2011-12 Contenders Preview

gomaz

gomaz

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From the Knight's Lance

Loving the looks of the Calder Candidates RC's!

Looks like they really stepped it up this year. Can already see the Karvin effect. The guy sure knows how to build a product.

What do you all think?
 
Neat, but not a huge fan of the design. I've always liked the Contenders brand due to the ticket like design. This falls short, IMO. Not a fan of all the booklets as well. No reason to have a 6 or 4 auto in a booklet.
 
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I dig them overall but the samples with the heavy box at the bottom looks almost like it belongs on the back of a card rather than the front
 
There really pushing booklet cards now. Guess they didn't get the memo that collectors aren't fans. Other than that, not bad.
 
i get the 19 part but why would they put Thornton with Sakic and Yzerman? totally brings the card down. and yeah, hopefully, they still have sort of tickets again.
 
Why the HELL did they make this into a copy of SP Authentic.
Seriously what was wrong with giving 4 auto rookies a box... Now it is only 1 guarantee and probably 3 no names NHL INK autos (like the SOTT).

I consider this a BIG FAIL on their part.
Will there even be short-printed rookies like what contenders should be???
An why mess with a design that collectors are used to... The tickets design was unique and their own...

BIG FAIL once again and I don't think I will open any this year.
 
Horrible designs but really like the Captains booklet. Hope they use a better image of Callahan.... one where he is wearing his C instead of last year's A!
 
I prefer the taditional ticket design more, but these cards do look sleek and very nice. Jeremy I'm guessing you appreciate the serial numbering on the front of some of those samples?
 
Bingo, and the Calder contenders are just prime jerseys, how do the expect to compete with future watch limited? i mean if your going to copy a set......

MutomboTan said:
Why the HELL did they make this into a copy of SP Authentic.
Seriously what was wrong with giving 4 auto rookies a box... Now it is only 1 guarantee and probably 3 no names NHL INK autos (like the SOTT).

I consider this a BIG FAIL on their part.
Will there even be short-printed rookies like what contenders should be???
An why mess with a design that collectors are used to... The tickets design was unique and their own...

BIG FAIL once again and I don't think I will open any this year.
Click to expand...
 
Much bigger fan of the traditional set that they did last season. I will still attempt the set, but not sure hoe much I will break especially if it is a SP Authentic rehash.

-Bill
 
MutomboTan said:
Why the HELL did they make this into a copy of SP Authentic.
Seriously what was wrong with giving 4 auto rookies a box... Now it is only 1 guarantee and probably 3 no names NHL INK autos (like the SOTT).

I consider this a BIG FAIL on their part.
Will there even be short-printed rookies like what contenders should be???
An why mess with a design that collectors are used to... The tickets design was unique and their own...

BIG FAIL once again and I don't think I will open any this year.
Click to expand...

Clint (Bulldog24) warned us this was coming in a post last month:
Bulldog24 said:
We were doing just fine and looking forward to a great year, learning from past mistakes and pushing the envelope on some new ideas. You'll see what happens after the first of the year, when the stuff Al and I had planned gives way to a definite "west coast" bent. Get ready for Panini Authentic, Elite Game Used, Donruss even more Ultimate, Red Diamond, etc.
Click to expand...

I doubt this will be the only look-alike product we see this year. Not bad looking, just very familiar.
 
Shouldn't the Semin/Ovechkin/Malkin/Staal be Conference Rivals rather then Division Rivals?

Other then that, I like the look of this stuff. Very nice.
 
This looks sweet!

I love the combination of colour and crispness all across the board and those silver autos against black are gorgeous!
 
canucksfreak19 said:
Jeremy I'm guessing you appreciate the serial numbering on the front of some of those samples?
Click to expand...

Yeah totally. I hope that transfers to the actual product.

I like the look of it and will break a box or two. I also have no problem with it being more like SPA than last year's was. But my preference is based on what cards end up on ebay and these boards versus the box or case breakdown.
 
The designs look really nice. I also like the NHL Ink cards. Crisp and clean. However I liked the "ticket" look which they seem to have gone away from. Serial numbering (especially on the front) is awesome
 
I know people are always screaming for "change", so it's a darned if you do, darned if you don't for everyone. I just could never understand why a company would change a "staple" product that has been proven to be highly collected every year and has remained pretty much the same from it's original release. Contenders has always been known for the rookie autos, short prints, and no memorabilia. Just a clean proven design and product that sells great. Now they change it up and I just have to shake my head on this one. I have a hard time believing the memorabilia for the rookies is anything other then photoshoot, so why even bother? Leave that for the Crown Royale, Luxury Suite, and Dominion products.
 
JohnnyDrama said:
The design on that Landeskog looks like total and complete ***. Other than that, meh. Not bad, not good.
Click to expand...

Definitely a personal taste issue. I love that design myself. That rookie card design alone makes me want to break a box or two hoping to hit a Scheifele or Nooj. Just like the patch auto rookies in Hot Prospects used to for me as well.
 

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