Card of the Week: Jeff Glass

2017-18 Topps Skate #9,927 – Jeff Glass

It took 13 years for goaltender Jeff Glass to finally play in an NHL game. Thirteen hours later, he had a rookie card. 

The 32-year old netminder, who was drafted in 2004, started for the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday, turning away 42 shots in a thrilling, 4-3 overtime win against the Edmonton Oilers. 

Saturday afternoon, trading card company Topps, who issues digital hockey cards on its Skate mobile app, released a card of Glass from his NHL debut the night before.

For those who don’t collect cards, or haven’t bought a pack since Pro Set was around, allow me to explain. Digital trading card apps let collectors buy packs of cards that exist only in cyberspace. In Topps Skate, the cards can be traded with other collectors or played in daily fantasy hockey competitions. Numerous parallel versions of the cards and various special cards, such as this one, push the sets to contain literally thousands of cards; that is why this card is number 9,927. (And you thought 396 was a lot of cards!) 

Glass’ card was available for 24 hours in “Topps Now” packs in Skate, found once in every 10 packs at a cost of 7,500 in-game “coins;” roughly $1 per pack, though app users also get a free allotment of coins daily. Only 391 collectors, including myself, were lucky to pull one of these virtual cards. Many cards of Glass have been made since 2003 — including cards of him with different Russian teams — but this is the first to show him with an NHL team. 

Topps did something similar when the company issued a digital card of Eric Semborski, who served as an emergency backup goalie for the Blackhawks for a game in December 2016. However,  Glass is signed to an NHL contract, so his card can actually be used in Skates’ in-game fantasy hockey. If you are one of the 391 collectors who has a copy of this card, you can even play it tonight when Glass starts for the Blackhawks against the Calgary Flames. ■

Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk

mm

Author: Sal Barry

Sal Barry is the editor and webmaster of Puck Junk. He is a freelance hockey writer, college professor and terrible hockey player. Follow him on Twitter @puckjunk

2 thoughts on “Card of the Week: Jeff Glass”

  1. I’m watching the game against Calgary right now. Since he has appeared in two games now, does that mean he will be getting a card in UD series 2? (Or possibly some other late season set) since he is technically an NHL rookie he could be a 32 year old young gun, couldn’t he?

    1. Upper Deck made a Young Guns card of Rob Zepp in 2014-15, and he was 33 at the time. So they could make a YG of Jeff Glass this year if they wanted to. I’m hoping he gets a Game Dated Moments card, too.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *