Special PREMIERE edition!

[GabbyGuy]

And the reason for the title.....

Back in 2011, the Rangers and Gaborik were involved in the NHL Premiere series where they went to Europe for some exhibition games with other countries' teams. Then they started the season with games in Europe vs. the Ducks and the Kings.

Link to those games:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_NHL_Premiere

This was the 2011 NHL Premeire patch they wore on their jerseys for those events:




In 2011-12 Panini Prime Hockey, a subset card was the Premiere Game Patches. Gaborik was included in that subset. Only 3 cards were produced (the patch wasn't that big).

I lost out on this beautiful card back in September 2014 (it went for serious coin...way higher than I imagined). With only 3 made, I figured it may be tough to see another.

2011-12 Panini Prime Premiere Game Patches 3/3 (not mine...scan taken from eBay)



But another did pop up....and I snagged it (and way way cheaper than the September 2014 one went for). So, I was able to get one after all...and it is also very nice!

2011-12 Panini Prime Premiere Game Patches 1/3



Where my card's patch is from on that small Premiere patch. It's pretty nice!




I know he scored at least one goal wearing it...against the Kings on October 7, 2011 at the Globe Arena, Stockholm, Sweden.

Cool that Panini used the actual goal celebration photo for that card!





The Rangers wore the patch on their jersey right shoulder, while other teams wore them on their jersey chest.




Thanks for taking a look.


--Curt

[sedinfan]

Now that is cool, Panini's taken their share of flak for Prime Colours cards and the like where the team name / photo doesn't match the patch, but they sure got this one right - how cool is that not only being able to identify what game a memorabilia card was taken from, but that your PC guy scored a goal, and the picture on the card is of the goal celebration? Awesome! And then you land the nicer swatch at a cheaper price... time to buy a lottery ticket I say :)

[iginlafan77]

Pretty Cool they used the actual photo from the game. Nice Pickup!

[johnse27]

Wow Curt that is a an awesome card and story behind it! Glad your were able to procure a nicer one then the first you missed! It's almost a shield card with NHL logo on it! Thanks for sharing!

[30ranfordfan]

Thanks for sharing Curt.

Nice story that you ended up with one of them eventually anyway..... but a great patch, and really neat that they used a picture of the game he wore the jersey in.

Panini did some things really well, and their use of interesting memorabilia was one of them.

[Beaszt519]

I actually had a deal in place to land this one but I decided to let it go last minute because I went a different direction with my collection, glad you got it though because its a very nice card =)

[FuriousD82]

Nice pickup. We are all going to miss Prime!