Panini Blog Panini Peek: 2011-12 Elite Hockey

[OzCardTrader]

If this was a normal Panini Peek post, I’d spend the first paragraph or so crafting a flowery and adjective-filled — but well-earned and accurate — introduction to herald the coming excitement of a new Panini America product. But this is no normal Panini Peek post because 2011-12 Elite Hockey*is no normal hockey product.
So instead, I’ll quote from the second page of the product’s solicitation packet that began being distributed this week: “The legendary brand returns with a bang, re-imagined for a new**generation of hit-hungry collectors!” There, that pretty much sums it up.
For the first time since the 1997-98 season, passionate NHL collectors will have a stand-alone Elite product to call their own, complete with the legendary inclusion of such landmark inserts as Passing the Torch Autographs, Prime Numbers and Elite Series.
2011-12 Elite Hockey is slated for a late-February release and will include one autograph Elite Rookies variation, two memorabilia cards, three Aspirations parallels and two additional Elite Rookies per box. But that’s just the beginning for a product that will benefit immeasurably from the immense technology advancements in the last 12 years.
The short list of additional highlights:

• 80 Elite Rookie Cards, including 20 short prints and 50 on-card signers
• The unique Social Signatures on-card autograph insert that highlights the social-media presence of some of the game’s top stars
• Prime Numbers returns better than ever, with each card augmented by a piece of memorabilia or an on-card autograph and three collectible versions for top stars such as Joe Sakic, Alex Ovechkin,*Sidney Crosby and many more
• The incomparable Passing the Torch insert features a pair of on-card signatures from greats of the game like Mark Messier, Mario Lemieux and Sakic alongside top stars of today like Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Evgeni Malkin*and Matt Duchene
• The venerable Elite Series insert honors six hobby legends –*Sidney Crosby,*Alex Ovechkin,*Steven Stamkos,*Mario Lemieux,*Mark Messier and*Steve Yzerman — by giving each their own*six-card insert series. The special seventh card for each player features an on-card autograph.
• Each case of 2011-12 Elite Hockey should yield*12 Elite Rookies Auto Variations, two Elite Rookies Aspirations Die-Cuts, three cards from each of the Elite Series subjects, three*Elite Series Duals, 12New Breed Materials, one Social Signatures, six Elite Signings, 12*Elite Materials, one Prime Numbers Jerseys, 12*Elite Stars and 12 Elite Rookie Stars

Enjoy this exclusive first look at a true hockey legend and stay tuned to The Knight’s Lance for additional updates.

Read more over at the Panini Blog...