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

Epic Win FTS

I went to a card show today, and normally I like to write about all the cool cards and memorabilia I picked up.

But today, I scored what was probably the best purchase I have ever made in my 20 years of hockey card collecting.

I bought a 1985-86 Topps Hockey Set for $50.

Yes, it had the Lemieux. It’s not perfect, but I have a few Topps Lemieux RCs anyway, so a less-than-perfect one will be fine to put in the 9-pocket page.

The set also had the Gretzky card, an unmarked checklist and the other 162 cards.

Complete.

I won’t have to piece this one together.

Yes, it seems too good to be true. Hooray for me.

I also got some other stuff–including a 2009-10 Upper Deck hobby box. Seems kind of unimportant by comparison, now that I think of it.

Ironic that I spent more on an unopened box of new cards than a complete set of old ones…

Upper Deck to continue Hockey Card Day in 2010

For a second year in a row, Upper Deck hockey cards will be given out at card shops and retail chains across Canada to celebrate National Hockey Card Day, or NHCD as the cool kids like to call it.

NHCD will happen on Saturday, January 30, 2010. Those who visit a Toys R Us, Wal-Mart, London Drugs, Rexall, Jean Coutu, Pharma Plus or a local participating card shop will receive a free, 5-card pack featuring all-new hockey cards.

And while only one pack will be given out per customer, there’s no rule against visiting as many of these shops as possible. There are 15 cards in the set, so you’ll need to get at least 3 packs to try to complete a set…or 6 packs if you want to hook your buddy Sal up with a set.

Here is the 15-card checklist:

5 “2009-10 Rookies” cards:
– John Tavares (New York Islanders)
– Matt Duchesne (Colorado Avalanche)
– Jaime Benn (Dallas Stars)
– Evander Kane (Atlanta Thrashers)
– Logan Couture (San Jose Sharks)


5 “Pride of Canada” cards:
– Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins)
– Vincent Lecavalier (Tampa Bay Lightning)
– Martin Brodeur (New Jersey Devils)
– Mike Richards (Philadelphia Flyers)
– Rick Nash (Columbus Blue Jackets)


5 “Heroes” cards:
– Jarome Iginla (Calgary Flames)
– Jonathan Toews (Chicago Blackhawks)
– Roberto Luongo (Vancouver Canucks)
– Wayne Gretzky (Edmonton Oilers)
– Steve Yzerman (Detroit Red Wings)


The “Rookies” and “Pride of Canada” cards look great. The full color photo, placed atop a sepia-toned background, really make the player “pop”. The bold red or blue bars punch up the design while also playing off of the red, white and blue “National Hockey Card Day” logo.

But the sepia-toned “Heroes” cards are a bit lacking. The “National Hockey Card Day” logo should have been sepia-toned too. But it isn’t, so it sticks out like a sore thumb. A shame, since the “Rookies” and “Pride of Canada” cards have such carefully-considered designs.

Then again, the cards are FREE, so who am I to complain about the design?

However, I would like to complain that these are only given out in Canada. How about us fans in the U.S.? Don’t forget that 24 of the 30 teams are here south of the border, and that the Winter Classic will be held in Boston this season.

Anyway, be sure to check out the National Hockey Card Day website. Eventually, they will post a list of participating retailers who will be giving out these free cards.

Road Rash Roenick

1996-97 Leaf Limited card #86 – Jeremy Roenick

1996-97 Leaf Limited card #86 - Jeremy Roenick During the summer of 1996, the Chicago Blackhawks made one of their worst trades in the decade – hell, in their history – when they sent fan-favorite Jeremy Roenick to the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for Alexi Zhamnov, Craig Mills and a first round draft pick. As a result, the Blackhawks became a downright abysmal team for the next 12 years. Another downside was this cheesy, tacky card of Roenick straddling a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Note the manly tassels hanging from the handlebars. Continue reading “Road Rash Roenick”

1963-64 Parkhurst #12 – Bob Pulford

Yes! I did it! I now have 20 cards from the 1963-64 Parkhurst Hockey set. Twenty out of 99, 20%, one-fifth (1/5) of the complete set.

This card is of former Toronto Maple Leafs player Bob Pulford. Sometimes, I forget that Pulford had a pretty good playing career. For so long, he has been associated with the Chicago Blackhawks–as a coach, then a GM, then a coach again, then a GM again, then a Senior Vice President.

So, as it stands I have acquired 2 cards from this set in 2008, and 18 cards in 2009. I have 79 cards to go to complete this set. While I’d like to get 1 card a week in 2010, that’s probably unrealistic. Maybe when I finish grad school and re-enter the full-time work force (knock on wood), I’ll be able to afford some of the more pricey cards.

Fantastic Fowl

1991-92 Kellogg’s Card #24 – Cornelius Rooster

1991-92 Kellogg's Card #24 - Cornelius Rooster During the 1991-92 season, a set of 24 hockey cards was issued in specially-marked boxes of Corn Flakes cereal. Superstars found in the set included Steve Yzerman, Patrick Roy, Joe Sakic, Brett Hull…and Cornelius Rooster. Though small in stature, the Corn Flakes’ famous mascot overshadows them all, putting up numbers that would make even The Golden Brett jealous. Continue reading “Fantastic Fowl”

Thank you, David

I got to give a shout out and say “Thanks!” to David M. of Industry, Pennsylvania. David so kindly sent me three cards that I needed from the 1979-80 Topps set, including the sweet, unmarked checklist that you see here. And he didn’t even want anything for them either…just the satisfaction of helping out a fellow hockey collector.

I am now only 6 cards away from completing my 1979-80 Topps set. And yes, I do have the Gretzky–though I wouldn’t mind another one 🙂

1963-64 Parkhurst #49 – Ian Cushenan

The 19th card in my never-ending quest to complete a 1963-64 Pakrhurst set. This is only the 4th Red Wing I have in this set, and the first Red Wing I’ve picked up since July.

The back of the card has a special offer for a Stanley Cup replica–only 35 cents and 4 wrappers. Of course, 35 cents was a lot of money in 1963, as I think cards were only 5 cents a pack back then. But you got to wonder how big of a replica Stanley Cup that would have bought someone.