Review: 2007-08 Victory Hockey Update

100-card update to complete a set you probably didn’t buy

Victory is one strange little set. The first 245 cards were released in packs and boxes towards the end of August 2007 – almost six weeks before the start of the hockey season.

The next 100 cards – known as the “Update Set” – are actually inserts in packs of Upper Deck Series 2. That is what is reviewed here (for the review of the “regular set”, click here).

Because Victory sells at a about a buck a pack and lacks many of the randomly-inserted jersey or autograph cards – not to mention rookies from the current year – most collectors tend to overlook, or even scorn, Victory, saying that it’s “kids’ stuff”.

This makes Victory’s inclusion as inserts in Upper Deck Series 2 somewhat ironic. The same “serious collectors” who ignore Victory and purchase Upper Deck-brand cards end up with Victory Update cards. Collectors who try to build a set of Upper Deck Series 2 pack-by-pack will end up also building a Victory Update Set…whether they want to or not.

One Victory Update card is inserted into every pack of Upper Deck Series 2. I’m sure some collectors are annoyed with this. You’re more likely to get a Victory Update card of Adrian Aucoin than a Young Guns card of Jonathan Toews.

An upside, though, is that many of the popular new rookies who debuted during the 2007-08 season are in this update set.

Player selection 3 out of 5
The 50 “non-rookie” cards are mainly of players who changed teams during the offseason, such as Manny Fernandez, Paul Kariya, Tomas Vokoun, Daniel Briere, Chris Drury and Bill Guerin.

The 50 “Victory Rookies” are mainly of first-year players who have had some significance in the NHL during the 2007-08 season, such as Patrick Kane and Carey Price.

Card design 1 out of 5
Victory’s design is claustrophobic, with busy borders and random lines surrounding the photo. One nice touch is the “hockey stick” look that is achieved by the bottom borders being bent inward.

The photos are okay, as they seem to be cropped a bit better than the photos used in the regular set. A little variety would have been nice, such as some close-ups.

Stats & info 2 out of 5
I’m not a fan of reading CAPITAL LETTERS ON GRAY BACKGROUNDS. Any graphic designer will tell you that reading something that is in all capital letters is harder on the eyes. Also, reading black text on gray is hard on the eyes too, which just makes these cards even more of an eyesore.

Each card has up to five years of previous stats, as well as what I like to call a “bullshit blurb”. Take Daniel Briere, for example:

THROUGH 13 GAMES IN THE 2007-08 REGULAR SEASON
BRIERE ONCE AGAIN LOOKED LIKE A WORLD-BEATER AS
HE LED THE FLYERS IN POINTS (15) AND ASSISTS (10).

That is some ground-breaking stuff.

Subsets
The 50 Victory Rookies are the only subset in this 100-card set.

I still find it funny that the word ROOKIE has to take up 20% of the card.

I wasn’t a huge fan of the regular set, so my opinion is pretty much unchanged here. The only thing that makes this worthwhile is the inclusion of the top rookies from 2007-08.

BONUS: Top 5 rookie cards
I don’t really think the base cards really show anything of interest. So let’s look at five rookie cards that might become worth owning sooner or later.

303 – Carey Price – Yeah, yeah, I know. Montreal goalies, blah blah blah, Patrick Roy, Ken Dryden. Did someone say Steve Penney? (back)

316 – Jonathan Toews – Most people who get a “Victory Update” card of Toews in a pack of Upper Deck Series 2 will cry and wish they got a “Young Guns” card of Toews instead. (back)

331 – Nicklas Backstrom – Backstrom had a great rookie season and along with Alexander Ovechkin creates a formidable 1-2 punch for Washington. (back)

335 – Patrick Kane – Well, he was rookie of the year. (back)

338 – Sam Gagner – Kane’s teammate in junior hockey put up decent numbers for a rookie. Can he improve upon them? (back)

NOTES
100 Card Set
– 50 base cards
– 50 Victory Rookies
Card size: 2 1/2″ wide x 3 1/2″ tall
Click here to download a printable checklist
Click here for the review of 2007-08 Victory