The jump into the 2005-06 NHL season was nothing short of bursting at the seams excitement driven! There had been no NHL hockey since June of 2004 when the Tampa Bay Lightning raised their first Stanley Cup in a crazy series against the Calgary Flames. The 04-05 season did not begin as a result of a very tense dispute between league owners and players, and any hopes of even a shortened schedule were dashed come the February 2005 cancellation of the season.
The ultimate resolution of the whole labour battle was met with collective sighs, as well as an uncanny sense of optimism about the potential shifts coming on for the sport with the dawn of a new season. Not only would the league be operating under a new financial structure, with designs on creating increased parity across the team membership, but rule changes implemented during the stoppage were to see gameplay shifting from the days of “clutch and grab” hockey to one penalizing this approach in the name of supporting speed, puck movement and skill. What better way to highlight such fundamental shifts in the style of the game than the introduction of two draft classes, each topped by players considered to be legitimate generational talents: Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby. Scorers and playmakers alike, these guys were undeniably game changers not only for their respective teams, but youthful beacons of talent to shine upon this new NHL and draw back fans of the old, and attract a new viewership, when the league needed it most.
Is was the excitement with the sport, so was the buzz among collectors. A dual draft class such as this was a collectors dream. There was plenty to be excited about beyond the top of the Crosby/Ovechkin mountain, with a wealth of rookies available to get your mitts on! Included amongst this crew were Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf, Dion Phaneuf, Henrik Lundqvist, Zach Parise, Jeff Carter, Mike Richards, Cam Ward, Thomas Vanek, Brent Seabrook, Duncan Keith, and a range of others. Stacked and packed to say the least! This was rewarding in the sense that within the upper range of a more entry-level product, top-shelf rookies were not being withheld for more high-end product, as well as the fact that these were not cheap looking products for the price point.
What better way to share than to look to the pinnacle of the set: the Crosby rookie card!
So what is not to like here? Rather than a flat matte card, you’ve got a nice glossy look, highlighted with cool foil highlights. The latter badges the “MVP Rookies” unofficial subset of the base series, while the reproduced signature is a highlight of the design, which has been carried over for many a series onward. For those players for whom a signature was not available to reproduce, a script-form font was used instead (similar to that of the font utilized at the top of the card). The silver/white borders, reminiscent of the boards of a rink, pop out the hockey stick-esque badge shaped picture frame for the player photo, which combined with the silver scripting exude a far more formal presentation than the price point might have suggested would be seen. In action shots of the rookie crop also brought some energy to the presentation that draft day shots, while nice in their own right, can lose out on.
As for the rear of the card, we’re highly reliant on basics. The layout draws primarily from the front with respect to the framing and nameplate. All but the upper portions of the photo were removed for player blurbs, with the MVP watermark jumping from the background. The black upper band, reserved for team and position on the front contains the standard demographics on the back, while team logo occupies the UD and set logos space from the front.
Pricing-wise? Raw copies can range anywhere from $150 to $450, while higher graded (9+) copies can break the $1000 mark. Not bad for a card from an entry level product!
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Do you have a piece of treasured memorabilia that has a great story behind it? Let me know and you can be featured in an article. Doesn't matter how big or small the piece is, how valuable it may be, or whether it's a common item or more oddball. If you think it has a story, contact me via the information below and we'll chat. In the meantime, check out some previous "Display Case" articles via the links below to see what others have submitted in the past...
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Shawn Gates
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Facebook: ShawnMcShawn
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