ARTICLES: Upper Deck Announces 2012/13 Cuts

Last week I posted some information about the NHLPA's decision to not include rookies debuting in the 2012/13 shortened season into this year's products.  Instead they will be part of a double rookie class for the 2013/14 product season.

Link to blog post

Well, today Upper Deck shared their plans for the remainder of the 2012/13 season.....well at least some of the plans.

Link to Upper Deck blog post

Gone are the following products for this year...

2012/13 NHL SPx
2012/13 NHL Upper Deck Series II
2012/13 NHL Ultimate Collection

I was surprised to see UD Series II take a hit, but I guess their Young Guns inserts would have been too depleted.  I was hoping for maybe some retro YG's or something.

Ultimate Collection is a hard-signed product so the turnaround to get that release together might have led to that decision.

What I am interested to see is how some of the content from those products is received by collectors when they act as inserts in other products.  Or will they be bonuses?

I'm also predicting that the Fleer Retro release will be a hit.  I don't know why...just a gut feeling.  I think the Jambalaya inserts will be a huge chase and a real throwback to old-style, long-odds insert collecting.  Curious too to see how the Metal Universe cards will be incorporated.

Fans of those 90's products will love the flashback I'm sure.

The one area that wasn't addressed by Upper Deck is the status of The Cup.  Normally a very late release (August/September), it will be curious to see how this product is taken to with the limited rookie inclusion.

I can't see UD canceling the release for the 2012/13 season....it's just too big of a product to halt.  But it will be a different beast for sure.

If I hear anything else, I'll be sure to update.

What are your thoughts on the "shortened" 2012/13 NHL hockey card season?  Has it affected your collecting?  If so - how?