Puck Junk Podcast: March 2026 Chicago Sports Spectacular Recap

Episode #243: March 18, 2026
Plus: U.S. Paralympic Hockey Team Wins Gold

Sal Barry and Tim Parish give their recap of the recent Chicago Sports Spectacular, with Tim sharing his perspective as a buyer while Sal shares his observations as a seller. Topics include what hockey cards were popular, which former NHL players were signing autographs, the staggering prices of wax, and if card shows as we know them are coming to an end. Plus, a look at the U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team that won the gold medal at the 2026 Paralympic Games. It’s 116 minutes of hockey goodness – with chapters, so you can skip to your favorite parts. The YouTube version of the podcast features photos and video. 

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Follow Clemente Lisi on X/Twitter.
Podcast music by Retro Game Remix – follow them on YouTube. 

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Puck Junk Podcast: 1985-86 O-Pee-Chee Hockey Setrospective

Episode #242: March 5, 2026

In this episode, Sal Barry and Tim Parish reflect on the 1985-86 Topps and O-Pee-Chee Hockey card sets, which were released 40 years ago. They discuss the best rookie cards, the worst airbrushed cards, and other interesting facts about those iconic sets. Plus, a look at the new Youngblood movie coming out this week, the Chicago Sports Spectacular, and an easy way to buy sports cards. It’s 132 minutes of hockey goodness – with chapters, so you can skip to your favorite part. The YouTube version of the podcast features photos and video. 

Links
Youngblood (2026) movie trailer
Puck Junk store on Buy Sports Cards
The Real DFG store on Buy Sports Cards
Chicago Sports Spectacular website
1985-86 Topps checklist on Trading Card Database
1985-86 O-Pee-Chee checklist on Trading Card Database 

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Follow Sal Barry on X @PuckJunk, Instagram @PuckJunk & Bluesky @puckjunk.bsky.social
Follow Tim Parish on X @TheRealDFG & Instagram @therealdfg66.
Follow Clemente Lisi on X @ClementeLisi. 
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,  
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or Transistor.

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

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

Support 
Support this podcast and buy a shirt from the Puck Junk Online Shop. ■

Puck Junk Podcast: 2026 Winter Olympic Hockey Recap

Episode #241: February 24, 2026
Plus: 2025-26 UD Series 2 Young Guns Checklist

Sal, Tim, and Clemente recap the 2026 Winter Olympic Hockey Tournament – where both the U.S. Men’s team and the U.S. Women’s team beat Canada to win the gold medal. Other topics include more Topps Now Olympic hockey cards and a look at the Young Guns checklist for 2025-26 Upper Deck Series 2. It’s two hours of hockey goodness – with chapters, so you can skip to your favorite part. The YouTube version of the podcast features photos and video. 

Follow
Follow Sal Barry on X @PuckJunk, Instagram @PuckJunk & Bluesky @puckjunk.bsky.social
Follow Tim Parish on X @TheRealDFG & Instagram @therealdfg66.
Follow Clemente Lisi on X @ClementeLisi. 
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. 

Support 
Support this podcast and buy a shirt from the Puck Junk Online Shop. ■

Puck Junk Podcast: 2026 Winter Olympic Hockey Update

Episode #240: February 18, 2026
Plus: Topps Chrome Olympic Cards

In this episode, Sal and Clemente talk about the men’s and women’s ice hockey tournaments thus far at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Plus, Topps Now issues a hockey card, Topps Chrome Olympic Hopefuls sets features numerous hockey players, and PSA raises its prices – again! The YouTube version of the podcast features photos and video. 

Follow
Follow Sal Barry on X @PuckJunk, Instagram @PuckJunk & Bluesky @puckjunk.bsky.social
Follow Tim Parish on X @TheRealDFG & Instagram @therealdfg66.
Follow Clemente Lisi on X @ClementeLisi. 
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. 

Support 
Support this podcast and buy a shirt from the Puck Junk Online Shop. ■

Olympic Ice Hockey is Like Star Trek Movies

It’s the Whole Even-Odd Thing,
If You Know What I Mean

I am excited about the 2026 Winter Olympics so far. We will see USA and Canada battle it out for the gold medal in the Women’s tournament. And for the first time in a long time, we may see a USA-Canada showdown in the men’s tournament, too. 

This is the first time in 12 years that the NHL shut down two weeks to allow its players to participate in the Olympics. This is the first Olympics that headlined Auston Matthews for Team USA and Connor McDavid for Team Canada.  

But as awesome as having Olympic rosters stuffed with top-level NHL talent, the men’s ice hockey tournament at the Olympics isn’t always great…for North American fans, anyway. 

In fact, men’s Olympic ice hockey reminds me of the old Star Trek movies from the 1980s and 1990s, where the odd-numbered films were bad, while the even-numbered films were great. The same pattern applies to men’s Olympic ice hockey since 1998. 

Continue reading “Olympic Ice Hockey is Like Star Trek Movies”

Puck Junk Podcast: 2025-26 Allure Hockey Cards

Episode #239: February 11, 2026
Plus: Favorite Memories from Past Olympics

This week, Sal and Tim take a long look at the new 2025-26 Allure Hockey Card set. Plus, they talk about Artemi Panarin getting traded to the L.A. Kings – and why Macklin Celebrini signed some cards as “Chester.” It’s 115 minutes of hockey goodness – with chapters, so you can skip to your favorite part. The YouTube version of the podcast features photos and video.

Follow
Follow Sal Barry on X @PuckJunk, Instagram @PuckJunk & Bluesky @puckjunk.bsky.social
Follow Tim Parish on X @TheRealDFG & Instagram @therealdfg66.
Follow Clemente Lisi on X @ClementeLisi. 
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. 

Support 
Support this podcast and buy a shirt from the Puck Junk Online Shop. ■

2024-25 Credentials Hockey Box Break

The 2024-25 Credentials hockey card set was released in mid-July 2025, a good month after the ’24-25 season ended. A hobby box of 2024-25 Credentials has eight packs, with each pack containing six cards, for a total of 48 cards. When the set originally debuted, it was around $125 per box. The price dropped by the end of 2025 to about $110 per box, but as of this writing has climbed back up to about $120 per box. 

Anyway, I recently opened a hobby box of 2024-25 Credentials Hockey. Let’s see what was inside.

Continue reading “2024-25 Credentials Hockey Box Break”

Puck Junk Podcast: 2026 Men’s Winter Olympic Hockey Preview

Episode #238: February 4, 2026
Plus: Favorite Memories from Past Olympics

Sal and Tim have a long discussion about the upcoming 2026 Men’s Olympic Ice Hockey Tournament, which will be the first Olympics since 2014 to feature the NHL’s top players. The guys talk about the rosters for all 12 teams, the groups, and some of their favorite memories from past Olympic hockey tournaments. The YouTube version of the podcast has photos and video.

 

Follow
Follow Sal Barry on X @PuckJunk, Instagram @PuckJunk & Bluesky @puckjunk.bsky.social
Follow Tim Parish on X @TheRealDFG & Instagram @therealdfg66.
Follow Clemente Lisi on X @ClementeLisi. 
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. 

Support 
Support this podcast and buy a shirt from the Puck Junk Online Shop. ■

Clemente’s Corner: The 5 Best Olympic Hockey Jerseys of All Time

With the Winter Olympics starting later this week in Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo, hockey will once again take center stage in one of sport’s most exciting tournaments.

This edition will be even more special given that it marks the return of NHLers, like Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews and Rasmus Dahlin, to the Winter Olympics. This makes the tournament more competitive as ever given that the best players in the game will go head-to-head for a shot at a gold medal.

I love the Olympics (yes, even the curling), but the men’s and women’s ice hockey tournaments rank at the very top of my list. With national pride on the line – and maybe even a U.S. vs. Canada gold-medal game lurking in our future – it’s a 12-team tournament that can’t be missed.

In celebration of this quadrennial spectacle, here are my top 5 Olympic men’s hockey jerseys of all time:

Continue reading “Clemente’s Corner: The 5 Best Olympic Hockey Jerseys of All Time”