Upcoming Hockey Card Release Dates

UD Champs: March 17, 2009
ITG Between the Pipes: March 26, 2009
UD SP Authentic: April 1, 2009
OPC Update: April 14, 2009
UD Ultimate: April 29, 2009

Bar Refaeli

Not hockey card related.... but my oh my...

2008-09 UD SPx Box Break

The new Upper Deck 2008-09 SPx was released last week and I picked up a box today.  I hear lots of rumblings about a poor rookie class but I think that's foolish.  There are too many blue-chip prospects this year and 40 games don't make or break a career.

The SPx base cards aren't overly appealing.  They have a busy design which take away from the sharp, striking photography.  Too many lines, streaks and colours.  On the opposite end of the spectrum, I do like the SPx Rookies design, much better than last year.  The Winning Material cards fall somewhere in the middle.  They're somewhat geometric and give the effect of depth. 

Now on to the break:

The Hits:

SPxcitement - Patrick Roy & Martin Brodeur /999

Winning Materials Michael Ryder Dual Jersey (red/blue)

Winning Combos Rod Langway/Larry Robinson Dual Jersey (white/white)

SPx Rookies - Jonas Frogren /499

SPx Rookies Dual Jersey (blue/blue) Ryan Jones /1299

SPx Rookies Dual Jersey/Auto (blue/blue) Derrick Brassard /999

Winning Materials Radiance Dual Jersey/Auto (white/white) Rod Langway /25

Love the Habs.  Love the Langways.  Love the Brassard.

No complaints on this break.

Awesome Card of the Week

This is a classic card from 95-96 Pinnacle of former Washington Capital Olaf Kolzig.  How often do you see goaltenders without their masks on hockey cards... and how many of them spell their first name on their hotdog with mustard?

Expo Update

Well, the time for a useful and timely Expo update has passed.  Here are some random thoughts:

1.  Always wear comfortable shoes, bring a back-pack with supplies and snacks, and don't dress too warmly... it's normally room temperature whether it's November or May.

2.  Always look around for better deals.  Never take the first dealer as the best price.  I wandered the Expo on Saturday and saw 2008 SPx Baseball at three different tables.  One for $240, one for $160, and one for $100.  Guess which one I bought.  And imagine how sick I would have felt if I purchased the $240 box and saw the $100 box later.  I'm doubting that dealers allow for returns on unopened boxes.

3.  Prices change through-out the day and the weekend.  If something is too high on Friday, it might be lower on Sunday.  And vice versa on the hot products.  Some dealers want to move product on Sunday so it never hurts to make an offer, especially if you're buying more than one thing.

4.  The Expo Redemption Programs are fun and you get a nice bonus... but the line-ups can be tedious unless you have a friend with you.  However, it's a good way to meet fellow collectors if you are social.  My Upper Deck redemptions were less than special but a friend of mine lucked into a Wayne Gretzky auto #/5.  He was offered $600 on the spot.  (He turned it down)

5.  The autograph guests during the 3 days are numerous and span many sports.  It can be cheap or expensive depending on the player.  If you're from a place where you rarely see sports stars, it is a great opportunity.   I've had the pleasure of meeting Gordie Howe, Gilbert Perreault, Claude Lemieux, Kelly Gruber, Gillian Apps, and Phil Goyette.

6.  The more money you spend on food, the less money you can spend on cards!   :)

In The Game Ultimate Memorabilia 8 - Pack Break

These caught my eye at the Expo but with an approximate cost of $150CDN/pack and $750CDN/box, they were just out of my price range.  On the weekend, I was lucky enough to win a pack on eBay for $78US.  In The Game has rarely, if ever, let me down.  So here we go.  One pack.  Three cards.  Fingers crossed for something fun.

First card:

Joe Thornton - Ultimate Base Card - Silver /90

The base cards are quite dynamic.  A nice change from recent years.

Second Card:

Alexei Cherepanov - New Millenium First Rounders - Silver /40 - Auto/Jersey(white)

A beautiful card, striking design, and an interesting signature.  The recently deceased Cherepanov will always be remembered in hockey circles for his unfortunate death in Russia during a game a few months ago.  His vast potential will never be known.  I'm quite happy with this card.

Third Card:

Joe Sakic - Ultimate Stick Rack - Silver /24

Cool!  My first Stick Rack card.  To get one of a sure-thing HOF'er is even better.  Unfortunately, the stick piece is non-descript.  It looks like a long line of yellow-ish plastic/glue.   Too bad he doesn't play with a wooden stick.  Still, it's a nice addition to the collection.

Fall Sports Card Expo 2008 - Toronto (Update)

My full recap will follow soon.  I've been laying low due to a cold which has struck me down since the end of the Expo.  I received a nice package in the mail today so I'll do a pack break in a few minutes.  Then my next task, after posting the break, will be my Expo Update.