Review: Upper Deck Hockey Series II
In my world, there's very little that Upper Deck has done right. The Malkin boat docked too late. It's too slow to show teams and players in new uniforms. And, for the most part, Upper Deck, and its subsidiary titles, are the only show in town.
It's funny, though, how quickly perception can change. In this case, all it took was one box of Upper Deck Hockey Series II.
Cards of Anaheim players show the new uniforms. Same for the Sabres. The checklist also features cards of lesser-known players (think Atlanta's Greg de Vries, Colorado's Mark Rycroft and Minnesota's Kurtis Foster) that are useful in hounding. Each pack, too, contains an Upper Deck Victory update card, including rookie offerings of Evgeni Malkin, Alexander Radulov and Marc-Edouard Vlasic.
What really sealed the deal -- this time and this time only -- was how I hit the jackpot, so to speak. Not only did I pull not one, but two, Malkin Young Gun cards (including a scarce High Gloss), but I also pulled a 1-of-1 Martin Brodeur press plate card (that's it, shown above). Pulling a Brad Boyes autograph card didn't hurt, either.
Granted, this may have been one of those so-called hot boxes, but just the chance to snag a Malkin Young Gun, this season's Holy Grail of Hockey Cardboard, makes this offering pretty hard to pass up.
It's funny, though, how quickly perception can change. In this case, all it took was one box of Upper Deck Hockey Series II.
Cards of Anaheim players show the new uniforms. Same for the Sabres. The checklist also features cards of lesser-known players (think Atlanta's Greg de Vries, Colorado's Mark Rycroft and Minnesota's Kurtis Foster) that are useful in hounding. Each pack, too, contains an Upper Deck Victory update card, including rookie offerings of Evgeni Malkin, Alexander Radulov and Marc-Edouard Vlasic.
What really sealed the deal -- this time and this time only -- was how I hit the jackpot, so to speak. Not only did I pull not one, but two, Malkin Young Gun cards (including a scarce High Gloss), but I also pulled a 1-of-1 Martin Brodeur press plate card (that's it, shown above). Pulling a Brad Boyes autograph card didn't hurt, either.
Granted, this may have been one of those so-called hot boxes, but just the chance to snag a Malkin Young Gun, this season's Holy Grail of Hockey Cardboard, makes this offering pretty hard to pass up.
Labels: cards, Evgeni Malkin, Martin Brodeur, reviews, Upper Deck, Young Guns
posted by Puckhound at 9:46 AM
6 Comments:
that is quite the hobby you have going there....I am jealous to be sure being a diehard hockey fan....It sure is a long way (and long time) from your School Street in Machias days. Congrats on all of your success.
Yeah, it's been a long time since Machias, hasn't it? Remember skating on the cemetery swamp? That had to be the bumpiest ice ever.
Hi,
Just wondering what your plans were for the Martin Brodeur press plate. I've taken up an interest in the plates from UD and have begun collecting some of them -- and trying to keep track of as many as possible. I'm a hockey collector of 9 years and just thought I'd check in. Thank you very much! Andy Hatzos - hatzosman@comcast.net - ebay id: hatzose
Thanks for stopping by. Given that it's the first 1/1 card I've ever pulled and it's of Martin Brodeur, I'm keeping it in my collection. I hope you understand.
great review and great cards! it definitely sounds like a hot box... I opened some Series 2 packs and got some good cards so can't complain at all. But no boxes.
as far as player selection you're right it's pretty good. but for the life of me (and I don't say this from a hound perspective) I can't figure out why UD won't put Aaron Miller in a set. he's basically been banished from the hobby with the exception of one card in 2005-06 and it makes no sense. he didn't even appear in 2005-06 Parkhurst with a 700-card base set! everybody's in there!
it just boggles my mind, but that's really one of the few examples of a weird player omission I can think of.
now if they'd put out one card of Sean Burke in a Kings uni sometime soon I'd be pretty happy...enjoy your 1/1!
oh yeah, and Jamie Lundmark in the purple and black
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