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

1991 NHL All-Star Game Goalie Mask

This cardboard goalie mask was given away at the 42nd NHL All-Star Game, hosted at the Chicago Stadium on Saturday, January 19, 1991. I believe these masks were not handed out upon entry, but instead put on all the seats at the Stadium ahead of time. However, my memory of 30 years ago is kind of fuzzy now. It’s a good thing I blogged about this game in 2011, as I remembered more back then. Now, if only my blog had existed in 1991. 

Anyway, it is somewhat of a miracle that this mask survived in my collection the past three decades. What is even more amazing, though, is that I managed to get this goalie mask out of the All-Star Game in one piece and without any tears or creases. Continue reading “1991 NHL All-Star Game Goalie Mask”

Puck Junk Podcast #83: Feb. 25, 2021

New Hockey Cards for February 2021. 
Plus, Upper Deck Extended Series! 

After a three-week hiatus, Sal and Tim are back to talk hockey cards! This time, they discuss the latest releases from Upper Deck, Leaf, Topps and President’s Choice Trading Cards. Plus, a look ahead at the upcoming Upper Deck Extended Series — and how “Event-Used” jersey cards could be better! It’s two hours of hockey goodness.

Show Notes and Links: 
Sal’s “Hockey Card” from his youth hockey clinic. (Puck Junk)
Sal talked about writing the text on the back of “Bloodlines” cards, but he really meant the “Sibling Sensations” set from 2019. (Upper Deck Blog)
Adam Pardy knocked into audience at a Blackhawks game. (The Real DFG)
President’s Choice Game-Used Number cards. (PCTC)
President’s Choice Game-Used Rocket Richard Trophy Cards. (PCTC)
President’s Choice Game-Used Vintage Memorabilia cards. (PCTC)
Topps Now Hockey Sticker print runs. (Topps)
Tampa Bay Lightning Stanley Cup Champions 6-card set (Upper Deck Blog)
Review of the 2013 Blackhawks Stanley Cup Set (Puck Junk)
Dragon Ball Z: “It’s over 9000!” (YouTube)
2020-21 Upper Deck Rookie Box Set (Cardboard Connection)
Michigan J. Frog, a.k.a. “The Singing Frog” (YouTube)
2020-21 Upper Deck Series 2 Young Guns Checklist (Upper Deck Blog)
Upper Deck addresses Game Dated Moments problems (Upper Deck E-Pack)
2021 Leaf In The Game Used Hockey Checklist & Info (Beckett)
2021 Pro Set Football Trevor Lawrence rookie card (Leaf Trading Cards)
Ways to Improve Upper Deck Series 1 & 2 (Puck Junk)
Upper Deck Answers My Burning Questions (Puck Junk)
2020-21 Upper Deck Extended Series Info (Beckett)

Jeremy Roenick “Fight Strap” card by President’s Choice Trading Cards

Here are some of the 2021 Leaf In The Game Used cards:

2020-21 The Cup John Marino rookie card with the “wrong” patch on it:

A Dino Ciccarelli North Stars card with a Red Wings swatch. Just awful! 

A 1999-2000 HoloGrFX card. HoloGrFX will return this year. 

Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk.
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG.
Podcast opening and closing music by Jim “Not the Goalie” Howard.

Subscribe to the Puck Junk Hockey Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, Podchaser, PocketCasts, Castbox , Castro,
Overcast, TuneIn and SoundCloud.

Love hockey? Join the new Puck Junk Facebook Group and subscribe to Puck Junk on YouTube. 

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

How to Organize Your Ticket Stub and Pocket Schedule Collection

I loved saving the ticket stubs from the Chicago Blackhawks hockey games I went to when I was a kid. Each time I went to a game, I was sure to bring my stub to school the next day to show off to my friends and prove that I was there.

Sometimes the games were important – all-star or playoff games – and sometimes it was just a Tuesday night regular season game. Regardless, it was cool to just go and then have that small, visual reminder that I could look back at.

Over the years, I have also saved pocket schedules, rosters, lineup cards, score cards and any other piece of game or team-related memorabilia I could find. I even saved concert ticket and movie ticket stubs. After a while, all of that started to add up, so I had to get it organized. BCW makes many different sizes of pocket pages that will fit almost any “non-card” collectible you may have. Read the rest of the story at the BCW Supplies Blog. 

Rookie Cards of Every NHL Head Coach for the 2020-21 Season

Although head coaches are an important part of an NHL team, they are usually not included in most hockey card sets. So while Upper Deck may never make a card of John Tortorella — snarling at a referee from behind the bench — that doesn’t mean he wasn’t on a hockey card once upon a time. All of the 31 men who are NHL head coaches played hockey at one time or another in their lives — so that usually means they’ve appeared on at least one hockey card. 

For the past four years, I’ve managed to track down a rookie card for each and every NHL coach who had one. For you non-collectors out there, a “rookie card” is usually understood as that player’s first card in a mainstream set, like Topps, O-Pee-Chee or Upper Deck. 

Check out the best Hockey Rookie Cards on Gold Card Auctions

However, because many NHL head coaches never actually played in the NHL — or if they did, it wasn’t very long — they never got an official rookie card. In those cases, I show off that coach’s first-ever trading card, be it from their minor or junior league playing days, or from a little-known team-issued set. 

As a bonus, I’ve also indicated the value (in US $) and how rare each card is, on a scale of ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ to ★ ★ ★ ★ ★. Some of these cards are ridiculously-easy to find — I’m looking at you, Rod Brind’Amour —  while others are tough. 

So, kick back and enjoy this trip down memory lane, when these bench bosses weighed less and got paid less, but had more hair.

Continue reading “Rookie Cards of Every NHL Head Coach for the 2020-21 Season”

Puck Junk Podcast #82: Feb. 4, 2021

Postage and PayPal Problems

In this episode of the Puck Junk Hockey Podcast, Sal Barry and Tim Parish talk about the recent price increases from the U.S. Post Office and PayPal issuing tax forms to “small-time” eBay sellers — and how these impact the hobby. Plus, they discuss new hockey card releases, Sal’s birthday presents and the BVG 10 Bobby Orr rookie card (which, unfortunately, was NOT one of Sal’s birthday presents). Episode #82 is 1 hour and 56 minutes of pure hockey goodness!

Show Notes and Links: 
Rangers Put Tony DeAngelo on Waivers (NBC Sports)
2020-21 Upper Deck Series 1 is now on ePack (link)
Topps Now Hockey Stickers currently for sale (link)
Topps Now Hockey Stickers Archive (link)
2020-21 Artifacts Hockey checklist (Cardboard Connection)
President’s Choice Game-Used Lace ‘Em Up Cards (link)
President’s Choice All-Star Six Booklets (Facebook)
BVG 10 Bobby Orr rookie card auction (Heritage Auctions)
Follow our buddy Drew Wright on Twitter (@Dr3wskiii)
USPS postage rate increases explained (Stamps.com)
Pirate Ship shipping service (link)
Last Sticker website for trading stickers (link)
Trading Card Exchange (link)
Tim’s cards for sale on Trading Card Exchange (link)
How does PayPal report my sales to the IRS? (PayPal)
Finally, here is video of Tim opening his ePack:

Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk.
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG.
Podcast opening and closing music by Jim “Not the Goalie” Howard.

Subscribe to the Puck Junk Hockey Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, Podchaser, PocketCasts, Castbox , Castro,
Overcast, TuneIn and SoundCloud.

Love hockey? Join the new Puck Junk Facebook Group and subscribe to Puck Junk on YouTube. 

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

Puck Junk Podcast #81: January 21, 2021

New Hockey Cards for 2021

In the first Puck Junk Podcast of 2021, Sal Barry and Tim Parish talk about new hockey card sets from Upper Deck, Topps and President’s Choice Trading Cards. Plus, a discussion about the recent World Junior Championships and if Upper Deck should make an annual WJC card set. 

Show Notes and Links:
2020-21 Upper Deck Synergy Checklist (Cardboard Connection)
2020-21 Upper Deck Artifacts Checklist (Cardboard Connection)
President’s Choice Trading Cards Jumbo Memorabilia (PCTC website)
President’s Choice Trading Cards Laundry Tag (PCTC website)
President’s Choice Trading Cards Vezina Collection (Facebook)
Topps Now Hockey Stickers (Topps website)

Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk.
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG.
Podcast opening and closing music by Jim “Not the Goalie” Howard.

Subscribe to the Puck Junk Hockey Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, Podchaser, PocketCasts, Castbox , Castro,
Overcast, TuneIn and SoundCloud.

Love hockey? Join the new Puck Junk Facebook Group and subscribe to Puck Junk on YouTube. 

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

Top 10 Hockey Collectible Stories of 2020

A lot happened in the humble hobby of hockey card collecting in 2020. Not surprisingly, most of it was because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which cancelled card shows and affected releases, while also forcing many people to work at home or shelter at home. This, in turn, led to many rediscovering their card collections from their youth, rekindling their interest and causing a surge that the card collecting hobby hasn’t seen in 30 years. Here are the biggest 10 hockey collectible stories from 2020. 

Continue reading “Top 10 Hockey Collectible Stories of 2020”

TTM Cast: Collecting Hockey Cards & Autographs

Sal Barry was a guest on the TTM Podcast with Jeff Baker and Sean McElroy. He talked about collecting hockey cards and hockey autographs. Skip to the 50-minute mark to hear Sal’s interview on the show. 

You can listen to more episodes of the TTM Podcast here. ■

Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk. 

Video: Strange Hockey Collectibles

Sal Barry and Tim Parish were at the November 2020 Sport Card “Virtual Expo,” where they hosted a special video episode of the Puck Junk Podcast. This time, the guys show off some strange hockey collectibles, including the Brett Hull comic book, drink coasters, and zombie hockey figures.
 

Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk.
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG.
Intro music by Jim “Not the Goalie” Howard.

Love hockey? Join the Puck Junk Facebook Group, subscribe to Puck Junk on YouTube, and support this site and buy a shirt from the Puck Junk Online Shop. ■