My $0.02 – 2010-11 Score Hockey

2010-11 Score - Tyler Bozak (Base set)

Now, this blog isn’t about being the first to review new products.  In fact, its focus is almost entirely on old, arguably shitty products.  However, I feel the need to talk about 2010-11 Score Hockey, as I am having more fun with this set than I’ve had collecting a set in years.

Upper Deck doesn’t have a card monopoly with the NHL anymore, as Panini has jumped in, and in doing so revived the Score name which has been out of action in hockey for a while.  I’m not into full reviews, box breakdowns and that kind of stuff, but let’s go through some highlights:

The price: It’s $1 or less a pack.  You get seven cards in a pack.

The feel: I’ve bought other value brands like UD Victory in the past, but with this set I feel like I’m actually getting something.  The base set has a retro look and feel, much like the original 1990-91 Score set, and honestly, if you don’t feel some nostalgia for that set, there’s something wrong with you.

2010-11 Score - Andy Greene (Glossy parallel - but you can't tell in the scan! HA!)

The photography: The photography is pretty good and features some unique shots you don’t see every day.  Also, there is a good selection of teams wearing their alternate and retro jerseys, which is always good to see.

2010-11 Score - Sudden Death - Sidney Crosby

2010-11 Score - Net Cam - Henrik Lundqvist

The inserts: The “inserts” are more like the classic Score subsets of yesteryear, and there are some fun ones.  There are parallels – glossy, French back and 20th Anniversary.  Not a huge fan of excessive parallels, but a couple isn’t bad.

The set size: 550 cards in the base set, and fun as hell to sort by teams.  It’s what the blog is called, it’s what I do.

2010-11 Score - Season Highlight - Jonathan Toews

As for the “big hits,” there are some buyback 90-91 autographs thrown in, but the odds on those are pretty steep.  This set isn’t about relics, it’s not about autographs, and it doesn’t have to be.  It’s about having fun collecting hockey cards, and 2010-11 Score comes through on that one.