a special day...

There is absolutely nothing about this picture that isn't The Awesome.



and I am unanimous in this.

Happy Birthday Gordie.

They just never change......

Tonight Montreal went into Boston and beat the Bruins as they usually do. That's their sixth straight win in the Garden.
Tuukka Rask can't beat the Habs, 3 wins in 20 games, and both Carey Price, 7-1-1 in his last nine against Boston, and tonight's starter, Peter Budaj, own very good records against the Bruins.

More of the same this evening. Budaj stoned the Bruins in a 2-1 shootout victory.

But of course, with Boston there's always drama. Known league wide as a team with more than their share of cheap shot artists and a club that likes to intimidate their opponents.... except Montreal. It just doesn't work on them lately.

Case in point early in the first, Montreal's Alexei Emelin hit Milan Lucic with a beautiful hip check at center ice. Lucic went up and over landing hard on the ice. 6'9" Zdeno Chara came rushing over to cross check Emelin from behind, earning him a two minute penalty.
Lucic got up and speared Emelin, albeit a glancing blow. Can't blame a guy for trying. Better luck next time Milan!

After the game, Lucic called Emelin "a chicken". This from a guy who never hits a guy from the front, always from behind. Similar to Chara. Nailing Emelin from behind.

the Bruins like a lot of things from behind.

Too bad Beantown....

It's good to have friends looking out for you...

that post title is not only true in life, but in the card world as well. (Yes, there IS a difference. Acquiring cards is NOT an important factor of a good life. It's just one of the perks)

 

My wife and I  were out driving to the opposite side of the city last Saturday (my wife wanted a milkshake from a particular place located about 45 minutes from our house. What my wife wants.... she gets.) when I received a text message from our friend bamlinden from My Hockey Card Obsession.

 

He was at our local monthly card show and was asking what card numbers I needed to complete the 2013 In The Game Masked Men 5 insert set. We both love the goalie mask cards long time.

Being where I was doing what I was doing, I couldn't answer. But I told him I'd get back to him later.

 

Fast forward to late afternoon on Sunday, and I get another text message. He managed to grab a "couple" of cards for me.

 

A couple = thirteen, by the way.

 

 

Here they are, in glorious pinky-red refractory shiny goodness. After this, I only need three more to finish off my 50 card set.

 

The Eagle!

 

for some reason, Fleury is both card #9 AND #10 in this set. Two different masks, but still....

one of the least deserving members of the Hall of Fame. Grant Fuhr? Really???

Grattoony the Looney!

Speaking of looney...

CUJO! WOOFWOOFWOOFWOOF!

Olie the goalie.

One of my faves, Denis Herron

Bobby Lou in a retro turned current mask. How's the weather down there?

Kirk McLean. I got nuthin'.

Never liked this guy. Too bad I missed his final year which was with the Habs.

Speaking of never liked..

and finally, Damian Rhodes! Um.... yeah.

 

 

Thanks Brett! A great swap for sure. First time I've ever traded food for cards, but whatever works.

Now does anyone have Brian Hayward, Arturs Irbe or Jonathan Quick???

It's a Festivus miracle!

I went to one of the local card shop's trade night this past Wednesday evening. I try to go every month, it's a good time.

 

But I have to say... perhaps a new name is needed. "Trade" night doesn't quite fit. I haven't made a trade in 7 or 8 months there.

Unless you have a brand new released 17 colour game used patch rookie autograph numbered to under /3, there is no way you'll ever trade.

 

I exaggerate, but only a little. Forget player collecting or even team set collecting.

 

And set collecting? Trading base cards? Or even the base inserts? HA! Not a chance. You may as well be Snipe hunting.

 

But then it happened... there were a few new faces this month. And they haven't quite yet got the memo about "the minimum standard."

 

So there were trades to be had! And trade I did.

 

Here are some of my new acquisitions. See if you can spot the theme. There may be a prize.*

 

*(not bloody likely)

 

a 2013-14 Titanium Carey Price jersey card

 

a 2010-11 Certified Carey Price DUAL jersey card #/150

a 2010-11 Certified Masked Marvels DUAL jersey card #/99

a 2013-14 Upper Deck Series One Clear Cut Stoppers insert of Carey Price #/100

a 2013-14 Upper Deck Team Canada Carey Price Exclusive parallel #/100

a 2013-14 Totally Certified Carey Price base

a 2013-14 Upper Deck SPx 96/97 Carey Price die cut insert (remember these from back then?)

the 2013-14 Upper Deck SPx Carey Price base

a 2013-14 Upper Deck ICE Carey Price (only found in a bonus pack from boxes of SPx)

a 2013-14 Panini Carey Price somethingorother from some set... I have no idea...

and now for something, completely different...

a 2013-14 Absolute P.K. Subban

...one of these things is not like the other.....

definitely the most productive trade night in a very long time. It was nice to scratch every one of those cards off of my want list.

Show me the money...

As the Canadiens embark on a one game road trip to Carolina before the Olympic break, they decided on "Ugly Suit Day".

 

Here Brandon Prust and P.K. Subban lead the way.

Coincidently, that's how P.K. will look once he signs his contract extension soon.

Hey, 8 mil a year doesn't buy what it used to.....

Kraft dinner!

my first Check Out My Cards order arrived a couple of weeks ago. 113 cards. Of which, 8 were of the hockey variety.

Only 8? Yeah... hockey cards are just a wee overpriced on comc. Must be a lot of Calgary sellers on there or something. Maybe they think it's an online showroom or something...

 

Anyways,

 

I picked up one card to go towards one of my sets, the other seven cards went into my player collections.

 

The first card I went for after attending our hopefully annual huge card show here in Big C. The seller had a graded 10 copy of it, and also a hefty $30 price tag.

 

I grabbed a mint, sharp cornered, well centered version for $0.35 cents. It's a 1986 Kraft Dinner card of Chris Nilan.

 

 I like mine better.

For Knuckles, I also obtained a 1991-92 Stadium Club for $0.60....

 and a snazzy 91-92 Bowman for $0.50

 Keep in mind I would never pay these prices in person, but on comc I sell crap I don't want dirt cheap, then use that to purchase cards I do. So I don't mind paying a little more.... a little.

Sticking with the same theme.... I got four cards of Lyle Odelein as well.

A gold parallel from 1994-95 Parkhurst SE for $0.63

and a copper parallel from 2000-01 Paramount for $0.70

Jersey card alert! 2000-01 Titanium Draft Day for $1.25. I can't believe how thin this thing is...

and an on card auto from 1995-96 Be A Pplayer for $1.25 as well.

a single card of Carey Price that no one around here would ever trade me. From last year's Fleer Retro set, the metal parallel for $1.00 It doesn't scan very well...

and finally a mask insert for the 2013 ITG:BTP mask subset.for another $1.00.
I'm slowly building this set... these are hard to find at realistic prices.

So there they are... I had fun shopping for them. And they all look fantastic in their respective binders.

This is what's wrong with card companies .....

Today, Sunday, January 19th, 2014 at 3:01 pm MST I received the following email from Upper Deck.


You just can't make this stuff up.


Oh, Upper Deck? If this is one of my posts that you randomly read.... I'm available for part time hire. Email me, we'll chat.