2013-14 Panini Titanium Box Break

After getting trimmed from the rotation in 2012-13 due to the NHL lockout, Panini Titanium is back in full force for 2013-14. The base cards are slim but the hits are a-plenty, just as they were in the 2011-12 relaunch. Each box contains five packs of four cards, with each pack containing one autograph or jersey card.

Anyway, let's get to the break:

My base cards game me just one Penguin, Sidney Crosby, which is good. However, since I collect Crosby as a player individually, I need two cards of his if I am going to build a set. The cards look nice, and as an added element from the 2011-12 release, these base cards are foil. Still, there's one thing that bothered me. 

I picked up a couple retail tins of Titanium last week, and got plenty of base cards, but the problem is, they are not foiled. So, basically, you can either complete a hobby set or a retail set, but you cannot mix the two, which is a pain, because retail is the best way to compile base cards. Going hobby, it's a bit difficult to build a 100-card set, when you only pull about 14 base cards in a box. I guess in that case, I was lucky to pull a Crosby.

 
Rookie: Patrick Bordeleau Rookie 6/100
You usually get one rookie card in each box, and there are two versions. The base version is numbered to the player's jersey number, and there is also a parallel, numbered to a player's draft position, numbered to a maximum of 100. Bordeleau was selected 114th overall in 2004 by the Minnesota Wild, making his card numbered to 100. First overall picks like Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin, and Marc-Andre Fleury are 1/1s.

Each four-card pack contains one jersey or autographed card. As always, there are different versions of most, containing prime jersey pieces, patches, and autographed memorabilia cards. Here's a quick look at my five.

Dustin Byfuglien Game-Worn Gear Jersey

From the looks of this card, it appears as though Panini has gotten rid of Byfuglien's Thrashers sweaters and now has some Jets sweaters in circulation.

Zach Parise Game-Worn Gear Jersey 

This one, on the other hand, I'm not sure of. The Wild have red sweaters, but for some reason, I think this one is from the Devils.

Ryan Getzlaf/Matthew Lombardi Dual Jersey 237/300
I seem to be pulling quite a few Getzlaf hits this year. As always, this one will soon be heading to Greg at Plaschke, Thy Sweater is Argyle. 

Jonathan Marchessault Titanium Reserve Auto
Never heard about this guy before pulling this card, but according to Wikipedia, he played a whole two games in the NHL last year, and has been with the AHL's Springfield Falcons for the duration of this season.

Ryan Hamilton Metallic Marks Bronze Auto
Hamilton was a part of 2012-13's rookie class as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, so these are his post-rookie sticker dump cards. He players two NHL games in 2011-12 and 10 NHL games in 2012-13, before signing with the Edmonton Oilers in the 2013 off-season. Hamilton has been playing for most of this season with the AHL's Oklahoma City Barons, but has made it up to the Oilers roster for two games.

That's it for Titanium. I'd say I got an average box. I git my guaranteed five hits, plus the one rookie card, but nothing too spectacular. The Parise jersey's a great card, though, and one that I can add to my Minnesota Wild Collection.