Upper Deck - Updated Release Dates

Upper Deck is reporting a few new dates for some of their products which include a little bit of time slippage.



Here is an Upper Deck specific list of upcoming release dates:

2009-10 UD Black Football - 11/24/09
2009-10 MVP Hockey - 12/1/09
2009-10 Black Diamond Hockey - 12/15/09
2009 Signature Stars Baseball - 12/22/09
2009 Ultimate Collection Football - 12/29/09
2009-10 Trilogy Hockey - 12/30/09
USA Baseball Box Sets - 1/16/10
2009-10 Collectors Choice Hockey - 1/5/10
2009-10 SPx Hockey - 1/14/10
2009 SP Authentic Football - 1/19/10
2009 Ultimate Collection Baseball - 1/26/10
2009-10 SP Game Used Hockey - 1/28/10
2010 Upper Deck Series One Baseball - 2/2/10
Upper Deck Prominent Cuts - 2/9/10

For many of these products, please contact CCW at www.canadacardworld.com.

Product Preview - 2009-10 ITG Heroes and Prospects

Since the 2004-05 season, ITG Heroes and Prospects has been a launching pad for many of hockey's brightest young stars. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Alexander Ovechkin, Patrick Kane and John Tavares all got their hockey trading card start in Heroes and Prospects. For the 2009-10 season, In The Game brings collectors an opportunity to obtain the first cards for CHL rookies such as Shane McColgan and Daniel Cattenacci as well as the thrill of grabbing an autograph of various CHL and AHL stars along with some international prospects, heroes and AHL graduates.

Collectors can expect to find an average of two autograph cards per box.

Non-Memorabilia Inserts
The Hershey Bears - 2009 Calder Cup Winners insert set.
The Windsor Spitfires - 2009 Memorial Cup Winners insert set.
2010 Draft Picks
A redemption element
AHL All-Star Classic Legends.
There will also be the exciting and hard-hitting Enforcers insert set.



Game-Used Memorabilia Cards
There will be an average of two game-used memorabilia cards per box! As usual, ITG will be delivering colorful pieces of authentic game-used memorabilia including autographed versions of many of the game-used memorabilia insert sets.

Game-Used Jersey, Game-Used Emblem and Game-Used Number collections will come in Black, Silver foil and Gold foil versions and many of the players will also have a limited autograph version.

The Top Prospects Game jerseys will feature massive pieces from jerseys, numbers and emblems that were worn in the annual event which is for players that are eligible for the NHL Entry Draft. As with the other sets, each card will feature either Black, Silver foil or Gold foil and some players will have an autographed version.



Also back in 2009-10 are Prospects Combos which feature two prospects and another game-used memorabilia insert set is Hero and Prospect which takes legends and matches them up with young stars who demonstrate their qualities. Speaking of legends, be sure to look for Heroes Memorabilia cards featuring a piece of game-used memorabilia along with an autograph version. Gloves Are Off is back for another season as well.

One of the most treasured inserts in Heroes and Prospects is the Complete Jersey insert set that feature pieces of a game-used jersey, number, emblem and tie-down.



Some lucky collectors will also pull a Complete Logo card featuring the entire league logo from an AHL or CHL player's game-used jersey. Limited to just one copy each, Complete Logo cards have become a cornerstone of many collections.



Finally, there is the one-of-a-kind Made To Order program. Some lucky collectors will be able to have a card made of one of their favorite players. It's the ultimate one-of-one card that you create!

Release Date and Configuration
The 2009-10 edition of Heroes and Prospects from In The Game is set for release in January 2010. Each packs will contain eight cards plus a He Shoots – He Scores decoy in every pack. There will be 18 packs per box and collectors can expect to pull an average of two autograph cards and two game-used memorabilia cards.

In The Game Heroes and Prospects will be available from Canada Card World in January 2010.

2009-10 UD MVP and Checklist

Upper Deck has released the checklist for 2009-10 UD MVP which is just appearing on shelves in hobby stores this week.



2009-10 UD MVP Checklist

Typical Box Break Summary:
12 MVP Rookie Cards
A Two-on-Two Jersey card
1 or 2 Gold/Super Script parallel cards
6 Hart Candidates/Winners cards



Each case will contain a One-on-One Autograph card featuring such tandems as Gretzky/Messier, Brodeur/Fleury, Malkin/Carter, Staal/Kovalchuk, Ovechkin/Malkin and Nash/Toews.

All of the hot young rookies of the new NHL season are here as well with names like Tavares, Hedman, and Duchene.



2009-10 UD MVP is now available for sale at Canada Card World.

Sunday Fun-Day Fun-Facts

In 1989, Upper Deck sold-out of its baseball cards midway through their inaugural year and then pre-sold its entire 1990 baseball stock before the year began.

Although common practice today, the 1990 Upper Deck sets included the industry's first randomly-inserted autographed and numbered cards.



With its 1996 UD Basketball, Upper Deck was the first to insert swatches of game-used material into sports cards.

Who to Collect - Brayden Schenn

As the NHL season wears on, more and more youngsters get a chance to join the ranks of professional NHLers. This also makes it an exciting time for collectors as each new player means a new potential rookie card to collect. It also makes each new product that much more exciting to collect due to the increase in talented newcomers.

Brayden Schenn is the latest 18 year-old rookie to join the NHL after his Wednesday night debut with the Los Angeles Kings. Schenn, the fifth overall pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, was signed to a one-day emergency amateur tryout and placed on the second line with Alexander Frolov and Dustin Brown.



Schenn, a talented centre, began his major junior career with the Brandon Wheat Kings in 2007–08. He was Brandon's first pick in the 2006 WHL Bantam Draft and finished his first season as the top rookie scorer in the WHL tallying 28 goals and 71 points, earning him the WHL rookie of the year. During his NHL draft year, Schenn was listed as the third highest prospect among WHL players in the NHL Central Scouting's preliminary ranking.

Schenn, the younger brother of Toronto defenseman Luke Schenn, became the third-youngest to play for the L.A. Kings. He was one of the last cuts out of training camp and had 12 goals and 39 points in 24 games with Brandon this season.

Brayden Schenn is available in various In The Game products and his first official rookie cards will be available later this season in products available at Canada Card World.

1957-58 Topps Hockey Pack Break

Those lucky enough to be present at the 2009 Fall Sports Card Expo in Toronto had the opportunity to be part of this historic moment.

How many collectors have seen a 1957-58 Topps unopened pack?

How many have then watched it be opened?



An exciting event and a phenomenal moment for all present.

2008-09 Be A Player Rookie Redemptions Checklist

Many collectors have been wondering about the checklist for the 2008-09 BAP Rookie Redemptions.

Upper Deck has started releasing a partial checklist this week.

RR-281 John Tavares
RR-282 Victor Hedman
RR-283 Matt Duchene
RR-284 Jonas Gustavsson
RR-292 Logan Couture
RR-295 Michael Grabner
RR-303 James van Riemsdyk
RR-306 Colin Wilson
RR-312 Evander Kane
RR-315 Michael Del Zotto

The classification of these cards will be interesting as the redemptions are for 2009-10 rookies but they were released in a 2008-09 product.

Stay tuned for more of the checklist.

Upper Deck - The 2009-10 Rookies

An informative and interesting story on the new pros and their thoughts on the hobby.



Courtesy of TSN.

For your chance at the big rookies of 2009-10, please visit Canada Card World.

Rookie Update - Antti Niemi

Impact rookies. That's what every NHL fan hopes their team can find. A player that can make a strong statement every time they're on the ice.

He may have only started 6 games but Antti Niemi is an impact rookie. A goaltender who will be a fixture in the Chicago Blackhawks bright future, Niemi is making Cristobal Huet start to sweat with his consistently brilliant play.



With only 6 starts this season, Niemi has impressed with 4 wins and 2 shutouts. Not only that, but he has a phenomenal 1.85 GAA and a .921 save percentage. It's getting harder and harder to keep this impressive Finnish goaltender on the bench.

Below is a short list of some of Antti Niemi's rookie cards for the 2009-10 season:

09/10 NHL UD Artifacts Rookie #184
09/10 NHL OPC Marquee Rookie #548
09/10 NHL UD Series 1 Young Guns #225
09/10 NHL UD Series 1 Young Guns #225 UD Exclusives
09/10 NHL UD Series 1 Young Guns #225 High Glossy
09/10 NHL UD Victory Rookie #241

Product Preview - 2009-10 Upper Deck Series Two

The anticipation for rookie cards of the new class which hit the ice in October is unrelenting. The release of Upper Deck Series Two continues the tradition by adding players such as Toronto's goaltender of the future Jonas Gustavsson and other future stars which will set foot on the ice over the next month.

Product Arrival Date:
February 9th, 2010



Regular Set Breakdown:
Regular Cards (200)
Young Guns (50)



Top Inserts:
Acetate Hits: Rookie Breakouts #/100 & Draft Class #/10
The Champions (inserted 2 per box)
Fab Four Fabrics #/100
UD Rookie Materials Patch #/25



Typical Box Break Summary:
Six Young Guns RC’s
One Rookie Materials
One UD Game Jersey
Twelve Victory Rookies
Two 'The Champions'



Typical Case Break Summary:
One Die-Cut Acetate card
One UD Signatures

Upper Deck Series Two 2009-10 will be available in February 2010 from Canada Card World.

Rookie Update - Victor Hedman

Victor Hedman is a beast of a man.

Drafted 2nd overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft and standing 6'6 and 230 lbs., the Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman is playing almost 24 minutes each game at the age of 18. Although still in search of his first NHL goal, Hedman is doing it where it counts, in his own end. Not only that, but his play has helped the Lightning go from the second-worst team in the league last year to respectability.



With no goals and 5 assists in 20 games, Hedman may not be inspring greatness in the offensive zone. What collectors need to remember is that this is only the beginning. The fact that he leads all rookies in ice-time and is second on his own team in ice-time above all-stars Vincent LeCavalier and Martin St. Louis speaks volumes. Now that he's starting to get comfortable in the NHL, just imagine what will happen when he starts to dominate.

Victor Hedman's Young Guns rookie card was released last week in 2009-10 Upper Deck Series One and a new rookie card will be released in about 10 days with the arrival of 2009-10 UD MVP. Both products are available from Canada Card World.

Sunday Fun-Day Fun-Facts

Did you know?

During a spring cleaning event in the 1960's, Topp's Brooklyn headquarters hired a garbage boat. Loaded with 300 to 500 cases of 1952 high-series cards, the tugboat pulled from the New Jersey shore and dumped them into the Atlantic Ocean. The cards included Mickey Mantle's first Topps card, the most valuable baseball card in the modern era. No one knew at the time but in today's market, a pack of 1952 Topps baseball cards would sell in the $5,000 range.



Now isn't that just a little worse than your mother tossing out your old cards from the closet.

Rookie Update - Jonas Gustavsson

It has been a memorable start to the NHL season for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Unfortunately, it's been memorable for all of the wrong reasons. A record of 3 wins, 11 losses, and 6 overtime losses technically means a record of 3 wins and 17 losses. One of the worst starts in team history.

Besides the steady play of Phil Kessel, there has been little for Maple Leaf fans to cheer for. One of those few bright spots is rookie goaltender Jonas 'The Monster' Gustavsson. Although his numbers don't inspire greatness, this rookie NHLer has recorded all three of Toronto's wins while the team's #1 goaltender Vesa Toskala is still winless and in danger of losing his status.



While Gustavsson has yet to have an official Upper Deck rookie card other than redemptions, the Fall Sports Card Expo revealed a stunning autographed card #/25 which twenty-five lucky collectors received at the Upper Deck redemption booth.

Jonas Gustavsson should appear soon in the yet-to-be-released checklist for UD MVP 2009-10 which will be available from Canada Card World.

Rookie Update - John Tavares

It was inevitable. John Tavares has started ripping it up! He's showing the skill which made him the most talked about prospect since Sidney Crosby. If you don't remember his skill level, watch this goal:



With 4 goals and 8 points in his last 5 games, Tavares has captured the rookie goal and point scoring lead.

Not only has his scoring been on the rise, so have his card values. A recent eBay transaction netted one seller $340 for a 2009-10 Upper Deck Black RC Auto/Letter/Patch Redemption. Even his recently released Upper Deck Series One Young Guns are selling for anywhere from $80 to $120. This should be a great season for those lucky enough to pull a few Tavares cards from their hockey card packs.

2009-10 Upper Deck Series One and many other brands are available from Canada Card World.

Upcoming Hobby Box Release Dates

Below is an updated list of all major releases from all major sports for the next few months. All release dates are subject to change. Please feel free to comment if you have any new information and we will make the necessary changes.

Hockey

09/10 Topps Attax - November 18th, 2009
09/10 Upper Deck MVP - December 1st, 2009
09/10 Upper Deck Black Diamond - December 15th, 2009
09/10 Upper Deck Trilogy - December 30th, 2009
09/10 Upper Deck Collectors Choice - January 5th, 2010
09/10 Upper Deck SPx - January 14th, 2010
09/10 Upper Deck SP Game-Used - January 28th, 2010
09/10 Upper Deck Series 2 - February 9th, 2010

09/10 Upper Deck Ice - February 24th, 2010
09/10 Upper Deck Champs - March 10th, 2010

Baseball

2009 Topps World Series Champion Team Set - Nov. 18th, 2009
2009 Topps Heritage High Number - November 18th, 2009
2009 Topps T-206 - November 25th, 2009
2009 Topps Unique - December 4th, 2009
2009 Bowman Draft Picks & Prospects - December 9th, 2009
2009 Bowman Sterling - December 30th, 2009
2009 Topps Sterling - January 6th, 2010

2009 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection - January 26th, 2010
2010 Topps Series I - January 27th, 2010
2010 Upper Deck Series I - February 3rd, 2010

Football

2009 Upper Deck Black - November 24th, 2009
2009 Topps Triple Threads - November 25th, 2009
2009 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection - December 8th, 2009
2009 Panini Rookies & Stars Longevity - Dec. 9th, 2009
2009 Upper Deck SP Authentic - January 5th, 2010
2009 Playoff Contenders - January 6th, 2010
2009 Topps National Chicle - January 10th, 2010

2009 Panini Playoff National Treasures - January 27th, 2010
2009 Topps Platinum - February 3rd, 2010

Basketball

2009/10 Panini Rookies & Stars - November 18th, 2009

2009/10 Panini Elite - November 16th, 2009
2009/10 Panini Threads - December 16th, 2009
2009/10 Panini Limited - January 6th, 2010
2009/10 Panini Contenders - January 20th, 2010
2009/10 Upper Deck Greats of the Game - March 3rd, 2010

Upper Deck NHL 09-10 Series One - Quality Control Issues

As first reported at the Fall Sports Card Expo, there have been some scattered issues with roller marking down the middle of the Young Guns hockey cards specifically. This would have been caused during the manufacturing process and when examined under a light, some Young Guns have a slight but noticeable indent.

What is Upper Deck's stance on this? Will they replace them?

Upper Deck understands that this is an issue and they are prepared to replace them. Those lucky enough to attend the Expo in Toronto were able to exchange their cards directly at the Upper Deck booth. For those not in attendance, the Upper Deck Customer Service Department is your next best option. If you were one of the unfortunate collectors who had the slight indentation problem and wish a replacement, please email them at Customer_Service@upperdeck.com and they can send out your replacements.

2009-10 Upper Deck NHL 'Biography of a Season'

The image of Sidney Crosby lifting the Stanley Cup last June to become the youngest captain in NHL history to win the award begins Upper Deck’s 2009-10 NHL “Biography of a Season” set. The extremely popular wrapper redemption program starts later in November and chronicles the greatest NHL moments during the year. Every week, collectors who visit their local hobby store locations will receive a free card whenever they buy 2009-10 Upper Deck NHL cards. There will be one of 30 cards available each week throughout the NHL season.



Cards will ship out over the next two weeks throughout the U.S.A and Canada. The “Biography of a Season” set is extremely unique as it is based upon what happens throughout the NHL season. The set begins the Pittsburgh Penguins hoisting the Stanley Cup and the first overall selection of John Tavares in the 2009 NHL Draft. As new events occur this season in the NHL, collectors can capture those moments with Upper Deck’s “Biography of a Season” set.



Please contact Canada Card World if you are missing any 2008-09 Biography of a Season cards and we will try to help you complete your set.

Fall Sports Card Expo - Day Three (Part II)

The third and final day of the 2009 Fall Sports Card Expo was a memorable experience to be a part of. Mario Lemieux drew massive crowds of people. His autograph may have been expensive but that didn't stop hundreds and hundreds of people from lining up for hours to meet the Magnificent One. Lemieux greeted everyone with a smile and signed for close to three hours.



Dealers reported good sales and crowds were increased over the previous Expo. There seemed to be many more kids in attendance and there was a general excitement in the air as collectors discussed the hobby. The hopes of a John Tavares UD Young Gun was the main draw for most people in line at the Upper Deck redemption booth and the autograph cards were a bonus although some were a little luckier than others.

The Spring Sports Card Expo in Toronto will take place on April 30th, 2010 to May 2, 2010. Autograph guests will be released in the New Year.

Fall Sports Card Expo - Day Three (Part I)

Canada Card World is currently returning home from Ontario. After an exciting weekend at the Sports Card Expo, CCW is now onto the part of the weekend which involves airplanes and waiting. A full update will be posted tomorrow.

Thanks for following.

Fall Sports Card Expo - Day Two

There was one main thing on most people's mind today and that was Mr. Hockey, Gordie Howe. As usual, Mr. Hockey was a pleasure. Always smiling and meeting his fans with a handshake, Gordie Howe signed autographs for close to two hours. Also signing autographs today were Vic Howe, Parker MacDonald, and Bill Gadsby.



Line-ups were never-ending at the Upper Deck redemption booth. Saturday brought out many box-busters and if you wanted a redemption, you had to get in line. The two-hour window usually has lulls near the half-way point but the hopes of a John Taveres RC kept collectors buying.

The high-end collectors were out in full force at the ITG booth breaking boxes of In The Game Ultimate and Superlative. Canada Card World was present during some of the bigger hits of the day and saw cut-autographs pulled of Lynn Patrick and Toe Blake as well as some beautiful Stick Rack and Made to Order cards.

Many hobbyists converged at the HobbyInsider booth and spent the day trading, busting, and talking cards. With a great new publication Insider's Edge, HobbyInsider has come into it's own as more than just a web forum.

The third and final day of the Expo is tomorrow with the Magnificent One, Mario Lemieux making an appearance. It should be a great day for all.

Fall Sports Card Expo - Day One

A large and eager crowd made their way to Mississauga this afternoon for the opening of the Fall Sports Card Expo at the International Centre on Airport Road. There were many veteran card collectors in attendance and lots of new, excited faces as well.

There were long line-ups for those fans seeking autographs of Bob Pulford, Larry Jeffrey, and Pete Stemkowski. None of them left disappointed. Tomorrow will be the highlight of many fans lives with Gordie Howe making an appearance.



Upper Deck had massive line-ups for those collectors busting boxes of 2009-10 UD Artifacts and 2009-10 UD Series One hoping for a John Tavares rookie card. The Priority Signings, as usual, were a big hit. The line-ups should remain long for the rest of the weekend as the autograph redemption list is strong this season.



The In The Game booth saw many boxes of ITG Ultimate 9th Edition cracked open. The Emblem cards were out in full force and jaws were dropping everywhere. If you're in attendance, make sure that you watch some box breaks. It might entice you to buy a pack or box and join the fun.

That's it for now... more tomorrow.

Fall Sports Card Expo 2009 - Toronto (Update)

Canada Card World will be attending the Fall Sports Card Expo near Toronto, Ontario today, tomorrow, and Sunday.

Sports Card Expo Website.

Admission is $12/day for adults, $3/day for kids, or $25 for the weekend.
Show hours are Friday 1pm-10pm, Saturday 10am-6pm and Sunday 10am-6pm.

Autograph guests include:
Larry Jeffrey ($15), Pete Stemkowski ($20) and Bob Pulford ($25-$35)
Gordie Howe ($99-$299), Parker MacDonald ($20) and Bill Gadsby ($20)
Mario Lemieux ($179-$999) and Pierre LaRouche ($20).

Also appearing over the weekend will be the greatest shortstop in Toronto Blue Jays history Tony Fernandez in support of his charity.

Upper Deck and In The Game will have corporate booths with give-aways and product redemption offers.

Canada Card World will be on-site to provide evening updates on Canada Card World - The Blog each night.

Product Preview - 2009-10 Upper Deck SP Game-Used

If you're a collector of memorabilia pieces, 2009-10 Upper Deck SP Game-Used is the box to buy. With a plethora of outstanding jersey, patch and game gear cards, SPGU has the market cornered on excitement. With signed manufactured patch cards, the awesome Fight Strap cards, the newly added Jersey/Patch/Tag Patch/Fight Strap cards, this high-end product will have collectors drooling with anticipation.



Get 1 memorabilia or signature card in each pack!
Jersey/Patch/Tag Patch/Fight Strap combos all on 1 card!
Find Captain’s & Alternate’s Patch cards.
These two-player fight strap cards lend some punch.
Find 1 autograph card & 1 memorabilia card /100 or less in each box.
Grab an average of 2 Rookie Cards per box.
Marks of a Nation, Letter Marks, and Number Marks are in the manufactured patch lineup.



Typical Box Break:
6 Memorabilia or Signature cards
1 Autograph card /100 or less
1 Memorabilia card /100 or less
2 Rookie Cards and 1 Parallel card

Typical Case Break includes:
2 Signed Manufactured Patches
Between Letter Marks, Number Marks & Marks of a Nation



Marks of a Nation include:
Marc-Andre Fleury, Martin Brodeur, Mario Lemieux, Sidney Crosby, Ryan Getzlaf, Jeff Carter and more.

Famous Faceoffs - Fight Strap Combos - include:
Lecavalier/Iginla, Ovechkin/Malkin, Thornton/Getzlaf, Lucic/Komisarek, Messier/Arnott, Parros/Shelley, Mahovlich/Mikita, Pronger/Chelios, Laraque/Brashear and other interesting pairings.

Game Gear - 4 Swatch Cards - include:
Phaneuf, Ovechkin, Crosby, Toews, Malkin, Zetterberg, Kovalchuk, Brodeur and more.

Upper Deck SP Game-Used 2009-10 will be available in late January from Canada Card World.

November 11th - Remembrance Day

Canada Card World would like to take a moment to remember some of the all-time great NHL'ers who have served for their country. Some of those famous names include Johnny Bower, 'Scotty' Davidson, Hobey Baker, Howie Meeker, Conn Smythe, Bobby Bauer, and Clarence Campbell.

This is only a short list of many. Take some time, do some research, and learn more.

How will you remember?

2009-10 Upper Deck NHL Series One Checklist

With the release of 2009-10 UD Series One only a few days away, Upper Deck has posted the complete master checklist on their website. For many collectors, this is the set that they wait for due to the exciting rookie class of Young Guns wearing their debut professional jerseys.



2009-10 Upper Deck NHL Series One Checklist

2009-10 Upper Deck Series One will be available for shipping on November 16th from Canada Card World.

Rookie Update - Ryan O'Reilly

We're approaching the quarter-pole of the NHL season and who is leading the rookie scoring race? Who? No, guess again. No. Not him. Guess again.

Okay, give up? Good plan because who would have ever thought it would be Ryan O'Reilly. A second round draft pick this summer, O'Reilly was an after-thought to many fans after the Avalanche nailed down Matt Duchene with the 3rd overall pick. With 4 goals and 14 points to go with a league-leading rookie plus/minus mark of +13 as well, O'Reilly is slowly becoming a fan's dream and a collector's dream too.



Here's a video of O'Reilly scoring his first NHL goal against future superstar Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens.



Below is a list of O'Reilly's cards for the 2009-10 season so far:

09/10 NHL UD Black Auto'd Rookie Letterman Exchange Card #90
09/10 NHL Ultra Rookies Exchange Card #210
09/10 NHL UD Series 1 Young Guns #213
09/10 NHL UD Series 1 Young Guns #213 UD Exclusives
09/10 NHL UD Series 1 Young Guns #213 High Glossy

Rookie Update - James Van Riemsdyk

With twelve games to his credit, James Van Riemsdyk is taking the bull by the horns and staking an early claim to the Calder Trophy. Van Riemsdyk has 3 goals and 11 assists for 14 points on a very strong Phildelphia Flyers team with young stars Mike Richards and Jeff Carter along with a revitalized Ray Emery between the pipes. This team will be a strong play-off contender and Van Riemsdyk will continue to get more and more press. The sky is the limit for this young forward.



James Van Riemsdyk scored his first NHL goal in Philadelphia on October 24, 2009 against the Florida Panthers.


Here's a handy list of his cards available so far in the 2009-10 season:

09/10 NHL UD Black Auto'd Rookie Letterman Exchange Card #77
09/10 NHL Ultra Rookies Exchange Card #205
09/10 NHL UD Series 1 Young Guns #207
09/10 NHL UD Series 1 Young Guns #207 UD Exclusives
09/10 NHL UD Series 1 Young Guns #207 High Glossy
09/10 NHL UD Artifacts Philadelphia Flyers Rookie Red. #RED209

Product Preview - 2009-10 Upper Deck SPx

No product does rookie jersey cards better than Upper Deck SPx. With hot rookie cards of rising stars such as John Tavares, Victor Hedman, James Van Riemsdyk, Matt Duchene and many others, 2009-10 UD SPx shapes up to be a must-own set this season. With the new Shadowbox case-hit cards and Winning Materials and Combos, SPx will put a smile on collector's faces.



Get 2 Rookie Jersey Cards per box - 1 autographed.
Collect 1 short-printed RC per case on average!
Grab 1 Winning Materials & 1 Winning Combos card per box!
Shadowbox Cards Debut!
Collect Winning Trios jersey cards /50!



Typical Box Break Summary
1 Rookie Jersey Card
1 Signed Rookie Jersey card
1 Winning Materials Jersey card
1 Winning Combos Jersey card
3 SPx Rookies/SPxcitement

Case Hits include:
1 Autographed Rookie Jersey card /499
1 Shadowbox card
1 Signed Flashback Fabrics
2 Flashback Fabrics cards
2 Winning Trios Jersey cards
3-4 Spectrum parallels

Winning Materials include:
Ovechkin, Toews, Lucic, Gaborik, Luongo, Iginla, Messier and more.



Winning Combos include:
Crosby/Ovechkin, Iginla/Kiprusoff, Koivu/Koivu, Roy/Luongo, Hawerchuk/Selanne, Yzerman/Bowman, and others.

Shadowbox Stoppers include:
Patrick Roy, Martin Brodeur, Martin Brodeur, Miikka Kiprusoff, Carey Price, Steve Mason, Marc-Andre Fleury and more.

2009-10 Upper Deck SPx will be available on January 14th, 2010 from Canada Card World.

Product Preview - 2009-10 Upper Deck Trilogy

With its successful formula of 1 autograph, 1 rookie card or 1 jersey card in every pack, 2009-10 UD Trilogy delivers excitement for everyone. Superstar autographs and jersey cards as well as hot rookie cards of the season's brightest stars like John Tavares and Matt Duchene make this product worth each and every penny. Each box contains 9 packs with 3 cards in each pack. There's nothing like the adrenaline rush of looking for those awesome Trilogy hits.



Get 3 autograph, 3 rookie cards and 3 jersey cards in every box!
Get 1 Autographed Plexi-Glass card per Box.
Look for Autographed Jersey cards.
Find Classic Confrontations dual-sided jersey cards - 2 per case!



Typical Box Break Summary:
3 Autograph cards
3 Rookie Cards
3 Memorabilia Cards
1 Autographed Plexi-Glass card



Ice Scripts include:
Sidney Crosby, Bobby Orr, Pavel Datsyuk, Patrick Kane, Ilya Kovalchuk, Martin Brodeur, Cam Neely, Carey Price and others.

Linemates Autograph Jerseys include:
Gretzky/Robitaille, Ovechkin/Backstrom, Lafleur/Shutt, and others.

Classic Confrontations include:
Sakic/Bourque/Roy vs. Elias/Niedermayer/Brodeur - Datsyuk/Zetterberg/Hossa vs. Crosby/Malkin/Staal and others.

2009-10 Upper Deck Trilogy will be available on December 30th from Canada Card World.

09-10 NHL Upper Deck Rookie Boot Camp Video V

Another hilarious edition of NHL Rookie Boot Camp:

Product Preview - 2009-10 Upper Deck Series One

There is one product that every hockey card fan waits for. Next week, it's finally here!

The anticipation for the rookie cards of the new class which hit the ice in October is unrelenting. This year’s Series One Young Guns group includes phenom John Tavares, the massive Victor Hedman, young snipers James Van Riemsdyk, Ryan O'Reilly, Jamie Benn, Evander Kane, Matt Duchene and so many more!


As usual, Young Guns hit the ice - averaging 6 per box.
Collect 2 UD Game Jersey cards per box!
Get Big Playmakers cards - case hits which are #’d to just 75!
Find Clearly Canadian Die-cut acetate cards - one per case.
Short-prints fall 2-3 per case.
1 Signature Sensations card!
2-3 All-World Team SP’s per case.
Grab UD Exclusive and High Gloss parallels!


Typical Box Break Summary:
6 Young Guns Rookie Cards
2 UD Game Jersey cards
2 All-World Team cards
6 Superstar insert cards

Big Playmakers include:
Alexander Ovechkin, Cam Neely, Carey Price, Ilya Kovalchuk, Martin Brodeur, Pavel Datsyuk, Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toews, Vincent Lecavalier, Patrick Kane and more.


Clearly Canadian (acetate cards) include:
Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Bobby Orr, Martin Brodeur, Guy Lafleur, Luc Robitaille, Mark Messier, Jarome Iginla, Jonathan Toews, Rick Nash and more.

Upper Deck Series One 2009-10 will be available next week from Canada Card World.

Product Preview - 2009-10 Upper Deck MVP

One of the first products of the new season to feature rookies in their sharp new jerseys, UD MVP has something for all collectors, big and small. With a crisp design and a price which pleases everyone, UD MVP contains value and excitement with Two-on-Two Jerseys and One-on-One Autographs, featuring top NHL stars on both sides of the card.



Get MVP Rookies, falling 1 in 2 packs on average.
Find Dual-sided Jersey cards, averaging 1 per box!
Snag great signature cards with One-on-One Autographs!
Find Gold & Super Script parallels of the regular set.
Build the complete set of 300 regular cards and top-notch rookies.

Box Break Summary:
12 MVP Rookie Cards
1 Two-on-Two Jersey card
1-2 Gold/Super Script parallel cards
6 Hart Candidates/Winners cards

Two on Two Jerseys include:
Brodeur/Parise/Fleury/Crosby, Toews/Kane/Zetterberg/Datsyuk, Malkin/Staal/Richards/Carter, Kovalchuk/Little/Stamkos, St. Louis, Setoguchi/Thornton/Mueller/Doan, and others...

One on One Autographs include:
Gretzky/Messier, Brodeur/Fleury, Malkin/Carter, Staal/Kovalchuk, Ovechkin/Malkin, Nash/Toews

2009-10 Upper Deck MVP will be available in December from Canada Card World.

Product Preview - 2009-10 UD Black Diamond

Always a favourite among collectors, Upper Deck 2009-10 Black Diamond has been a key product for rookie cards for more than ten years. This year’s group of Quad Diamond rookies should really have collectors salivating. John Tavares. Victor Hedman. James Van Riemsdyk. Jonas Gustavsson. Matt Duchene. Evander Kane. Toss in two 4-swatch jersey cards, die-cuts, parallels and a chance for autos, and this will be one exciting product.



Box Break Summary:
Get 3 Triple Diamond RCs and 1 Quad Diamond RC in each box.
A total of 6 Triple Diamond and 2 Quad Diamond cards per box.
Look for 2 Quad-Swatch Jersey cards per box!

Case Hits:
Four jersey parallels include a signed version, #’d to just 5!
Grab Hardware Heroes die-cut cards which fall 2 per case and are #’d to just 100.
Collect Gemography autograph cards, falling 1 in every other box.
Ruby, Gold & Platinum parallels offer more great low-#’d hits!

2009-10 Upper Deck Black Diamond will be available soon from Canada Card World.

Product Preview - 2009-10 ITG Heroes and Prospects

If you've been eager and wondering when it's going to happen, wonder no more. Heroes and Prospects will be be released in January 2010.

The base card set will be made up of 150 cards. Subsets this year include: Heroes, International Prospects, AHL Grads, AHL Prospects, AHL Rookies, CHL Prospects and CHL Rookies.



As usual, game-used memorabilia inserts will feature game-used jerseys, emblems and numbers. Memorabilia inserts will also feature players from the Top Prospects Game and the Canada/Russia Challenge plus eight memorabilia card insert sets.

And as most collectors are wondering, as you see above.... Taylor Hall, the likely 2010 1st overall NHL draft pick will be included.

In The Game Heroes and Prospects 2009-10 will be available at Canada Card World.

Who to Collect (In Retrospect) - Kyle Okposo

Wayne Gretzky and Jari Kurri. Adam Oates and Brett Hull. John Tavares and Kyle Okposo?

There will be a day when these two may join the ranks of the all-time elite. They have the talent. There is no doubt about that. John Tavares has been talked about relentlessly but Kyle Okposo is no stranger to exhibitions of dominating skill.

Drafted 7th overall in 2006, Okposo made his debut with the Islanders in 2007-08 by scoring 5 points in only 9 games. During his first full season in 2008-09, Okposo stepped up his game with 39 points in 65 games. So far this season, Okposo has scored 10 points in his first 14 games. That's a lot of career points for a player who just turned 21 and has not had much of a supporting cast. Now with more media coverage on the New York Islanders, fans are beginning to see this shooting machine with the nifty moves.



As mentioned above, Kyle Okposo is no stranger to being a dominant player as he won the USHL Rookie of the Year, USHL Clark Cup Playoffs MVP, and was a USHL First All-Star Team in 2006 as a 17 year old.

His focal Upper Deck NHL rookie card was his Young Guns RC (#229) which appeared in 2008-09 Upper Deck Series One which is available at Canada Card World

Product Preview - 2009-10 UD Champs

Upper Deck is returning to the land of the dinosaurs again this season with 2009-10 UD Champs. Definitely not your typical hockey card product, UD Champs contains hockey players as well as dinosaurs, fossils, artifacts, bones, historical figures, and endangered species on tobacco-style mini cards.



Typical Box Break Summary:
4 Signature or Jersey cards
1-2 Mini Signatures and 5 Mini Rookie Cards
2 Mini Threads
10 Wonders of the World/Natural History/Historical Figures cards
1 Red Back mini parallel card
8 Regular-Sized Parallels

Projected Key Inserts:
Museum Pieces:
Dinosaur Teeth, Golden Jurassic Amminites, Paradoxides Trilobite, Turtle Claw, Great White Shark Tooth, Giant Armadillo Claw, Woolly Mammoth Molar Tooth, Giant Capybara Molars, Aurochs Thoracic Vertibra, Wild Boar Fossil Teeth and more.

Mini Signatures:
Alexander Ovechkin, LeBron James, Sidney Crosby, Wayne Gretzky, Dr. J, Bobby Orr, Steve Yzerman, John Tavares, Gordie Howe, Carey Price, Martin Brodeur and others!

2009-10 UD Champs will be released in March 2010 and will be available at Canada Card World.

Rookie Update - John Tavares

With fourteen games under his belt, John Tavares is definitely getting off the gate much faster than Steven Stamkos did last season. Tavares has 5 goals and 6 assists for 11 points and is slowly gaining chemistry with Kyle Okposo and Josh Bailey. This three-some should make the Islanders relevant again, especially as the Islanders start adding more support and skill.



Here's a handy list of his cards available so far in the 2009-10 season:

09 Fall Expo Upper Deck Priority Signings Autograph
09/10 NHL UD Black Auto'd Rookie Letterman Exchange Card #73
09/10 NHL Ultra Rookies Exchange Card #201
09/10 NHL UD Series 1 Young Guns #201

Upcoming Hobby Box Release Dates

Today we have compiled a list of all major releases from all major sports for the next few months. As usual, all release dates are subject to change. If you are aware of any new information, please feel free to comment and we will make the necessary changes.

Hockey

09/10 UD Black Hockey - November 3rd
ITG Ultimate Edition 9 Hockey - November 10th
09/10 Upper Deck Series 1 Hockey - November 10th
09/10 Upper Deck MVP Hockey - December 1st
09/10 Upper Deck Black Diamond Hockey - December 15th
09/10 Upper Deck Trilogy Hockey - December 30th, 2009
09/10 Upper Deck Collectors Choice - January 5th, 2010
09/10 Upper Deck SPx Hockey - January 14th, 2010
09/10 Upper Deck SP Game-Used Hockey - January 28th, 2010
09/10 Upper Deck Series 2 Hockey - February 9th, 2010

09/10 Upper Deck Ice - February 24th, 2010

Baseball

2009 Topps Tribute Baseball - November 11, 2009
2009 Topps Unique Baseball - November 18, 2009
2009 Topps Baseball World Series Champion Team Set - Nov. 18, 2009
2009 Topps Heritage High Number Baseball - November 18, 2009
2009 Bowman Draft Picks & Prospects Baseball - December 9th, 2009
2009 Bowman Sterling Baseball - December 30th, 2009
2009 Topps Sterling Baseball - January 6th, 2010

2009 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection Baseball - January 26th, 2010
2010 Topps Baseball Series I - January 27th, 2010
2010 Upper Deck Series I Baseball - February 3rd, 2010

Football

2009 Press Pass Football Collector Box - November 4th, 2009
2009 Donruss Gridiron Gear Football - November 11th, 2009
2009 Topps Mayo Football - November 11th, 2009
2009 Topps Triple Threads Football - November 25th, 2009
2009 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection Football - December 8th, 2009
2009 Panini Rookies & Stars Longevity Football - Dec. 9th, 2009
2009 Upper Deck SP Authentic Football 2009 - January 5th, 2010
2009 Playoff Contenders Football - January 6th, 2010
2009 Topps National Chicle Football - January 10th, 2010

2009 Panini Playoff National Treasures Football - January 27th, 2010

Basketball

2009/10 Panini Rookies & Stars Basketball - November 18th, 2009

2009/10 Panini Elite Basketball - November 25th, 2009
2009/10 Panini Threads Basketball - December 16th, 2009
2009/10 Panini Limited Basketball - January 6th, 2010
2009/10 Panini Contenders Basketball - January 20th, 2010
2009/10 Upper Deck Greats of the Game Basketball - March 3rd, 2010