Cards of Steel: Heavy-Metal Pioneers Ready to Rock 2013-14 National Treasures Hockey

To suggest that Panini America's upcoming 2013-14 National Treasures Hockey is cutting-edge stuff would be putting things literally -- and mildly. The sizable list of innovations coming to Panini America's final -- and likely most anticipated -- NHL release probably begins with the monumental inclusion of game-used skate blades, continues with the incorporation of miniature metal Stanley Cup replicas and goes on . . . and on . . . and on.

To suggest that Panini America’s upcoming 2013-14 National Treasures Hockey is cutting-edge stuff would be putting things literally — and mildly. The sizable list of innovations coming to Panini America’s final — and likely most anticipated — NHL release probably begins with the monumental inclusion of game-used skate blades, continues with the incorporation of miniature metal Stanley Cup replicas and goes on . . . and on . . . and on.

We’ve shown you much of the splendor planned for the product right here on The Knight’s Lance in recent weeks. In addition, our own Chris Barr has been sharing on-the-line sneak peeks from packout all week long on the Panini America Twitter account. But today, we’re fixing a steely gaze on those aforementioned heavy-metal masterpieces that give the product a weighty significance seldom — if ever — seen in the hockey card community.

In the gallery below, we profile several of the hard-signed collection-makers permeating the checklists for Treasured Steel and Buried Treasure. We think you’ll find the rare autographed counterparts to be a perfect complement to the unsigned versions of the cards that we previewed previously. Signed or unsigned, these two inserts are quite innovative — much like the rest of 2013-14 National Treasures Hockey. Enjoy the images and stay tuned for additional coverage of the product in advance of next Friday’s release date.