LINDEN CARD OF THE WEEK - Panini Certified Expo 10

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

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

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

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

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

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

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