Clemente’s Corner: ‘The Hockey 100’ Tries to Rank Best NHL Players

There are few debates that can match the passion of arguing over who are the greatest modern hockey players of all time. Is Wayne Gretzky untouchable at the top? How should we compare a dominant goaltender with a record-breaking scorer? How much weight should we give to championships, individual statistics and longevity?

With “The Hockey 100: The Definitive Ranking of Ice Hockey’s Greatest Players,” The Athletic dives headfirst into those questions, delivering a celebration of the National Hockey League’s greatest players that is as much about the stories behind the legends as it is about the numbers they each put up.

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Puck Junk Podcast: 2026-27 Upper Deck Series One Hockey Cards

Episode #259: November 10, 2026
Plus: The Best & Worst Hometown Remix Jerseys

Sal Barry and Tim Parish give their review of the 2026-27 Upper Deck Series One Hockey Card set. Plus, a look at the best and worst of the new Hometown Remix jerseys, and a special Wayne Gretzky jersey that’s up for bid. It’s 155 minutes of hockey goodness – with chapters, so you can skip to your favorite part. The YouTube version of this episode features photos and video. 

Follow
Follow Sal Barry on X/Twitter, Instagram & Bluesky.
Follow Clemente Lisi on X/Twitter.
Podcast music by Retro Game Remix – follow them on YouTube. 

Listen
Listen to the Puck Junk Podcast on Apple Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Castbox, Deezer, iHeartRadio, Overcast,  
PlayerFM, PocketCasts, Podcast Addict, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher,
or Transistor.

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Subscribe to the Puck Junk Email Newsletter and the YouTube Channel. 

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Support this podcast! Buy a Puck Junk t-shirt from Etsy or hockey cards from the Puck Junk Card Shop on Buy Sports Cards. ■

Video: 2025-26 Clear Cut Hockey Box Break

Sal Barry of the Puck Junk Podcast opens a box of 2025-26 Clear Cut Hockey cards. Each box contains one premium autographed hockey card. 

What do you think of 2025-26 Clear Cut Hockey? Leave a comment and let us know.

Love hockey? Join the Puck Junk Facebook Group, listen to the Podcast, subscribe to the Newsletter and YouTube Channel, and support this site at the Online Shop. 

Follow Sal Barry on Bluesky @PuckJunk and on X/Twitter @PuckJunk. ■

The Greatest Card I Pulled from a Pack

…and It’s Not Even a Hockey Card

Hello, fellow Puck Junkies. I’ve got some great news to share. I recently got the BIGGEST HIT I ever pulled from a pack. No, it wasn’t a card of some guy named Gretzky, or Lemieux, or McDavid. It wasn’t the Pro Set Stanley Cup Hologram, either. Heck, it wasn’t even a hockey card.

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$1M of PSA Graded Cards Stolen from FedEx Truck

But Who is to Blame – PSA or FedEx?

Illustration created with CoPilot AI.

The biggest hobby story last week was about the theft of nearly $1 million dollars’ worth of cards graded by PSA. The cards were stolen from a FedEx truck that was parked near PSA’s headquarters in Santa, Ana, CA. I don’t get cards graded too often, but I still thought I’d chime in my two cents on this matter. 

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Gavin McKenna Surprise “Draft Pick” Card Found in Upper Deck Series One

A Little Bit of History Repeating Itself

The 2026-27 Upper Deck Series One hockey card set hit hobby shops last week. Naturally, fans were looking forward to the new crop of Young Guns to collect. 

But Upper Deck also threw in a surprise “Draft Pick” card of first-overall pick and Maple Leafs’ rookie Gavin McKenna, pointing his finger with one hand and holding up a puck with the other. 

The card is found less than one per 10-box case of Series One. Some breakers have speculated that the card is found maybe one in three or four cases. 

If this sounds all too familiar, it is because Upper Deck did the exact same thing three years ago, when they put an unannounced Draft Picks card of Connor Bedard in the 2023-24 Upper Deck Series One set. The card used a similar photo of the ‘Hawks first-overall pick from the 2023 Draft. 

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Puck Junk Podcast: 2026 USA Hockey Juniors Cards

Episode #258: October 13, 2026
Plus: Alex Ovechkin & Igor Shesterkin

Sal Barry and Tim Parish take a thorough look at the new 2026 USA Hockey Juniors hockey card set, which features players from the Under-20 and Under-18 Men’s teams and the Under-18 Women’s team. Plus, they discuss Igor Shesterkin’s season-ending injury and Alex Ovechkin announcing that this will be his last season. It’s 117 minutes of hockey goodness – with chapters, so you can skip to your favorite part. The YouTube version of this episode features photos and video. 

Follow
Follow Sal Barry on X/Twitter, Instagram & Bluesky.
Follow Clemente Lisi on X/Twitter.
Podcast music by Retro Game Remix – follow them on YouTube. 

Listen
Listen to the Puck Junk Podcast on Apple Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Castbox, Deezer, iHeartRadio, Overcast,  
PlayerFM, PocketCasts, Podcast Addict, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher,
or Transistor.

Connect 
Connect with us and other hockey fans on the Puck Junk Facebook Group.

Subscribe
Subscribe to the Puck Junk Email Newsletter and the YouTube Channel. 

Shop
Support this podcast! Buy a Puck Junk t-shirt from Etsy or hockey cards from the Puck Junk Card Shop on Buy Sports Cards. ■

Book Review – Barry Melrose: Dropping the Gloves

For almost 30 years, Barry Melrose was THE voice of hockey in the United States. The former player and coach was a fixture on ESPN’s hockey broadcast from the mid-1990s to the early 2020s. For most of his tenure, he was the lead studio analyst for ESPN’s NHL 2Night. 

Sadly, Melrose passed away earlier this year due to complications with Parkinson’s disease. That prompted me to read his book “Dropping the Gloves: Inside the Fiercely Combative World of Professional Hockey.” The book is co-written with author Roger Vaughan and has a foreword by Wayne Gretzky.

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Puck Junk Podcast: 2026-27 Artifacts Hockey Cards

Episode #257: October 5, 2026
Plus: Igor Shesterkin & Jack Hughes

Sal Barry and Tim Parish give their take on the new 2026-27 Artifacts Hockey card set – from the base set to the short prints to the hits to the overwhelming number of parallels. Plus, Igor Shesterkin scores a goalie goal, Jack Hughes can’t take a cringy joke, while his autographed card sells for almost $400K. It’s 110 minutes of hockey goodness – with chapters, so you can skip to your favorite part. The YouTube version of this episode features photos and videos. 

Follow
Follow Sal Barry on X/Twitter, Instagram & Bluesky.
Follow Clemente Lisi on X/Twitter.
Podcast music by Retro Game Remix – follow them on YouTube. 

Listen
Listen to the Puck Junk Podcast on Apple Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Castbox, Deezer, iHeartRadio, Overcast,  
PlayerFM, PocketCasts, Podcast Addict, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher,
or Transistor.

Connect 
Connect with us and other hockey fans on the Puck Junk Facebook Group.

Subscribe
Subscribe to the Puck Junk Email Newsletter and the YouTube Channel. 

Shop
Support this podcast! Buy a Puck Junk t-shirt from Etsy or hockey cards from the Puck Junk Card Shop on Buy Sports Cards. ■

Clemente’s Corner: 7 Great NHL Team Giveaways for 2026-27

There’s always something special about walking into an NHL arena and knowing you’re going home with more than just memories of the game.

Giveaway nights have become a big part of the league’s fan experience. While bobbleheads remain the undisputed king of promotional items, teams have gotten increasingly creative in recent years. Blankets, kitchenware, cups and other collectibles now compete for space on fans’ shelves.

The 2026-27 NHL season is no different. From now through to the end of the regular season, there are plenty of promotional nights worth circling on the calendar. Some celebrate the NHL’s biggest stars, while others offer the kind of bizarre memorabilia that makes you wonder who came up with the idea.

If you’re a collector — or just a fan who likes getting something extra with your ticket — here are seven giveaway dates worth getting.

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