2016-17 Upper Deck Artifacts Hockey

I've always been of the "don't leave the last pack" philosophy, so when I was at a local shop a few weeks back I picked up the last pack of 2016-17 Upper Deck Artifacts.  I almost passed on it because of the $13 cost, but decided to go for it.

Per Beckett.com, this is the breakdown of what you get:

2016-17 Upper Deck Artifacts Hockey at a glance:
Packs per box: 8
Cards per pack: 4
Boxes per case: 10 per inner
Set size: 100 base set cards plus subsets
Release date: September 28, 2016

WHAT TO EXPECT IN A HOBBY BOX:
– Three autograph, memorabilia, or Aurum cards
– Four serial-numbered cards
– One Rookie Redemption


You saw that right, four cards for the low price of $13.  The design is similar on a year-to-year basis, so if you collect hockey, it's a similar feel.  Below is what I got for $3.25 a card (4 packs for $13).

2016-17 Artifacts #17 Gustav Nyquist

2016-17 Artifacts #17 Gustav Nyquist (back)

Gustav Nyquist will always hold a special place in my heart.  I pulled his Young Guns High Gloss (#d/10) shortly after it came out.  Through the Red Wings' January 20 game, Nyquist has 7 goals and 24 points on the season.  

2016-17 Artifacts #10 Johnny Gaudreau

Two years ago, you couldn't hear much hockey talk before someone mentioned Johnny Gaudreau.  That was before Connor McDavid,  Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine busted onto the scene.  He's still exciting and Flames fans still love him, but he is trending toward a statistically worse season than his first two.  Through 38 games, he has ten goals and 29 points.  

2016-17 Artifacts #91 Joe Thornton

Joe Thornton is the veteran off the active players in the pack.  After more than 1,400 NHL games he is still productive.  Through 46 games this season, he has just three goals, but 26 assists.  

The final card is the pack is a retired player and is numbered out of 499.  

2016-17 Artifacts #137 Bob Bourne /499

I've bought a fair amount of hockey over the last few years, but I've never heard of Bob Bourne.  It appears he is an Artifacts regular that scored 258 goals over a 14-year playoff career.  He was a key, and often overlooked, member of the four-time Stanley Cup winning Islanders of the early 1980s.  

The pack left a lot to be desired, but that means odds are others than bought single packs are happy.  I may reconsider the "no lack pack standing" philosophy, as it's truly failed me more times than not.  

Happy (pack) ripping!