This Might Be My Personal "Hit"

 First - Yat- continuing to get all new base additions...

However the winner today is...

A sweet Marner insert! I may not love the design, but a Leaf insert will always get my thumbs up.

According to TCDB, there are just over 3,000 cards for Mitch, and I now have 80. Still, love Marner and have mentioned before, I do personally put him just ahead of Matthew's, so yeah, good packs today.

One could say I almost Filip'd for this Fox-y insert.

More Under Kerfoot

Nice to get another Leafs add today...

Kerfoot spent 4 seasons in Toronto, coming here in a trade that saw Kadri make his way to Colorado. Usually a 3rd line centre for Toronto, Kerfoot was solid, but after the 4 years, he moved on top sign a 2 year deal with Arizona.

Nothing too spectacular in the inserts, but all new so can't ask to much more.

By Our Powers Combined...

No, I don't really have a tie in to Captain Planet - though it was a very quirky but great cartoon in the 90s.

I do have 2 MVP packs combined for this one share of cards, so let's see what the result is.

A day of doubles - not cards themselves as these are all new to me, but Troy and Tyler with the double T initials and a couple Jacob's and a couple John names as well.

Always enjoy Toews and still not there on loving the Seattle logo.

2023-24 saw Jordan as a regular on the blue line for his first full season in the NHL.

The Ice Battles cards - I said before that thr rankings seem fine, but one caveat - I have to idea how they get to their overall ranking. I can only assume there are other criteria because no matter how the ones listed, are rated or weighed, I don't see how we get to the overall that is shown.

I guess awareness can't have much impact.

Still, great pick ups all around.

There We Go!

 Two great cards in the first pack...

Brent lives the beard life. He IS the beard life - love it.

Boom! It mat not be the most rare or valuable card, but a Toronto insert, let alone one with Auston on it makes fir a great hit as far as I am concerned. Now, this combo may be the more recent on ice encounter, but I remember the late 90s and the rivalries the two teams had back then.

Pack two...

Another grat Pin Points insert to end the second pack as pretty darn great. As for the base cards, like seeing the Carey too.

Former Leaf

 A shame his success came after leaving Toronto, but on a player level, I am glad for him...

Nazem had a good run in Toronto, but shone further with the Avalanche. He has done fine with Calgary as well, and not sure if he would still fit in with the Toronto tram today, but would have liked to see if it could work.

Sweet - another silver script. Maybe I am being greedy hoping for a Leaf insert, but it would be really nice to at least get one.

Pack two...

Tom Wilson's card reminds us that there is still a COVID impact to the world as masks still remain a regular, if more uncommon apparel for fans at games.

Holy Goalie

 I do love a good goalie card...

Denko and Lehner both look fantastic on their cards here. I don't know if it's how well the photos and design being shaped together just work well or what - but really like them.

I'm not going to be getting to 250 cards on the Ice Battles set, but should get to about 30 which is a nice start!

Pack, the second...

Still not loving the Dallas uniforms with the bright green.

It's touch and go in the NHL for Adam. He only played in about a dozen games before the start of the current season and has gone back and forth from the league. The Ice Battles numbers don't do too bad a job of reflecting real life skill in broad strokes, I should have shown the back, but maybe next time.

Pin Point

 First pack in and we get a nice Pin Point insert to go with the base additions...

I have to say that of all the designs of the inserts so far, they are my favorite. I like the gold version a bit better, but both are great. Now, the fact that it's Connor makes it just that much better. Any card of a generational talent is a good card.

Second pack...

After 7 years works his way through the ranks and minor leagues, Johnny made it to the NHL. Spending a brief time with Winnipeg before a couple years in Montreal, and now being with New Jersey, he has been able to stick in the big leagues so far.

Hopefully we can stick with more additions again tomorrow!

All New Continues

Happily, another day with all new to me set additions and inserts in the couple packs of 2022-23 Upper Deck MVP, so let's check them out.

I have had a Stamkos insert already, so nice to now pick up the base card.

Still looking for the one in 36 pack gold script 20th anniversary card which should be in this box, but we do have a second "regular" bronze or copper script. Ryan is a great one from the insert set to get, so no complaints there.

Second pack...

Nice - another Leaf base card out of the way. Getting dupes for the set build is a need of course, so all good there.

Jacob (instead of Jakub) looks great with the goalie pose here, nice, full and no action in front to skew the photo - love it.

Another silver script (every 5 packs) to finish another solid couple packs.

A Sad Reminder

With the couple MVP hockey card packs today, a sad reminder of the tragic events from this past August.

Johnny and his brother passing away, victims of what appears to be a drunk driving related incident was tragic news. A shame for the stars as it's such a tragedy in any event, but gets the news headlines due to the victims of course.

Kinds of makes for a sad posting - sure the cards are almost all new additions, and all - but it's one thing to be looking at cards from the 80s, 90s, etc, but for a newer release like this, not a tragedy you want to be reminded of.

Back to Back

Right to it - happily, the first pack today was like the last yesterday...

Leaf content with the now former Leaf captain Tavares. He did very well ad captain, even if from day 1, he was a transitional captain of sorts, waiting for Auston to be ready to be in the captain role.

As for the second pack...

Nice - another Domains card. I don't mind these excessively sparkly cards, though the do look much better in person. I do tend to pull a fair amount of Stamkos cards. Not a good or bad thing, more an observation.

Lots of Blue

First 2022-23 Upper Deck MVP pack today has lots of blue covered...

Jets, Blues, and both NY teams, but none are the Leaf blue I am looking for.

Even the inserts tease me, but the Pin Points insert is about as fancy as MVP set inserts get, and in hand it is definitely much nicer.

Pack two...

Nice - Marner base card, yay. Add in the rookie Samberg card, and another solid pack.

Only made a bit strong with a solid Ice Battles card at the end - fantastic!

The Set Build Continues

Two more MVP packs today as we continue the set build from the retail box.

Not a bad pack, a nice Foligno and the ugly Islanders jersey, but still set helpers!

Hoping I might get a couple Leaf Ice Battles cards as I don't plan on getting a full set, so Leaf set would be great.

Pack number two for today...

Guentzel and Forsberg are good pick ups...

A Drouin silver script to finish.

The MVP parallels and inserts aren't spectacular given its a low end set, but they are solid enough. I have never been one to love the faux signatures on cards, but it is fine enough on these and is a bit of a staple for MVP sets.

Set Got Back

Now that we have had a few days with the fronts of the cards from 2022-23 Upper Deck MVP, let'

s check out some backs too.

I really am not a big fan of the backs because of simply, the lack of stats. I want full stats, but at least give me a most recent year and career lines - or something. A small team logo, no picture, big MVP across the top. I know it's a lower end set, but this could have made a big different on how much I'd like the set by these back fixes.

Okay, getting a one in thirty-six packs 20th anniversary insert makes up for it a bit. Would have been better to be a Leaf, but a nice pick up - even if it's a design I don't have great regard for - it's just middling to me.

Second pack today...

All new today, is good, and the back of the Ice Battles cards - are very basic. Again, a picture if nothing else, would have added plenty - heck, make it from the NHL game even, a headshot, to go with the stats here. I mean, perfect tie in, no?

Same Name Different Team

 Another couple packs of 2022-23 Upper Deck MVP Hockey today and we start with a card that confuses me.

I still don't like seeing Fleury as anything but a Penguin. Maybe it's just me, but that's his team and always will be. First dupe though as I happened to have Farabee already.

Another Ice Battles card, but no Leafs in this pack unfortunately.

Second pack:

Sweet - first Domains insert pick up. These fall one every seven packs, so should be a few in this box, but still a decent design and better looking in hand. Not a surprise it mentions the time played with Canada and leading Canada to gold over the Czech Republic.

Another solid couple packs, hopefully we can keep the ball rolling.