Upper Deck McDonald's 09-10

I would like to have an order of McNuggets, fries and a coke. I would also like to have 3 packs of card with that too please. I can't count the number of times I have gone to my local McDonalds and ordered lunch and hockey cards.

It all began back in 1991-92 when Upper Deck and McDonalds collaborated to make a small set which had 25 base cards composed of NHL's who played in the All-star game and 6 hologram cards. The cards were of pretty decent quality for the time and they even had a hologram on the back in the shape of the McDonalds M. The next season they did the exact same thing and over the 14 years McDonalds did change companies who would make their cards but the ability to get hockey cards at McDonalds was always there. Then comes 2005 and a new rookie is in the NHL and Upper Deck and McDonalds release one of the most wanted base cards in McDonalds history and that is a Crosby rookie card. There was much debate if it would even be considered a RC but when the dust settles it is considered to be a true rookie and is one of the more affordable ones on the market. Here is one on ebay


It would turn out to likely be the last Crosby McDonalds card because of the deal Crosby has with Pepsi and since McDonalds is a Coke distributing restaurant those two topics will not mix. Now it is 2010 and once again a McDonald's set is available. I have stopped trying to collect a whole set, not just for my health but rather it seems to be a little bit of a gimmick these days. There are some good inserts that are very hard to come by, but the base cards are pretty worthless.

They are of decent quality, in fact I find they are every bit as good as UD Ice's product, but rather there is a noticeable lack of rookies. The last rookie to grace a McDonalds card was Rob Schremp. I for the most part I am a rookie collector and I can't justify buying more cheeseburgers than Randy from the Trailer Park Boys and ripping dollar packs like they are going out of style because in the end there will only be a bunch of base cards which aren't any different than the other middle road base sets. I still feel a patriotic duty to buy a few packs here and there even if only for nostalgic sakes. Here is a look at the product.



As you can see, there is a texture to the card much like UD Ice and Ovation, and there is a hologram on the back which again suggests that this is at least a middle range quality card. Each pack has 3-4 cards and there are some inserts including acetate cards, and other redeemables. Writing on the back is in both official Canadian languages.

I was able to get a checklist from the pack I am showcasing. These are inserted 1 per 4 packs which isn't especially rare and there were 6 checklists in total. Though I didn't show it here, in one of my other packs I bought this year I did have one real "hit". I pulled a Joe Thornton Pride of Canada card which is an acetate card. They are available at a rate of 1:40 cards which isn't too bad for only buying 8 packs this year from McDonalds.

Gordie and Me

Upper Deck via Facebook has asked people to share some of their greatest hockey moments and that reminded me the day I met Gordie Howe. First of all, it really isn't going to be anything that someone will make a story about in fact it might be considered by some to be rather insignificant. But almost 20 years later I still remember it.

He came to town to skate in the warm up of the Thunder Bay Senators. They were a pro team that was two steps below the NHL but had some pretty decent talent in their line up.

For example:

So after the warm up was over, I ran down to the lobby so that I could get an autograph. Unfortunately it seemed like the entire town was that already in line. So I went to the end of the line and waited. I swear it seemed like it was an eternity that I was in that line up, but by the midpoint of the second period I had in my possession an autographed hockey card.

My interaction with Mr. Hockey was someone limited likely due to the fact I was scared shitless. I said Hello and Thank you and his response was only a couple of smiles and a Hello. But it was that tiny exchange that I still remember to this day, it may have lasted a couple of seconds but I was given something that really had a lasting impression. Since then I have met other professional athletes many of them hockey players, but without a doubt, that was my favourite.



The card I brought with me was from the 91-92 Parkhurst Set. This card really isn't terribly valuable on its own, but I loved the set at the time and to this day still feel it was the nicest set produced that year.

09-10 Upper Deck MVP

Upper Deck MVP is a product that has been on the market for a number of years. It is a lower end product that UD has consistantly produced and in my opinion is one of the better low end cards available. The cost per pack is about $2.50 in Canada for a retail pack and you have a 1 in 2 chance of pulling a rookie. The design of the card this year is a little fresher than past years and I think they have done a great job with it. The photography isn't on the same level as the base Upper Deck set, but when you compare MVP with OPC and Victory there is an obvious quality difference and MVP is the winner. In addition, there are 2 on 2 jersey inserts and autographs randomly inserted in packs but the autos are really difficult to pull.

Here is a rookie I pulled from my sample pack.


From a collectors stand point, pulling a rookie is always nice, but Davis' greatest accomplishments to date may be his completion of college rather than his pro career. He has 1 goal and 8 points in 40 games with the Kings. I am thinking this card may be one of his last.


The nicest card I pulled was the checklist of Crosby.



In all it is a decent card for what you pay for. I think that next to the UD base set it is one of the better values on the market. It is a pretty large set to try and complete if you include all 94 sp rookie cards, but if you want an affordable set with all the main rookies from 09-10 this is your set.

Here is what I think about 09-10 MVP

Card Quality 6/10 (no hologram on card, an UD sign of low end product)
Photography 5/10 (better than past years)
Value 7.5/10 (good price point, nice jersey card potential and all the rookies you want)

Canada vs USA

Today looks to be one of the most exciting hockey games in the last 30 years. The Americans I feel have really added to the drama first off by winning the round robin game and thus making themselves the favourites to win and secondly by Patrick Kane calling out Luongo in his little way.

As a hockey fan, I would love for this to be a great game that is decided by the players and not by the officials so I am hoping for great hockey and no controversy. But as a Canadian, I am hoping we wipe the floor with the Americans and show some dominance in the sport once again.

But whatever happens today, I am sure it will be talked about for some time. I think the key for the Canadians to be successful will likely fall on the shoulders of Jonathon Toews. This young centre has had an amazing tournament thus far and really has played excellent as a second line centre. If he ends up having a big game I think that will be all Canada needs because it will really relieve the stress from the first and third lines and allow them more room to operate which in turn will lead to more production.

For the Americans to be successful, I think they need their best players to be the best players on the ice. That roll will fall on to Zach Parise. Zach is a noted Canadian killer. He won the World Juniors on his own back in 2004. He, Langenbrunner and former Devil Brian Rafalski were the key reasons the Americans won the round robin game. If Zach steps up his game, I think that will make it tough for the Canadians to over come and with an unproven Luongo in net it may be too much.

No matter the outcome, I think it will be an excellent opportunity to showcase North America's finest players and I personally am looking forward to it.

My prediction for what it is worth is Canada 4 USA 2.
Toews will have 2 points and Parise will have a goal.

Hot Packs Part 3

The final set of hot packs I bought was from the 07-08 UD Ice set. I really like the Ice product and am glad they brought it back. The base cards are simple in design and are of a higher quality than most of the Upper Deck base cards and the Ice Rookies are acetate cards which pretty much have every rookie that has ever walked into an NHL building from that season. The cards are numbered and for the most part hold their value well. Unfortunately, like jersey cards, the weight of an acetate card is different than the base cards and are detectable which is base news for the average pack purchaser. The good news, there are plenty of these hot packs for sale on ebay.

Scenario 3

07-08 UD Ice

4 packs (all to have rookie hits)

Total cost with shipping $19.50

For a cost of less than 5 dollars a pack, at first glance, this is a really good deal. My local hobby shop was selling these packs for over 5 bucks so I am already getting them at a discount and they will all have rookies in them. The goal is to hopefully pull a Kane, Toews, Price (maybe not so much now) or a Backstrom. I am aware this will be very unlikely due to the numbers being very skewed towards scrub NHL'ers and players who only sckated in one NHL warm up and spent the rest of the game watching it from the bench.

Scrub Rookie # 1 oops I mean Ice Rookie # 1

Joe Piskula

When I saw Joe, I saw disappointment. I had never heard of him, and I didn't spent much time finding out who he was. He is likely Alec Martinez's partner down in Manchester (AHL) which bodes well for me if anyone is looking to get the rookies of this dynamic duo, but with the rest of the prospects in LA it is likely Joe will be a lifer in the AHL. Value (1/10)

Ice Rookie # 2

Jamie Hunt

I have heard of Jamie, but it was only because I pulled him out of other packs. This happens to be my first numbered Jamie Hunt rookie, is that a good thing? Jamie was a superstar during his time in the NCAA, but really isn't even a full-time player in the AHL. More disappointment. Value (1/10)

Ice Rookie #3

Joel Ward

Ok Joel Ward, he is a bonified regular NHL player and I saw him play as a member of the University of PEI! He gets himself third line minutes for the Nashville Predators which isn't the best gig in the NHL, but it is a living. I have no concerns for Joel's employment future, but as for me and my pack pulls this makes me 0 for 3. In all fairness, Joel is having a career year with 12-16-28 points in 58 games. He is 7 points and 5 goals away from matching career highs. At his age, this former CIS hockey star is likely going to have a few more seasons potting around 15 goals a year but nothing to cheer about here. Value (3/10)

Ice Rookie #4

Marc Methot

Marc Methot is a 24 year old who has yet to play a full NHL season. He is not an offensive dynamo and his hockey style is more like Mike Commodore than Mike Green. This will not be an investment egg of a card that is for sure. The only plus about this card is it is number /999 which makes it much more rare than the Joel Ward card, but still being a fringe NHL player this card will never leave the commons bin. (Value 3/10)

Ok so this was definitely a bust. The potential was there and even though I was guaranteed to have 4 rookies, in many cases a base Sidney Crosby might have been better than any of these rookies as a pull. However, I didn't even get that, my best base pull was likely the Malkin. In closing the final verdict on this one was a BUST. Value (2/10)

So from these three cases I didn't really have what I would say was an amazing pull. In fact, if I really wanted I could have used the 19.50 from the 07-08 ICE hot packs and used it towards this: and I will still have received the Joel Ward!

Hot Packs Part 2

Upper Deck's base sets are always a great value for the average collector. Their pack/box prices are always reasonable compared to some of the other products and at about 4 bucks per pack you get some nice quality cards, good photography and the young guns cards tend to hold their value especially for the stars.

Scenario 2

09-10 Upper Deck Series 1

6 packs

Total cost with shipping $22.00




First off at a cost of less than 4 dollars and each pack having a young gun I would take this deal just about any day. Of COURSE the hope with buying 09-10 Series 1 is that you get a John Tavares RC but there are some other decent prospects in the set and getting 6 for $22 could be a decent deal.


Young Gun #1 Alec Martinez




I would first of all have to say WHO? I follow hockey pretty closely, and this was not a name I was familiar with. In a system where the team is stocked with really good young talent, especially at the defense position, Alex tends to be near the bottom on the depth charts. I see Alec going between the AHL and NHL for a majority of this career. Value 2/10


Young Gun #2 Mike Santorelli



I have heard of Mike, but not much about him. Doing some research has shown me that both Mike and Mark (brothers) are in the Nashville system and Mike has had some success offensively, but difficult to tell right now what his future and his brothers has in store. I can see him making the NHL on a consistent basis, but I don't see him on the same level as Patric Hornqvist but he could find himself some third line minutes down the road again. 2 goals in 32 games doesn't usually land you on the first line. Value 3/10

Young Gun # 3 Jhonas Enroth

I remember Enroth from the World Junior Championships from a few years back. He is a pretty good goaltender stuck in a system with Ryan Miller. Millertime means little time for Enroth, but with "5-hole" Lalime as a back up, Buffalo make look to move Jhonas up sometime in the next season or so. He has starter potential and is playing well in the AHL right now. I hope he is able to find some permanent role at the NHL level because he could be star much like his fellow Swede Henrik Lundqvist. Value 5/10


Young Gun # 4 Michal Neuvirth

Well is Michal was not in Washington I would have been much more excited about pulling him. In my opinion Varlamov is the man of the future, and Neuvirth is likely a future back-up or a former Capital. Personally, I think there are a few teams that could use a young goalie like him and he does have much potential, but in Washington there seems to be a small log-jam of goalies there and his currently injury has him down at Hershey now. He does have a great deal of potential and I rate his value at 6/10.


Young Gun # 5 T.J Galiardi

Well Galiardi is making the most of his current situation. He is a young player, on a very young and rebuilding team so as he gets nearly 20 minutes a night he himself 8 goals, 16 assists in 45 games. He has a lot of the tools to be a good second line player and if he can learn to shoot more he may make a pretty decent career out of it. Hard to tell right now where he will be in 5 years, but he is only 21 and has found himself playing full time on a team that will be really good in the coming years. Value 6/10



Young Gun # 6 Tyler Myers

I saved him for last for obvious reasons. Tyler Myers is a monster player with what seems to be never-ending potential. He is a 20 year old who plays like he is 30 and really in my opinion defensively reminds me of Marc Staal, but offers the offensive potential of a Chris Pronger. He is huge, intelligent and seems to be a real team player. Right now he is the leading candidate for the Calder Trophy but it is a very tight race and offense usually trumps defense. I think he is the best All-Round defensemen to debut in the NHL since Dion Phaneuf. I think as time goes by and he bulks up a little bit he could fashion himself a spectacular career. Value 8/10

So in all for $22 I got one really good rookie. If I had pulled a Tavares, that would have been a huge success and made this unquestionably a 10/10 but, no Tavares, Duchene, Kane, Hedman or van Riemsdyk. Myers was a quality pull and some of the other rookies do offer some potential. I wouldn't call this a bust, with plenty of sub-par rookies in the set I could have easily pulled 6 Jay Rosehills so I think in all I did ok and would definitely try this deal again.

Overall Value 5/10

Hot Packs Part 1

Hot packs are an item that some collectors really swear by and others don't really see any value in them. I personally like the idea, but of course it is only worth it if you are able to pull something of value. With all the different sets and options now, memorabilia cards really aren't as scarce as they once were. If a person wants a few jersey cards, they can bid on a lot of different jersey cards on ebay and end up with an 8 pack for about a dollar a piece. So buying a hot pack with a guaranteed jersey card may not be all it is cracked up to be. Over the next couple posts I will show you three different lots I bought on ebay and will see if I did get a deal or did I just get ripped off.


Of the three lots I did buy, every single time the packs came back to me as advertised so I did get exactly what I purchased, but did I get anything to make it worth the cost?


Scenario 1


09-10 Upper Deck Artifact Retail
2 packs
Cost with shipping was $13.39


I like Artifacts for the most part, and in fact if you purchase a hobby pack you are "guaranteed" a hit in each pack. But at a cost of over 15 bucks a pack from my local card shop, $13.39 for two retail hits seems like a decent deal. I would like to say though, all these people offering hot pack on ebay leaves me to wonder if there are any hits left on the shelves of Walmart in their little pack bins near the checkout lines!





The first pack:




First off was a Frozen Artifacts Cam Neely, not a bad pull in the least. I have always admired Camand this is the first memorabilia card I have ever owned of him so that is decent and the swatch though is mainly a dirty off white, I do see a little bit of black as well. Definitely better than a patch of bleached white fabric.

Pack Number 2:

The second pull was a Marty Turco Treasured Swatches. Well at least this wasn't Ruslan Fedotenko, I have far too many of his cards (If anyone wants one, let me know a deal can be had)! But back to Marty, not the worst card to get in the world, but definitely the norm I think when it comes to a lot of these hot pack deals. So one good card and one average card, but in the end this was a pretty decent experience. I think getting the Neely proved this round to have been worth while so I will give it a 7/10.

Not all is well in Newark

Well after a loss that is all to reminiscent of the collapse last year, one is left wondering if the Devils really have what it takes to make it far in the playoffs. It seems the Devils have been pretty hot and cold this season with very little in between, and this past month has been pretty frigid. It pretty much began with the lights going out and continued along the lines of playing in the dark!

It is difficult to really blame one aspect of their game, but defensively the Devils really have not been pulling their weight. I feel that if we are going to take a serious run this season, we need more than the return of Paul Martin. Martin has been out since game 9 of the season with a fractured arm which had not healed correctly so he has had an extended stay on the IR. I feel we should either use this time to help groom some young talent like Corrente or Eckford and along with some of the other youngsters build up some experience and see where it takes us or make a move for a veteran d-man (and I don't mean another Havelid).

Fact of the matter is, the status quo is really not an option as the second half of the season progresses and the biggest difference that Lou can make will be on the back end. Time will tell if we will be contenders or pretenders for the 2010 Cup.

Patrice Cormier's Future

Well after the hit yesterday, I must say his future is no longer as bright. I am a Devils fan and have been since 1987. I try to keep tabs on all the prospects and I quite enjoy watching them progress and in some cases turn into full time NHL employees. Cormier (Drafted in the second round) I have been watching for the last two seasons, and this past Christmas, he was the captain of Team Canada at the World Junior Championships.

I was initially very excited he was given the honour of being captain, many previous WJC captains for Canada have gone on to accomplish great things in hockey. His performance however, was not what I expected. He played with a bigger chip on his shoulder than usual and as a result it lead to many dumb penalties. I can't speak for what he did do in the dressing room, but his on ice actions really weren't as dominating as I had hoped.

Now fast forward to this past Sunday, and the hit on Mikael Tam.

IF you have not seen it yet, here is a link, it is a little hard to watch for some....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqBHlA9Yp3I

As you can see, Cormier definitely gets an elbow up on Tam and pretty much knocks him out cold. The hit was undeserved and Tam really did not have a target on him. Tam is a defenseman who for all intensive purposes is NOT a superstar and is currently undrafted.

My concern first and foremost is for Tam to recover and continue a normal life. My second concern is for the mental well-being of Cormier. I feel this situation could scar him both in front of the media and psychologically much like the Todd Bertuzzi incident.

I feel this situation is not much different than the Bertuzzi with really the only difference being Steve Moore had apparently had a target on himself at the time for his dirty hit on Naslund. The suspension Bertuzzi received was swift and deserved and with Cormier's situation being as equally grotesque I can't see any situation where Patrice is not suspended. The only questions left will be how long, and will he return a shell of what he once was like Bertuzzi.

When Todd returned from his suspension, he never really dominated the play again like he once did. He still continues to play, but is not the game impacting power forward he once was. Patrice plays a very similar game, and even though he never put up enormous numbers in Junior, Patrice I felt had great potential to be a solid second line power forward, but now time will tell the result of this dumb and reckless hit.

08-09 UD Artifacts Review

So I was in my local card shop the other day and I decided to pick up a pack of 08-09 Artifacts hockey. Not the first pack I have ever picked up, I did score a pretty sweet 1 of 1 rookie from this set a few months back, but I thought I would take my chances on maybe getting a Stamkos or something cool. At 13 bucks a pack with taxes thrown in is a little costly, but they guarantee a "hit a pack" so lets dig in.





As you can see, each hobby pack contains 4 cards, and in my case a really large plug. Each card is nice, with a good layout, and the four corners have a bronze foil. They cards have a look of a premium set, and the backs of them have the usual stats as well as a small write-up. I am a little disappointed that the Price and Crosby both came out of the pack with nicks on the top, and in fact this isn't the first time I have seen that from an Artifacts pack. My "hit" was the Legends Ron Hextall card numbered 892/999. I am not sure if I would call this a "hit". I like Ron and he had a wonderful career and was a huge influence on my favourite goalie of all-time Martin Brodeur, but most of those legends cards really aren't anymore valuable than the base cards. Some might argue, my damaged Crosby was the actual hit. In all, they are nice cards, the set is small if you don't include the SP's but to try and do a complete set would be very pricey. Apart from some quality control issues, I really like the product, and they memorabilia cards are always pretty sweet with Artifacts.