Cardshow bounty - ITG box break

I mentioned that at the cardshow I picked up two boxes. This is the first. A 2008/09 In the Game Between The Pipes. I've wanted to grab one of these since they came out. At $110, I overpaid a little, but you know how it is. With no baseball to be had, I needed to come home with something.
I'll try and keep this to the facts, but I have to say, I love this set. Love it! So to be fair, I'll start with something disappointing. The only downside to the box break in fact. Can you read on the box top there? About how many cards per pack? See the little asterisk? No? Well how about on the wrapper?

Can you see the little asterisk better? Well, if you flip the pack over, and peel back the flap, and look for the fine print, you'll see this...

You'll have to click on the image to actually be able to read the fine print. Or use the Hubble telescope if it's not busy.... It says that there are actually only 4 cards per pack. Plus this:

A decoy card. Yes. This counts as a card. But it is worth one point towards a jersey card redemption from ITG. Only 249 more cards, and I get a free jersey card. (that's a little over 10 boxes worth....)

Well, no big deal, right? They do tell you on the pack. Why am I whining? Well, if this little subterfuge wasn't enough, in five of the packs, I only got three cards (plus the decoy). I got jobbed out of five cards. To a set builder like me, that's no good.

Okay. Enough nit-picking over the details. Let's look at the base set. It's divided up into four main parts. The first part is for the "Future Stars" These are the guys who are just now making a rookie impact, or are getting ready to be drafted this year.

The first 60 cards are like this...

Team Canada Gold Medalist Hero Dustin Tokarski

Future Leafs savior Justin Pogge

and probable 2009 NHL Rookie of the Year Steve Mason.

The next section is devoted to the current stars of the game. This is the smallest part of the set.
As it should be. Only twelve goalies make up this part.

Maybe a little early to be putting Price in this part.......

That's better.....

Here's where the set gets great. The first 60 cards were for the rookie collectors and prospectors. Then came the names everyone knows. Now comes the next two sections. First, Greats of the game. 19 of 'em.

I love these guys......

Gump didn't wear a mask... that goose egg on his forehead is from a puck. And he's still smiling!

Jacques was the first to ever put on a mask during a game. Sacre Bleu!

Rogie! Look at that picture. That picture describes hockey in the '70's. Awesome.

The last part consists of 9 goalies who joined up and played with the rival WHA league. When the WHA folded, Quebec, Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Hartford joined the NHL. (or I guess you should now say, Colorado, Phoenix, Edmonton, and Carolina)

Gary's nickname was "Suitcase". Gary switched teams a lot....

These complete the 100 card set. In the box that I opened, I got five hits. This seems to be indicitive of this product.

The first was a Silver version of the Masked Men insert.

Then came the autos....

Al Montoya got called up to play his first game the day before I bought this. April 1st. In his first game, he won, and got a shut out. No foolin'.

Auto #2 was Kurtis Mucha

Kurtis is hoping to be drafted this year after a really good season in Portland.

The jersey card I pulled was a "Prospect Combo"

Leland Irving is a top prospect for Calgary, and the swatch is from his time playing for Team Canada.

The last pull? If you're a Leafs fan (I'm looking at you Tricia) then this is the card for you.

An auto/emblem #'d to /9 of the Leafs main netminder Vesa Toskala. Pretty sweet pull. Even if I do hate the Leafs.

I'll give the box break an 8.5/10. The whole missing card thing pulled it down. But as a set, it's beautiful. Great cards, nice checklist, and I love reading the info on the backs.

That's what a card set should be.