Login

*Zoone16* · 04-02-2022, 10:50 AM

Quote:750 words - Ready for Grading

Hockey Cards - Hobby or Addiction?

Cardboard Crack. The newest sensation rippling across the SHL from fans to players and even to the highest reaches of management, no one has been spared from this. If you think that it’s just a cutesy hobby, think again, already the effects of this product being out on the market has caused some severe damage to bank accounts across the league and beyond with more than $370 million dollars in purchases going into the pockets of Ice Level, the card manufacturer. At $100k per pack, the product is already out of reach from even the most fanatic of fans out there. In fact, it would seem that this product has been intentionally manufactured to target the players in the SHL themselves.

Now the most well-off players and league staff are still good and have the leeway to afford both training and cards but on the middle and lower class, there have been reports of players actively looking for quick cash grabs to continue funding both activities or face the decision of having to choose one or the other.

But it’s not only on the bank accounts that this addiction has been felt. More than a few players have seen their on-ice performance dip as of late. One of these is none other than Platoon goalie Luca Del Vecchio who came clean with a public statement:

“It’s been tough these past few weeks. At first, I opened a couple packs with the guys after the guys were done with practice. Then I kept doing it and thinking about what cards I could open next. Then one of the guys got a Hall of Fame card, meanwhile I only had a few rubies and a bunch of golds in my collection. I got frustrated, I couldn’t sleep, I did my trainings but I would distance myself from the team and my performance dropped. I started down into a vicious cycle funded by cardboard. I’ve now been seeing people to help me get back on my feet.”

Of note, Del Vecchio was at an amazing 1.96 GAA and .937 save percentage before Ice Level cards came out. He is now down to 2.55GAA and .902 save percentage as of this article publishing.

Hockey cards, innocent pieces of paper or cardboard crack?

A young prospect in the league who wished to remain anonymous did reach out to us telling us that he “doesn’t see the point of training and wish that management gave him a bigger contract to buy more cards”. If that is what the future of the league looks like, how does it bode for the product on the ice when the product on the shelves seems to have a bigger appeal?

A week ago, league veteran and probable future Hall of Famer, Luke Thomason ( @luke ) announced his retirement, an announcement which would’ve been normal given his age, if not for the announcement that came with it.

“…. Yeah it’s been a wild ride in the SHL but it’s time to move on and go enjoy other things like cracking open a few packs on my podcast and maybe talk about a few other players’ collections or something. I’ve been loving this shit and I definitely want to see it grow. More exclusivity and all you know?”

When asked what that would do to his retirement fund now that he wouldn’t be earning money anymore he laughed stating that “the total amount of packs purchased ($371M) doesn’t even reach his bank account yet”

From performance issues to skipping trainings. From the 1 percent down to the 99th percent. The effects of Ice Level’s cardboard crack addiction is starting to be felt, in more ways than one and it has only been a week since they’ve launched their exclusive product. With more cards being added to the collection on the daily, and with exclusive series on the way (we could not get more information on this) the addiction is only going to get worse over time. When Ice Level eventually allows players to trade their cards it might cause ripples that the league could never financially recover from.

Stay tuned as we go live on SHLFM (the radio channel for all your SHL info and needs) and report on the developing stories around the league. Do you have a story you want to talk about? Reach us at 1-800-SHLM (or just reach out to me on discord or PM) and let us know how card addiction has ruined your life!

***Chevy*** · 04-02-2022, 11:23 AM

<insert Dave Chapelle meme>

Y'all got anymore of those....base packs?

gordieboom · 04-03-2022, 03:11 AM

Addiction

Navigation

Extra Menu

About us