In The Game has released its checklist for the specially-stamped autograph cards to be included in 2009 Heroes & Prospects Super Boxes. Each box will include 30 packs of 2008-09 In The Game Heroes & Prospects plus one of those specially-stamped autograph cards. The players in the checklist are those players selected in the first round of the 2009 National Hockey League Entry Draft.
According to In The Game, each player’s autograph card has a unique gold stamp highlighting the player’s draft position. The set includes three different cards of number-one pick John Tavares. There are also two previously unreleased cards of European prospects Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Jacob Josefson plus a doubled-sided autograph card of top picks Tavares and Victor Hedman.
A-JTA1 John Tavares
A-JTA2 John Tavares
A-JTA3 John Tavares
A-VH Victor Hedman
A-MD Matt Duchene
A-EK Evander Kane
A-BS Brayden Schenn
A-OEL Oliver Ekman-Larsson
A-NK Nazem Kadri
A-SG Scott Glennie
A-JC Jared Cowen
A-RE Ryan Ellis
A-CDH Calvin De Haan
A-ZK Zack Kassian
A-DK Dmitry Kulikov
A-PH Peter Holland
A-JJ Jacob Josefson
A-JC Jordan Caron
A-CA Carter Ashton
John Tavares / Victor Hedman
Chicago Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane has been unveiled as the new cover subject for EA Sports main hockey title. Kane will grace the cover of NHL 10 which is scheduled for release this September 2009. Kane is the youngest player ever chosen for EA Sports NHL video game packaging cover.
“It’s exciting to be on the cover of my favorite videogame after playing just my second year as a professional,” said Kane. “When you look back at some of the great players who have had this opportunity, it’s an honor to be a part of the EA SPORTS family and contribute to a game I’ve been playing for more than 10 years.”
Kane is not the only young phenom featured in NHL 10. Draft prospect John Tavares – who could be drafted first overall at this Friday’s NHL Entry Draft – has been signed to help promote the video game.
“It’s exciting for me to team up with Patrick to promote EA SPORTS and get the chance to play NHL 10 before it’s in stores,” said Tavares. “Now I’m looking forward to the draft and finding out which team will select me.”
“At EA SPORTS we believe in identifying the most talented up-and-coming athletes in the world to help us develop the most authentic sports games,” said Jordan Edelstein, Vice-President of Marketing for EA SPORTS. “We believe Kane is one of the next great American hockey stars and Tavares will have an immediate impact in the league.”
While Kane is featured on the North American packaging, Capitals’ forward Nicklas Bäckström will be featured on the Swedish packaging. Additional European cover athletes will be announced in the coming months.
In celebration of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2009 Stanley Cup championship, the team and NHL have already released a number of commemorative items via shop.NHL.com. Ninety-two items have been posted, from hats and shirts to mugs and pennants.
Most of the items are logo-centric, but rest assured there will be plenty of player-inspired memorabilia in due time. The first three player pieces shown are Forever Collectibles bobble-head figures of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Marc-André Fleury. The bobbles cost $25 U.S. each.
Other early offerings are produced by Antigua, Fathead, Great American, Highland Mint, Inglasco, Old Time Hockey, Reebok, RICO, TNT Media, Topperscot, Wincraft, and Winning Streak.
If you are not sure what to get, try one of the two bundles. The “Locker Room” bundle ($77 U.S.) features a official locker-room t-shirt (note – organic cotton), a stretch-fit locker room hat, an official Stanley Cup Champions replica puck, and the 2009 Stanley Cup Champions commemorative DVD.
New York Yankees’ captain Derek Jeter will be making an appearance at UpperDeckU.com this coming Tuesday 16 June. Well, sort of – make that a virtual appearance.
Jeter’s custom-built avatar will actually appear on UpperDeckU, but the Yankees’ legend will be answering questions posed by young kids. Jeter will “appear” on the site between 2pm and 3pm Eastern (11am-noon Pacific).
As an added bonus to the “appearance”, Jeter will also be signing “virtual autographs” for the young sports fans that take part in the UpperDeckU.com event. According to UDC, Jeter will “virtually autograph an event-exclusive digital card immediately following the event that will be available only to kids.”
So how do kids take part in the event? Kids can logo in at www.UpperDeckU.com and sign in as a UDU insider. Once logged in, kids can “buy” a ticket to the event (through points accumulated from sports card wrappers). In all, 500 kids will get the chance to interact with Jeter (five sessions of 100 kids from 2-3pm).
UpperDeckU.com is UDC’s virtual sports world that was launched earlier this year in February. It is a “fun, safe place for boys and girls to share their passion for trading cards, sports and online game play.”
In The Game has released its checklist for the specially-stamped autograph cards to be included in 2009 Heroes & Prospects Super Boxes. Each box will include 30 packs of 2008-09 In The Game Heroes & Prospects plus one of those specially-stamped autograph cards. The players in the checklist are those players selected in the first round of the 2009 National Hockey League Entry Draft.
Chicago Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane has been unveiled as the new cover subject for EA Sports main hockey title. Kane will grace the cover of NHL 10 which is scheduled for release this September 2009. Kane is the youngest player ever chosen for EA Sports NHL video game packaging cover.
In celebration of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2009 Stanley Cup championship, the team and NHL have already released a number of commemorative items via shop.NHL.com. Ninety-two items have been posted, from hats and shirts to mugs and pennants.
New York Yankees’ captain Derek Jeter will be making an appearance at UpperDeckU.com this coming Tuesday 16 June. Well, sort of – make that a virtual appearance.
