My son and I are enjoying hockey in many forms these days. Between opening a few hockey blaster boxes, watching hockey games on ESPN+, and going to a minor league hockey game for the first time since the pandemic started, we've got hockey activity around our house just about on a daily basis.
He's all about the Sharks, but he'll watch just about any game on TV. He doesn't know it's coming, but he's going to lose his mind over the NHL All-Star festivities this weekend, coinciding with the start of the Winter Olympics. Even though NHL players aren't in the Olympics, we'll be watching hockey I'm sure.
Meanwhile I'm soaking up hockey card content and adding cards to my Predators want list. While I've tried to hold off on making too many purchases, I did make an initial purchase after seeing a parallel version of this set on twitter.
The parallel version I saw was shinier and serial numbered, but I'm happy with this rookie year card of the top scorer on the Predators, Filip Forsberg. It wouldn't scan well, so I took photos in my light box. A rookie year Forsberg in a set like this, I couldn't pass up when I saw they were a very reasonable price.
One thing I noticed, and I am not up to speed on Panini's history with a hockey card license, is the Dual Class wording on the Rookie Card logo. Does this indicate multiple rookie classes in a single year's set? I googled and couldn't find information on it. Was this an attempt by Panini to introduce a rookie card logo in hockey? Info on this would be appreciated.
Same image used on the front and back of the card, but you get to see a faint background. Forsberg's been my favorite Predator to watch since I started following the team. He hit the 200 goal mark just recently, and is on a tear right now. On fire, you might say. He's in the final year of his contract and while he's sure to get a big contract, surely he'll be back in Nashville.
In modern card collecting, I am drawn to sets that are a throwback to a prior set. The 'Fire on Ice' name was used for Leaf insert sets in the mid-90s, the 1997-98 version being my favorite.
So there you have it, my first purchase for the Predators collection. Many more to come, I'm sure.
I think it had to do with the lockout from 2012-13 and them not being able to make RC's for players that season, something like that.
ReplyDeleteHere is the only info I could find about it: https://blog.paniniamerica.net/panini-america-unveils-double-rookie-class-logo-in-advance-of-2013-nhl-entry-draft/
Thank you! Basketball had a double rookie class in 2012-13 due to a lockout. I assumed it was something like that for hockey as well. Interesting to adjust the RC logo for that.
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Good looking card. Never seen anthing on Dual Class either. Even if it is due to the lockout the verbiage seems a bit odd. Good post and have fun with the all-star game festivities. Love all-star games.
ReplyDeleteThanks, yes- definitely the most anticipated NHL All-Star weekend for us here. Looking forward to seeing the variety in events in the skills challenge.
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