Favorite Cards: 1992-93 St. John's Maple Leafs Buddy the Puffin

The AHL is returning to St. John's, Newfoundland this upcoming October - unfortunately in the form of Ice Caps and not as Baby Leafs.

I received this card as part of a team set sold at souvenir stands during home games back in '92.  It's Buddy the Puffin, former mascot for the St. John's Maple Leafs from 1992 to 2005.  The Puffin being the offical bird of the island and all; I don't think they could have chosen anything more accurate as a mascot figurehead for the team in my opinion.

Love the idea of mascot cards; always thought it was a fun trading card addition (check out these 96-97 Kraft Mascot cards). And Buddy just brings back a ton of great memories of going to St. John's Maple Leaf games at Memorial Stadium as a kid.

1998-99 Upper Deck Choice Double Box Break Part 1

Wal-Mart was practically giving away these boxes of 1998-99 Upper Deck Choice at $8 a piece.  So I grabbed two of them with hopes of possibly completing the set and  maybe even the insert sets such as the Mini-Bobble Heads cards that I anticipated pulling from singles when I was about twelve.

36 packs per box, 6 cards per pack.  StarQuest Blue are inserted 2:1, Green 1:7, Red 1:23 and Gold are numbered to 100.  I have yet to see a Gold StarQuest in my life.  Mini Bobbing Heads are 1:4.  Key rookies from the set are Martin St. Louis, Milan Hejduk, Sergey Gusev, Mark Parrish, Oleg Kvasha, Michal Handzus, Tomas Kaberle, and Matt Cooke.

Every pack break from the first box is scanned and listed below.

2010-11 Panini Hockey Adrenalyn

Bought a few packs of these 2010-11 Adrenalyn cards released by Panini after they caught my eye a few days ago.  They`re a cross between trading cards and Pokemon playing cards.  300 base cards, 30 `Ultimate` cards (1:23 Packs), 30 `Extra Signature` cards (1:8 Packs), 30 `Extra` cards (1:8 Packs) and 60 `Special` cards (1:2 Packs).  For 99 cents a pop, I say why not?

All the reverse sides have a code that you can enter and play online at Panini's Adrenalyn website; after opening the first two packs I signed up myself up and played a game against someone from Finland - Had no idea what I was doing and lost by a score of 6-1.

Sooo 6 packs, 6 cards per pack.  My 3 favorites from each pack break is shown.  Let`s see what they bring.

Mail Day! Dual 1981-82 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky

I was one a small Gretzky kick a few weeks ago and ended up bidding on (and winning) a few auctions for a few early 80s Gretzky cards.  Figured that I didn't own much of him while with the Oilers and wanted to fill that void at a reasonable price.

#242 - Wayne Gretzky / 1981-82 O-Pee-Chee Game Winning Goal Leader.  Nice card of a young Wayne wearing an obviously airbrushed helmet.  He would score a total of 12 game winners for the Oilers that season - 2 ahead of Bryan Trottier and Mike Bossy of the Islanders.

#237 - Wayne Gretzky & Michel Goulet / 1981-82 O-Pee-Chee Shorthanded Goal Leaders.  Gretzky and Goulet (Quebec Nordiques) would tie as the leaders for goals while down-a-man in the 81-82 season, lighting the lamp 6 times shorthanded.

There was another but it was sent to an invalid address and had to be remailed.

2010-11 Zenith Hockey

As I was passing the sports store this morning I went inside to test my luck on the newest 2010-11 Zenith cards.  I was kinda taken aback by the price and considered two packs of something else instead, but eventually gave in and purchased a pack anyway.  Personally I'm not sure if I can justify buying a single of this product.

2008-09 Upper Deck Legends Masterpieces

Saw these 2008-09 Upper Deck Legends Masterpieces while waiting in the Wal-Mart checkout aisle.  For a $1.50 each I figured I would pick up three.  I purchased a pack of these before and thought that the cards had an interesting take.  All portrait cards of a variety of players and historic moments.

Found it a little odd how they were packaged in the plastic holders; I assume it's purpose is to make it impossible to "feel" for a memorabilia card within the packs.

The results of the pack breaks are below.

2010-11 In The Game Between The Pipes

Don't be scared!  It's only Buddha granting a little luck on this pack of 2010-11 In The Game Between The Pipes I picked up along with the SP Authentic.

I like the idea of a goalie only set and had to try my luck with these when I saw them at the store.

2010-11 Upper Deck SP Authentic

Double pack break of 2010-11 Upper Deck SP Authentic; saw a few of the base cards from the set online and thought they were pretty snazzy looking.  Looking at the photo below reminds me that I've yet to pull (or even own) a single Taylor Hall card.  Maybe today will be the day this fact will change.

Presstine Marketing Mystery Pack

Just a pack of random cards put together by Presstine Marketing Inc. that are sold at the local dollar store for a buck.  15 cards per pack, always interesting to find out what's inside of these.  Usually the outside viewable cards are the "best" - I decided on this pack based on this Mike Modano MVP card and another card that was featured on the reverse.

Let's find out what PressTine will bring.

1988-89 O-Pee-Chee Stickers Box Break

Hello all.  Today I bring you a box off 1988-89 O-Pee-Chee Yearbook Stickers.  The story goes, I originally thought I had purchased a box of 88-89 O-Pee-Chee cards with a chance of pulling Hull and Shanahan rookies at a very cheap price tag (too good to be true) but after some research I realized that I had actually bought these Panini-like stickers.  The original auction picture only showed the inside of the box with the wax packs which I was unfamiliar with.  Oh well.  You live, you learn.

Although it wasn't what I had hoped for, the stickers are a nice addition to my collection.  And I scored a bunch of various Gretzky, Lemieux and Hull stickers.

Glenn Hall TTM Send Off

Although I read that he had stopped signing through the mail and reports that he requested the inclusion of money for a signature, I still made and mailed a custom to Glenn Hall.  Hall was one of the greatest goaltenders of his era and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1975.

2010-11 Score

Thanks to anyone who has linked back to my blog, I appreciate it muchly.  This has been fun and I hope you've been enjoying the run so far.  I've been making a few tweeks and have experienced some small setbacks in regards to a number of features such as the Linkedwithin widget, Rss feed and my Google Analytics account. Oy vey.

Very small update tonight since I've been busy with work, fiancee business and life in general.  As they say one is loneliest number and here is one very lonely pack of Score 2010-11.

Championship Collection Trading Cards Mystery Box Break

I was very curious as to what these boxes held inside when I saw them lying in the card dump-in.  Had to pick one up and let's just say I paid a little more than I had expected when it was rung in at the checkout counter. 

The box promises 16 factory sealed packs and I was blessed by the hockey card gods to have received an extra pack.  Above in the photo is a sample of what was inside, read more to check out the rundown.

Mail Day! 1996-97 Kraft Hockey Mascots

I received this envelope last Friday; the remaining three cards in the mascot set that Kraft and Upper Deck released on the back of Jell-o packs sometime in 96-97.  In the scan I included the entire set of 5 but the cards I ordered were of Dave Gagner & Harvey the Hound (most infamous for having his tounge ripped out by Craig McTavish), Felix Potvin & Carlton the Bear and Rob Niedermayer & Stanley C. Panther.

2010-11 Pinnacle Box Break

I haven't been to the card shop in some time, so a Zellers pick-up will have to suffice.  Here are the results of a recent box break of 2010-11 Pinnacle, 8 packs 10 cards per pack.

I really enjoy the action shots on these cards and the base set doesn't seem too impossible to complete (200 cards), aside from the Ice Breakers sub-set which is a total of 50 cards; 20 of which are autographed parallels.

2010-11 Pinnacle

5 pack bust of the newest Pinnacle released by Panini. 10 cards per pack.

I really like the base set of these cards, there are a lot of very interesting looking shots on the front of the cards and the reverse includes a small paragraph long summary captioning the image.

2009-10 O-Pee-Chee

Quick rundown of a recent box break.  O-Pee-Chee 2009-10; and to start, I just wanna say that I think the box is some great looking eye candy.  Let's see if the insides are just as sweet.

Mail Day! 1996-97 Score Sudden Death

Larger than usual Mail Day today; received the other four 96-97 Score Sudden Death cards that I had ordered. Damn Canada Post delay *shakes fist* Which brings me to 5/15 when it comes to completing the set of these guys.

2008-09 Upper Deck MVP

I think this came from the little trading card island at Zellers.  12 packs of cards, 8 per pack for about $12.

Nice looking base set, I'm happy with the product. To start, here are my top 8 favorite base cards from the pull. 

1994-95 NHL Pog

Here are the few Pog that I have (left) from 1994.   I must have only gotten about three packs in my lifetime and was able to get Jagr.  I feel like I might have been luckier with pulling cool stuff back in 1994 than I am now.

184 - Jaromir Jagr.

298 - Don Beaupre.

2009-2010 Fleer Ultra

Zellers (yes, they do still exist) grab. Like usual there's a Gold Medallion card in every pack, jersey cards are 1:36 and signatures are 1 in a whopping 2880 packs. For 55% off, let's see...

The design of the cards are different than what I had expected from the Fleer Ultra sets, nice nonetheless.  Some nice photographs.

Pack no.1 

146 - Alexander Ovechkin.

34 - Christobal Huet.  I like the Winter Classic cards used from that year.

2009-2010 Upper Deck Artifacts

Really like the look of the base set for these 2009-10 Artifacts cards!  Here is a 3 pack break and how it went down.

92 - Dion Phaneuf. I think this was my favorite pull from the packs.

11 - Evgeni Nabokov.

Mail Day! 1991-92 O-Pee-Chee Premier

Happy Saturday everyone!

This mail day is a day late.  But I finally received this complete set of 1991-92 O-Pee-Chee Premier.  I picked it up for just a penny!  I thought it was a steal.

Here are a few of my favorite cards from the set.

Mario Lemieux. Mario in his prime.

Jaromir Jagr. Included the reverse of this card to show you guys an example of the '91 Canada Cup recognitions that O-Pee-Chee included on the cards of players who participated.  Thought it was neat.

Favorite Cards: 1992-93 Upper Deck Wayne Gretzky

We've been having a few really warm days in a row, I hope it keeps up!

I've been strangely on a Gretzky kick lately; strange because I never really cared for him before.  I remember my uncles calling him a weiner... although it was my cousins favorite player. Ahh feels so long ago.

Here's one of my favorite cards from my collection, Wayne Gretzky #25 from the 1992-93 Upper Deck set.

Mail Day! 1996-97 Score Sudden Death Pavel Bure vs Curtis Joseph

Now that Canada Post is back in action my snail mail is slowly starting to dwindle in.



1996--97 Score Sudden Death Pavel Bure vs Curtis Joseph

First Mail Day post for the blog will be an insert that I ordered taken from the 1996-97 Score set. The 'Sudden Death' cards featured two "who's who" players (a skater and a goaltender) of the leauge at the time facing off against each other on cardboard.  It was a use your imagination sort of thing.  Back in the day me and my friends would fantasize about these sorts of faceoffs and dispute about would be the better man. 

Anyway after all these years I still love the insert set and wanted to collect all 15 of them; starting with this Pavel Bure and Curtis Joseph card, numbered 6 of 15.

2008-09 Fleer Ultra 32 Card Break

Jut thought I would share.  Bought a pack of these double Fleer Ultra 2008-09 cards that were on sale, 32 cards.  I like the Fleer Ultra sets, nice photos and very colorful but not many 'in the game' type cards unfortunately.

Here were my top 7 favorite cards from the 32.

Sidney Crosby. I like pulling Crosby cards.

Daniel Sedin. I like how most of the players look like theyre floating on the ice, very smooth.

Patrick Marleau.

Dion Phaneuf.



1996-97 Kraft Hockey Mascots Marty Mcsorley & S.J. Sharkie

Found the Marty Mcsorley and S.J. Sharkie card that Kraft released in 96-97 on the back of Jell-o packs.  Love this player and mascot set, fun idea that I still think Upper Deck should include in an upcoming series. I was able to buy the other cards to finish the set online a few days ago.  Check out the Teemu Selanne and Wild Wing here.

2010-2011 Panini Hockey Album Stickers

Picked up two packs of these stickers on a trip to the dollar store.  I remember buying these as a kid at Sobeys and sticking them in the book numerical order.  I liked the retro cartoon series sets that Panini released as a kid and owned several; I wonder where they all went.

Here are my top 5 out of the 14 stickers.

Pavel Datsyuk.  I think this is suppose to be a Holographic Foil sort of sticker representing the teams star player - but I could be wrong, it looks like it could be some sort of parallel.

Tukka Rask.  My favorite backup goaltender in the leauge. He is going to make a great starter for a national team someday

Mike Komisarek.



Jarrko Ruutu.

Michael Del Zotto.

And another sticker, Dave Tippett head coach of the Coyotes showing of his Jack Adams in 2010.

2008-09 Upper Deck Victory Hockey

Just a small grab, two packs for a buck each at Toys R Us.  Here are my top 4 favorites.

Jarome Iginla.  Not a big Iginla fan but definitely my favorite card from the group.

Rod Brind 'Amour.

A Marty Turco 'Stars Of The Game' insert that seems like it's from a high number set (Turco is numbere SG-37).

And Wade Redden.  Surprised to know that he was still on the Senators in 2008-09!  I liked to watch him play as a member of Team Canada more than any of thenational teams he has been on (which he did internationally seven times.). I also felt like he has some good days with Ottawa.

Free Agency 2011 Day One

I'm disappointed that Jagr decided not to sign with the Penguins, but I've gotten over it.  What can ya do,  I guess it's just another reason to hate the Flyers.  And at least next season I get to see one of my favorites play again in the National League even if it isn't on the team that I was hoping for.

On the first day of free agency 2011 Michael Ryder also made a deal with Dallas and Ed Jovanovski decided to head back to where he began his career, in Florida with the Panthers.