2012/13 Upper Deck Black Diamond
Black Diamond has historically been reliant upon strong rookie crops and with the lockout situation, the product was looking to be a bust. However, Upper Deck stepped up their game and this year's BD is, even with the lack of top rookie talent, quite possibly the best release of the product in it's history. The product breaks down:
Assuming ICE Rookies remain 1 per pack per hobby box, there are 14,779 rookies in total, and at 12 box cases it's equivalent to 1231.58 cases produced then.
In comparison to last year, however, they had 20,974 Ice Rookies. At 1 per box, there are 6,195 fewer rookies. Less ICE Rookies means less boxes, and it's a significant amount. So the product is more short printed, roughly 6,200 boxes or ~517 cases less, but how does it affect the pulls?
Big Hits:
boxes. So your odds of pulling an /99 have slightly decreased, but not by a significant margin.
159 Total Sapphire Autos * 1 = 159
Total base parallel autos = 1729
This means there will be at least one parallel auto per case, if not more. On top of that you still have additional non-auto'd ones:
1021 Non-Auto'd Emeralds (930) and Non-Auto Sapphires (91) = 6.9 per 100 boxes, or a 83% chance of getting one in a case.
These seem to be falling 1 per case along with an auto as well.
10, but I'm going with the initial product sheet on those: 405 total GU Autos, ~1 per 3 cases.
The Other Hits:
25000 Rubies = 1.70 Rubies per box, 20 per case
Gemography Autos, which the checklist is possibly as best as it's been.
Championship Rings
11/12 Stanley Cup Champion Rings
Dual Jersey Cards
Lustrous Rookies (1 per Case)
Lustrous Stars and Greats (1 every other Case)
Hardware Heroes
Quad Diamond Rookies, Triple Diamond Rookies
Quad, Triple, and Double Diamonds
Assuming ICE Rookies remain 1 per pack per hobby box, there are 14,779 rookies in total, and at 12 box cases it's equivalent to 1231.58 cases produced then.
In comparison to last year, however, they had 20,974 Ice Rookies. At 1 per box, there are 6,195 fewer rookies. Less ICE Rookies means less boxes, and it's a significant amount. So the product is more short printed, roughly 6,200 boxes or ~517 cases less, but how does it affect the pulls?
Big Hits:
- ICE Rookies /99:
boxes. So your odds of pulling an /99 have slightly decreased, but not by a significant margin.
- Base Parallel Autos:
159 Total Sapphire Autos * 1 = 159
Total base parallel autos = 1729
This means there will be at least one parallel auto per case, if not more. On top of that you still have additional non-auto'd ones:
1021 Non-Auto'd Emeralds (930) and Non-Auto Sapphires (91) = 6.9 per 100 boxes, or a 83% chance of getting one in a case.
These seem to be falling 1 per case along with an auto as well.
- Jersey Autos:
10, but I'm going with the initial product sheet on those: 405 total GU Autos, ~1 per 3 cases.
The Other Hits:
25000 Rubies = 1.70 Rubies per box, 20 per case
Gemography Autos, which the checklist is possibly as best as it's been.
Championship Rings
11/12 Stanley Cup Champion Rings
Dual Jersey Cards
Lustrous Rookies (1 per Case)
Lustrous Stars and Greats (1 every other Case)
Hardware Heroes
Quad Diamond Rookies, Triple Diamond Rookies
Quad, Triple, and Double Diamonds
The Team Break Down
Obviously, there are some clear cut teams to choose because you are all but guaranteed a big hit, some are a long shot, and others are just the average you'll get your few cards. With all of the double diamonds, etc. you have to choose that team that best suits your needs.
The Best Of The Best:
That's about it. Exact team numbers will have to be worked on with short prints, because they are a doozy to work with. Stay tuned, but good luck breaking!
The Best Of The Best:
- Los Angeles Kings: Why are they number 1? You get around 2 rings per case, they have a rookie, and you could be lucky enough to pull a Gretzky Auto Parallel or Quad Diamond
- New York Rangers: Chris Kreider is the top rookie out of this product, and have veterans that scatter the lineup in each category. Although a little riskier, if you hit a Kreider ICE, start laughing your way to the bank. They don't offer the same value as LA, but have that boom to put them at number 2
- Boston Bruins: This isn't the most obvious team for a top pick. However, the Bruins have 5 rookies in this product, and have jerseys and autos of current day players like Milan Lucic and Tyler Seguin, as well as greats like Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito. They are consistent and have the big hit potential
- Pittsburgh Penguins: They are, as always, a risky team. Most of their autos are big guys that are SP'd or case hit cards. If you hit a Lemieux or a Crosby, however, you'll be happy. The team is best picked around the 7-10 range, but are a viable option at any time if you hope to hit a gold mine.
- Edmonton Oilers: Although they have 58 cards, a lot of them are going to be tougher pulls. If you are going with Edmonton, you are hoping for a Gretzky Rookie Gems or a Hall/Eberle/Gretzky/Nuge auto. You may get some doubles and triples along the way, and there are some nice case hits (Lustrous Stars and Greats) to make them a viable option around the 5th spot, but can be riskier than some other teams out there
- Montreal Canadiens: Very similar to Pittsburgh, they do have two rookies, and the Habs always have the chance to hit an auto of Lafleur and Beliveau. Like Pittsburgh, best picked around that 7-10 range
- Dallas Stars: They have rookies (4), autos that are in the lower groupings, and jerseys. A good overall mix of talent and will net you some cards. If quantity is more important than quality, I'd say the Stars are one of the better teams. Glennie's got potential as a rookie, and with 47 cards on the checklist outside of base, they are a decent bet. Pick them whenever you want, but they are an excellent plan B.
- St. Louis Blues: Jaden Schwartz is possibly the most talented rookie in this pool, and an /99 rookie. On top of that, the Blues also have a very solid goalie prospect by the name of Jake Allen. They have autos, a Hardware Heroes, and Lustrous Rookies on top of jerseys and rookies. They are a team that can fetch you quick cash if you hit the ice /99, but have supplementary players to pick up if you don't hit it. Don't be fooled by previous years, the Blues are, in my opinion, a top 10 team.
- Toronto Maple Leafs: Once again, not a total sleeper, but with a variety of hits, including rookies, the Leafs are a solid team. They edged out the Flames slightly because of the 3 Quad Rookies. They are a good team, and fall into that 7-10 range with the Penguins
- Honourable Mentions: Calgary Flames, Detroit Red Wings, Colorado Avalanche, Ottawa Senators
- Phoenix Coyotes: ~14 total cards, not a huge resale value, you see where I am going. They do have two rookies, but often will be a free team for those reasons.
- New Jersey Devils: ~24 total cards, no rookies, few autos, jerseys, just not as great as other options. They do have some good hits, but they are harder to come by. Not bad for a later pick, but not a team I'd pick higher up.
- Winnipeg Jets: ~16 cards, and unless you hit the emerald or sapphire parallel, you aren't going to be happy. Although you have decent odds at a Tim Stapleton Gemography.
That's about it. Exact team numbers will have to be worked on with short prints, because they are a doozy to work with. Stay tuned, but good luck breaking!