[22xpress]

hello to everyone. i hope you are having a splendid weekend where ever you are. i had an awesome day yesterday. my Preds are holding their developmental camp for their younger players and all the on-ice activities are open to the public so my gf and i were all about it. on the way, we stopped and hit a card show just outside of nashville (murfreesboro).

my gf wasn't too stoked abut he card show so i told her i'd make it quick. it's a pretty small show and rarely does anyone have any hockey. i asked this one older guy if he had any hockey and he handed me a small box of about 50-60 cards. he said it was all he had and i could have it all for $25. really random assortment of stuff but not a bad haul, here's the highlites:





i grabbed this jewel for the ol' PC on the way out the door. the guy was asking $5, somehow i got it for $3.


then it was on to the Preds D-camp. i forgot the camera so i didnt get many pics (took a couple on my cell phone). Preds really couldn't be a more fan-friendly organization. got to meet coach trotz and assist. coach peter horachek (this guy will be an NHL head coach soon), as well as martin gelinas (now part of the coaching staff).
i was very impressed with some of these youngsters. ryan ellis is incredibly polished and can really skate. the young goalies looked very sharp as well. Preds drafted an 6'5 swedish goaltender with their top choice in the draft. poor guy didnt have any equipment so he was using a mix of pekka rinne and anders lindback's stuff. got some nice auto's as well.:



thanks for the look, i know it was a long read. lol. comments welcome and a HUGE THANKS to everyone that traded me those itg cards i got auto'd. everyone of those came from you guys. thanks again and Happy July 4th!!
-robert.

[mq13]

Great deal on the hockey box.

[ricebondsmntna2young]

Those H&P base look fabulous this year, but your IP autos make them truly pop. Are the photos crisp, because I've noticed H&P can sometimes be out of focus and grainy?

That's a nice little grab-box you picked up too in a pinch...quick and easy. Messier and Esposito stand out for me.

Great read Robert...

[22xpress]

thanks for the kind words guys. i don't really know much about the new H&P cards. those are really the only ones i have, but they are pretty nice. the BTP cards are pretty glossy which makes for a tough autograph with the sharpies we had. we went to the D camp last year and i didnt have any cards of the young guys, so, over the course of last year, i made trades for the itg and H&P stuff just for this occasion lol. you really can't find cards like those way down in Tennessee. God bless the internet.

[mattrgoddard]

Your welcome. glad to see you are enjoying the H&P I sent you, though it is too bad you didn't get the Blake Geoffrion card signed.

[22xpress]

not yet i haven't. lol. i had it with me just in case. i got a feeling it's just a matter of time...

[mattrgoddard]

Well good luck with that, and when you do please show us, I'd love to see it!

[bonnev659]

very nice pick ups

glad you got to go to the camp, those things are always fun to watch

[22xpress]

wow. i saw GM David Poile hanging around watching practice yesterday. he must have seen something he liked,because he just traded cody franson an still-injured matthew lombardi to the leafs for, well... cap space i guess. congrats leafs fans.

[p8030103]

Very nice!