"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.