This week, my thoughts on the Islanders’ stadium issues, the Lightning’s new third jerseys, and Scott Niedermayer’s jersey retirement.
Continue reading “Blake’s Takes: Old Stadiums and New Jerseys”
Review: 2018-19 Upper Deck Pittsburgh Penguins Giveaway Set
At the Pittsburgh Penguins game on January 6, 2019, the team celebrated the 10th anniversary of its 2009 Stanley Cup Championship. (Wow, a decade has passed; I feel so old.) The Penguins invited back many of the retired players from that roster to join with the current players from that team in the celebration. A few of the current players who have moved on to different teams, such as Marc Andre Fleury, sent video messages to be played during the event.
The Penguins and Upper Deck teamed up and gave to each fan in attendance a nine-card set commemorating that Stanley Cup run. Continue reading “Review: 2018-19 Upper Deck Pittsburgh Penguins Giveaway Set”
Box Break: 2018-19 Artifacts Hockey
When it comes to new hockey card releases, I am frequently a late bloomer when it comes breaking boxes. This year, 2018-19 Artifacts was no different. Released October 4, 2018, Artifacts is usually one of the first products to hit the market at the start of the new season (as well as MVP and O-Pee-Chee). I hadn’t had a chance to pick this product up until recently and I wanted to share my break and thoughts with our readers.
Blake’s Takes: Big Bucks & Lame Ducks
This week is about milestones, contract extensions and bad teams.
Possible Names for Seattle’s NHL Team
Interview: Tom DuBois, Blades of Steel Box Cover Artist
If you grew up playing video games in the 1980s and 1990s, you definitely have seen artwork by Tom DuBois. He is an illustrator from Chicago who created many of the iconic covers that graced video game boxes. Remember Bayou Billy and Castlevania III for Nintendo, Lethal Enforcers for Sega Genesis, or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time for Super Nintendo? All of those games, and dozens more, featured DuBois’ art on the covers. But most importantly for hockey fans, he illustrated the cover art for Blades of Steel, which came out for Nintendo in 1988. Recently, DuBois spoke with me about how he got his start in creating video game artwork, including Blades of Steel – and how working on that game got him in trouble.
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Blake’s Takes: On the Up and Up
Happy Super Bowl Monday! This week, I take notice of the work of a few young superstars and a huge league initiative. Plus, the return of the Unloved Team of the Week.
Card of the Week: Extinguished Flame
1991-92 Stadium Club #391 – Stephane Matteau
Before he would score one of the most famous goals in New York Rangers history (“Matteau! Matteau! Matteau!“), Stephane Matteau was a young winger on a stacked Calgary Flames team. He played 78 games for the Flames in 1990-91, so there should have been plenty of photos of Matteau for Topps to choose from for Matteau’s 1991-92 Stadium Club hockey card. But for some reason, they picked this picture, which fails on so many levels that it’s kind of sad.
Review: Chicago Wolves 25th Anniversary Card Set
The Chicago Wolves have been a top-notch hockey team over the past 25 years, winning two Turner Cup Championships in the old IHL and two Calder Cup Championships in the AHL. Many former NHL stars, future NHL stars and minor league legends played for the team over the past quarter-century. Earlier this month, the Wolves issued a trading card set honoring its best players. Like past team sets, the Wolves’ 25th Anniversary team set does not disappoint.
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Blake’s Takes: All-Star Edition
This week, I focus on a few major moves down in Raleigh, as well as the 2019 NHL All-Star Game in San Jose.