Flurry of First-Time Skaters Set to Heat Up Panini America’s Early NHL Products
One week into the 2011-12 NHL season and things are already looking up — way up — for Panini America’s early products.
The impressive debut performances of such headlining rookies as No. 1 overall pick Ryan Nugent-Hopkins of the Edmonton Oilers and No. 2 overall pick Gabriel Landeskog of the Colorado Avalanche and their rookie promising peers means really good things for the upcoming releases of 2011-12 Score Hockey and 2011-12 Certified Hockey.
An email from Panini America NHL Brand Manager Al Muir yesterday detailing the updated Rookie Card checklists for those two products drove that point home in a big way.
The updated Rookie Card checklist for Score, releasing in late October, now includes Nugent-Hopkins, Landeskog, Ryan Johansen (Columbus Blue Jackets), Brett Connolly (Tampa Bay Lightning), Mika Zibanejad (Ottawa Senators), Jake Gardiner (Toronto Maple Leafs), Justin Faulk (Carolina Hurricanes), Devante Smith-Pelly (Anaheim Ducks), Brandon Saad (Chicago Blackhawks), Mark Scheifele (Winnipeg Jets), Sean Couturier (Philadelphia Flyers) and Tim Erixon (New York Rangers).
Certified, releasing in mid-November, will include Freshman Fabrics Signature RCs of Nugent-Hopkins, Johansen, Landeskog, Connolly, Zibanejad, Gardiner and Faulk. All of those Rookie Cards will be live in pack.
Rookie Cards for both sets are feverishly being finished in the Panini America prepress department as we speak. As soon as we have approved images, we’ll post a full gallery right here at The Knight’s Lance. Until then, we thought this selection of sweet autographed cards of early season skaters (procured during the 2011 NHLPA Rookie Showcase and slated for inclusion in our later-season products) was incredibly apropos.
Stay tuned to The Knight’s Lance for additional details on Panini America’s 2011-12 NHL product developments.
The Knight's Lance 
Looks great guys!
Any possibility that Habs rookies Rafael Diaz and Alexei Emelin will be getting some auto rookie love?
We are working on auto deals with both players and hope to have them in upcoming programs.
What?!?! No Saad in Certified?!?!?
Alas, it’s true. Sorry, Rob.
But you will be making a deal with Saad to get his auto in future 11-12 products, yes? Please say “yes”.
How about Score???
Will there be any Ryan Murphy autographed rookie cards?
Murphy hasn’t skated yet, so he’s unavailable at this point.
greatness
loving the private signings again!!
Nugent-Hopkins and Landeskog need penmanship lessons! Please have the autograph acquisitions dude teach them something!
But seriously Tracy, within the things-you-guys-at-Panini-can-control area, I must say seeing 3 variations of the Nugent-Hopkins Private Signings just in different poses is not all that palatable.
I think that is an area you guys could have gone the extra mile and done it right by changing him into a home blue, road white and the alternate orange and blue retro Oilers sweaters.
Same with Landeskog in the Avs white twice, etc, etc………..
Just some feedback for the next time!
The Private Signings cards are still a clean design with the always appreciated hard-signed auto. Thanks for sharing.
All great points, Tracy let’s get that done for next year!
Are the rookies in Score going to be short printed like last year?
Yes, sir, there will be SPs.
two questions. first is who are the TBA guys from last years certified going to be? Second is when will we see checklists of the up coming hockey releases?
Awesome to see the new rookies and their new cards. New season means new cards and new players with new jerseys!
I love the layout of these cards. Gives them a rich feeling. Great checklist on the rookies for these products. Another awesome Panini update!
Just wondering why there are different “variations” of Private Signings of these rookies. What exactly is the point? I’m not trying to be negative as I am a fan of Panini overall. I’m just curious as to why this decision was made
Extra “value” and “hits” in the pack……………….and to drive player collectors bonkers.
See my thoughts above, could have, would have, should have.
Hopefully next year like Scott said if they repeat it.
Will Couturier and Scheifele by live in packs for certified?
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