2016 trade package #16: Canadian Thanksgiving Wolverines from SCFtDS

In this case, the Thanksgiving actually refers to the act of giving thanks to a Canadian, Doug from Sports Cards From the Dollar Store.  We here south of America's Hat may have celebrated turkey and football day a couple weeks ago, but our Canuckian neighbors enjoyed--what, poutine and hockey?  That can't be right, unless every day is Thanksgiving in Canada--back in October.

Anyway, I'm always thankful for the effort folks like Doug put into their trade packages.  This one was completely lacking in turkeys, but if it helps, I do feel like taking a nap after scanning and posting everything.  And there's football.

And now, here's the goods:

Cazzie Russell 2013-14 Totally Certified Materials Blue jersey (#23/25)

Well hey there, brand new Cazzie hit!  This low-numbered jersey swatch hails from his days as a Laker, which would have been 1974-77, the latter being his penultimate NBA season.  It's actually my first relic of the legendary Wolverine cager (to go with an autograph, plate, and eight-card manu-letter auto nameplate), plus it gives Russell sole possession of first place in my basketball collection, breaking a tie with Darius Morris.

Here's the football content, which goes heavy on the QBs (five cards if you count Denard, which I do) and 2016 Donruss, which I think is a fantastic looking set.  Brady, who's about to overtake Peyton Manning in career wins, is represented twice, including that Donruss set.  Criminally-ignored (by Cam Newton) WR Devin Funchess is another example from that product.  We go back a few years--1998--for a thick Elvis Grbac insert from Collector's Edge.  Tackling machine David Harris joins the 2016 Donruss club.  And then the last three cards are Michigan Football rookies:  new PC album guy and blog namesake Manningham from 2008 UD Masterpieces, Denard from 2013 Topps Prime, and a totally brand new guy:  "Jim Harbaugh: QB whisperer" product Jake Rudock, who went from being stuck in Iowa--Iowa--to an NFL draft pick.  That's my first of his seven current RCs for that collection.

And now, let's honor our Canadian friends, as is tradition

It's a great day for the NHL, and therefore the world

with hockey content:

Pretty standard fare here with hockey Mikes Cammalleri and Knuble to go with stalwarts Andrew Cogliano and Jack Johnson.  But do you see that trio card at the bottom?  Hurricane Phil Di Giuseppe (hey, a paisan'!) is my focus here.  The three-year Wolverine was a solid forward in Ann Arbor and managed to pot seven goals last year for Carolina (though he's yet to score in 14 games this season).  Another good catch by Doug.

These guys are fairly familiar as well:  former Devil John Madden, who won't try to sell you Tinactin or anything from Ace Hardware;  goalie Alvarooooooo Montoya;  older-school D-man Myles O'Connor ("O'Connor RULES!"); Max "Patch" Pacioretty out of the shiny funtime of OPC Platinum, and Jacob Trooooooouba, who we'll see again in just a moment.  This is a standard excellent assortment of icers from Mr. Corti.

And now, some hits:

Andrew Ebbett 2009-10 Artifacts Autofacts auto

Matt Hunwick 2010-11 Zenith Yours Truly Autographs auto

Aaron Palushaj 2011-12 Crown Royale Heirs To The Throne Materials jersey

Jacob Trouba 2013-14 Select Prizms jersey auto (#99/99)

Ebbett's autograph--my sixth hit of the center currently playing in a Swiss league--hails from an Upper Deck product from a few years ago, and I think UD did a nice job of making it not so obvious that the signature's on a sticker.  Maple Leaf Hunwick--Matt this time, not Shawn--appears on a Zenith issue that brings to mind a letter or greeting card for his second hit and first autograph.  AHLer (and fellow Livonia, Michigan native) A-A-Ron Palushaj (you didn't mess up, Doug!) gets in the game with a very cool die-cut Crown Royale jersey relic (my first, and ninth hit overall) from his first NHL squad.  And then there's probably my favorite card in the whole package, a gorgeous Prizm (call it a Refractor if you want, doesn't matter to me) version of a jersey/auto of young star D-man Jacob Trouba--I'm sorry, Trooooooouba!  That's my sixth hit of a guy who's probably hoping it's not true that when you're a Jet, you're a Jet for life.

This is another outstanding bunch of Wolverines to add to my PCs, so once again I offer thanks to one of my top trade partners in Doug.  Rest assured I'll be stuffing an envelope full of stuff I know he'll gobble right up.

2015-16 COMC purchases: hockey n00bs

Tonight might be the final game of the NHL playoffs (again), so what better day to show off the hockey stuff I picked up from COMC over my last few purchases?  As I sit here writing this post and preparing to root for Carl Hagelin and his Pens, here's five new additions to my hockey PC, including four completely new players:

Mike Brown 2014-15 Artifacts Autofacts auto

Brown and his hipster mustache are natives of Chicago who attended UM from 2003-2005, which means I got to see them during my junior and senior years in Ann Arbor.  Another Michigan Hockey Mike, Brown was good enough to get drafted by the Canucks in the 5th round in 2004, and since 2007 he's seen NHL action with them as well as Anaheim, Toronto, Edmonton, San Jose, and most recently, Montreal.  Though he's a forward, Mike's not really a goal-scorer as much as a PIM-earning grinder type.  I'm glad to have finally added a hit of him all these years after seeing him play at Yost.

Mike Cammalleri-Jack Johnson-Marty Turco 2010-11 Artifacts Tundra Trios Bronze triple jersey (#11/75)

I'm of the opinion that card manufacturers should do more multiplayer cards of players with college connections like this one.  These three never played together but all were active at the time the card was made.  As a nice bonus the jersey swatches are three different colors!  I really don't throw much money at relics at all these days but I just couldn't pass this one up.  It's my 13th hit of Cammalleri, 11th of Johnson, and 33rd of the collection-leading Turco.

Luke Glendening 2015-16 Upper Deck Signature Sensations auto

Luuuuuke!  Glendening is yet another WolverWing, though he actually came to Detroit as a UDFA.  He had quite a nice, if not statistically explosive, four-year college career that included a trip to the NCAA title game his junior year.  This season was his third with the Wings and he continued to provide some reliable production as a center.  I hope he and fellow WolverWing Dylan Larkin are teammates for years to come!  In the meantime it's nice to see him appear on some cardboard, such as this excellent UD-branded signature.

Matt Hunwick 2007-08 The Cup Printing Plates Ultimate Collection Yellow (1/1)

Hunwick is another guy I got to watch during my college days and still somehow neglected to add to my PC until recently.  After four years as an able college defenseman, Matt (no relation to PC goalie Shawn) went in the 7th round in the same 2004 draft as Brown above, in his case to the Bruins.  After a few seasons in Boston he moved on to Colorado, the Rangers, and then the Leafs this season.  Needless to say I was thrilled to make my first hit of him a plate--my 56th overall 1/1 and 7th out of hockey--and this just goes to show you COMC can be a good source of such cards.  Next up I'll try to add an autograph of the journeyman D.

Steven Kampfer 2010-11 Zenith auto RC (#506/999)

Today's final player is another newbie:  D-man Steve Kampfer.  Another four-year Wolverine, Kampfer started his college career a couple years after I graduated, but I saw him plenty in-person and on TV anyway.  Unfortunately one of the most notable aspects of his Michigan tenure was a cowardly on-ice attack by a couple Michigan State goons back in 2009.  At least he was able to bounce back from those cheap shots and get some NHL minutes with Boston, Minnesota, and Florida (including the past two seasons); he never appeared with the Ducks, who took him in 2007's 4th round.  It's no surprise that he's not a big hobby name so I'm happy to see Panini threw him a bone on this autograph from five years ago.

Not only have I wanted to show this off for a while because I'm lazy, I've also been looking forward to announcing that they put me past another major milestone:  200 hits!  Thanks to today's additions the collection stands at 204 cards strong and counting, including 44 unique subjects.  Thanks as always to those of you who've contributed, especially Doug from SCFtDS--I'm gonna have to count up and see how many you're responsible for, buddy!

So go Carl Hagelin, go Pens, and go Blue!