2024 ONLINE BLASTER - PART 7: HOCKEY PLAYER COLLECTIONS

BACK TO MORE CARDS I BOUGHT THIS YEAR. THESE ARE SOME RAD HOCKEY DUDES. I FINALLY GOT MY NEGLECTED HOCKEY CARDS IN ORDER LAST YEAR AND PART OF THAT ORGANIZATION IS DECIDING WHAT CARDS I ACTUALLY GAVE A CRAP ABOUT. I HAD A TON OF PLAYER COLLECTIONS FROM THE 90S BACK WHEN I ACTUALLY LIKED HOCKEY BUT I CUT ALL THAT DOWN TO SIX PLAYERS TO FOCUS ON

CATEGORY - PLAYER COLLECTION

1995 STADIUM CLUB MEMBERS ONLY CHRIS CHELIOS, PAUL COFFEY AND ED BELFOUR

THESE ARE THE BIG THREE: CHELIOS, BELFOUR AND COFFEY. I LOVED PLAYING HOCKEY GAMES ON MY SUPER NINTENDO THAT THESE DUDES WERE ALWAYS AWESOME. CHELIOS AND COFFEY WERE DEFENSEMEN THAT COULD SCORE AND ED HAD AN EAGLE ON HIS HELMET. HOW COOL IS THAT! I HAVE ABOUT A HUNDRED CARDS EACH OF THESE PLAYERS AND HAVE BEEN PICKING UP A FEW HERE AND THERE WHEN I NOTICE I DON'T HAVE THEM, ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE FROM A HIGHER END SET OR INSERT. THIS IS THE ONLY PAUL COFFEY CARD FROM THIS BATCH WHICH MAKES SENSE SINCE I HAVE ALMOST AS MANY COFFEY CARDS AS CHELIOS AND BELFOUR COMBINED SO IT'S A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT TO FIND ONE I NEED

1996-97 SKYBOX IMPACT CHRIS CHELIOS BLADERUNNERS INSERT

CHELIOS IS MY OFFICIAL FAVORITE PLAYER IN HOCKEY SO IF I SEES AN INSERT I GETS IT. I ALREADY HAD A FEW OF THESE BLADERUNNER INSERTS FROM MY 90S PACK RIPS BUT NO CHRIS. HOORAY! INSERT IN MY HOCKEY BOX

1997-98 POST CHRIS CHELIOS

I'M ALSO LEARNING ABOUT A TON OF ODDBALL FOOD ISSUES NOW AND HAD NO CLUE THAT POST DID HOCKEY CARDS AS WELL AS THE BASEBALL CARDS I WAS COLLECTING. THE PINNACLE BRANDING IS COOL AND THIS DESIGN IS PRETTY WILD EVEN FOR THE LATE 90S. I DARE YOU TO FIGURE OUT IF THIS CARD IS OFF CENTER OR NOW. GO AHEAD, THEY TO FIGURE IT OUT

1991 STAR PICS ED BELFOUR FLASHBACK

THE FIRST TEAM I PLAYED ON THOSE OLD NINTENDO GAMES WAS THE CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS AND I QUICKLY LEARNED HOW GOOD ED WAS AT NOT LETTING PUCKS IN THE GOAL. I LIKE GOALIE CARDS IN GENERAL AND ED'S ALWAYS LOOK GOOD. THIS STAR PICS SET WAS ANOTHER ONE I HADN'T HEARD OF BEFORE AND I THOUGHT THIS WAS AN INSERT WHEN I FIRST SAW IT

1999-00 UPPER DECK RETRO MCDONALDS ED BELFOUR, 1999-00 UPPER DECK RETRO MCDONALDS ED BELFOUR ROOKIE YEAR INSERT

MCDONALD'S CARDS ARE USUALLY PRETTY SHINY BUT 2000 WAS THE YEAR RETRO REALLY KICKED OFF SO UPPER DECK GAVE UP THE RETRO DESIGN FOR THE BURGER CARDS. THESE ARE PRETTY NEAT LOOKING AND WE GET ED IN THE TOWO UNIFORMS HE'S BEST KNOWN FOR

1999-00 UPPER DECK VICTORY ED BELFOUR SEASON LEADERS

I THOUGHT I DIDN'T HAVE ONE OF THESE BUT I FOUND TWO OF THEM LATER ON WHEN PUTTING AWAT SOME UPPER DECK BOXES. THAT'S WHY YA GOTTA GET ORGANIZED KIDS!

1994-95 PINNACLE ED BELFOUR

THIS BIZZARE OBELISK DESIGN ON 94-95 PINNACLE ALWAYS SEEMED ICONIC TO ME SIMPLY BECAUSE OF HOW WEIRD IT WAS. I COULDN'T SWORN I HAD THIS CARD BUT I COULDN'T FIND IT ANYWHERE SO I MADE SURE I HAVE ONE. BUT SERIOUSLY, WHAT IS THAT FOIL THING? A TROTHY? A  STAIRCASE? A CENTEPEDE? WHAT THE HECK IS IT??

2003-04 PACIFIC ATOMIC MCDONALDS ED BELFOUR

LAST EDDIE IS ONE OF HIM IN A TORONTO UNI. I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CARDS OF HIM WITH THE SHARKS OR PANTHERS OR LEAFS SO THIS IS A NICE PICKUP. YOU CERTAINLY KNOW IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS THAT ED BELFOUR PLAYED FOR THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS WITH THIS DESIGN

2000-01 PACIFIC PRIZM MCDONALDS STEVE YZERMAN

ALONG WITH THE THREE DEFENSIVE PLAYERS I DECIDED TO COLLECT THREE FORWARDS AS WELL TO BUILD A FULL STARTING LINEUP. STEVE YZERMAN IS MY TEAM'S CENTER AS I SCORE A TON OF GOALS WITH HIM ON THAT SNES AND THE RED WINGS HAVE BECOME MY KINDA SORTA FAVORITE TEAM SINCE THE THRASHERS FLEED THE COUNTRY. DON'T ASK ME IF THE WINGS MADE THE PLAYOFFS BECAUSE I HAVE NO FRICKIN CLUE. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SHINY MCDONALD'S CARDS I MENTIONED BEFORE AND HOLY MOLY THIS ONE IS EXTRA SHINY. MAN, I MISS GOOD PRISM WITH AN S

1991-92 O-PEE-CHEE PREMIER STEVE YZERMAN

I DON'T KNOW HOW I DIDN'T HAVE THIS ONE SINCE I HAVE MORE JUNKWAX ERA HOCKEY THAN I COULD EVER WANT BUT I DIDN'T SO I GOT IT

2005-06 PARKHURST STEVE YZERMAN CHECKLIST

I DON'T CARE MUCH ABOUT PARKHURST, WHEN I WAS ORGANIZING MY HOCKEY I DIDN'T EVEN BOTHER SORTING THE STUFF I HAD BUT AN ODDBALL INSERT CHECKLIST CAUGHT MY EYE. IT'S NOT A GREAT LOOKING CARD BUT IT SURE IS DIFFERENT

2003-04 PACIFIC ATOMIC MCDONALDS JAROME IGINLA

JAROME IGINLA IS MY RIGHT WINGER AS I WAS WELL AWARE OF HIS ROOKIE CARDS WHEN I WAS SERIOUSLY COLLECTING HOCKEY AND HE PLAYED FOR THE FLAMES, A TEAM I HAVE A SOFT SPOT FOR. I ALSO RECENTLY LEARNED HE'S THE LEAGUE LEADER IN GOALS FOR THE 00S? THAT'S DAMN GOOD. I ALSO LOVE THIS ATOMIC DESIGN SO I'LL TAKE ANY EXCUSE TO PICK ONE UP

2003-04 PACIFIC ATOMIC MCDONALDS ILYA KOVALCHUK

ILYA KOVALCHUK IS MY LEFT WINGER BECAUSE I KINDA HAVE TO COLLECT AT LEAST ONE ATLANTA PLAYER (CHELIOS DOESN'T COUNT EVEN THOUGH HE PLAYED A FEW GAMES WITH THEM AT THE END OF HIS CAREER) AND ILYA IS PRETTY MUCH THE ONLY STAR FROM THAT FRANCHISE THAT DIDN'T END UP AN EMBARASSMENT. WELL, AT LEAST NOT WHILE I WAS WATCHING HIM AT LEAST. IVE GOT A FEW OF HIS CARDS IN A TRASHERS BOX SOMEWHERE BUT WHENEVER I LOOK THROUGH IT I GET DEPRESSED SO I HAVEN'T PULLED HIS CARDS YET. THERE'S SOME GOOD ONES IN THERE THOUGH, BUT THIS WAS THE FIRST I'VE SEEN OF THIS MCDONALD'S DESIGN SO IT'S A PRETTY GOOD BET IT'S NOT IN THERE

1994-95 CLASSIC IMAGES MANON RHEAUME

I HAVE HAD A TINY MANON RHEAUME COLLECTION FOR THIRTY YEARS NOW AND YOU CAN STILL REGULARLY FIND HERE CARDS IN DOLLAR BOXES HERE IN ATLANTA. I SAW SOME OF THESE CARDS ON THE SITE AND THOUGHT, HELL YEAH, WHY NOT BUILD UP A HUGE COLLECTION OF RHEAUME CARDS! THEN I CHECKED OUT TCDB AND SAW HOW MANY CARDS SHE HAD LOL. I WILL ALWAYS HAVE A TINY COLLECTION BUT I'VE PROBABLY DOUBLED IT SO FAR THROUGH THE SITE. THISONE'S GOT SHINY FOILBOARD BUT IS SADLY NOT AN ATLANTA KNIGHTS CARD

1992 CLASSIC DRAFT PICKS MANON RHEAUME 

MANON'S VERY FIRST CARD! I THINK. THERE'S ALWAYS EARLIER CARDS THE MORE YOU LOOK. AND ODDLY ENOUGH, MANON'S OFFICIAL ROOKIE CARD IS CONSIDERED TO BE HER 2008-09 MASTERPIECES CARD BY TCDB AND HER 2010-11 PANINI DOMINION CARD BY COMC. ROOKIE CARDS ARE FAKE, Y'ALL. JUST ENJOY THE ONES YOU GOT

1993 CLASSIC PRO HOCKEY PROSPECTS MANON RHEAUME 

THESE ARE THE LAST TWO CARDS OF MANON I NEEDED FROM THE 1993 CLASSIC PRO HOCKEY PROSPECTS SET THAT WENT NUTSO ON RHEAUME CARDS UNLESS THERE'S SOME VARIATIONS I DON'T KNOW ABOUT. I HAD ABOUT HALF OF THEM FOR FOREVER UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO PICK UP THE REST ON THE SITE. HOORAY FOR COMPLETION!

1994-95 CLASSIC HOCKEY MANON RHEAUME

AND TO FINISH UP WE HAVE MANON IN THE TEAM CANADA UNI WITH TAMPA BAY SPLASHED ON THE SIDE. ANOTHER NICE LOOKING CARD AND NOW I HAVE TWENTY THREE OF HER CARDS. OUT OF A POSSIBLE ONE THOUSAND AND ONE LOL. LIKE I SAID, ENJOY THE CARDS YOU HAVE AND ALWAYS BE LOOKING FOR MORE COOL NEW ONES

ONLINE MEGA BOX - PART 9

A NICE MIX WITH A HEAVY DOSE OF FEETSBALL. STARTING OFF ON A HIGH NOTE TOO

1999 FLEER ULTRA ANDRUW JONES

CATEGORY - BRAVES

THIS CARD WAS JUST SITTING OUT THERE ON THE SITE FOR A WHILE AND EVENTUALLY I HAD TO BRING IT HOME. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT PLAY THIS IS FROM AND I'M A BIT SKEPTICAL THAT IT ISN'T ONE OF THE MANY POSED OVER THE WALL CATCH SHOTS THAT HAPPENED ON CARDS IN THE 90S. THE FANS IN THE STANDS AND THE SLIGHTLY GRAINY PHOTO MAKES ME WONDER THOUGH. EITHER WAY IT'S A GREAT PICTURE ON A GOOD LOOKING CARD

1982 TOPPS STANLEY MORGAN

CATEGORY - WANTLIST

1982 TOPPS WAS THE FIRST FOOTBALL SET THAT REALLY CAPTURED MY ATTENTION. I THINK I MAY HAVE OPENED A PACK OF THE 81 VERSION JUST BECAUSE IT WAS A PACK OF CARDS TO OPEN BUT THE 82 SET REALLY STOOD OUT WITH THAT LITTLE FOOTBALL HELMET ON IT. TOPPS FINALLY GOT THE LICENSE TO SHOW OFF LOGOS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FOREVER AND LIKE THEY DID WITH 2010 TOPPS BASEBALL, THEY REALLY FLAUNTED IT. I REALLY THINK THIS SET ALONG WITH THE FLEER LOGO STICKERS HELPED JUMP START MY LIFELONG OBSESSION WITH TEAM LOGOS. I LIKE THIS PICTURE OF STANLEY, HALF-ON HELMET PHOTOS ARE A NICE CHANGE OF PACE IN VINTAGE TOPPS SETS FROM ALL THE BLURRY ACTION SHOTS AND PICS OF GUYS SITTING ON THE BENCH

1995 PINNACLE ERNIE MILLS TROPHY COLLECTION

CATEGORY - DUFEX

BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE

1995 PINNACLE IRVING FRYAR TROPHY COLLECTION

CATEGORY - DUFEX

MAN I LOVE THE DUFEX. I GOT A BIG PILE OF THIS SET OUT OF A JUNK BINDER I PICKED UP FROM THE LOCAL CARD SHOP BACK WHEN THEY COST TEN BUCKS A BINDER INSTEAD OF FIFTY. I MIGHT ALREADY HAVE THESE TWO BUT WHO CARES. MOAR SHINIES FOR ME! MILLS WAS A PRETTY GOOD RECEIVER BUT FRYAR WAS A FIVE TIME PRO BOWLER. I WISH I KNOW HOW THESE THINGS WERE MADE, THEY ARE INCREDIBLY INTRICATE AND IT HAS TO BE COMPLICATED

I'M NOT SURE WHY THE FOOTBALL PARALLELS ARE CALLED TROPHY COLLECTION INSTEAD OF MUSEUM COLLECTION LIKE IN BASEBALL BUT THE LITTLE TROPHY IS NICE

2007-08 UPPER DECK CHRIS CHELIOS

CATEGORY - PLAYER COLLECTION

WE ARE NOW TRANSITIONING FROM A BUNCH OF ED BELFOUR CARDS TO A BUNCH OF CHRIS CHELIOS CARDS. MY HOCKEY COLLECTION PETERED OUT AFTER ABOUT 2002 ONCE I WENT ALL IN ON TOPPS HERITAGE AND ARCHIVE RETRO SETS SO A 07-08 CARD IS NEW TO ME. THE HOCKEY VERSION OF THIS DESIGN IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT FROM THE BASEBALL SET AND HAS BRONZE FOIL INSTEAD OF SILVER AND A TEAM BAR ON THE SIDE. I'M ALSO SHORT OF CHELIOS RED WINGS CARDS IN MY COLLECTION

2016 PANINI CONTENDERS RICHARD SHERMAN OLD SCHOOL COLORS

CATEGORY - INSERT

COOL LOOKING INSERTS CONSISTENTLY DAZZLED ME AND KEPT ME FROM BUYING ALL THE BORING OLD BASE CARDS I ACTUALLY NEED. THIS ONE HAS HOLOFOIL, I NEVER HAD A CHANCE. I ENDED UP PICKING UP ANOTHER RICHARD SHERMAN INSERT LATER SO THIS CARD ENDED UP IN A PACKAGE TO A STANFORD FAN

1994-95 FLEER WESLEY PERSON 1ST YEAR PHENOM

CATEGORY - INSERT

MID 90S FLEER INSERTS ARE BECOMING AN OBSESSION WITH ME. I BOUGHT A TON OF PACKS OF THIS STUFF BUT THIS CARD OF WESLEY ELUDED ME. THIS IS A VERY STRANGE DESIGN, FOUR MONOCHROME COPIES OF THE MAIN PHOTO, WHICH IS BURSTING OUT FROM BEHIND CAUSING THE OTHER PHOTOS TO ROLL UP LIKE 1962 TOPPS

1992-93 UPPER DECK MCDONALDS DAVID ROBINSON

CATEGORY - SUPERSTAR

THERE WERE A LOT OF THESE MCDONALD'S UPPER DECK CARDS ON THE SITE BUT I WAS LAZY AND NEVER DUG UP MY UPPER DECK BOX TO SEE WHICH ONES I NEEDED. I PICKED UP DAVID ROBINSON THOUGH BECAUSE I HAVE SEEMINGLY BOUGHT EVERY SINGLE ROBINSON CARD OFF THE SITE SO FAR

2021 DONRUSS MAX FRIED

CATEGORY - BRAVES

I HAVE A FEELING MAX IS JOINING SHOHEI NEXT YEAR BUT IMMA ENJOY HIM WHILE WE GOT HIM. THIS 2021 DESIGN LOOKS SOMEWHAT SUBDUED FOR NEW DONRUSS COMPARED TO THE REST OF THEIR MADNESS. THIS IS PRACTICALLY ELEGANT

1989 DONRUSS MIKE SCHMIDT

CATEGORY - SUPERSTAR, WANTLIST

I SHOULD HAVE COMPLETED ALL THESE LATE 80S JUNK DONRUSS SETS THREE TIMES OVER BY NOW BUT I HAVE BEEN SLACK ABOUT TRACKING DOWN ALL THE RANDOM COMMONS I NEED. SCHMIDT IS NOT A COMMON AND I PUT THIS CARD IN THE CART NOT EVEN REALIZING IT'S NOT ALREADY IN THE 89D BINDER. 1989 DONRUSS NOW JOINS MY 'NEED FIVE CARDS OR LESS' CLUB IN THE WANTLIST WHICH HAS BEEN SHRINKING THIS YEAR AFTER A FEW TARGETED PICKUPS

1995 SELECT CERTIFIED FRED MCGRIFF

CATEGORY - BRAVES, SHINY

HALL OF FAMER FRED MCGRIFF. OH HOW I LOVE THE SOUND OF THOSE WORDS. HALL OF FAMER FRED MCGRIFF. AWW YEAH, THAT'S THE STUFF. SELECT CERTIFIED HIT LIKE A TRUCK IN 1995. VERY THICC, MUCH SHINY. IT QUICKLY GOT OVERSHADOWED IN THE ESCALATING HIGH-END WARS OF THE LATE 90S BUT IT'S STILL A NICE LOOKING CARD

1994-95 SP CHRIS CHELIOS

CATEGORY - PLAYER COLLECTION

FOR SOME REASON UPPER DECK ABANDONDED THE BEAUTIFUL BLUE AND RED HOLOFOIL FROM THE BASEBALL SP SET FOR THE BASKETBALL AND HOCKEY SETS. THE GOLD FOIL DOES LOOK NICE BUT IMAGINE THIS CARD WITH THAT RED FOIL. HOO MOMMA. IT'S GETTING BEYOND TIME THAT I GET THESE CARDS ADDED TO TCDB SO I CAN START WATCHING NUMBER GO UP

UP NEXT: THE FOLLOWING BATCH IS ALMOST EXCESSIVELY STRANGE BUT THERE'S ALSO A BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT IN THERE TOO SO STAY TUNED

Seven Number Sevens for 7/7/07

Woohoo! A nifty date! To honor this convergence of sevens, here are 7 cards of greats with a connection to lucky number 7.


We'll start off with the obvious. No matter what Sports Illustrated says, Mickey IS #7. Period. Anyone remember this card from Pacific? I was at a card show in the late 80's where these cards were being hawked and the Mick's card was being sold for 25 dollars. 25! For a brand new card from a retro set! And it wasn't just one dealer either, anyone who had one of these was selling it for 25 bucks. I made the right decision and opted to buy a box of 88-89 Fleer Basketball cards instead. Of course I became stupid real quick and sold off all the Scottie Pippen Rookies because I hated the Bulls. Whoops. I still managed to pick up the 25 dollar Mantle later on in a Yankees oddball eBay lot so it turned out all right in the long run.


What, you thought a Falcon fan was going to choose John Elway? Really? Really? Nope, not gonna happen. Denver would still be a football town even if they never had Elway. Without the trade for Vick, the Los Angeles Falcons could have easily been a reality. I don't care what anyone thinks of him as a QB, I've witnessed him win (sometimes singlehandedly) a hell of a lot more games then he's lost. I still pull out my tape of the playoff game versus the Rams to pick me up when I'm feeling down. Go ahead, post your best Ron Mexico/water bottle/dog fighting jokes in the comment section, I'm used to it by now.


Joe Mauer can flat out hit. Jake, not so much. Still, the card is cool and Joe by himself is probably better then both O'Brien brothers.


The Atlanta Hawks are the poster child for bad General Managers. The Dominique for Danny Manning trade completely derailed the entire franchise. Billy Knight's 'take a forward every year' draft strategy has kept them in mediocrity. But the moment the team began its tradition of horrific front office decisions was with the trade of Pistol Pete. The Hawks moved up in the 1970 draft specifically to take the LSU star, but got disillisioned with his flashy play and shipped him off to the the expansion New Orleans Jazz after only four seasons. In exchange for a superstar off his best season, the Hawks got Dean Meminger, Bob Kauffman, and four draft picks. Blech. To add insult to injury, one of the draft picks was used on David Thompson, who immediately bolted to the ABA rather than play for Atlanta. Can you blame him?


Yoda! Y-O-D-A Yoda. You guys thought I was just a baseball card geek, but I am actually a well-rounded geek quite familiar with Star Wars lore. This card from an oddball Return of the Jedi card game has a big green 7 on it, so it works for my purposes. I lost the game instructions so I have no clue what the 7 actually means though. Maybe the game is actually a sabacc deck? At any rate, Yoda is much more interesting than Elyhek Rue, pilot of Red 7 at the Battle of Yavin so the Jedi master makes the list. Hey, I told you I was a geek...


Love him or hate him, #7 for the Chicago Blackhawks is a hell of a defenseman. And if you play me in EA NHL '94, be prepared to have Cheli absolutely kick your ass.


Samuel Huntington?? Jeez, I'm resorting to some extreme measures to keep Elway off this list aren't I? Au contraire, mon frere... Samuel was the 7th President of the Continental Congress of the United States. He may not have the Q-rating of John Hancock, but the Connecticut statesman was one of the most respected delegates and helped lead the nation through some dark days of the Revolutionary War. This is serious business folks, one crucial defeat on the battlefied for the patriots at this time and ol' Sammy's ass could have ended up in front of a Tory firing squad. Things worked out though and now he has his own trading card. So why did I choose the 7th president of the Continental Congress and not just opt for the 7th President of the United States? Well, I'm part Cherokee, so let's just say that I'm a bigger fan of Elway than I am of Andrew.

Now if you'll excuse me, I only have 1 year, one month and one day to buy up as many Yogi cards as I can, so I better get busy.