Holiday Leftovers ...

After all the wrapping paper, all the boxes, and all the dinner dishes are done and discarded, the ornaments are back in their packaging its back to the rutine of ... looking for more cards.

It is not to say that the non-card gifts were insufficient - they were not. Two hockey touques - both Canadian clubs - ebay gift certificate - a bottle of my favorite bourbon - I am happy as can be.

But what's this ? An unopened box ? Yup ! Someone thought I might enjoy a box of last year's hockey. After reading all the hype on the outside of the box you would think Ed McMahon was inside ready to give me a million dollars !

I was already drooling over the great prize I would find inside. Then the reality hit after open then ten pack + one bonus pack - there is NO autograph. there is NO game used card. There is NO hot insert. There are only some nice REGULAR cards of hockey players. And after careful math, it is clear that at less than $1 per pack - these are quite colorful, quality collectable cards.
The grouping was a nice range of veteran stars and as the box states - Hot Prospects.

Many of these cards were my first of the current batch of stand out players - like Sidney Crosby. There were also some great veterans and future Hall of Famers - Dominik Hasek, Doug Weight, and Keith Tkachuk.

The packs contained:

Kouvu - Montreal

Ryder - Montreal (now with Boston)

Carter - Philadelphia

Bergeron - Boston

Kessel - Boston

Steen - Toronto

Shannahan - N.Y. Rangers
Hasek - Detroit (retired)

Lidstrom - Detroit

Getzlaf - Anaheim

Parise - New Jersey

Elias - New Jersey

Jokinen - Florida
Gabornik - Minnesota

Backstrom - Minnesota

Kartyn - St. Louis

Weight - St. Louis

Tkachuk - St. Louis

Richards - Tampa Bay

St. Louis - Tampa Bay

Hossa - Atlanta

Ward - Carolina

Williams - Carolina

Staal - Carolina

Ribero - Dallas

Cheechoo - San Jose

Stastny - Colorado

Roloson - Edmonton

Pikanen - Edmonton

Hemsky - Edmonton

Kiprusoff - Calgary

Phaneuf - Calgary

Igilna - Calgary

Tanguay - Calgary

Ruutu - Chicago

Khabibulin - Chicago

Kolzig - Washington

Semin - Washington

Arnott - Nashville

Mason Nashville
Vanek - Buffalo

Vyborsky -Columbus

I was happy with the coalation especially in getting so many goalies (8). I saw one box left at the K-Mart. I think it is a good deal at the price and fun without the modern day hype of autographs and game-used stuff.