ONE SHEET, ONE SET - 2006/07 Be A Player

Decided to do a little hockey card clean-up while I was watching the Flames game today.  My interest swayed more to the cards the further the game went.

Poor Flames.....and they think they can make the playoffs.

One of the things I was able to do was get a few of my 'One Sheet, One Set' pages in order.  I haven't updated it in a while and instead have been just filling box after box with cards that should be going into these pages.

It was a small dent, but a dent nonetheless that was made today and I thought I show off one of the new pages that caught my eye.

2006/07 Be A Player

This seems to be a pretty straight forward base set.  Consisting of 170 cards, it's not overly complex and not overly expensive.

What's odd (in doing some research) is that in addition to cards 1-170 there's a crop of 45 rookie cards.  This gives a complete set of 215.  Nothing weird about that.  But the card numbering has me fooled.

The base set is 1-170 and the rookies are 201-245.  There are no cards numbered 171-200 that I can find.  I have no idea why this was done.

The one sheet has a nice uniform look to them with a blue colored theme throughout the base set.  Let's take a closer look at the design.

The front of the card has an off-centre photo frame taking up most of the card front.  The frame is a distressed look that reeks of some fancy Photoshop filter.  The photo used is nothing spectacular.  No real action photos and is a three-quarter body shot.  The player is cut out of the background and that background is then tinted blue and made a touch out of focus. This really makes the player punch out of the card nicely.

The non-blue colored jersey are really nice against this card design.  But there are too many cards where blue is the jersey color and that just makes it too blue for me.

Along the right side you can subtly see five position outlines with the shown player's position being emphasized.  While it is something unique, I think it is a bit unnecessary.  It feels like it was done just for the sake of doing something different rather than doing something better.

The player name appears below the photo and uses a very simple font.  It works for me though and so does the dual color.  What doesn't work is the team name at the bottom of the card.  Too simple and uninspired.  And where's the team logo.  This card would definitely benefit from one of those.

The BAP logo takes up the lower right corner and is a pretty sharp crest.  The various blue tones that make up the background base is not too bad.  Some textural elements give this card some solid finishing touches.

The back of the card is definitely the weakest part of the design element.  Gone is the contrasting blues and we are left with just a hint of light blue along the left side.

Notice as well the same photo used again.....AND AGAIN.  Waste of space in my opinion.  The team logo shows up in the top left and is really just hanging out by itself.  Again, uninspired.

The vitals and tidbit are nice, but take up too much space.  You know what that means....something else is compromised.  One of the two back photos could have been axed and the wording re-worked to fill the back a little more.

Only 5 years worth of stats.  Lame.  Not much else to say there.  I'm a big fan of complete stats.  This card back really makes me feel short-changed.

The bottom quarter of the card is brutal. Say for the product name (I really like that companies have implemented this on their cards.  Makes it a lot easier to identify what the heck I have.

But the logos and mice type take up way too much space.  A definite lack of identifying what's important, what empty and what is needed to present a solid back design.

Overall though it's a pretty nice looking set.  Thankfully we admire the fronts of the cards more than the back.

Again, the checklist isn't anything to write home about.  It's a base set.  The top card is Ovechkin (there's no Crosby) and next in line believe it or not is Joe Sakic.

This could be a bargain bin base set that sits in the $5-10 range.  Base cards like these (if you can find them...nobody wants them) can be had cheap.  Like I said, nothing complex at all.

3 out of 5

ONE SHEET ONE SET - 97/98 Pinnacle Inside Executive Collection

Wow.  She's been a while since I dipped into the ol' binder to show off a set.  But with my recent freebie win (including a football refractor of Eli Manning) I thought I'd find something that celebrates some shiny.

Dipping a little ways back to the tail end of the "junk wax" era, I found a set that tried to be different.  It succeeded...but that's not always a good thing.

In 1997, Pinnacle was throwing everything at the consumer in hopes that something - anything - would stick.  It wasn't much longer after that they would decide to close up shop for good.  This is one of their lasting products that just makes me shake my head.

1997/98 Pinnalce Inside

Executive Collection

First of all....these cards didn't come in packs - they came in cans.  That's right.  You'd get a can of cards that you would have to open with a can opener and yank out the goods.

The concept of Pinnacle Inside was that these cards would get you "inside the game".  How did they do that?  Well by not showing any action shots in the cards.  Warm-up shots, standing at the bench shots and my favourite...just before the faceoff shots.

A more exciting group of photos would be hard to come by.

And what's better than just a regular set of boring base cards?  How about TWO parallel sets.  The Coaches Collection and The Executive Collection.

That's 190 cards worth of awesome.....times three.  Actually, the parallel sets only have 90 cards to them each.  I will spare you with the math....still too many bad cards.

It doesn't matter how you try to break it down....not impressive.

Quick note: this Wendel Clark card is one of the nicer photos in the set.  But that doesn't mean they will get any mercy points.  If you come across a bunch of base, sift through them.  You'll know what I mean.

The layout of the card is very "boxy".  Borderless, the main photo takes up a good chunk of the card front.  A second picture is squeezed into the left side along with the team name and position.  Just the last name appears on the bottom of the card (in a hideous font) and the Pinnacle Inside logo is in the top right corner.

Because this is the Executive Collection parallel, that moniker is stamped on the lower section just above the name.

The card is thick in stock and has a prismatic foil coating on it.  The logo, last name and parallel moniker is foil stamped as well.

Seeded in 1:57 packs, these were a very solid pull back in the day.  Some of the cards book for decent money, but at the same time - book value doesn't mean squat.  Especially when it comes to older non-memorabilia inserts.

Yes it's shiny, but that's about all this card has going for it right now.  Let's take a look at the back.

Hey....nice circle (or I should say oval).

As you can see, rectangles rule the back of the card too.  A third photo is introduced in said oval and Wendel's full name appears at the top of the card.

Vital stats (I'll bash this in a second), team, position are haphazardly placed all over the place and the number 17 also makes an appearance.  Why not.  It matches the number 89 at the top of the card.

What I really get a kick out of with the vitals is that there are four lines worth....but only three stats.  It appears the word "Born" needs its own line.  C'mon!  That's just horrible designing.  It's as if Pinnacle was at the mercy of the oval.  "I just can't fit it in!"  Brutal.

But the best part might be the complete avoidance to any statistical information at all.  I don't need to know about goals or points or penalty minutes.  I'd much rather know that Wendel has a weekly ritual of "Massages".

Thanks.

Logo litter the bottom of the card and that about wraps up this lovely debacle.

As I mentioned off the top...Pinnacle tried something different.  They changed things up.  Can you give them points for trying?  In this case - no.

Sometimes you shouldn't change things just for the sake of change.  Create something with purpose - with a vision.

There was definitely no vision here.  Eyes closed....all the way.

1 out of 5  (only because it's shiny)

ONE SHEET, ONE SET - 94/95 Premier Finest 'The Go To Guy'

I was flipping through one of my 'One Sheet, One Set' binders tonight and I came across one......... ugly.............. set.

Gotta post about it.

Let me start by saying 1994/95.  Gotcha scared?  How about Topps Premier.  Shakin' in your boots now right?  And an insert set to boot.  This could get nasty.

But the whole reason why I started this project is so I could appreciate the never-ending card design templates out there - both good and bad.  There's always something to take away from every set shown.  Sometimes it's as simple as "Here's not what to do".

1994/95 Topps/OPC Premier Finest

'The Go To Guy'

This 15 card insert set showcases the clutch players in the NHL at the time.  It's a decent checklist of players including Modano, Sakic, Hull, Roenick and......... yes......... Messier (ugh).

Back in the mid-90's these cards were considered higher-end.  Coming in one out of every 36 packs, it seems like a pretty flimsy box hit today, but back then I could see people being a little more excited to pull one of these.

Just a little...... and not for long.

I'll also say that these cards don't scan well.  But that might be a good thing because there won't be too many points scored this round.

Where to start?  Where to start?  How about the photo selection.  All the cards use a full-body shot that often show the player coasting or just looking off into the distance (perhaps admiring a nice crisp pass that they've just fired off).  There are a couple decent photos, but for the most part it's a weak grouping - especially for an insert set.

The background looks like a clear ripoff from the Saved By The Bell intro. Terrible blue colors and shapes and starbursts galore.  It's one set my sister might find appealing (and that's not a good thing).

The font styles and and effects put on the text just reek of a junior Photoshop guy who has tripped into the templates folder.  Just click away and hope for the best.  And let's look at the font styles closely.  One.... two.... three.... four different fonts used on the front of the card.  Absolutely no cohesiveness.  For shame.

The only positive quality about the card front is the foil-type effect placed on it.  It makes the cards look like there some sort of embossing to it - but there's not.  It nice and shiny.....par for the course when it comes to cards from this time period.

I flip the card over and I nearly lose my lunch.  My eyes start to jitter in my skull and the endless questions begin.

Could you use any more font styles on the back?  Twenty-three different types weren't enough?  Yikes!

Everything is just all over the place - and nothing carries over from the front of the card (not that it would have helped).  Random numbers and letters just strewn everywhere.

And so what else does this card back need?  How about a pie chart.  Yippee!  We got one.  And could it be a more vague stat?  Percentage of total teams' offense?  Really?  Do I need an abacus or something to sort this information out?  My sundial says no.

And then to slap a player photo in the mix with little to no authority just wraps this failure of a card with a nice bow.  And look at the black cones in the background.  Do they serve a purpose?  Is this another fancy Photoshop filter?

Pure nastiness.  A set that you should avoid unless you find them in a "Free" box at a garage sale, need to buy your younger sister a special birthday gift or just want a good laugh.

I'm laughing...... for real (only on the inside though).

0.5 out of 5

ONE SHEET, ONE SET - 2002/03 BTP Home & Away

It's been a while since I've dipped into the binder to show off one of my 'One Sheet, One Set' offerings.  With the summer work season about to start (and hockey card collecting about to go a bit more to the sidelines......for a a few weeks anyways) it just might be another little bit before I do another one of these.

Better late than never though.

For this offering, I'm sticking with the Between The Pipes theme that has dominated my posts for the past few days.  But this time I'm going way back to one of the earlier incarnations and a subset that I had never seen before (and have never seen since).

Now remember, this was a time when In The Game had an NHL license.  So don't be surprised when you see team logos and such.

2002/03 In The Game

Between The Pipes

Home & Away subset

The name says it all.  Home & Away.  The cards are one of the few offerings to show two primary photos on the front of the card.  In this instance, one with the goalie wearing his home jersey and the other in his away jersey. 

Now in the 02/03 season, the home jerseys were still the white and the away offerings were the dark colors.  It wasn't until the following season that the NHL made the change (and I'm still getting used to it).

This 30-card set is a part of the 150-card base set that Between The Pipes put out that year.  The cards were thicker than usual and had a foil-type front.  A pretty nice look and feel for base cards at the time (and would still be seen as impressive today).

The front of the card shows both photos in cutout form.  Not a terrible idea in this instance as it allows for some consistency in card design and simplicity in the background.

Speaking of, the background has small squares (4 rows worth) along the top and a thick bar along the bottom (which acts as a separator between the home and away photo).  Faintly within the lower bar is the team logo, team color and net mesh (you'll have to trust me.....the foil did not scan well).

What I like about the photos is that they work together.  The size difference plays well with the home and away theme and the consistency from card to card is nice.  It makes the 9-page sheet pop a little more.

The text on the front is minimal with the product and subset name in the top left and the player name along the bottom right.  It's not too bad, but the player's name is a little messy sitting on top of a few more of those small silver squares.

The back of the card utilizes some of the elements from the front (like the small squares up top).  But there are too many misses that just slap me in the face.

The big one is the amount of white space.  There is way too much.  The card number looks like it's stranded on its own little island and the logos along the bottom (which are minimal) are what my eye is drawn to immediately.....not a good thing.

Simple lines separate some minimal stats along the left (boooooooo) and a tidbit about the player.  While I appreciate the information presented on the back, I feel like there is so much more that could have been done.

Taking a closer look at the stats, I will give ITG credit for offering up home and away stats from the previous year.  An interesting and unique presentation that goes perfectly with the theme of the card.  That said, I still think more could have been done.

What I'm surprised to see missing is the player's name, team and vitals.  Most of the time, these are norms for card backs.  And it's not like there wasn't room for it.

At the end of the day, this is an eye-catching set that would be a fun build for any goalie lover.  Because it's part of the base card set, I would expect singles (if you can find them.....most people don't lug around base cards from a decade ago) to be pretty cheap (a quarter a piece.....and that's on the high end).

What this subset also offers is a glimpse at the top goalies in the league back a decade ago (Potvin, Richter, Giguere) and some of the great masks they wore (the away shot of Steve Shields shows off his cool Cheevers tribute lid).

A fun, inexpensive build......and a good hunt too (if you don't go the ebay route).

3 out of 5

ONE SHEET, ONE SET - 1980/81 Topps

It was a pretty sweet weekend in the world of sports.  I caught my fair share of baseball (Toronto looks like they might have something in the tank this year....especially with the additional wild card spots; and 0-3 for the Yankees....nice) the Masters was awarded to Bubba Watson (in a pretty dramatic final day of competition) and the NHL is gearing up for my favorite time of year.....playoffs.

The playoffs always shoot me back to a time when I was a kid.  Elementary school and a feeling of invincibility.  The Flames had just come to town and hockey fever was truly in the air.  Back then though, it was the New York Islanders and Edmonton Oilers showcasing their dominance.  Oh how I miss those days.

So I pulled a set out of the binder to show off and bring a smile to my face.  But I promise....no bonus points for nostalgia.

1980/81 Topps

The 80/81 season was my introduction to hockey cards.  Buying packs, trading singles, learning more about the players in the league.  Building that 396 card set was a daunting task (after all....I was 7) but it was fun to hunt them all down.

At the time, I had never heard of Topps.  To me, it was OPC all the way (I thought that was all that existed).  It was years later that I learned down in the States, they went with the Topps brand name.

Even longer after that, I found out that the Topps product had a neat variation to the 80/81 release.  In addition to being a smaller sized set (264 cards), the player names were covered up.

That's right.  Like a 'Scratch 'n' Win' ticket, you had to take a penny and scrape the black off the puck to reveal the player's name.  As much as I think that's odd....I find it pretty cool.  Especially when you find some singles (just a year ago in a quarter bin) that are unscratched.

But let's take a look at the design of this iconic (in my eyes) set.

It's basic.  Real basic.

A colored border coupled with the team nickname along the bottom leads your eye to the puck which has the player's name in it.  Hey, I just realized....I have no idea who this guy is.  The position sits just underneath.  It's weird not seeing any french on the card (I'm so used to that).

Other than that, you have a photo.  Unfortunately, in the late-70's, early-80's there was an abundance of player shots consisting of warmup laps, pre-faceoff stances and 'in between whistle' "action".  Boring!

I'm amazed I hung on to this ridiculous hobby with that kind of first impression.

At least the back of the card had some appeal.  The good ol' green on yellow looks as good as ever.  Interesting note....I still have no idea who this guy is.  There are a lot of cards like this.  I guess they wanted you to scratch the puck to reveal the name.

I really like the design and feel of the back.  My eye is immediately drawn to the card number inside the puck.  I'm a sucker for stuff like that.  But there's also a ton of information including personal bio, complete stats and even a tidbit or two.  I really liked the comic as a kid and still enjoy them (that nostalgia thing is popping back into play).  I prefer them when they are specific to the player though.

Very little in the way of logos and 'mice type'.  Now that I think of it, a logo on the front would have been nice.

I do remember one beef  about the back of these cards as a kid.  The font style they used wasn't consistent throughout the entire set (noticed specifically on the team nickname and position).  It's always bugged me.

Overall, this set is simple and boring to look at.....but I love it.  I love seeing the Messier rookie from this year (yes....I said it).  I love seeing the Bourque rookie from this year.  I love seeing the Gartner rookie (underrated!!!!) from this year.  I love seeing the Gretzky All-Star card where he's chewing his glove, his team leader card and all of the league leader cards.  I love the card celebrating Billy Smith scoring a goal.  I love the Liut, the Potvin and even a no-name like Blaine Stoughton (ok, he's not really a no-name....but I'm guessing not too many of you know who I'm talking about).

There is a lot I like about the set.... just not the design........ and photo selection.

Definitely a product for the nostalgic ones or those of you building vintage sets.  Otherwise, you're best off picking up singles.  And when you do pick them up, you'll have to decide - to scratch or not to scratch.

1.5 out of 5

(bonus points to those of you who know the player in the single card photo....here's a hint - he's still in the league).

ONE SHEET, ONE SET - 1971/72 Topps

Time to show off a few more of the vintage goodies from my antique show haul of a couple weeks ago.

These cards were some of the nicest I've seen from this release (although I haven't really been hunting for them too hard) and the price was really nice.

In doing some research about this set, I've found some really neat information that I'll share at the end.

But for now, let's take a look at the design and layout from a truly memorable year.

1971/72 Topps

Now, before I start, I'll say that the OPC version from this year remains one of the most sought after sets from the 70's (maybe even of all vintage sets) and is a huge challenge to find in top shape.

The Topps counterpart is equally as appealing but has a number of benefits that really draws in a crowd.

The design is definitely an iconic one. Collectors can immediately point out these unique oval shaped, bubble lettered gems from a mile away. But does that necessarily make the card layout a good one?


I might become a little unpopular here for a moment, but I don't think the appeal to these cards from a design point is nearly as strong as some of its neighbouring releases. While the oval card shape with blue ring border and bubble letter team name are indeed unlike any other release, the 'wow factor' of the set pretty much ends there.

Yes, there's a team logo in the bottom right. Yes, there's the players name in the bottom left. Yes, there's the position in the bottom right. But that's it. All you're left with is the photo.

And that's where this set really falls short.

The 71/72 set might have utilized the 'cutout' of players, but the lack of background in the shots is more a miss than anything.

The pastel colors that act as a background might seem neat to some, but I think that it hurts the overall card design. Add to that the absolute top to bottom boring shots used in the set and I just can't get past it. In other years there was some attempt at action shots, but these cards just have a disconnect for me.

Further to that, a number of cards utilize the 'head swap' and 'jersey airbrushing'. It just loses points....simple as that.

If you disagree (and have some 70's cards handy) take a moment to do some comparing. Sets from 73/74, 75/76 and 77/78 are way ahead when it comes to photo presentation. Even the 69/70 release has a better selection in my opinion.

So what is it about the 71/72 set that has that mass appeal? I think it's because a number of the cards have that 'instant recognition' factor......because of the lack of (I'll call it) photo excitement.

Like a crappy commercial - you remember it.

Think of the Ken Dryden rookie, the Marcel Dionne rookie, the Guy 'La Fleur' rookie. To the vintage collector - automatic recall. Boring cards, but easily describable.

But enough about the card front. For what may seem like a lot of negatives on my part, this set does have some positives.


The card back is one of my favorites from the 70's and ranks high when it comes to all-time card backs.

The instantly recognizable 'darker tone' cardboard immediately indicates that this is a Topps release (plus the fact that there is no French on the card). The green and yellow tones on this darker cardboard really give off a neat color palette.

Although blocky, the layout is really clean and organized. I love the placement and fonts used for the player name, position, team and card number. It shows that a little time and care can really take something simple and make it impressive.

The player's attributes in one box and a cartoon unique to the individual in the other really gives some aesthetic balance in addition to good, simple information.

The green on yellow for the tidbit of info in the middle of the card really punches out nice. Its size is also relative to the stats below. Fewer years played, more tidbit - and vice versa (the Delvecchio in my sheet has just a single line of info while it includes 20 years of stats - all with Detroit. It's pretty cool to look at).

Speaking of stats, there complete. Complete player stats. Thank you vintage cards.

Again, I like the fonts used for the statistics as well as the sizing. Everything just fits nicely and the card back has a great overall look. It's not crammed in there at all. (note....just a little mice type at the bottom of the card too as opposed to loads of logos and muck).

Probably the coolest part of the card back for this set is that it is unique to the Topps release.


Here's the OPC card back from the same year.

It's pretty nice too. Similar ideas, but I love that Topps has something different. It's happened a couple times before, but it's rare to see. And often overlooked until you do a direct comparison.

When you take a look at the card design as a whole, it's got a lot of great attributes. Sure there are a few things I'd like to have seen done differently, but I think that's why this set is so sought after. It's unlike anything else ever released in the vintage era.

But what I really like about the Topps version are the set differences to its OPC counterpart.

In addition to the differing card backs, the Topps release is half the size of the OPC (132 cards vs. 264). That makes it a much more manageable set to build.

Half the size, and how about less than a quarter of the price of the OPC version. That's right...while the OPC set books for $1000-1500, the Topps release comes in around $200-350. A huge difference.

Why? Well, because it's half the size, there are some key cards missing (like the Lafleur RC, the Dionne RC, all the trophy cards, the Howe and Beliveau tribute cards just to name a few).

In fact, the only rookie card of note in the release is the Ken Dryden (and one could probably land a nice copy of it for under $100.

But less cards doesn't necessarily mean less interest. The Topps version has cards unique to its set. There are League Leaders cards (not included in the OPC release) and there's a Gordie Howe base card (that doesn't appear in the OPC version because Howe has a tribute card instead).

There's a lot of really cool things about the 71/72 Topps set. It looks like a fun build. A challenge for the vintage set builder (since cards from that era are always tough to find in tip top shape....and centered), a much less expensive option compared to its OPC brother and in the end can be just as rewarding to complete.

That doesn't forgive the below average photo selection. And at the end of the day, I'm scoring on design only.

3 out of 5

ONE SHEET, ONE SET - 1997/98 Pinnacle Artist's Proofs

A few weeks back I bought a box full of 90's inserts. Cards that once held some pretty high value (and in a few cases still do) as well as high desirability.

Those days came and went. For years I had no interest in these parallels or subsets. But with the creation of my 'One Sheet, One Set' project, I'm more than interested when a pile of inserts (with a cheap price tag) presents itself to me.

This sheet is probably the one that I was most excited to build. I remember these cards and always thought they were super rare.....and super expensive.

But when you can pick them up for a quarter a piece.....sure I'll take eight of them.

1997/98 Pinnacle
Artist's Proofs

Shiny and gold. Not necessarily a thicker card stock, just more durable and smooth. These cards feel important - literally.

They are a stark contrast to their regular card counterparts. Gone are the photo backgrounds allowing the featured player to be essentially the only thing of focus (most of the time.....there are some that look really weird though without the complete photo context in sight).

Now not all the cards in the base set had an Artist's Proof counterpart (no Linden.....fingersnap). Just a 100-card parallel set, more than enough for people to get their fill of high-end parallels.

Inserted 1:39 packs, this was a pretty tough item to pull. And building a set - quite a daunting task.

But this post is less about the desirability and rareness of a card and more about the design and aesthetics.


Which when you peel back a couple layers is not nearly as impressive.

Yes, the gold shiny cards are nice. But the design of these cards were bland to begin with. No border of any sort, just the player's last name and position along the right hand side and the Pinnacle logo in the top left.

The only thing added is the Artist's Proof stamp in the lower left, which for some reason I love. It makes the card feel special - like I've got my hands on something I don't want to get rid of.

That leaves the bulk of the focus to the photograph. This is where the wheels fall off.

This was a year where Pinnacle really missed the mark with their photography. Blurry photos, pics that were a little blown out, grainy and just not overly exciting when it came to action. It just didn't work.

Then compound the problem by taking a lot of the context out of the photo and placing a reflective gold surface on it. You don't really know what's going on in some of the pics.

Now if you wanted to do an Artist's Proof set, why wouldn't you base your design and photography around it rather than saying "Well, whatever.....they are what they are".

Pinnacle took a bad photo and made it worse. Way to go.

Not much else to say about the front of the card. Let's see if the back can pick up the slack.


Lots to go through here, so stay with me.

First impression - they tried to do too much. There's bits I like, but it feels a little disjointed.

The background consists of two photos. One larger color pic taking up the space on the left, and a smaller black & white photo (the same one used on the card front) in the upper right. Simply put, the smaller one could go completely. It really just makes the card back look busier than it needs to be.

The photo on the left is a nice idea - having the top part clean and featured while the bottom half is faded to provide background texture for the stats.

The photo selection and quality is average at best, often lower than what I'd be expecting. That's what really sticks out to me. It's unfortunate because a better photo selecting process all around and this product could go from an average set to a highly desirable one.

The player name, position and individual stats appear on the black and white photo - and are tough to read. Could be completely avoided.

The card number appears in the upper left and works well for me. The color fade into the photo is a nice subtle effect. But minimal points are won if this is the highlight of the card back.

That takes us to the stats. They're laid out well, a little tough to read, but complete.

For players that have just a couple years under their belt, a longer bio is written up to fill the space. That's how it should be.

If the player has been around a long time, there might be no bio. That's ok too.

The bios themselves are not too poorly written. It's a thankless job coming up with a blurb for each player - and a different one at that for every card they appear on in various sets each year.

That said - I feel this bio writing is like an artform. Those who do it well paint a picture worth looking at. Those who don't.....well they don't get many views at the gallery.

The ever popular batch of logos sit along the bottom of the card. Once again - waste of space due to size. Make 'em tiny. We all know what the stuff says.

So can a card be desirable if the aesthetics of it is unpleasing? Yup. This set proves it.

Nothing to write home about design-wise, but I love the fact that I can brag about having a few of them in my collection. They're just cool.

But cool doesn't score you points here either.

1.5 out of 5

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

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

ONE SHEET, ONE SET - 2008/09 MVP Rookies

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

ONE SHEET, ONE SET - 2010/11 ITG Enshrined

Over the past week I've thought a lot about the hobby. I've thought a lot about my collection. I've thought a lot about how much fun I am still having collecting hockey cards.

Part of that fun is appreciating what I have built to this point. From my Trevor Linden collection to my various goalie mask sets to my small side projects, I think I need to spend more time enjoying them.

That means more show & tells of stuff already in possession (as opposed to stuff that happens to arrive in the mail or at shows).

There's some great stuff that's never really seen the light of day. So why not rev up the scanner a little more and do something about it.

One project that has really helped showcase some of my collection is 'One Sheet, One Set'. I've amassed a few hundred sheets and yet only a handful have made it up on the blog.

Let's try and change that over the next year, eh?

I pulled this sheet out of the binder because it was a definite eye-catcher. It always makes me do a quick double-take.

2010/11 In The Game
Enshrined

Not your average, everyday card now is it?

This product (as you might have already guessed) pays homage to the players and builders that have become enshrined in the Hockey Hall Of Fame. That's a great subject for a product if you ask me. I'm kind of surprised it hasn't been done before now.

I will be looking at just the base cards, but there are auto parallels, jersey cards, stick cards, complete jersey cards and all of them have a pretty limited print run.

Heck, the base cards themselves are numbered /175.

One of the first things you will notice with the base cards (other than the wide use of the color white) is that all of the headshots are artist renderings. Giving a very vintage/earthy/basic/special feel.

How's that for an explanation.


The artwork here is top notch. A gentleman by the name of Paul Madden did the work. He has done a number of pieces for various releases and his efforts for Enshrined definitely garner points.

The use of more bland color gives an old-school feel to the pictures. Some really impressive cards. By taking a quick look at them, you wouldn't even know they were drawings.

Now....on to the rest of the card design.
.
.
.
.
.
.
....there are some circles and some text.

Thank you very much!

In keeping with the simplistic feel, the only design element is a pair of ovals that frame the picture. These ovals open slightly more at the bottom framing the player name and when they were inducted into the HOF.

While I like the font used on the player name, I am not a big fan of the style used on the 'Enshrined 19XX'. It's got a bit too much of an italicized feel to it.

The background of the picture is a dull grey which keeps in subtlety of the card front.


Simple on the front.....simple on the back.

It's all text, all the time. And I can't say I'm overly disappointed by it. I like the 'Keep It Simple Stupid' mantra.

Starting at the top, the player name appears - and for the life of me feels like it's not centered to the card. Is it just me? It looks like it is centered to the stats below. I don't like this.

The stats are very easy to read, simple in its information and give complete player stats. That said, I haven't seen the Gordie Howe card.

The one thing I would have liked is a listing of what team the player played for for each year.

The tidbit at the bottom of the card is nicely done. Simple, broad and accenting that which the player is best known for.

The 'stuff at the bottom' doesn't seem to be too distracting or out of place. Maybe it's all the words blending together.

Faintly in the background is a silhouette of players on the bench watching the play. A nice way to bring in another shade to the back of the card.

The stats as well have a gradient enclosure that is simple, but it works.

What doesn't work is the serial numbering in the bottom right. It messes up the centering of the entire card. I would have preferred ITG finding a way to have the serial number more along the bottom reading like the rest of the card back.

That said, I very much like the stamped font as opposed to the printed numbering. It just has always been something that I have preferred.

Lastly, do you see a card number anywhere? Neither do I. I think it should be mandatory that base cards have some sort of organizational numbering system printed on the back. How is one to organize? It's anarchy!

Overall, this 200 card base set is a wonderful appreciation to those who grace the 'Hallowed Hall'. If you want to learn about who's who....build this set.

But be warned, the cards don't come as cheap as most other base cards. I picked these eight up for a buck a piece and I felt I was getting a good deal.

It's thick card stock and limited print run are to blame for that.

For a card with a ton of white on it, it's actually going to get a favorable score from me.

3 out of 5

ONE SHEET, ONE SET - Fleer Hot Prospects Hot Materials

A random page pick for this installment of 'One Sheet, One Set'. And this memorabilia pick will have to step it up a notch in order to live up to its moniker.

2006/07 Fleer Hot Prospects
Hot Materials

This 99 card jersey set boasts a horizontal card design (something that we have all associated with Upper Deck's flagship product), but that alone doesn't make for a successful set.

Right off the bat when I take a look at this 9-page sheet, I see two things glaring out at me.

First, every single one of the jersey patch windows covers up the logo on the jersey the player is wearing in the pic. Scrape some points off right there.

Second, the backgrounds are inconsistent from card to card. Some utilize the background shot while others go with a solid color. That change up really doesn't look good when looking at a group of cards from the product (as we are in this sheet).

Now, on to a more focused look at the card front (it's gotta get better.....right?)


Like I mentioned earlier, this is a horizontal card design. Unfortunately, I feel the placement of the various elements do more clashing as opposed to building.

The 'funnel' effect that the side edges give subtract too much card space from the design. It would have almost fared better as a die cut card. It feels like the design is in some way incomplete.

The 'Hot Materials' title at the top of the card isn't too bad (decent font and decent spacing) and the team color aspect is a nice touch. But again, it feels like it's taking up a little too much space (that photo is getting smaller and smaller).

The jersey swatch area is small in size, but somehow manages to impede on the photo way too much. The flaming wings on either side don't help with that either.

The team logo on the left hand side feels out of place and plunked into position. Big swing and a miss there.

The Hot Prospects logo and title are a little tough to read against the grey (same with the 'Authentic Jersey' title at the bottom of the card). The player name has a nice font style and feels somewhat proportional. It looks better against the black backgrounds as opposed to the colored ones (especially the lighter... like the Kolzig).

The wings on the bottom of the card at the sides are simple and uninspired (same too with the 'smoke' effect surrounding the photo).

On to the photo (or what's left of it). It's such a small space (even with the cutout of the player). The types of photos that can be used in this look are very limited and again are quite bland. A lot of blank stares.

The tinted color background is nice, but only when there is some photo element in the back. The solid color look just creates more boredom.


The back of the card doesn't make amends for the front. There's some good, some bad and yes... some ugly.

The 'Hot Materials' title gives some instant consistency. Yaaay! Sadly, that consistency is borrowed by the photo (which was bad enough to begin with). Why use it a second time?

The card number is so tiny that it looks like a little bug in the upper left. The player name is nice, simple and legible. Where was that on the front of the card?

The smoke effect behind the player tidbit makes the text harder to read (obviously two different people were working on the fonts).

The funnel effect is again prevalent but this time the extra white space is filled by a gradient color. Where did that come from?

Room enough for just one year's worth of stats. Terrible.

Not quite as terrible as some of the text below it though. Check it out on the Loui Eriksson.

"On the front of this card is a piece of memorabilia that has been certified to us as having been used in a photo shoot."

You're kidding me right? Can't even manage a game used piece 'eh?

Fortunately, not all of the cards 'reward' you with a photo shoot jersey. Still, even half or three-quarters is just not good enough. Not in this day and age of memorabilia swarming.

The ever-present logos lace the bottom of the card which is pinstriped and uninspired.

Overall, this card design is not an impressive one. Add to that the almost 100 card checklist (and not really an impressive one...Crosby is the big card booking at $50 while Lemieux and Roy come next at $25) and I would recommend staying away from this set.

Hot materials these are not.

2 out of 5

ONE SHEET, ONE SET - 2003/04 SP Authentic

The 'One Sheet, One Set' train has been sitting in the station for far too long. I've picked up a number of base cards at the last card show I went to, but haven't had the chance to document and properly store them.

So......I'll go with a past sheet that's been sitting in the binder waiting to come out.

2003/04 Upper Deck
SP Authentic

Upon first look, you'd think this set was from the mid-90's. They just have that 'nothing special' feel to them.

These base cards are the first 90 in a 166 card set. The remainder being RC's. I will just be focusing on the base.

Very grey, very measured, very linear.

There's just nothing about the front of the card that gets me excited to collect the set. I've seen better designs from custom card creators - the layout is boring. The text is minimalist (and that's being kind). The photo selection reeks of bland - par for the course.

So with that....let's take a closer look.


Alright, I'll concede, there is some texture to some of the elements in the background. The marble/stone effect gain minimal points.

The various shades of grey just don't inspire me. And on the darkest chunk sits the word 'Authentic'. It's a failed attempt at something that might have had some potential. Look at how much of the card background is actually white. Horrible!

The horizontal lines just miss completely. In the background at the top, they just get lost. It's too bad since that design structure might have worked if it was better thought out.

The horizontal blind look at the bottom of the card just loses me. I don't think it meshes with the top half of the card at all. It impedes too much on the player cutout. The fancy attempt at putting the player's last name in with that layer just feels like a company grasping at straws.

The player name and team nickname in the bottom corner are a joke. Slap and slap! Could there have been less effort put in? I doubt it.

The player photo selection has zero emotion and really fits the card design well. And by well.....I mean bad.

If you saw a bunch of these in a card box would you think "Cool....new product" or "Junk Wax!".

I thought so.


The back of the card keeps some of the design elements from the front (too bad). The stone textures and grey return. The barely noticeable 'Authentic' is back - like it means something. Gone though are the window blinds (thank you).

Great head shot (sarcasm). I take back most of the points handed out to the front of the card. Why would a card company want to use the same bad photo twice? Oh yeah, they weren't trying.

Stats are minimal. At this point I could care less. I feel like there are things just randomly placed here and there. No rhyme or reason.

The team logo. The position abbreviation. The lines separating the player name, tidbit and stats. Even the card number itself.

It's like someone just picked up all the card back elements, threw them up in the air and where they landed is where they stayed.

The bottom quarter of the card is a waste. White and logos. Sign me up!

Phew! There, I'm done.

Overall, if you couldn't see this one coming, avoid this set. There's nothing redeeming about it. I'm not even going to look into the guide to see what it books for because I can guarantee it's not very much. And if you can't find the set dirt cheap....then you're getting ripped off.

Now that I look at it, I feel ripped off that I actually paid for 8 cards. Dang. Back in the binder you go - never to be seen again.

0.5 out of 5

ONE SHEET, ONE SET - 2005/06 Upper Deck Rookie Update

The huge sports collectibles show that passed through town last weekend garnered some great cards for my various collections.

While there were some bigger ticket items, there was a chance to pick up some cheap base and insert cards for my 'One Sheet, One Set' project.

I snagged a couple singles to finish off this sheet and it caught my eye today when deciding which one to focus on.

2005/06 Upper Deck
Rookie Update

OK.....stay with me while I explain this release.

This 277 card set starts off with 100 base cards of current players. The next 95 cards feature the rookies and the final 82 cards highlight multi-player rookie cards (but they have both a rookie and a veteran player on it). Cards 101-275 are all serial numbered (some to 1999, some to 999, some to 499 and a couple of them to 199).

Got it? Good.

Now you can forget all of it as I am only going to be focusing on the base cards from 1-100. :)

This is an eye catching set from a 'first look' standpoint. The colors definitely pop out at you.

Obviously the colors go in conjunction with the team colors and I really like the way this is incorporated into the entire design. They look good in the 9-page sheet.


The front of the card has got some good attention to detail and is more complex than it looks.

We touched on the team colored background, but there is also a slight marbled effect blended into it. It emanates from the center of the card and thus I will refer to it as the 'exploding marble effect'. For the record, I like it.

There is a silver foil Upper Deck logo in the top left and some more silver foil along the bottom highlighting the set name. A little bit of foil texture right at the bottom edge frames the team logo which is over black.

The frame for the player is a simple, but unique shape and has a bit of an embossed border (always in silver). It's got a hint of metal texture to it and works with the foil to create a bit of dynamics.

On the right side is the player name and on the left is the position and player number. The font used for this is not bad (very simple and unobtrusive).

Now on to the photo. Some have decent action shots, but mostly it's the stock full body shot. The player is cutout from the background to allow for three things. The player can be placed on top of the frame (as shown by the head and the stick), the background can be hit with a hint of blur (creating even greater separation) and the background can be given a bit of color overlay (again in the team color).

All three of these elements work really well when combined and meshes the card front together quite nicely.


The back of the card utilizes a number of elements from the front, but is distinct enough to give it a unique feel.

Sadly, the same photo is used. There is no color on the background, but the exploding marble effect remains (it's tough to see on some cards). The card number sits almost awkwardly in the top left corner.

The stats board continues the embossed look, but introduces the team color in the top and bottom border. A nice switch up.

The name font is consistent with the front, but the position utilizes lower case letters. And all of the sudden, the team name makes an appearance...weird.

The simple logo on black remains (nothing special, but not ugly either). And then the stats.

Only 5 years of stats are shown - max. A bit of a waste if you ask me. Look at all of that empty space at the top of the card.

The stats in general are a little lacking. Nothing about where the player was born or when they were drafted. It's tough to find a happy medium between being too simple and cluttered, but I think a little more would have helped.

Lastly, the ever popular row of logos along the bottom. Meh.

Overall, it's a nice looking set. The 100 card base set would make a nice addition to any set builders collection and singles could be had pretty cheap. The most expensive card in the deck is Mario Lemieux (which books at $4.00) and Steve Yzerman and Martin Brodeur (which books at $2.50 each). But I can't see anyone slapping those prices on these cards. Most could be had for a quarter or less.

The card front gets the bulk of the points, while the card back kills a higher rating from me.

3.5 out of 5

ONE SHEET, ONE SET - 2003/04 In The Game Action

'Action'. It's a subjective word. A word with many meanings. It can evoke strong thoughts and exciting moments. Make you gasp or do a double-take. It can make you smile and it can make you cringe.

'Action' to me is a positive thing. But when it comes to this set, there's only one thing I'm positive about.

2003/04 In The Game Action

There must be a reason why this set was called 'Action'. I'm still trying to figure it out. An 'after-thought' set from the mid-2000's, this product hardly excites.

The monstrous 600-card set was the largest to be released that year and it disappointed in a great number of areas. Player selection, overall design and just a pure lack of 'Action'.

A set can be big and still be desirable. A set can have a simple design and still catch your eye. But a set can't be passive and call itself 'Action'.


The front of the card is about as simple as you can make it (remember now, we're in the mid 2000's, not the early 90's or the mid 50's). While Upper Deck's signature release was utilizing a very 'graphic-less' design, ITG's foray into the minimalist look is a complete swing-and-a-miss.

Borderless, the photo immediately stands out. That's bad if the photo sucks. 'Action' should be just that. The best action shot possible. Not your overused 'skate-up-the-ice' shot. Or how many times do we have to see somebody turn right or left...while coasting. Those photos are littered in this release. I can go to Getty Images and in five seconds find a dozen photos that would put these to shame.

The product name is centered along the bottom with a colored background and a see-through 'Action' stretching across the front of the card. The player name is slapped simply along the bottom and lacks any and all thought. Do things for a reason, not just to say "Hey! I did something!" A terrible execution of design on the front of the card.


The back is not much better. The terrible font style is continued on the back, the same uninspired photo that wastes the space on the front of the card is copy and pasted on the back and the overall lack of color or style is boredom at its best.

Tons of wasted space, incomplete stat listings and an overabundance of fast facts really makes me want to just put this sheet in the binder and be done with it.

The only points I'd really give this card is the interesting lack of logos at the bottom of the card. Why is that? For an 'Action' card, shouldn't the bottom be super busy with logos and copyrights? Maybe they just got even lazier. Whatever.

Overall, this is a product to avoid (unless you can get it for free....which might not be too difficult). The set is pretty worthless with the highest valued single being the breakout rookie card of Peter Sejna. Who? Yup.

'Action' is a positive thing.....and I'm positive - this set is terrible!

0.5 out of 5

ONE SHEET, ONE SET - 1977/78 O-Pee-Chee

A random pull from the 'One Sheet, One Set' binder landed this under-appreciated vintage release.

Too late to be in the mix of 'great sets from the 70's' and too early to hit the 'boom of the 80's releases', this product still has some great value (in the eye of the beholder).

1977/78 O-Pee-Chee

What I initially like about this set is the simplicity - and not just in the design. 396! That was THE NUMBER when collecting cards in the late 70's and early 80's. A nice round number to hit to complete your season's worth of hockey card collecting. And you didn't have any leftover spaces in your 9-page sheets when putting your cards to a binder.

It's so nice to see sets that have a simple concept - get one of every card and then you're done. No short prints, no inserts, nothing fancy - just good ol' set building.

Not much else to talk about other that packs were .15 cents back then. Fifteen little pennies!!! Oh how I wish I had just an ounce of knowledge when it came to card economics back then. Oh well, let's take a look at the design.


Again, I will use the word simple. Not much in terms of a design concept. So what's the positive? Well, you can focus on the photo in the OPC card (which started to improve in it's photo selection).

A simple thin black border surrounds the photo and is not obstructed by any sort of logos or text. Like I said, the photo selection was improving from years past. What I really like about these older sets are the great vintage uniforms and the old equipment (gotta love tube skates).

Also, there were still a majority of players going helmetless (yes, it's crazy to think about that these days, but back then most guys did not don a helmet). You can see a little bit more individuality and character as a result.

The player name and position sit just below the photo and is sandwiched between it and the team nickname underneath (in large 70's style text and color). Simple, consistent and it works for me.

The team logo finishes off the front of the card by sitting in the bottom left corner.


The back of the card has that classic 'card back' design. The cartoon wood hockey stick frames the card on the left and the dark brown and blue give a vintage background for the text to be placed on.

The sets from the 70's did have some consistency issues and the card backs here really show that. Different font thicknesses are used for player names and some of the stats. Sometimes it's in all capital letters and other times it's in capital and lower case.

The player bio stats are hard to read (I lightened the scan) but give good info like '1st pro season' and 'how they were acquired'. The position and card number are just to the left.

The player stats are nice with all the seasons represented, including WHA for those who are affected by that. If there are not a lot of stats filling up the card back, they go with the fast fact (both in English and French.....after all - it's OPC).

The bottom of the card has a cartoon quick note for the player (which were pretty much standard back in the day). Some were pretty cheesy, but added to the aura of the card somehow.

This set gets lost in the shuffle not because it's a poorly designed set, it's because it doesn't have any huge rookie cards in the mix (the biggest RC's being Mike Milbury, Paul Holmgren and Mike Palmateer.....I kid you not).

The most expensive card in the mix would be Bobby Orr's last card during his playing days (and he's depicted in a Chicago Black Hawks uniform - so wrong).

Some of the cooler cards in the release would be the team checklists (remember the team photos?) and a great team logos subset. These are great to chase on their own and are tough to find in mint condition (especially the logos since they are on just a white background).

The last tidbit from this set would be card #312 - Rick Bourbonnais. Who? Well, he must have been an NHL nobody because his card has Bernie Federko pictured on the front (and this card pre-dates his rookie card). So all you Federko collectors, add this to your list (if you haven't already).

A great inexpensive vintage 70's set (you could probably build a nice looking set for less than $100) which is worth going after if you want to dabble in older set building. If you do tackle the older sets, be sure to take some time and observe the cut of the card, the corners (which are 35-years-old) and the centering (which was brutal back then). Taking your time to build this set will land you an impressive vintage release.

The card design though (while nice) is not overly memorable. An average attempt at best. Simple doesn't often score a lot of points.

2.5 out of 5