(NHCD) BOX BREAK - 2011-12 Parkhurst Champions

I hope everybody had a great National Hockey Card Day, I know I sure did (for the most part). It was my one legitimate excuse a year to go and spend a good chunk of my day at the local card store. After circling around the shop looking at extremely overpriced Cody Hodgson cards (I'm talking RIDICULOUSLY overpriced) I decided to look at some higher end boxes I've been moaning and groaning about.

It came down to two boxes, Limited or Parkhurst Champions. I somehow couldn't get myself to pay also 150 bucks for 7 cards, so I went with Upper Decks Parkhurst product. My local card store is kind of a mom and pop type shop and they're super great people, so I busted a box of UD Series 1 for the store and they even agreed to give me a CoHo Young Gun if they were to pull one. Unfortunately, they didn't. But they did give me the single of Cody Hodgson from the NHCD packs as well as three other packs.

I think this year the card design of NHCD was a home run. But now onto the box break!

I'm sure you must have all seen the pictures if not own this product already so I'll spare you the reviews, but I have to say I really love the look of these cards. Classy and good quality and that's what I want to see for a box that sets you back 100 bones. 

Like I said the base cards are fantastic and I ended up pulling all 4 Canucks incorporated into the 100 cards base set. Another thing I have to say is that the players in this 100 card set are absolutely stacked! This lineup is jaw dropping greatness and just thinking throughout the break that an autograph of any of these legends could be in my collection is exciting! I pulled 70 of the 100 base so this set is quite accomplishable. 

Next are the "Champ's Minis" which I think are pretty cool but also I huge pain in the neck to sort.

As you can see from the back of these two George Vezina "Champ's Minis", one is green meaning it is the green back parallel. I pulled 4 of these total plus...

According to the checklist, this card is number 52 of 57 which means it is a "Champ's Mini SP". BUT the back of the card (which I failed to scan) is green so this card is actually a "Champ's Mini SP Green Back Parallel"...got that? Can someone explain to me what a "Parkhurst Back" is though? I can't seem to figure that one out.

I'm a sucker for any type artist renditions type card so it's no doubt that I really like these cards! Plus a Gordie Howe hockey card is always excepted in my collection.

I pulled one "Black and White Renditions" and it's of Bobby Hull shown above, missing tooth and chest hair included. 

Now onto some of the coolest inserts in awhile. I pulled one double player version (Gretzky/Howe above). I think these cards pack huge emotion and hockey history and I have loved reading them thus far!

The top of these three "Wire" inserts is of Mike Bossy in the 1982 Stanley Cup finals where the Islanders beat the Vancouver Canucks. But you know what hurts more?

Ouch! 1994 Stanley Cup finals AND Mark Messier...just OUCH! But you know what hurts more?...

...do you know where I'm going with this...

...take a guess...

Did I mention I extremely dislike Mark Messier? But in all fairness even though I highly dislike the player and this moment in hockey history I still really respect this card and how cool it is. I figured I might get two "Base AUTO's" but getting a "Wire AUTO" (which are harder pulls) is still really cool. In fact according to the Upper Deck blog apparently they are separated into different groups. Messier is in group A so this pull is technically a 1:2,145 pack pull. Not bad if I do say so myself!

My second AUTO you ask?

Excuse my lack of knowledge of Rick MacLeish but I really don't know much about this guy. But from the picture it looks like he played without a helmet so that earns him some respect in my books. His stats are pretty impressive and he's a Canadian boy so I'll happily take his AUTO!

So that's it for the break and even though I pulled a Messier AUTO I'm not all that discouraged and I'm a pretty happy camper overall. Although if you're a fan of Mess and/or the Rangers, I'm willing to part with him for a fair card in return.

The Luongo and Brodeur cards bring an update to my Goalie Project:

Alex Auld - 3/3 COMPLETE! 27 TOTAL
Murray Bannerman - 1/3 COMPLETE! 1 TOTAL
Martin Brochu - 3/3 COMPLETE! 4 TOTAL
Richard Brodeur - 1/3 COMPLETE! 15 TOTAL (1 JERSEY, 1 EVENT-USED, 1 AUTO)
Gary Bromley
Bruce Bullock
Sean Burke - 2/3 COMPLETE! 21 TOTAL
Frank Caprice
Jacques Caron
Dan Cloutier - 3/3 COMPLETE! 32 TOTAL (1 JERSEY)
Ed Dyck
Ken Ellacott
Bob Essensa - 3/3 COMPLETE! 14 TOTAL
Mike Fountain - 3/3 COMPLETE! 11 TOTAL
Troy Gamble - 2/2 COMPLETE! 21 TOTAL
George Gardner 2/3 COMPLETE! 2 TOTAL
John Garrett - 1/3 COMPLETE! 1 TOTAL
Glen Hanlon - 1/3 COMPLETE! 5 TOTAL
Johan Hedberg - 3/3 COMPLETE! 7 TOTAL
Rick Heinz
Corey Hirsch - 1/3 COMPLETE! 2 TOTAL (1 AUTO)
Charlie Hodge - 2/2 COMPLETE! 3 TOTAL
Arturs Irbe - 1/3 COMPLETE! 3 TOTAL
Jason LaBarbera - 2/3 COMPLETE! 4 TOTAL
Ken Lockett
Roberto Luongo - 3/3 COMPLETE! 58 TOTAL (1 JERSEY)
Drew MacIntyre - 1/3 COMPLETE! 1 TOTAL
Cesare Maniago - 1/3 COMPLETE! 3 TOTAL
Bob Mason - 1/3 COMPLETE! 1 TOTAL
Dave McClelland
Steve McKichan
Kirk McLean - 1/3 COMPLETE! 3 TOTAL (1 AUTO)
Rob McVicar - 1/1 COMPLETE! 1 TOTAL
Alfie Michaud - 1/1 COMPLETE! 7 TOTAL
Tyler Moss
Mika Noronen - 3/3 COMPLETE! 6 TOTAL
Maxime Ouellet - 1/3 COMPLETE! 1 TOTAL
Félix Potvin - 3/3 COMPLETE! 31 TOTAL (1 AUTO)
Andrew Raycroft - 1/3 COMPLETE! 7 TOTAL
Curt Ridley - 2/3 COMPLETE! 2 TOTAL
Dany Sabourin - 2/3 COMPLETE! 2 TOTAL
Curtis Sanford - 3/3 COMPLETE! 7 TOTAL
Cory Schneider - 1/2 COMPLETE! 10 TOTAL (1 JERSEY)
Corey Schwab - 1/3 COMPLETE! 1 TOTAL
Petr Skudra - 3/3 COMPLETE! 4 TOTAL
Gary Smith - 1/3 COMPLETE! 1 TOTAL
Garth Snow - 2/3 COMPLETE! 2 TOTAL (1 AUTO)
Kevin Weekes - 2/3 COMPLETE! 2 TOTAL
Steve Weeks - 1/3 COMPLETE! 1 TOTAL
Kay Whitmore - 1/3 COMPLETE! 1 TOTAL
Dunc Wilson - 1/3 COMPLETE! 2 TOTAL
Wendell Young - 1/3 COMPLETE! 1 TOTAL

In addition to that I also added another card to my very young Cody Hodgson PC.

CODY HODGSON COUNT

Cards: 3

Rookies: 2

So how was your NHCD? Did you go out with the fam and enjoy the day? Any big breaks? Let me know, and also if you're interested in the Messier card let me know!

GO NUCKS GO!