1991-92 O-Pee-Chee Hockey

Here's another junk wax pack that I picked up at the hobby shop this Saturday, on the same trip as the 1991 Fleer Football pack I just posted. I'm kind of surprised to see that nobody has covered this one yet. Let's dig in, aside from a nasty stick of gum I got 10 cards for my 50 cents:

#43R - Mikhail Shtalenkov

I used to think these inserts, featuring some of the top talent from Russia, were great. Russian players like Sergei Fedorov and Pavel Bure were just becoming NHL superstars around this time and as a young, impressionable kid I thought everyone in this set was the next Wayne Gretzky.

On a really odd note, I didn't know much about Shtalenkov, and when looking him up online just now I've learned that he apparently disappeared this past Sunday. Seems like some pretty odd circumstances there...

#125 - Kevin Miller

Brother of Kelly and Kip Miller, and cousin of current Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller.

#281 - Gino Cavallini

#11 - Mike Richter Super Rookie

Richter captured a Stanley Cup with New York just a couple of years after this set came out. I like the design for the base cards in this set, but the Super Rookies? Not so much...

#324 - Mike Krushelnyski

In my mind, Mike is most famous for being one of two players that Wayne Gretzky requested be traded with him to the Los Angeles Kings from Edmonton (Marty McSorley being the other).

#96 - Quebec Nordiques

My favorite card in the pack, featuring a young Joe Sakic and a whole lotta Fleur-de-lis!

#340 - Greg Adams

For the longest time I didn't even realize there was a skate hidden inside that mess of a Canucks logo.

#278 - Johan Garpenlov

Johan was dealt from Detroit to the new San Jose Sharks franchise during the 1991-92 season.

Here's a look at the card backs. Awfully busy.

#480 - Igor Larionov

Finally, a Hall-of-Famer! Pictured here with Vancouver, I always think of Igor in a Detroit sweater. Larionov played on the 1997, 1998, and 2002 Cup-winning teams in Detroit.

#190 - Brett Hull - Goals Leader

Back-to-back Hall-of-Famers at the end to save this otherwise dud of a pack. This card is pretty cool, as it symbolizes Brett Hull's amazing 86-goal 1990-91 season! I don't think we'll see a total like that again anytime soon.

Nothing too spectacular here but was it worth two quarters? I'd say so.