Nice tandem

The Choice Rookies subset within the 2008-09 Collectors Choice set is a perfect complement to the 2008-09 Rookie Class so-called box set. Or, at least it worked here for Tampa Bay defenseman Vladimir Mihalik.

Given Collector's Choice low-end nature, I'm not too concerned about burning a rookie card. Should you be worried? That's your call.

The black ink? I had him sign the work-in-progress 2008-09 Lightning team jersey first and didn't bother asking him to switch to a blue Sharpie.

Eagle-eyed readers will notice, too, that my prep work got a little sloppy on one of the cards.

Remember: Top to bottom, side to side. Top to bottom, side to side.

A good start

Count me among those thankful that Atlanta's rookie defenseman Zach Bogosian didn't let his top-three 2009 draft pick status go to his head. No, like other less-heralded rookies, he's above that.

Most every hound I've spoken with this season has related just how personable they've found Bogosian. He's not overly chatty, mind you, but these three autographs, including one on the work-in-progress Thrashers team stick, should show he's willing to sign more than one autograph.

Will he stay that way? I think so. If not, I'll be happy with the items he's signed for us this season: Four pucks, including one from his prep school days, three cards, a 2008 NHL Draft handout program and a team stick.

It's all set

About a month ago, a box of Upper Deck Hockey Series 2 yielded 85 Young Guns cards, the gold standard for NHL rookie cards. Within that 85, there were 49 of the 50-card subset.

The missing card? A Young Guns card for Atlanta's Nathan Oystrick.

Well, after conducting a trade earlier today, in which I gave up one of the four cards of the Islanders' Josh Bailey pulled from that box, the Series 2 set of Young Guns is now complete.

Getting Oystrick to sign the 2007 Heroes & Prospect card was just icing on the cake. He's OK with the trade, too.

Review: Collector's Choice

If you're looking for a low-end product that works well for hounding, it's worth your time and money to pick up a couple boxes of Upper Deck's 2008-09 Collector's Choice Hockey.

With a 200-card base set, a 50-card Choice Rookies subset and kid-friendly Stick-Ums, there's little else to be found in every box -- no premium memorabilia, autograph or numbered short prints. That's why each box, containing 36 six-card packs, costs around $30.

Sure. you'll get a bunch of stars' cards, but you'll also find cards for a couple second- and third-liners as well as another round of summer free-agent signings with their new teams. Sorry, but there are no cards of players moved before or at the NHL trade deadline.

Bottom line, this is a great product for younger collectors or for those looking to extend their hockey hounding dollars.

Rookies

Though I didn't get a rookie card for Tampa Bay's Steven Stamkos, I did score these familiar names:

From left: Atlanta's Zach Bogosian, Los Angeles' Drew Doughty and Phoenix's Kyle Turris.

Inserts

Though these are hardly worth writing home about, they still make for good autograph stock.

From left: Montreal's Carey Price on a CupQuest card, a trio of Buffalo Sabres highlighted on a 3 Star Selections card and Philadelphia's Daniel Carcillo, shown in his Phoenix days, on a Chippy's Choice.

Seeing doubles

Most years, I pick up two boxes of Rookie Class, Upper Deck's annual 50-card honoring of the NHL's latest stars-in-the-making. I'd put one set away and work the other through hounding opportunities. Given the economy, I wanted to buy just one set. That didn't happen.

The 2008-09 release, which I found at my local Target, had a little surprise inside it this season -- doubles. That's right, doubles. Though the box said a 50-card set, I picked up a few duplicates. I'm not the only one who has come up a card or two short of a full set.

While I certainly won't complain when a hobby box is stacked in my favor with, say, 85 Young Guns, I believe contents should deliver what's been promised.

To me, the term "box set" implies totality. A reasonable person should expect all 50 cards that make up the set.

Just like I got when I bought a second box.

At the least, they could have been of Tampa Bay's Steven Stamkos, Columbus' Steve Mason or Boston's Blake Wheeler. Nope, mine were Detroit's Darren Helm and Carolina's Brandon Sutter.

Bottom line, and that's what it's all about with Rookie Class, this is a must-have for any hockey hound. It'll be fun set to chase down.

Review: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee

When it comes to hockey hounding with cards, Upper Deck's 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee offering is, by far, the best set that money can buy. From its big-numbers base set (495 cards), the inclusion of players we normally don't find in smaller sets and the Sharpie-ready nature of the cards, this season's O-Pee-Chee should score well.

I must admit, however, to being a bit surprised by it's early release date. If memory serve me correct, this set was released until well into an NHL season. This move is welcomed with open arms, even if it meant a rearranging of card books all set for the Carolina Hurricanes, New York Islanders and Tampa Bay Lightning.

More than anything else, the depth of this set is what makes it among Hound Central 4.0's favorite releases each season. While we have no shortage of cards for such big-name players as Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby and Washington's Alex Ovechkin, adding third-liners and fifth defensemen only adds to the set's value.

Factoring in second-year cards for Montreal's Carey Price, New York's Daniel Girardi and Philly's Steve Downie make this product a welcome addition to our hockey-hounding inventory.

If I have one complaint, the Marquee Rookies lineup, mostly of late-season call-ups, lacks some serious big names. I had to struggle to find someone out of the 11 rookies we pulled from our 36-card box, other than Columbus' Derick Brassard, to scan for this review. Los Angeles' Erik Ersberg just made the cut.

Beyond that, I was midly surprised to find an autographed card among the packs. Sure, it may be of Chicago's Dustin Byfuglien, but it was an unexpected premium, something that only improved value.

I did notice a major "Oops!" on the card, too -- it mispells the player's last name as "Byfuglin." Maybe I'll send Upper Deck another resume, just in case it's looking for some freelance copy editors who are knowledgable about hockey.

The set also features a couple of chase sets, so to speak. A 495-card variation of O-Pee-Chee's vintage 1979-80 offering, blue-bordered cards that use different photos than the base set, as well as a 39-card OPC Legends set, should also appeal to hockey card fans.

My favorite, however, is the 40-card 2008 Winter Classic subset, featuring scenes from the snow-filled contest between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Buffalo Sabres in Western New York.

Bottom line, folks, is any hockey hound who dabbles in cards should snap up at least a hobby box of these cards.

There's no doubt, these cards, among my faborite releases over the past few seasons, will come in handy.

Puckhound's snapshot

Product: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Hockey
Vital stats: 495-card base set, 100 OPC Triple Materials memorabilia cars, 87 OPC Signatures autographed cards, 60-card rookie set, gold and rainbow parallels, 39-card Legends set and a 495-card Vintage variation insert set
Something good: A hockey hound's dream -- a big set, including third liners and fifth defenseman, that doesn't need prep work
Something bad: Given today's printing technology, there are way too many cards showing players in the uniforms of their old teams
Puckhound's score: 3.5 pucks of 5 pucks

Review: 2008-09 Victory

Sure, the 2008-09 Victory is an entry-level product devoid of top-shelf premiums, but that doesn't mean it isn't being welcomed by hockey card collectors. Not only does it represent the first release of the new season, but it also contains the first non-rookie, and extremely signable, cards of Chicago's dynamic duo, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews.

The benefits, however, go far beyond its low cost and quick fix to many cases of hockey withdrawal. In the product we found -- 11-pack retail boxes for $9.99 at our local Target store -- each box contained a jumbo card (one of 42 available) suitable for getting signed and putting on display. Each player card also has a pronunciation guide.

Of course, too, we were psyched to snag this Stars of the Game card of Boston's Patrice Bergeron, a favored player in Puckhound's family. The photo must have been taken early in the season, as it shows Bergeron in the Bruins' new duds before he got hurt.

One disappointment, and it really is a minor one, is a bounty of rookie cards from relatively unknown players. Granted, most of Victory's rookie set were late-season call-ups, but selectivity would only add to value.

Still, though, Victory Hockey is a welcome sight and a useful product for hounding. Picking up a box or two can only help us survive the dog days of late summer.

Puckhound's snapshot

Product: 2008-09 Victory Hockey
Vital stats: 200-card base set, 50-card rookie set, gold and black parallels, 50-card Game Breakers insert set and a 50-card Stars of the Game insert set
Something good: A low-price product that provides a quick fix for those of us suffering through hockey withdrawal
Something bad: A bunch of rookies that only the most devout of hockey fans would recognize
Puckhound's score: 2.5 pucks of 5 pucks

Who are these guys?

I should be happy to add any rookie cards to the collection, but I must admit my own ignorance to some of the rookie cards pulled from packs of 2008-09 Victory Hockey.

While some cards carried familiar names, such as Columbus' Derick Brassard, Montreal's Corey Locke and Columbus' Steve Mason, there were other cards for players flying under my radar -- Dallas' B.J. Crombeen, Calgary's Tim Ramholt and Phoenix's Pete Vandermeer.

Sure, this is more of a case of my own ignorance, but Victory's rookie crop certainly lacks hockey household names.