Sunday, June 23, 2019

Spontaneous Six Degrees of Separation

Last month, Chris... also known as... The Collector held a contest over on his blog that involved the Stanley Cup Playoffs.  He had his readers choose one of the playoff teams and every time that team won a game, they'd receive one entry into his contest randomization.  I was fortunate enough to pick my beloved San Jose Sharks, who happened to have the most wins out of the playoff teams claimed in the contest.  Although that didn't guarantee me a win, it gave me the best odds.

Unfortunately the San Jose Sharks came up short AGAIN in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.  But after Chris randomized his contest entries four times, my name came out on top.  The prize package included four team bags packed with hockey cards that I'll eventually show off.

However my hockey posts rarely draw readers, so I lured you in with this lone baseball card included in the prize package:

1973 Topps #310

This diamond cut Dick is awesome!  I'll happily accept any vintage Dick Allen collectors want to send me.

Okay... here's a peek at the stacks of hockey cards Chris sent my way:


If I'm not mistaken, there were 72 hockey cards and the Dick Allen.  Here are a few of the cards that stood out:

2014-15 Ultra #154

It's only fitting that I kick off the hockey cards with a San Jose SharkJoe Pavelski is our fearless leader.  Hopefully he'll be skating for the Sharks again next season.

2008-09 Ultra Gold Medallion #40

I'm not sure if I've ever announced this... but I actually PC a few hockey guysBrodeur is one of themJoe Sakic is another:

2000-01 Stadium Club #182

Here's proof that beautiful photography wasn't only limited to Stadium Club baseball.  This is an awesome action shot featuring Sakic and (his former teammate) Valeri Kamenski.

I'm not trying to do six degrees of separation or anything... but here's a card of Kamenski's 2000-2001 teammate:

1990-91 Score American #100

If you don't collect hockey and want to pick up an awesome and affordable hockey card set, then I'd like to suggest the 1990-91 Score set.  It's filled with a bunch of awesome rookies, features a solid design, and has some nicely cropped action shots.

Okay getting back to the spontaneous six degrees of separation...

1996-97 Metal #51

Messier and Steve Yzerman won a gold medal together in the 1984 Canada Cup.  I wasn't a hockey fan back then, but I sure wish I had been.  That Canadian team was loaded.  Here are just a few of Messier and Yzerman's teammatesWayne Gretzky, Ray Bourque, Paul Coffey, Mike Bossy, Michel Goulet, Grant Fuhr, Mike Gartner, Larry Robinson, and Doug Wilson.

Speaking of the Canada Cup...

1991-92 Upper Deck #26

Chris also hooked me up with this Niklas Lidstrom rookie card.  And guess what... he was Yzerman's teammate in Detroit.

Okay... enough six degrees of separation.  I'll wrap things up with the two relic cards that Chris included in this prize package:

2011-12 In the Game Enforcers Instigator Jersey #I-25
2014-15 Ultra National Heroes Manufactured Flag Patch #NH-ZP

Thank you so much Chris for hosting this contest and sending me this very generous prize package!  It sure helped distract me from that fact that the Sharks came up short AGAIN in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Happy Sunday and sayonara!

10 comments:

Chris said...

I was hoping you'd enjoy the Allen, even with the diamond cut. Couldn't think of anything better to do with it.

I'm excited to see what the Sharks do in free agency. Let's hope they make one more run at it, for Jumbo Joe!

Glad you like the cards, and congrats on winning my contest (again!) Next time I have an idea for a contest, I'm just going to scrap it and send you cards, to save time :P

Johnnys Trading Spot said...

just wait until you see the stack of damaged and miscuts I've got building for you. It won't be the next package you get though (1 leaving tomorrow). It will be the next-next one though.

Zippy Zappy said...

The amazing thing about the Stanley Cup is that no Canada-based team has won it since 1993.

night owl said...

This Sabres fan cannot hear the Sharks fans' wails above the din of no championship in 49 years.

Matt said...

Here here!

Bulldog said...

The Brodeur and Messier cards are great. Love hockey cards. Wish I could devote the time and resources needed to really add them to my collecting. Congrats and good post and cards.

Adam Kaningher said...

Wow, that's astonishing! Was there an Expos equivalent in the 04-05 lockout year?

Fuji said...

chris - heck yeah. i loved the allen. as for the sharks... i really, really, really, really hope they're able to bring back pavelski, thornton, and marleau. now that's a trifecta i'd love to see.

johnnys trading spot - wow another package? and another one after that? love my collection of misfits. it's a good thing i founds some braves for you at the show this weekend.

zippy zappy - dang. didn't know that. great hockey trivia.

adam kaningher - the only time i remember a stanley cup finals being canceled due to a strike was 2004-05. however unlike the 1994 mlb strike, no games were played... so there wasn't a expos equivalent. there might have been a strike that predates the 90's though.

night owl & matt - lol. i hear ya.

bulldog - i've really cut back my hockey card acquisitions. but every now and then, i'll add a nice autograph or graded rookie card.

Paul said...

That Sakic really makes me miss the days when Topps actually had hockey cards. That particular Stadium Club set had some awesome photos. Kind of makes me want to dig through my binders to find some.

Fuji said...

Totally agree. I wish there weren't any sports card monopolies out there.