Successful Toronto Sport Card Expo Not Just for Hockey Cards, Collectors

The Sport Card Expo in Toronto attracted a record crowd and proved that Canada’s biggest card show is not just about hockey cards and collectibles.

It was once billed as “the world’s biggest hockey show,” but the Sport Card Expo in Toronto is now much more than that.

The Expo, held twice annually in the spring and the fall, is Canada’s largest sports cards show. The most-recent Sport Card Expo took place on Nov. 9-12. While most dealers had quite a bit of hockey cards and memorabilia for sale, there was certainly no shortage of baseball, basketball, football and non-sports cards.

“People in Canada don’t only collect hockey,” says Mike Bergman, owner of Lower Level Sports Cards in Winnipeg. “People collect all sports — anything that has a card, even pop culture. It’s about collecting what they like and what’s in their mind from their childhood.”

Dealers from the U.S. who traveled north of the border also tend to shy away from bringing too much hockey with them.

“Here, I bring more of everything else but hockey,” says Chris Worczak, owner of Niagara Sports Cards in Niagara Falls, N.Y. “Everybody has hockey here. So, I’m going to bring the stuff that’s different, like vintage baseball cards.”

The Fall 2023 Sport Card Expo was the largest since the show first began in 1991. Not only did it boast a higher attendance, but the show was physically bigger, taking up just under 200,000 square feet across three halls at the International Centre in the Toronto suburb of Mississauga.

Read the article story at Sports Collectors Digest

Puck Junk Podcast: Fall 2023 Sport Card Expo & Chicago Sports Spectacular Recap

Episode #170: November 27, 2023

Sal Barry, Tim Parish, and Clemente Lisi talk all about the two big card shows that took place in November: the Fall 2023 Sport Card Expo in Toronto and the Fall 2023 Chicago Sports Spectacular. The guys discuss what they saw at the shows, what they bought, the autograph guests, and more. Plus, is there such a thing as “The Bedard Bump”? It’s 112 minutes of hockey goodness!

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Clemente’s Corner: What The National Can Learn From The Sport Card Expo

The Sport Card Expo held twice a year in Toronto is Canada’s largest and longest-running collectibles show. It’s also the type of show that can teach a few things to the National Sports Collectors Convention held in the United States each July.

It was the second Expo I attended. The first was the Spring 2022 Expo, which is normally held in April, but was delayed until June that year due to the pandemic. The Fall 2023 Expo, like the 2023 National, was bigger than ever. For the first time, the Expo spanned three halls and the four-day extravaganza took up 200,000 square feet of space.

[Photo by Clemente Lisi]
In many ways, the Expo is like the National. It featured over 400 dealers and many corporate booths, including Upper Deck, eBay, PSA and Beckett.

In other ways it was very different – and in a good way. Here are three things the National can learn from the Expo.

Continue reading “Clemente’s Corner: What The National Can Learn From The Sport Card Expo”

Puck Junk Podcast: 2023-24 Upper Deck Series One Hockey Cards

Episode #169: November 3, 2023

In this SWAGNIFICIENT new episode of the Puck Junk Podcast, Sal Barry and Tim Parish talk about the 2023-24 Upper Deck Series 1 Hockey card set. The guys also discuss Frozen Frenzy, the NHL waffling on pride tape, a record-setting sales of a Topps Now sticker (you know which one), and more. It’s 117 minutes of hockey goodness. 

Show Notes, Links, & Images
Two New NHL Documentaries (NHL.com)
Sport Card Expo Toronto Website
2023-24 Upper Deck Series 1 Checklist (Trading Card DB)
Finally, here’s that Alexandre Daigle hockey card advertisement from 1993:

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Puck Junk Podcast: 2022-23 Black Diamond Hockey Cards

Plus: The Return of Topps Now Stickers
Episode #168: October 18, 2023

In Episode #168 of the Puck Junk Podcast, Sal Barry and Tim Parish talk about the 2022-23 Black Diamond Hockey Card set. Other topics include the return of Topps Now Hockey Stickers and Game Dated Moments for 2023-24, Ebay’s revised policy for trading card listings, and how Tim organizes his Pittsburgh Penguins hockey card collection. It’s 83 minutes of hockey goodness! 

Show Notes, Links & Images:
The first six Topps Now Hockey Stickers (Topps)
Info on Game Dated Moments (Upper Deck)
Revised Policy on Ebay Trading Card Listings (Ebay)
Ebay Trading Card Conditions Explained (Ebay)
Connor McDavid “Gold Label Edition” SportsPicks Figure (McFarlane Toys)
A few Images of 2022-23 Upper Deck Black Diamond Hockey Cards:

2022-23 Black Diamond base card
2022-23 Black Diamond Rookie Gems
2022-23 Black Diamond – Exquisite Collection Rookie Card
2022-23 Black Diamond – Team Logo Jumbos Autograph
2022-23 Black Diamond – Diamond Might insert card
2022-23 Black Diamond – Relics jersey card

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The Best 2023-24 NHL Game-Night Giveaway Items

Hockey fans loves free stuff and will sometimes go through great lengths to get it. How else do you explain thousands of fans lining up outside of the rink on a freezing February night a good 90 minutes before puck drop – all so they can get a free bobblehead figure that kind of looks like their team’s star player?

Pro sports teams know this all too well, or they wouldn’t do it. Suddenly, a game that may have not drawn a sellout crowd does – all because of a special hat, shirt, or whatever the Flyers decide to put Gritty on this year. 

Since today is the start of the 2023-24 season, now is a good time to see what free goodies NHL teams have lined up for ticket-buying fans this year. Twenty-two out of 32 teams are planning at least one giveaway. 

Bobbleheads seem to be the most-popular item, with 12 teams planning on giving out at least one, and 39 different bobblehead figures being given away across the league. The Kings have five bobblehead giveaways planned, including a unique Dia De Los Muertos Goalie Bobblehead figure. The Red Wings, Canadiens, Kraken, and Blues are all giving out four bobbleheads during the season. The Blue Jackets are giving out three bobbleheads this year, including a special Bob Ross bobblehead limited to just the first 500 fans who buy a special ticket package. 

However, the Blues may have out-bobbled the competition this year with two of their planned releases: a bobblehead of Jordan Binnington on a motorcycle…

Binny on a bike!

…AND a Jordan Kyrou figure dressed as The Mandalorian – complete with removable helmet.

But a Mandalorian NEVER removes their helmet in the presence of others. 

Now, THIS is the way! 

The giveaway, that is. 

In fact, Star Wars themed nights seems to be the way that NHL teams are trending this year, as nine teams are giving away some sort of Star Wars trinket to help sell tickets:

      • Carolina Hurricanes – Star Wars-themed item (TBA)
      • Columbus Blue Jackets – Star Wars-themed jersey
      • Florida Panthers – Star Wars Shirt
      • Los Angeles Kings – Star Wars Retro Tin Lunchbox
      • Nashville Predators – Star Wars Predators Jersey
      • New York Islanders – Star Wars Bucket Hat
      • Ottawa Senators – Star Wars Senators Puzzle
      • Philadelphia Flyers – Star Wars Poster
      • St. Louis Blues – Star Wars Jordan Kyrou Mandalorian Bobblehead

Other interesting, non-Star Wars items that teams are giving out this year include an Arizona Coyotes Kachina Trucker Mullet Hat, a Columbus Blue Jackets Nesting Doll Set, a Detroit Red Wings Gravy Boat, Philadelphia Flyers Gritty Earmuffs, a Pittsburgh Penguins Trapper Hat, and a Washington Capitals Sonny Milano “Chia Head.”

Below is a list of the best promotional items that NHL teams will be giving away during the 2023-24 season. 

Continue reading “The Best 2023-24 NHL Game-Night Giveaway Items”

Puck Junk Podcast: Our Biggest Questions About the 2023-24 Season

Episode #167: October 6, 2023

In the latest episode of the Puck Junk Podcast, Sal Barry and Clemente Lisi ask their biggest questions of the 2023-24 season: how well will Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard play – and can his 1/1 rookie card hit six figures? Can the Golden Knights repeat as Champions? What will the Lightning do without Andrei Vasilevskiy? Plus, they talk about the upcoming ODR Hockey Heroes video game. It’s 90 minutes of hockey goodness! 

Show Notes & Links:
“Blog” was actually the Word of the Year in 2004 (Wikipedia)
ODR Hockey Heroes game trailer (YouTube
ODR Hockey Heroes Kickstarter Campaign (Kickstarter)
Download and play demo of ODR Hockey Heroes (Steam)
NHLPA/Upper Deck Rookie Showcase (Sports Collectors Digest)

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Podcast music by Retro Game Remix – follow them on YouTube

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Box Break: 2022-23 Skybox Metal Universe Hockey Cards

Now three years into its comeback, Skybox Metal Universe hockey cards feature colorful designs of NHL players superimposed over space backdrops, with metal design elements. Hence, “metal” and “universe.” The cards are also printed on shiny, foil cardstock, While the designs aren’t quite as over-the-top as the Metal Universe cards from the 1990s, they will still appeal to both oldschool collectors who remember those sets, as well as the newer collectors who want something different.

A hobby box of 2022-23 Skybox Metal Universe contains 15 packs. Each pack has seve cards, for a total of 105 cards. Hobby boxes originally cost around $130, but are now down to around $120 per box. A box has 15 various insert cards – including autographs, though those are not guaranteed – and 30 short-printed cards.

I recently opened a hobby box of 2022-23 Skybox Metal Universe hockey cards. Here is what was inside.

Continue reading “Box Break: 2022-23 Skybox Metal Universe Hockey Cards”

Clemente’s Corner: Five New Hockey Card Sets to Collect This Fall

Fall brings with it two things. The start of a new NHL season and a bunch of hockey card releases.

There’s nothing like ripping packs while watching games. Those looking to scratch that rip itch have lots of releases to look forward to between now and the end of the calendar year. 

Here are five releases (with release dates) to watch for over the next three months:  

Continue reading “Clemente’s Corner: Five New Hockey Card Sets to Collect This Fall”