had to do some research to find out Al's nickname. You'll have to do the same too. :) Once you find out....you'll see it.

But this concept is not a new one. Card companies have used this technique in the past and have created some really fun and highly discussed sets.

2007/08 Upper Deck Trilogy
Personal Scripts

This Bob Nystrom card from a few years back is one of my favorites. Not only is the photo on the card awesome (I miss the helmet-less days), the simplistic scribe of 'Thor' just punches off the card.

I haven't seen any other cards from this release, but the checklist looks deadly.

A 38-card set that includes the likes of Bobby Clarke, Bobby Hull and Bobby Orr, Ron Hextall, Phil Esposito, Lanny McDonald and Jari Kurri.

Even some of today's stars like Sidney Crosby, Marc-Andre Fleury, Martin St. Louis and Corey Perry.

Now, with this set - 'Personal Scripts' - the idea isn't always about nicknames. Sometimes the player includes when they were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, or if they accomplished something unique.

Still, the idea of making the card more personal is there.

2005/06 Upper Deck Trilogy
Personal Scripts

Trilogy has used this concept in the past more than once. I tracked down this fantastic Gordie Howe card from the same insert set a couple years prior to the Nystrom.

This 21-card set is equally as intriguing as its 07/08 counterpart.

'Mr. Hockey' is so synonymous with Howe that he includes his nickname quite regularly when he signs his cards. You can find a number of examples with a quick search on ebay.

To my earlier point, I think it starts making the inscription a little less special........just a little. :)

2004/05 Upper Deck Legendary Signatures
AKA Autographs

Without question, the granddaddy of the 'Nicknames' concept goes to this stunning collection of cards from 04/05.

Breaking new ground to create this 24-card set, Upper Deck started a buzz with the uniqueness and coolness of this eclectic mix of players.

Where else would you see Al Iafrate and Gump Worsley sit side by side? Tony Twist and Glenn Hall?

I find myself just looking at this set over and over, appreciating each card individually (remembering each of their nicknames just takes me back to the time when they played), but then realizing how cool it is to see a set like this completed (numbered to just 100, it's not impossible, but pretty rare to see a full set).

A great way to cap off this look at one of my favorite concepts to come along on the past decade.

Do you know of any other nickname cards out there?

Do you have any favorite concepts?

LINDEN CARD(s) OF THE WEEK - Card Show Double Take

2011-10-16T00:36:00.005-06:00

I think the funk I was in is officially over.

While I didn't manage to go skating with my niece and nephew (that's in the agenda sooner than later), we did go glow-in-the-dark bowling tonight.

A fun time just being goofs. It can't get much better than that.

Earlier in the day, I made the quick trip to the monthly card show here. One that I have been going to for years. I missed last month's show (the first of the year), but was determined to make it out this time. Especially since Dominion was hot off the presses for the shows.

And the tables didn't disappoint.

Rarely do I track down even one Linden at the local shows. Today, I found three (actually four.....you'll see).

2010/11 Panini Playoff Contenders
Classic Ticket #103

A simple base card that I decided I wouldn't pick up off of ebay. The price to ship it is more than I was willing to shell out for the card.

I finally tracked down a copy. Still paid more than I needed to, but for a toonie, it was worth being able to scratch it off the list.

2010/11 Panini Dominion
Legends #150 /99

Another base card. This one I severely overpaid for, but again I felt it was worth it since I was able to pick it up locally. Plus, the guy I bought it from always seems to have good deals and is fair to work with.

He also happened to have this on his table...

2010/11 Panini Dominion
Legends #150 Ruby Auto /50

This one definitely caught my eye. Wasn't expecting to see it at the show.

This card has been up and down all over the place on ebay. I've seen it go from $10 to over $50.

I asked what he wanted for it, he named his price, it was a little more than I wanted to pay for it, but again....you just don't see these cards at the shows.

So I jumped at it. I was happy with the deal.

Until I moved down about three tables...

Yup. Wouldn't you know it.

I just shook my head. I asked how much he wanted for it. His price came in at almost half what I just shelled out for the other one.

Ouch.

And to add salt to the wound...

It's the one numbered to his jersey #16.

Not that it makes much difference to me, but it can provide a small premium to some collectors.

I figured what the heck....so I picked that one up too. It'll be a nice trader down the road.

I never thought I'd find two identical Linden autos /50 at the same show.

I learned my lesson today.

CARDBOARD PHOTOGRAPHY - Ken Wregget

2011-10-14T00:05:00.003-06:00

I'm noticing a trend when it comes to the cards I've talked about in previous 'Cardboard Photography' posts.

I like goalies!

So why stop.

1996/97 Upper Deck
#135 Ken Wregget

Talk about a moment frozen in time. This pic takes the cake.

Now, the caption at the bottom says "Wregget stones the Rangers 40 times en route to 4-1 win". So I'm assuming this photo ends up as either a save or the puck goes wide. I'm hard pressed to think Upper Deck would use the one goal New York scored as the picture used in a stellar goaltending performance.

The one small beef I have about this card is that you have very little reference as to where the net is. You can kind of make out the crease, and it appears that you can make out the shadow of the mesh in the netting. But a post or crossbar would have been nice.

By loosening the shot a bit, you'd also be able to eliminate cutting off Messier's head (which I found funny anyways).

I really like the 'zero blur', razor sharp image captured here. From Wregget flopping back to make the save, to Moose licking his chops at a loose puck (and potential garbage goal), to the fans in the crowd who are seemingly in awe by the action.

I think the shot has got good exposure, decent framing and works well with the layout of the card.

Now if it could only be determined if it was a goal?

An interesting tidbit on the back of the card...Ken led all NHL goaltenders in wins in 1994/95.

Seems harmless enough, but there was something odd about the stats, and the year......it took me a bit, but I figured it out.

Get this...

Ken Wregget played in 17 NHL seasons. He led the league in wins once (94/95). He had only 25 wins that year. I'm sure you can guess why. Yup, it was the shortened, 48-game lockout year.

Now the weird bit. Ken's best season as an NHL goalie in terms of wins? 1994/95! A whopping 25 wins!

That's his BEST season. Ken won 20+ games in a season only 5 times and never cracked more than 25.

Yikes.

SCRIBBLES & SCRIBES - I'm Back!

2011-10-12T23:02:00.007-06:00

It has been a mighty long time since I've posted a 'Scribbles & Scribes' entry, but who am I to deny longtime reader Michael over at Collecting For Kicks from enjoying one of his favorite topics.

So I did some hunting and searching and digging.....scouring the Internets for scribble goodness (actually, it was the scribe that naturally took a while to track down - BUT I FOUND ONE!).

And believe it or not, he still plays in the NHL. So it's a rare one.

Enjoy.

Nathan Horton
SCRIBBLE

More like a lazy attempt than random sharpie swirls, this 'signature' from Nathan fits the bill just fine.

For those of you who were unaware, Horton sports the number 16 on his jersey. Thanks for letting us know Nate.

It never ceases to amaze me just how ugly looking a bad autograph can be.

It almost makes me want to start a new side project - Ugly Autos.

Almost.

And now, the B-side to this terrible single, the clean side of the crumb filled cushion......
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Ray Whitney
SCRIBE

Hey? Yeah? I think we have a winner!

I see some legibility (is that a word? it doesn't have a squiggly line under it....so it must be good). I see both capital letters and lower case. I see a first name and a last. And I see it all along one straight line.

It meets the checklist of scribe.

If it looks like a duck and smells like a duck.......(that's how the saying goes right?).

Granted, Ray is on the tail end of his career (can you even name the team he's playing for?). I can.....I took him in one of my pools.

Thanks for the blog post suggestion Michael. Hope you liked it.

OPINION: FUNKS

2011-10-11T04:48:00.002-06:00

Man, this past week and a half has really got me messed up.

On the positive side, the NHL season is in full swing, I'm involved in a pair of hockey pools and I'm making strides towards traveling to Toronto to attend my first ever Toronto Card Expo (in mid-November).

But work has flung some more weight on the plate recently causing me to think a lot about what's left before the end of the year. I'm a few weeks behind in my paperwork (which bugs the crap out of me) and I'm behind on getting my e-mails sorted out. My condo looks like a bomb exploded and I've got a bit of a backlog of laundry staring me square in the face. Add to that the projects that have taken up my time so far this year (they just won't get off my plate for some reason), the custom cards that I've been completely neglectful about...and I don't like that and the overall disarray of my collection - hoo boy.

But all I wanted to do this weekend was relax. With it being Thanksgiving weekend (here in Canada), it stands up to be the last three day weekend of the year. The home stretch to Christmas (yikes!).

You'd think I'd be able to get some nice relaxing time in watching the odd hockey or football game......but no.

Some of it was spent recovering from a pounding headache on Friday and Saturday. Sunday was turkey dinner at my sister's house (and I'd like to note....that was the best part of the weekend bar none). Monday was spent feeling guilty that I let my weekend slide away.

To top it all off, I'm supposed to be in early Tuesday at work as we have some group work that needs some prep time. Trying to get to sleep was not in the cards.

So here I am, it's 5:00am and I've got an hour and a half to kill before I go into work. Where did the weekend go?

My motivation to blog has been down a bit. I think it's been the lack of cards I've picked up recently, but I look all over my office and see a ton of cards I've never shown off. It doesn't add up.

On the plus side, the last hour has me caught up on my e-mails and a solid dent in my paperwork. I should have that done by the time I go to work.

Have you ever been in a 'funk'? How long did it last?

I think after my shift at work today I'm calling in the troops. My sister, brother-in-law, niece and nephew have always been great at getting me on track or motivated. I think this time I'll call on them to help me get out of this funk.

It might be a day trip out somewhere, or maybe even a basement purge here at my place. Whatever it is, I hope it will be the engine restart I need right now.

TO THE BIKE SPOKES!!! - Dominic Roussel

2011-10-05T23:17:00.004-06:00

Well, tonight was the second hockey draft in two nights for me. To summarize how I feel about my picks, I will show you this card.

1995/96 Score
#182 Dominic Roussel

Now, at first this card might look like it belongs in the "Cardboard Photography" section. After all, it's a cool glove hand flash.

But take a close look at what's in his glove.

That's right - nothing.

And take a look at his face.

His eyes are looking behind him...directly into the net.

Yup, it was a 'swing-and-a-miss' for me when it came to my hockey pool selections.

I won't bore you with all of my picks. Instead, I will let you cringe at some of the names that came out of my mouth.

Martin Brodeur (not so bad.....if it wasn't for the fact that Cam Ward was still available).

Sheldon Souray (is he still playing? I hope so).

Jaromir Jagr (let's just say that the groans were mighty - throughout the room).

Ville Leino (not in a million years did I expect to pick him).

And that's just from Tuesday's draft. Here's some goodies from tonight. (keep in mind, I picked 14th out of 14.....not fun)

Sheldon Souray (no joke....I decided to double my pleasure).

Travis Zajac (um yeah, he's out for a couple months....nice job in your research).

Steve Mason (the goalies went quick and he was the best of the leftovers...unless you want to count backups. I should have considered one of them).

Anze Kopitar (not necessarily a bad pick, but when your top two guys are Kopitar and Mike Richards....you're hoping that the Kings have a huge season). 'One' and 'two' they are not in my books.

Needless to say, I am sitting here looking at my picks with palm clearly in face. Let's hope for a crazy season.

So with that, Dominic Roussel, and your lack of keeping your eye on the puck.....

PPPPFFFFFFTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!

TO THE BIKE SPOKES!!!!!!!!!!

LINDEN CARD OF THE WEEK - 1997/98 Esso Olympic Hockey Heroes Autograph

2011-10-02T22:42:00.004-06:00

With three different hockey pools upcoming this week, I've been swamped with projection guides and internet research. It's been crazy trying to come up not only the 'must haves' but also the 'sleepers'.

One thing I did conclude.....take heads over tails - EVERY TIME. :)

I can't say that this has been the reason for not posting over the weekend, I've just been busy.

Friday was again a stellar mailday with two packages arriving. One had yet another Decades jersey show card 1/1 (the ten billionth one in existence). Worthy of its own post if it wasn't for the fact that I'm almost getting bored with scanning them in.

But the other envelope had something that I've been waiting over 10 years for.

1997/98 Esso
Olympic Hockey Heroes
#A-8 Autograph (500 sets)

About a year and a half ago I blogged about the French version of this card. At the time I mentioned that finding one of them was like a needle in a haystack.

Well, this is the first English version I have seen on the market and I wanted to make sure I gave myself a more than fair shot at getting it.

But first, you may ask "How can you tell this isn't just a regular card that's been signed in person?"

I asked the seller the same thing. Well, actually I just asked for a scan of the back of the card.

Voila! A-8. That's the magic number.

I offered what I felt was more than a fair price (basically what I paid for the French version) and mentioned that I would really like to work with the seller to make this transaction happen.

He said he had a couple other offers to consider. I'll admit I got a little worried. He got back to me a couple of days later and said the card was mine.

I don't know if I had the best offer? I don't know if I got preferential treatment since I was a Linden collector? But whatever it was, I was thrilled to see the card coming my way.

When it arrived, I couldn't wait to tear into it. And I needed to - literally. The packaging was so thourough, it took me about 10 minutes to finally get to the card.

I think I need to do a post on what I consider the proper way to package a card.

Nonetheless, a fantastic way to start the fall hockey season.

Now, back to the books!

RATE MY MASK - Ilya Bryzgalov

2011-09-28T01:05:00.005-06:00

A new hockey season can only mean one thing...new goalie mask designs.

And with the musical chairs of goalies rotating through the league this past off-season, there's a bumper crop of lids to drool over.

This Ilya Bryzgalov special is one that really caught my eye.

Designed by Stephane Bergeron of La Griffe Originale, this tiger theme has the look and attitude of a 70's velvet painting.

That just reeks of cool.

Now, the tiger represents the emblem of Russia, called the 'Amur', and was Bryz's idea to use as the theme of the mask.

Stephane drew several versions of the tiger for Ilya and this is the one they chose to use.

I love how the 'Bauer' brand name makes a nice cameo - smack dab on the forehead. Way to ruin a perfectly nice design.

On a positive note, I do like the font design on the 'Bryz' letters across the chin. It blends nicely with the rest of the mask.

I would have preferred something a little less symmetrical from one side to the other. There was a great opportunity to really create that flow throughout the entire mask. This design looks like a simple picture flip.

One more close-up look at the design.

Overall, not too bad. Bryzgalov has had some memorable masks in the past, and this one should fit in nicely with the rest of the collection.

3.5 out of 5 (a half point for the velvet painting homage!)

OK, it's your turn to RATE MY MASK!!

MAILDAY - The Rest Of The Loot

2011-09-25T23:58:00.000-06:00

Well, with the end of the weekend comes the end of my mailday show & tell posts from last Friday's multiple bubble mailers.

Most of these will go into the traders box. It's always nice to switch things up a bit.

This is the one card that will go into the pc. These Panini Certified Masked Marvels cards were a hit & miss for me. While I like the goalie mask cards, I hate that such little card front is actually used for the mask. You can barely make out what the design is.

These four Titanium jerseys will go into the 'One Sheet, One Set' project. One of the craziest designs, but I know without a doubt it will be an eye-catching sheet once done.

Wow! A practice jersey piece....and they are promoting it as such. I'm glad there are fewer of these out there nowadays.

Igor Larionov. What a tremendous career. Just when you thought he was done, he brings you back on the Larionov bandwagon.

A Pavel Datsyuk piece from when he played in the Young Stars game. Pavel is arguably the top player in the league these days. His playmaking and skill are tops in the NHL today.

I don't know what it is about this Sakic jersey from 2002/03, but I like the looks of it. A sucker for the oldies I guess.

Some autos to finish out the post.

Pekka Rinne burst on to the scene last year with Nashville and this season will play a big part in answering the "is he the real deal" question.

I say yes.

A hard signed Patrick Elias card. Why not.

A hard signed Martin St. Louis card. Man this guy's good. He just won't stop....won't quit.

Vinny! He's carved himself a nice little career with the Lightning. Now with Stamkos leading the way, Lecavalier can turn himself into more of a role player.

Even more dangerous in my opinion.

So that's it. The mail haul. Thanks again to all who fired off bubble mailers. I'm looking forward to working out trades/deals with you guys down the road.

RAISE THE CUP - More Generosity

2011-09-25T02:56:00.007-06:00

One of the bubble mailers that arrived yesterday was from Paul over at Card Boarded. We've been working on a trade for months now and my end of the deal arrived Friday.

In addition to some cards that will go into my traders, I received some goods that will be part of my 'One Sheet, One Set' project, a card that goes into the goalie mask pc and a bunch of cards (which he threw in for free!!!) that go towards my 'Raise The Cup' collection.

Let's take a look at the RTC cards first.

This Pinnacle card (um....I mean Score card) of Darren McCarty is the only one that I already had, say for the fact that this version comes from the team issue while I had the regular base card. Regardless, it's the same photo.

So I'm replacing the one I had in my binder with this one. I like it more.

Another card from the 1997/98 Pinnacle (er.....Score) set, this Joe Cool....I mean Steve Yzerman. Stoic as always.

I remember the night Ray Bourque hoisted the Cup over his head. It was a very cool moment. Seeing Joe Sakic pass the honor over to Ray was such a cool thing to do. Nowadays, it just seems overdone.

It seems Topps/ OPC picked the Penguins' Stanley Cup locker celebration as picture day for their hockey cards. Not really the type of photos I was hoping for when I started this project....but a hoist is a hoist.

Jim Paek was so excited, he decided to keep his elbow pads on. Rowdy guys. Or maybe he realized that this might be the only time he gets the opportunity. I wouldn't be telling the guy passing it to me to "Hold on while I take my gear off" either.

Joe Mullen. Underrated player.

Mario Lemieux. Not underrated.

How happy does he look? I wonder what he was thinking at that moment?

Ron Francis. Probably the most underrated player of all time.

I'd like to note....these locker room shots are absolutely horrible. Look at Ron and his bright yellow wristbands and newly donned Stanley Cup t-shirt and hat.

That's just nasty.

Bill Guerin....welcome to the club.

The club of new t-shirt and hat I mean.

Poor guy only seems to have shots that year of him in the locker room holding the Cup.

Now we're talkin'! This Ken Daneyko shot not only shows him out on the ice with all the fans cheering in the background. The expression in his face reflects the years he's been pushing for the moment.

Only to be trumped by John MacLean. This is a gorgeous pic and is one of my faves in the entire collection so far.

Thanks very much again Paul. These freebies are quite appreciated and will sit proudly in my collection.

Current Collection - 55 cards

LINDEN CARD OF THE WEEK - Triple Play Mailday

2011-09-24T01:03:00.003-06:00

Well, I couldn't ignore this mailday Friday for a Linden show & tell.

No less than 4 bubble envelopes in the mail and one to pick up from the post office.

It's like Christmas came early (except I bought all my own presents....and I know what I'm getting.....and it cost me money....but hey - it's Trevor Linden cards!).

2010/11 Panini Playoff Contenders
#103 Classic Tickets Auto /25

I've let a few of these auctions pass as I knew the prices on them would slowly settle. What started out as a $100 card was had by me for $35.

Them's good eats....but nasty scan.

So here's the back of the card. I like the colors.

2010/11 Panini Dominion
#150 Legends Auto Sapphire /10

It has begun. The first Linden Dominion card knocked off the list (and a sweet one at that). This is the blue.....er....sapphire parallel with a hard signed auto. Got it for a great price as well. I like good deals.

Now, I know what you're thinking....a card /25 as your first show, then a card .10 for your second. What could be better than that?

Yup. Another ONE.

2010/11 In The Game Decades
#M-62 Game Used Number Gold /1

I paid a little more than I was hoping on this one, but really wanted this card as it continues my quest to land each of the nine memorabilia card Linden has in Decades (3 jerseys, 3 numbers and 3 emblems). I only need the emblem silver and gold. Pfttt...ONLY!

In addition to these great Lindens, I received a package from Paul over at Card Boarded. We've been working on a trade for about 157 months, and we finally got it done. I'll be posting some of the sweet additions this weekend.

BOX BREAKS: 2010/11 Dominion

2011-09-22T23:33:00.005-06:00

Well, it was an exciting night at the LCS yesterday. I was contemplating all night whether or not to buy a box of Panini Dominion. My brain said no, but my heart said yes. My wallet said no, but my VISA said yes.

Maybe it was the fact that poker night last Saturday was cancelled, maybe it was the fact that I had spend a whopping $35 bucks so far that night, maybe it was the fact that I was highly delusional that I would pull the coveted Linden quad.

Whatever it was.....I'm glad it happened. As you'll see, I got me a nice box of stuff.

And it literally is a box. I've never opened one of these products before. No 'ripping' or 'tearing' here.

I was very careful in slicing open the stickers to open the box.

Mmmmmmmm.....very nice.

I need to get me some of these foamy things and some empty unmarked boxes. Would make the perfect giftcase for my customs.

Alright....on to the cards.

Now if you noticed on the small box that the cards came in, it says EIGHT cards per box.

Well, my math skills tells me that I got TEN. That's better than eight.

I also noticed there is no age restrictions on the packaging. So all you six and seven-year-olds that have been stymied by all the other Panini products - c'mon in!

The base cards are pretty nice. It's a 150-card base set and they are numbered to /199. To most, these would be considered the 'throwaways'.

There are also the Legends base cards, a 50-card set numbered to /99. This is the set Trev's in. I got Guy. Habs fans, notice a trend?

The jersey parallel. Dominion is a parallel nightmare for player collectors (I'm just happy there are no jersey cards of Linden amidst the 19 Linden cards in this product).

Doughty...let's see what happens.

Lindros! Not bad. Is it me or is there a bit of a resurgence in his stuff this past year. He's sort of hanging with Linden in that regards.

This Halak patch is a jersey number parallel numbered /25. A really nice patch if I do say so myself. Hopefully it will equal some good trading.

Here's a rookie auto /199. It's hard signed....or should I say it looked like the player had a hard time signing. What a terrible scribble.

Doh! A redemption card. Panini tried its best to minimize the number of redemption cards in this product, but I can understand that it's tough to be 100% when relying on so many players.

This 'Nifty 50' autograph is of Dino Ciccarelli and celebrates him being a 50-goal scorer. Numbered /50.

Rogie!!!!!! This Honoured Rivals card has a pair of great legends attached to it.

Rogie Vachon is such an underrated goalie and his masks were some of my favorite. Equally underrated is Johnny Bucyk. It's a shame these guys don't get the hobby love like so many others.

Numbered to /49, this card is one of the better pulls in the box.

But it's not as nice as this one! When I first saw it, I didn't realize what I had. A quick peek on ebay to see some of the prices this card has gone for made the smile real wide on my face.

Now, I was told at the card store that the Subban memorabilia piece should be a patch and that what I had was the seam of a jersey and that I should contact Panini to get a replacement.

Geez, do I try to upgrade the card and send it off, or do I keep it, sell it (or trade it) and make a nice little profit?

What's a guy to do? What's a guy to do?

Overall, I can't really complain about this box break....other than the lack of Lindens. But maybe I can parlay some of these into some of those.

BEHIND THE MASKS - Parent, Pelle and a Plethora of Pipes

2011-09-22T00:55:00.005-06:00

The third Wednesday of the month means one thing...Trader's Night.

I made it a point to make it out this month seeing as Dominion was the recent release. Sad to update....no Linden cards were acquired (or even seen). :(

But......there was some Dominion goodness. I'll post that tomorrow.

Tonight, I'll show off some of the goalie mask cards I picked up both in trade and in the toonie binder.

2005/06 In The Game
Between The Pipes
#A-BP Bernie Parent autograph

OK....so this wasn't a toonie.....it was $5. But a HOF goalie for a five-spot. C'mon! It was a no-brainer for me.

There was also a Ranford and Palmateer from the same set, but I passed this time. I might just have to pick them up next month.

2010/11 In The Game
Decades 1980's - Memorable Masks
#MM-06 Pelle Lindbergh

The moment I saw this card, I knew I would be working out a trade. This was the one card from this product that was high on the radar.

I love how the eyes are piercing through the mask, I love how the straps are starting to fray and I love the simple, white, menacing, fibreglass mask.

Memorable Mask - indeed. Just an awesome card.

2010/11 In The Game
Between The Pipes
Masked Men III
#MM-01 Alex Auld

In addition to the Lindbergh, I picked up three more Masked Men III cards for my set (I'm getting closer to finishing it).

I really like the Auld mask. It's a tribute to some of the greatest goalies in Habs' history.

Love the crouch on Plante. It pays to have a side shot here (where you can't see Alex's eyes) as opposed to a straight on shot.

2010/11 In The Game
Between The Pipes
Masked Men III
#MM-17 Dwayne Roloson

The 'Thor' mask worn by Dwayne is another fave of mine. The picture really doesn't do the mask justice.

2010/11 In The Game
Between The Pipes
Masked Men III
#MM-20 James Reimer

'Optimus Reim' is going to be the main man in Toronto this year. Um-hmm. Whatever. All that means is this card has an inflated price.

Get back to me when you've got some 40-win seasons under your belt and then we'll talk about bumping that price up.

Happy to get this card in a trade as opposed to a cash sale. And it's a boring mask to boot.
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OK......a one-card peek at my Dominion break.

Sadly.....not a Linden. :(