Annual 2/14 Post

 As I finish yet another year on this planet, it is time for me to recap my favourite 2/14 binder cards from the past year. The rules for inclusion remain tha
t the card was first made available, in some form, during the past year, and that I have it in hand.

10.

Given that I always am scanning ahead of the drafts for potential rookie additions, this gets on the list out of missing this. I'd already had Justin Campbell in the collection off of one of his Panini Team USA cards. I didn't catch that he'd been drafted by the Guardians. I was just looking through the backs of some random base cards out of 2022 Bowman Draft from the LCS when I saw the birthdate, and then remembered "Oh yeah...". This is the only card in this post that I hadn't shown off previously, and probably the reason this edged out 2022 Score's Jadeveon Clowney.

9. 

Given my attempt to build the set, I probably should have the only entry from regular Heritage that counts towards the collection in this list. Although this won't be the only time you see this design in thsi post.

8. 

With the Campbell, I completely whiffed on his draft pick. My google searching lead to my knowing that Jaden Shackelford was a 2/14 baby before the draft, even though it didn't appear that he'd be picked. He still signed with Oklahoma City, and is in the G-League, and he still got quite a few cards in unlicensed NCAA sets, many of which use this photo. He still hasn't appeared in an NBA game, but when it comes to the collection, I don't care about such trifles. 

7.

Another card with a 'Draft' theme to them. Barlow is the youngest member of the collection so far, being born in 2005. This salutes his draft into the OHL, but since he's projected as a high pick into the NHL draft this upcoming off-season, more cards await!

6. 

The Sutters might not be the most famous family in hockey, but they probably were the most abundant. This card salutes his playing a game where his uncle Darryl was the coach of the opposition at a game in Calgary, but it could just as easily have saluted the number of Sutters that played in the NHL, which was 9 at last count. 

5.

Ever since I noticed her name on the WNBA rosters matching up with her birthdate a few years ago, I'd been scanning the release checklists hoping Kennedy Burke's name would be on it. It finally happened with the 2022 Prizm, and it comes with all the parallels that you'd expect out of Prizm. This is one of the three cards I've acquired, specifically a Premium Box Set parallel, numbered to /99. I also like that despite this being her first card - it doesn't get described as a rookie card. That always looks ridiculous.

4.

There pretty much has to be one Jim Kelly on the list every year.

3.

I love obscurity in the collection, and this one certainly hits that sweet spot. This sticker, and its parallels, are the only items available out there of Meshaal Barsham. He doesn't have anything associated with his regular team. Qatar isn't exactly a guarantee to qualify for future tournaments, so this might be his only appearance in the collection. And that's perfection.

2. 

An easy way for a card to move up a list is for me to pack-pull it. Not only was this blue parallel pack pulled, it almost perfectly matches the team colours of the Winnipeg Jets. Ehlers did get a nice number of cards this past year, but this combo was enough to make it my choice of his cards, since I limit this to one card per person. 

1.

Like with #2, there's a pack-pulled parallel in the #1 spot. While this one isn't a colour match parallel, it does hit a team collection parallel, with the Buffalo Bisons being the Jays' AAA affiliate. I figured that this would hit the #1 spot when I pulled it. I briefly considered placing it a little further down the list after Moreno's trade to Arizona, but figured that he was still in the Jays system when I pulled it, so it will remain in the #1 spot. He's still a Blue Jay in 2023 Series 1, dropping Wednesday, so I guess I'll see what happens in with my 2024 post.

But I still have a year to plan that.

There you have it!