UD Posts Final Preview for 2014-15 UD1 - Buyback Autos & More!

[RGM81]

Some great stuff shown off this morning!

[30ranfordfan]

The rookie checklist this year might be week, but these buyback (auto & nonauto) are making me dig this set more and more. Really looking forward to cracking a few boxes this weekend.

[eliteco3]

Looks awesome, I cannot wait to break it.

[RGM81]

I also really dig the emphasis on the 25th anniversary. I hope they make it a focal theme throughout the year...real opportunity there.

[Gibby]

I guess it is live Thursday at least that is when I can pick up my case

[30ranfordfan]

Maybe?

I'm going to assume that they do not do what they did with the 20th anniversary buybacks in 2010-11, which ended up being a big fail IMO. They did a Series 1 French version of the set, and inserted buyback (no autos, just the cards) for 90-91 Series 1 French. Cards all had a stamp & coa. Not numbered, but the math showed 30 copies.

Then they didn't make a Series 2.... and never released buybacks of the high numbers series from 90-91... which had what would (likely) have been the most coveted cards.

Anyway, assume that they do put 90-91 Series 2 buybacks into this year's Series 2.... that Bure will fetch a lot of $$$ (I would think).


Not sure what else they can do with the 25th anniversary though. 90-91 Styled parallels were done 5 years ago (I would still very much like to finish that set) and its not like they've got a bunch of different sets from back then they can draw from for buybacks. There was just series 1 & series 2.

Of course, if they really want to pump the value of Series 2 cards - they could revert to the first three years of UD Hockey, and insert Series 1 cards into Series 2 packs - making those Series 2 cards harder to find :)

I'm also wondering about more buyback autos. Unless I missed it, they didn't do any autos on the Team Checklist cards. They were all art style cards, would be some of the best looking ones from that set signed. The Draft Pick checklist would have been a great one to do (Nolan, Nedved, Premeau, Ricci). They've got the Hull 50/50 & Gretzky 2000th point cards in Series 2 that would look great done up.... maybe the Federov / Garpenlov YG checklist?? The potential duals (and guys you wouldn't see a lot from) really intrigues me.

I also really dig the emphasis on the 25th anniversary. I hope they make it a focal theme throughout the year...real opportunity there.

[mingus_md]

awesome looking previews. Looking forward to chasing the Rangers Buyback Autos, especially Richter's RC.

[Dave71120]

I'm definitely looking forward to Series 1 again this year, and hope my LCS has some left on the shelves by the time I get there. ;-)

Then they didn't make a Series 2.... and never released buybacks of the high numbers series from 90-91... which had what would (likely) have been the most coveted cards.

Anyway, assume that they do put 90-91 Series 2 buybacks into this year's Series 2.... that Bure will fetch a lot of $$$ (I would think).

I totally agree! Inserting the high numbers from 90-91 in Series 2 = Awesomeness! (And I, for one, would LOVE to snag a 25th-anniversary stamped Bure. ) I just hope they don't save the high numbers for only high-end products like Trilogy or SPGU or The Cup. That would be a huge buzz-kill for me.

I'm also wondering about more buyback autos. Unless I missed it, they didn't do any autos on the Team Checklist cards. They were all art style cards, would be some of the best looking ones from that set signed. The Draft Pick checklist would have been a great one to do (Nolan, Nedved, Premeau, Ricci). They've got the Hull 50/50 & Gretzky 2000th point cards in Series 2 that would look great done up.... maybe the Federov / Garpenlov YG checklist?? The potential duals (and guys you wouldn't see a lot from) really intrigues me.

I think some dual autos from that set would be very, very cool! And some special Hull 50/50 and Gretzky's 2000th point autographed variants? Yes, please!!

I agree with RGM81's statement, also, and hope UD makes the 25th anniversary a theme that runs throughout their 2014-15 product lines. Having something that runs throughout their products, I think, makes some sense. I would think it would drive some additional sales. For example, UD could have make a 100-card UD Ice "Legends" series that would run thru their low- and mid-range products as case hits (possibly numbered to 100?). Heck, toss in a limited number of each card auto'ed for some additional hype/buzz/excitement. :)

[30ranfordfan]

Yeah, I am wondering what else could be done.

I mean, I guess it depends on how much people really like buyback (I do!) and it depends on what kind of players they use, how much (like everything... UD can often go the route of overkill) but I suppose celebrating their 25th anniversary is not a reason to limit anniversary stuff to just 1990-91.

Something that would be really cool IMO: Buybacks of the top YG from each set. Keep them limited. 25 copies (like these series 1) would be plenty. You'd have to think that the checklist would look something like this:

1990-91 Pavel Bure
1991-92 Niklas Lidstrom
1992-93 Teemu Selanne (not a RC, but was a Young Gun)
1993-94 ????
1994-95 ????
1995-96 Daniel Alfredson (Mail-in set from Collector's Choice)
1996-97 Jarome Iginla (Mail-in set from Collector's Choice)
1997-98 ????
1998-99 ????
1999-00 Roberto Luongo
2000-01 Marian Gaborik
2001-02 Pavel Datsyuk
2002-03 Henrik Zetterberg
2003-04 Eric Staal
2004-05 ???? Brad Fast & Brennan Evans were the only two "real RCs" but others had RCs in the YG set. Cammi Granato (HOFer) might be a good choice? Just use one of the retro players (another excuse to use Gretzky??)
2005-06 Sidney Crosby
2006-07 Evgeni Malkin
2007-08 Jonathan Towes
2008-09 Steven Stamkos
2009-10 John Tavares
2010-11 Tyler Seguin
2011-12 Ryan Nugent Hopkins
2012-13 Chris Kreider
2013-14 Nathan MacKinnon


Of course, it doesn't totally work to do one for each year. They stopped with the YG branding of Rookies after three years.... and only brought it back in 1999 (with two years inbetween that Young Guns were a mail in extension of Collector's Choice). Could mix in a 'Star Rookie' or 'Program of Excellence' from those years if you had to. To make it an even 25 cards you'd have to include one from this year.... but why not??


And obviously, the list is subject to opinions (and availability to sign). Don't want to get hung up on which player would actually make the cut.... just illustrate that the checklist would like pretty nice when it was all done.

[RGM81]

So much potential for such a dead hobby, eh? LOL