Guaranteed!

I hit WalMart tonight and see a box that says "Hockey trading cards, 16 packs plus 2 memorabilia cards guaranteed per box". Is there likely anything great in here? No. But how many blasters have two memorabilia cards in each box? None. Let's at least give it a shot, I think.

Two jerseys are a Steve Sullivan 06-07 SPGU Authentic Fabrics jersey and a Sergei Samsonov 05-06 UD jersey. Maybe my two year old wants to play with them. Hey, I've had blasters where I haven't even got an insert in. Can't complain that much.

Looks to be all retail, but a decent mix.

• 3 packs 1997 Collectors Choice
• 2 packs 06-07 MVP retail
• 1 pack 06-07 Ultra retail
• 1 pack 06-07 UD Series 1 retail
• 1 pack 07-08 MVP retail
• 4 packs 07-08 Ultra retail
• 1 pack 07-08 Victory
• 2 packs 07-08 O-Pee-Chee
• 1 pack 08-09 O-Pee-Chee

Let's go in that order.

COLLECTORS CHOICE
Pack 1 - Roenick, Roy, McSorley, Svehla, Chippy's Hobby Guide Checklist (Gretzky on front)
Well, I've heard of all of them!

Pack 2 - Palffy, Koivu, Khristich, National Heroes Joe Thornton, Magic Men Patrick Roy
The Thornton is a nice pull, and the Magic Men cards are 1:32. Not horrible.

Pack 3 - Grier, Twist, Domi, Miller, National Heroes Judy Diduck
Aside from Ms Diduck apparently wanting to eat her hockey stick..... well, there's more packs to open.

06-07 MVP
Pack 1 - Weight, Gomez, Ruutu, Eminger, Hemsky, Boyle, Raycroft, Frank Doyle RC
Huh.

Pack 2 - Tucker, Frolov, Ribiero, Cheechoo, Parrish, Guerin, Bertuzzi, Mats Sundin Clutch Performers
All of the cards were damaged in the top right corner. One of the dangers of buying retail repacks.

06-07 UD SERIES 1
Pack 1 - Michalek, Salo, Prucha, Satan, UD Propoganda card, Theodore, Morrisonn, Lang, Leneveu
Huh.

06-07 ULTRA
Pack 1 - Prospal, Klesla, Peca, Giguere, Budaj, Miller, Hunter, Ohlund Gold Medallion
Huh.

07-08 MVP
Pack 1 - Svatos, Guerin, Markov, Zhitnik, Green, Vlasic, Lapierre, Tomas Popperle RC
06-07 and 07-08 MVP look almost embarassingly similar. To the point where it's clear that UD mailed MVP in those years. Not that UD mailing it in is any kind of interesting news.

07-08 ULTRA
Pack 1 - Jason Blake, Mikko Koivu Gold, Ryan Callahan Rookie, Naslund, Gaborik
A rookie was in this pack. As was a gold card. And 3 other cards.

Pack 2 - Lehtinen, Daniel Sedin, Tanguay Gold, Afinogenov, Dumont
There's a gold in every pack, this isn't luck.

Pack 3 - Souray, Bergeron, Kaberle Gold, Bonk, Niitymaki
Huh.

Pack 4 - McDonald, Vyborny, Jason Blake Gold, Difference Makers Martin Brodeur, Murray
The Difference Makers card is a weak effort. Just looks weird.

07-08 VICTORY
Pack 1 - Olli Jokinen, Mike Richards, Rafalski, Phaneuf, Redden, Stars On Ice Jaromir Jagr
Huh.

07-08 O-PEE-CHEE
Pack 1 - Green, Perry, Moore, Cleary, Matt Smaby Marquee Rookies, Chelios
I'm still collecting this set, so maybe I need some of these.

Pack 2 - Richardson, Giguere, Corvo, Mike Smith, Brad Richards, Sydor Micromotion
I'm still collecting this set, so maybe I need some of these.

08-09 O-PEE-CHEE
Pack 1 - Forsberg, Joseph, Henrik Sedin, Marleau, Biron, Abdelkader Retro
Huh.

I got 2 memorabilia cards and 16 packs of cards. So I can't complain. But this was a one off purchase, clearly.

SP Authentic packs

SP Authentic has been around for quite a while now. It's famous for short printed rookie autos, and more regular autographs than memorabilia. The other great part? Autos on right on the cards rather than stickers!

But.... every year, I buy only one pack. Why? I guess as a Doan collector, there usually isn't much in there, and they're not cheap, at around $10 per pack. But today, I decided to take a shot at it, and buy 3 packs. Let's see how it goes..... been some good luck lately!

Pack 1 - SHAAAAAAAAAAAANE DOAN (first card even!), Datsyuk, Drew Doughty Future Watch Auto 468/999, Staal, Stastny
Unreal. I get a Doan AND an auto rookie (they fall 1-2 per box), and Doughty is a good one. My luck has been ridiculous lately.......

Pack 2 - Thornton, Derek Roy, Brian Campbell Limited 044/100, Grabovski, Phaneuf
The Limited cards look sweet!

Pack 3 - Jordan Staal, Biron, Miller, Vanek, Elias, UD Propoganda card
I was hoping it was a patch.... but can I really complain? :)

Now THAT'S a sweet three pack break.

"Sale ends April 2nd!"

It's April 1st, and the blaster sale ends tomorrow. So in case I can't make it there tomorrow..... I went today. As per custom, I bought 2 Black Diamond blasters, and 1 O-Pee-Chee. I have not had good luck with the OPC, but it's a nice products, and I need Doans from it. With 13 packs in the box, I should get 6 Retros, 3 inserts, and 6 rookies/legends..... everything else would be a major hit. So.....

O-PEE-CHEE BLASTER
5 x 7 - Marian Gaborik.
Meh, I have the Doan. I do like the larger cards though.

Pack 1 - Chris Mason, Conroy, Vanek, Andy Greene, Brashear, Modin retro
The retro cards are very well done.

Pack 2 - Voros, Boyle, Boynton, Perrin, Winnik Gold, Messier Legends
The O-Pee-Chee label on the front of the card is way too big.

Pack 3 - Kesler, Kane, Eriksson, Ehrhoff, Khabibulin, Andy Sutton Retro
I half collect Eriksson, so that's good. When I think of Khabibulin, I think of the 1995-96 Jets.... man, if they could have kept the 92-93 team together and have Khabibulin.... sigh.

Pack 4 - Martinek, Gagne, Kubina, Kolzig, Hurricanes Team Card, LaCosta rookie
The gold cards are well done, but again, the O-Pee-Chee is too large. I see what you did there, Upper Deck, but you're NOT O-Pee-Chee. You simply bought the name like a carton of eggs. But you are not the same.

Pack 5 - Sheppard, Kovalchuk, Ott, Stortini, Markov, Hollweg retro
One day Kovalchuk will be on a real team in a real NHL city. Then, look out.

Pack 6 - Beauchemin, Hollweg, Semin, Enstrom, Streit Gold, Helm rookie
Hit the Gold ratio. Woo.

Pack 7 - Chara, Rolston, Kronwall, Blake, Halak, Joseph Retro
The Retro should say "Now with Maple Leafs" like the 79-80 did.

Pack 8 - O'Donnell, Pothier, Hainsey, Sharp, Gaborik Season Highlights, Mole rookie
The Season Highlights are done well. Smaller O-Pee-Chee badging as well.

Pack 9 - Timonen, Blake, Dupuis, Schneider, Turco, Prucha retro
Did I mention that these were $14.97?

Pack 10 - Conklin, Foligno, Carter, Perron, Huet, Lanny McDonald Legends
Yep. $14.97.

Pack 11 - Hiller, Cammalleri, Schubert, Fernandez, Hanzal, Grebeshkov Retro
....... I'm actually bored here.

Pack 12 - Havlat, Park, Tellqvist, Roy, Playoff Wins Stats Leaders, Conboy rookie
I see Marty Turco as 3rd in this list, a great playoff year that I loved. This year, he stinks. Like "Landfill in 40C temperatures" sort of stink.

Pack 13 - Legwand, Wesley, Koivu, Calgary Flames checklist, Lepisto rookie
Yawn.

I forgot. O-Pee-Chee blasters suck. I always think about MVP then walk away. I should have gone with the MVP. Anyway..... Black Diamond box 1!

Pack 1 - Ryan, Ohlund, Bergeron, Theodore, Little
.... wow, that's not a good start.

Pack 2 - Streit, Brule, Rolston, Sturm, Ilya Zubov Triple Diamond Rookie Gems
It's odd having two Zubovs in the league. Maybe only for me though.

Pack 3 - Prospal, Sergei Zubov, Kovalev, Huet, Brind'Amour
The other Zubov. And another 'regular' pack.

Pack 4 - Malone, Leclaire, Briere Double Diamond, Zherdev, Avery
........ are my sights set too high?

Pack 5 - Kostitsyn, Vrbata, Roloson, Blake, Filppula
Oh my.

Pack 6 - Pominville, Kronwall, Ellis, Hartnell, Vanek Triple Diamond
I'm spoiled.

I wasn't happy with that one, although I did get two Triples. I'm blaming the OPC box for the bad mojo. Let's move on, and fast.

BOX 2
Pack 1 - Ryan, Brygalov, Green, Michalek, Alfredsson Triple Diamond
I get a lot of Triples.

Pack 2 - Shanahan, Latendresse, Bouchard, Legace, Morrow
One thing I am wondering is if there are certain Single Diamond base cards that aren't prevalent in the blasters. I should NOT be missing cards from this set, but I am. No Doans either, apparently.

Pack 3 - Cole, Redden, SHAAAAAAANE DOOOOOAAAAN DOUBLE DIAMOND, Brown, Gerber
Well well well. I don't think there's any low numbered cards in here either, nor James Neal or Fabian Brunnstroms either!!!

Pack 4 - Semin, Spezza Premier Cuts Single Diamond, Gonchar, Halak, Elias
I haven't pulled a Premier Cut for a few boxes now.

Pack 5 - Gionta, Cammaleri, Hemsky Double Diamond, Bieksa, Jack Johnson
I hate the Oilers.

Pack 6 - Marc Stall, Kovalchuk Quad Diamond, Penner, Kariya, Wolski
Nice Kovalchuk.

Well, box 2 was better, more like what I've been getting. Got the Doan (which I now have anyway), still haven't got the Neal or Brunnstrom.

In the end, I should have got a 3rd box of Black Diamond instead of the MVP, and I would have certainly done better.