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
At the end of June, the NHL doled out its annual awards, giving props to the best rookie, the top defenseman, and the most valuable player, among others.
Unfortunately, the NHL overlooks other players who should also receive awards, but don’t – such as the player who came out of nowhere and impressed everyone, the player who can put up the points and their fists, and the player that everyone wants to punch in the face.
That’s where the Puck Junk awards come in. For seven years now, this website has given shout-outs to the players who really deserve them. So, here are your Puck Junk Award Winners for 2024!
Plus: Trading Card Vending Machines?
Episode #193: July 5, 2024
Sal Barry and Tim Parish talk all about the 2024 NHL Awards, the NHL Entry Draft, and NHL Free Agent Frenzy – including some surprise free agent signings. Plus, a discussion about a vending machine that dispenses graded Pokémon cards, and other similar vending machines from past years. It’s 88 minutes of hockey goodness!
Show Notes and Links
Gambling On PSA 10 Pokémon Cards in a Las Vegas Casino (YouTube)
The Star Cards Vending Machine (Puck Junk)
The 1997 NHL Awards (YouTube)
Brodeur vs. Hextall Table Hockey Game – feat. a young Drake (YouTube)
TSN “Tender” Tinder Parody for Available Goaltenders (YouTube)
NOTE: The Rocket Richard Trophy was donated by the Montreal Canadiens in 1999. Maurice Richard was still alive when the trophy was donated, but passed away before it was first awarded in June 2000.
The Rocket Richard Trophy
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Follow Tim Parish on X/Twitter @TheRealDFG & Instagram @therealdfg66.
Follow Clemente Lisi on X/Twitter @ClementeLisi.
Podcast music by Retro Game Remix – follow them on YouTube.
Plus: The Chantilly Card Show
Episode #192: June 28, 2024
Sal Barry and Clemente Lisi discuss the 2024 Stanley Cup Final: how the Panthers looked unbeatable, then the Oilers stormed back, then the Panthers finally getting the job done – and if Connor McDavid really deserved to be the playoff MVP. Plus, Clemente talks about his visit to the Chantilly Card Show last weekend. It’s 50 minutes of hockey goodness!
Follow Follow Sal Barry on X/Twitter @PuckJunk & Instagram @PuckJunk.
Follow Tim Parish on X/Twitter @TheRealDFG & Instagram @therealdfg66.
Follow Clemente Lisi on X/Twitter @ClementeLisi.
Podcast music by Retro Game Remix – follow them on YouTube.
Monday night’s Stanley Cup Final Game 7 between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers was certainly…something.
Exciting? Sure. It was a close Game 7 that was decided by one goal. But honestly, I feel that a lot of the excitement was the anticipation leading up to the game, and maybe not the game so much.
Did the game have exciting moments? Sure, that mad scramble in front of the Panthers’ crease, where both Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman were unable to tie the game, was intense. So was the breakaway goal scored by Oilers center Mattias Janmark. The game had its moments for sure.
But the bottom line is that this was a game that was won by one goal because the Panthers played their suffocating style of defense, knowing that they could win the game 2-1 but not 8-7.
And the saying goes, offense wins games, but defense wins championships.
Sal Barry opens a box of 2023-24 Black Diamond Hockey cards, hoping to find a Connor Bedard rookie card. Each box has six premium hockey cards, including one autograph or Diamond Relic.
Are you collecting any cards from the 2023-24 Black Diamond Hockey set? Leave a comment and let us know!
Plus: 2023-24 E-X 2000 Hockey
Episode #191: June 24, 2024
Jean MacLeod (Sr. Creative Director) and Mike Phillips (Executive VP of Sales & Marketing) of Upper Deck join us on the podcast. The two worked together on many sports card sets in the 1990s, such as Fleer Metal Universe Hockey and the various E-X 2000 trading card sets. MacLeod and Phillips also talk about the upcoming 2023-24 E-X 2000 Hockey set coming this fall. It’s 55 minutes of hockey goodness!
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Follow Tim Parish on X/Twitter @TheRealDFG & Instagram @therealdfg66.
Follow Clemente Lisi on X/Twitter @ClementeLisi.
Podcast music by Retro Game Remix – follow them on YouTube.
In this video, LA Kings legends Marcel Dionne, Dave Taylor, and Charlie Simmer – a.k.a. the Triple Crown Line – talk to Sal Barry about how their line was formed and share some stories from their careers. It’s 15 minutes of hockey goodness!
Special thanks to the Sport Card Expo for video of the interview.
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Intro/outro music by Retro Game Remix – follow them on YouTube.
In last week’s newsletter, I mentioned how stellar Panthers’ goalie Sergei Bobrovsky was through the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final. He allowed just one goal in the first two games, leading the Panthers to a 2-0 series lead. The Panthers also won Game 3 and looked poised to sweep the series.
Meanwhile, Oilers captain Connor McDavid was all but absent, scoring one assist in Game 2 and two assists in Game 3 in two losing efforts.
In this episode of the Puck Junk Podcast, Sal Barry and Clemente Lisi discuss six potential team names for the new Utah Hockey Club – including the name the team picked temporarily for the 2024-25 season. The guys also talk about the Washington Capitals buying the hockey website CapFriendly, and several new Game Dated Moments cards of the PWHL Walter Cup Championship and the CHL Memorial Cup Championship. It’s one hour of hockey goodness!
Follow Follow Sal Barry on X/Twitter @PuckJunk & Instagram @PuckJunk.
Follow Tim Parish on X/Twitter @TheRealDFG & Instagram @therealdfg66.
Follow Clemente Lisi on X/Twitter @ClementeLisi.
Podcast music by Retro Game Remix – follow them on YouTube.
