The Caniac Collector

     Hockey Insert Cards have been known to make me laugh! Of course hobby stalwarts such as Young Guns, and Future Watch continue to thrive in the hobby. While I have previously lampooned the 2006-2007 Be A Player Up Close Insert  at least they opted to do a focus on the player as opposed slapping a face on a subset and giving no consideration to the implications of how ridiculous it looks to the common fan. A most recent example of this could be the fact that then Carolina Hurricanes Goalie Scott Darling was featured in the 2018-2019 "Stonewalled Series"      Unless we are referring to the proverbial "stonewall" Scott Darling's professional career hit upon arriving in Raleigh then this card too also leaves me with questions.      However, this is not the card I want to highlight this week! The Card of the week comes from the Fleer Ultra 2012-2013 Intimidation Nation subset, and highlights Jeff Skinner. Jeff Skinner? Jeff...

     No matter how you look at it when his career is over Cam Ward will be seen as an average goalie by National Hockey League Standards. Yes I know about 2006, yes I know about 300+ plus wins, but that does not change how he will be viewed by NHL Standards! However, by Carolina Hurricanes fans standards Cam Ward is a legend! While his team legend status is debatable in many Caniac's eyes (mine included) the 2006 Stanley Cup has his finger prints all over it! Sure he played behind a great team that featured a Selke Winner in Rod Brindamou r and a 100 point scorer in Eric Staal. You could also argue that Eric Staal and his 28 points (9g, 19a) in 25 games deserved the Conn Smythe Trophy. Yet however, you look at it Ward's number 30 Jersey will one day likely have a place in the PNC Arena Rafters whenever he chooses to call it a career.      In the world of Hockey Card Collecting it seems as if the Young Guns card is a staple for many collectors. In ma...

At the time of this writing The Carolina Hurricanes are staring down the barrel of 0-3 deficit to the powerhouse Boston Bruins ( I say powerhouse because if it wasn't for the Tampa Bay Lightning's regular season dominance this team would of won the Presidents Trophy). While I am over the moon with the Canes playoff run I hear Complainiacs around me blaming the officiating for the teams current state, and I am here to tell you that is NOT the case. The teams current state of affairs lies within two simple words that have plagued them the entire season. Those words are the Power Play! Throughout the first 3 games of the Series both the Hurricanes and Bruins have been on the Power Play 12 times. The difference is the Bruins have found the back of the net 5 times (41%), while the Hurricanes have found it once (8%). There in lies your problem. Its a simple fact if a team can't convert on the power play they can't win in May and June! Now let's address Brad Ma...

     For years sports fans have been told the story of New York Yankees first baseman Wally Pipp! Wally Pipp was a .300 hitter and one of the stars of the Yankees of the 1920's. At the start of the 1925 season Pipp got off to a rather slow start, and found himself being replaced in the lineup on June 2, 1925. The man who replaced Pipp, was Lou Gehrig. The story would go that two games later when Pipp was due to play again he came down with a headache and relinquished his spot to Lou Gehrig. Gehrig would go onto to play 2,130 consecutive games at first base for the Yankees thus ending Pipps tenure as the starting first basemen in New York.      Fast Forward to the 2005-2006 NHL Season and Martin Gerber. Having joined the team via trade from Anaheim in the middle of the 2004 season. Gerber looked prime to take over in net the following year. However, a season long lockout changed his plans as he returned to Europe for the canceled 2004-2005 NHL Season. As...

     Ron Hainsey does not get enough credit! There I said it! The journeyman blue-liner is in his 18th year in the league and currently playing on his seventh team. He did not participate in his first playoff game until 2016-2017 when he helped the Pittsburgh Penguins win their second consecutive Stanley Cup. However, his lack of credit has nothing to do with his lengthy career in the NHL, but everything to do with his work in Raleigh. For three and a half years Hainsey served as the resident graybeard on a young and developing Hurricanes blue-line that featured a young Justin Faulk, Jaccob Slavin and Brett Pesce. While the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs have brought the Canes Blueline national attention, one would be hard pressed not to see Hainsey's fingerprints as a patient defenseman all over them. Whether it be Justin Faulk's patience on the point during a power play, or Jaccob Slavin's ability to "stay at home" and still contribute offensively are both Hainse...

     Any child of the mid-nineties mall scene will remember Glamour Shots! Those niche photo studios in the mall where any patron willing to throw down a significant amount of coin, would be made over and given a photo shoot, that were often reserved for ones Senior Pictures. As a child of the nineties I remember these things being all the rage, but then again so were Zubaz pants, Acid Wash Jeans, and the mullet. Needless to say the fashions and fads of the 1990's should never make a come back!      Well long before he was the Carolina Hurricanes elder statesman and Captain. Long before he was "Mr Game Seven". Justin Williams was just a young hockey player known for his toughness and high hockey IQ! Now as a fellow "Child of the Nineties" I can not verify whether or not Justin Williams ever partook in the monstrocity known as Glamour Shots. However, 2007 The Be A Player Line of cards decided to get Up Close & Personal ( Also a bad movie fro...

For those who know me personally or read this blog are likely to know that I am a Huge Justin Faulk Card Collector. Owning over 160 different cards of him I spend the majority of my time searching and trading for cards of Justin Faulk that I do not already own. This weekend I patroned a local card shop when we went to visit my in-laws. Having previously lived in the town the owner knows me rather well, and though he was glad to see me he quickly informed me that he had no Justin Faulk's that I did not already own. When I shared this via social media, fellow blogger and hockey nut Sal Berry of  Puck Junk  ( which is a great site to check out) suggested that I begin to PC (personally collect) another player as well. That simple social media comment made me realize that I have not shared many of the other cool cardboard pieces I own that don't have Justin Faulk's likeness on them. So without further ado The Following cards are my five favorite Non Justin Faulk Cards I own. 1...