91-92 Classic Draft Picks

Classic is one of many budget companies that existed in the early-90's. These companies either were not allowed to, or more likely, could not afford to pay for the rights to release NHL hockey cards, so instead they released sets like Classic's Draft Picks. Classic's inaugral draft set includes 50 of the top 62 draft picks from 1991 (most of the Russian and US College players are not inlcuded).

Of the four companies that released draft sets in 91-92, Classic is the only company that is licensed by the CHL (where most of the draft picks played), and the only company that was able to include the first pick from the '91 draft, Eric Lindros. Because it is licensed by the CHL, Classic could show most of the players in their actual junior uniforms while other companies had to airbrush the logos out. Some of the European players are only shown in blank jerseys, however.

Classic tried to create the illusion of value for this set by including 'Ceritification of Limited Edition', but my set is numbered 199,556 of 360,000, so I don't think they were really fooling anyone. Anyone who wants to pick up this 'limited edition' set can get one off of Ebay for less than $2.

For a budget set, Classic 91-92 Draft Picks has pretty good photography. A few cards are blurry or grainy, but most are as clear as anything in any NHL set.

This set also includes a bonus card (numbered 'B') of CFL'er Raghib 'Rocket' Ismail, a Los Angeles Raiders draft pick that was signed away from the NFL to the Toronto Argonauts for a ridiculous amount of money. He won a Grey Cup in his first year with the team, but got into trouble in his second year when he stomped on another player's helmeted head during a brawl.

Five of my favorites:
#15 - Glen Murray - I got to see Sudbury's opening game this year while I was on tour. They play in an old fire hazard of a building (built in 1951) and each time they score a goal, a taxidermic wolf on a pulley system flies across the ceiling above the opposing team's bench. The wolf looks like it's been there since the team's first season in 1962. My point is, Sudbury knows when they have a good thing going. Their logo is one of the best in all of the CHL because they haven't bothered changing it every few years like so many other teams.

#39 - Yanic Perreault - My favorite part of this draft set is getting to see all the old CHL logos. This one is the Trois-Rivières Draveurs. Apparently a draveur is a raftmen. I guess that could be a raft on the jersey?

#14 - Brent Bilodeau - Seattle still has the same logo, but they've changed the colour scheme from the old Hartford Whalers straight green, to the later Whalers navy blue, green and silver. It sucks.

#12 - Pat Peake - Probably the worst team name in CHL history: The Detriot Compuware Ambassadors.

#32 - Jeff Nelson - Right now the Prince Albert Raiders have a pretty boring pirate logo. I like their old 'Screaming Jihad' logo way better.