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

Puck Junk Podcast: Upcoming Hockey Cards for 2022-23

Plus: How a Fanatics/Panini Merger Could Affect Hockey Cards
Episode #129 – September 22, 2022

Sal Barry and Tim Parish discuss some of the upcoming hockey card releases for the 2022-23 season, including Upper Deck Series One and O-Pee-Chee. They also talk about the hockey cards that are still coming out for the 2021-22 season, and how a merger between Fanatics and Panini America could potentially affect hockey cards in the future. It’s 77 minutes of hockey goodness! 

Show Notes and Links:
Sept. 24, 2022 LUDEX Card Show at the Skyline Room (Facebook)
Puck Junk Podcast: 2022 National Recap Episode (Puck Junk)
Trading Card Database and Sportlots Announce Partnership (Sportlots)
Puck Junk Podcast: How to Complete Your Card Sets Episode (Puck Junk)
Puck Junk Podcast: Is Alexis Lafreniere Living Up to the Hype? (Puck Junk)
2022-23 Upper Deck Series One Young Guns Checklist (Upper Deck Blog)
The Great Hockey Card Comeback (The Hockey News)
Brady Tkachuk autographs some upcoming hockey cards (Twitter)

Follow
Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk & Instagram @PuckJunk. 
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG & Instagram @therealdfg66.
Podcast music by Jim “Not the Goalie” Howard (Instagram @flyingV2112)

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Subscribe to the Puck Junk Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Castbox, Deezer, iHeartRadio, Overcast,  
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or Transistor. Subscribe to the Puck Junk Channel on YouTube.  

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

Puck Junk Podcast: 2021-22 Upper Deck Extended Series Hockey

Episode #128 – September 15, 2022

After a bye week, the Puck Junk Podcast is back! This time, Sal Barry and Tim Parish talk about the new 2021-22 Upper Deck Extended Series Hockey cards, including who are the best rookies in the set and if there is such a thing as too many inserts. Plus, if a tree falls on Tim’s house, does it make a sound? It’s one hour of (mostly) hockey goodness.

Show Notes and Links
Review: 2021-22 Seattle Kraken Box Set (Puck Junk)
Review: 2017-18 Upper Deck Vegas Golden Knights Boxed Set (Puck Junk)
Puck Junk Podcast: Hockey Sets We Want to See Return (Puck Junk)
Goldin video where a kid talks about investing in cards (Twitter)
Tim’s Tweet with commentary about above video (Twitter)

Follow
Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk & Instagram @PuckJunk. 
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG & Instagram @therealdfg66.
Podcast music by Jim “Not the Goalie” Howard (Instagram @flyingV2112)

Subscribe
Subscribe to the Puck Junk Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Castbox, Deezer, iHeartRadio, Overcast,  
PlayerFM, PocketCasts, Podcast Addict, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher,
or Transistor. Subscribe to the Puck Junk Channel on YouTube.  

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

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

Review: 2021-22 Seattle Kraken Box Set

Release the Kraken Hockey Cards!!!

The Seattle Kraken hit the ice as the NHL’s newest team last fall. But despite the interest in all things Kraken, Upper Deck was slow in releasing hockey cards of Kraken players. Oh  sure, there was that ONE Kraken card of Philipp Grubauer in the 2022 National Hockey Card Day USA set. There was also ONE Kraken card — a rookie card! — of Kole Lind in the 2021-22 Parkhurst set…but it actually pictures Nathan Bastian. Whoops! Finally, a handful of Kraken were included in Upper Deck Series Two. 

Chris Driedger

But just as the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals were coming to a close, Upper Deck released the Seattle Kraken Commemorative Box Set, which contains 35 cards and includes many of the players who took to the ice in the Kraken’s inaugural campaign. 

Continue reading “Review: 2021-22 Seattle Kraken Box Set”

2021-22 Upper Deck Series Two Hobby Box Break

Upper Deck Series Two usually comes out in March or April — just in time for the Spring Sport Card and Memorabilia Expo. However, with all of the delays and production problems, due in large part to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021-22 Upper Deck Series Two set did not see its release until mid June of 2022 — right as the Stanley Cup Final was underway. Late or not, Series Two is always a hotly-anticipated hockey card set, as it features cards of many rookies who made their debut earlier that season. 

Originally a hobby box of Series Two was selling for around $100, but has since settled to about $90 per box. Each box has 24 packs, and each pack has eight cards. Let’s see what’s inside a hobby box of 2021-22 Upper Deck Series Two Hockey. 

Continue reading “2021-22 Upper Deck Series Two Hobby Box Break”

Puck Junk Podcast: The Mount Rushmore of Hockey Cards

Plus: The NHL ’23 Video Game Cover
Episode #127 – September 2, 2022

This week, Sal Barry and Tim Parish discuss and debate what four trading cards are THE most important, most significant, most iconic pieces of cardboard to depict a hockey player. Or rather, what four cards should be on the “Mount Rushmore of Hockey Cards.” Sure, you have to have the Wayne Gretzky rookie card up there. But what would the other three be? Plus, the guys talk about the upcoming NHL ’23 video game and how it will feature two cover athletes — including, for the first time, a woman hockey player. It’s one hour and 25 minutes of hockey goodness! 

Show Notes & Links:
I Was a Teenage Card Show Promoter (Sports Collectors Digest) 
Five Examples of the EA Sports NHL Cover Curse (The Hockey News)
1952 Mantle Sets Record at $12.6 Million (Sports Collectors Daily)
Zegras, Nurse Grace NHL 23 cover (ESPN) 

Follow
Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk & Instagram @PuckJunk. 
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG & Instagram @therealdfg66.
Podcast music by Jim “Not the Goalie” Howard (Instagram @flyingV2112)

Subscribe
Subscribe to the Puck Junk Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Castbox, Deezer, iHeartRadio, Overcast,  
PlayerFM, PocketCasts, Podcast Addict, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher,
or Transistor. Subscribe to the Puck Junk Channel on YouTube.  

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

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

Puck Junk Podcast: 2022 3ICE Patrick Cup & World Junior Championship Recap

Episode #126 – August 25, 2022

Sal Barry and Tim Parish talk about two recent hockey tournaments: the 3ICE Patrick Cup Championship and the 2022 World Junior Championship. Plus, should Upper Deck make hockey cards from the World Junior Championships like they did way back in the 1990s? It’s one full hour of hockey goodness! 

Show Notes & Links:
Inside 3ICE 3-on-3 Hockey’s Revolutionary First Season (ESPN)
3ICE Official website (link)
Brandon Hawkins Amazing Penalty Shot Goal (YouTube)
2022 IIHF World Junior Championship website (link)
1983 Canadian National Junior Team set (Puck Junk)

Follow
Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk & Instagram @PuckJunk. 
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG & Instagram @therealdfg66.
Podcast music by Jim “Not the Goalie” Howard (Instagram @flyingV2112)

Subscribe
Subscribe to the Puck Junk Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Castbox, Deezer, iHeartRadio, Overcast,  PlayerFM, PocketCasts, Podcast Addict, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher, and Transistor. Subscribe to the Puck Junk Channel on YouTube.  

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

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

Puck Junk Podcast: The Last of the 2020-21 Hockey Card Sets

Plus: 3ICE and NHL Free Agency
Episode #125 – August 18, 2022

Sal Barry and Tim Parish talk about some of the very last hockey card sets from the 2020-21 season: Ultimate Collection, Premier, and SP Authentic. Plus, a look at the 3ICE hockey league’s season and its upcoming tournament this Saturday and recent NHL free agent signings. It’s 90 minutes of hockey goodness. 

Show Notes & Links:
The LUDEX Card Show at the Skyline Room on August 27 (Facebook)
The Great Hockey Card Comeback (The Hockey News)
3ICE Website (link)
Puck Junk Podcast #121: Interview with Craig Patrick (Puck Junk)
Box Break and Images of 2020-21 Ultimate Collection Hockey (Puck Junk)
Box Break and Images of 2020-21 Premier Hockey (Puck Junk)
Box Break and Images of 2020-21 SP Authentic Hockey (Puck Junk)

Follow
Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk & Instagram @PuckJunk. 
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG & Instagram @therealdfg66.
Follow Clemente Lisi on Twitter @ClementeLisi.
Podcast music by Jim “Not the Goalie” Howard (Instagram @flyingV2112)

Subscribe
Subscribe to the Puck Junk Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Castbox, Deezer, iHeartRadio, Overcast, PlayerFM, PocketCasts, Podcast Addict, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher, and Transistor. Subscribe to the Puck Junk Channel on YouTube.  

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

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

2020-21 SP Authentic Hockey Box Break

SP Authentic is perhaps best known for its popular Future Watch autographed rookie cards — and its sparse, mostly-white base card design. Like many of Upper Deck’s other hockey cards from 2020-21, SP Authentic also had a very late release. In fact, SP Authentic was not released until June 29, 2022 — three days after the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals concluded. 

Fortunately, though, SP Authentic was not cancelled like other sets for the shortened 2020-21 season. And that’s a good thing, because personally, I’ve always liked SP Authentic’s clean base card design and  on-card autographs. And the Future Watch autographed rookie cards may be second in popularity only to Upper Deck Young Guns when it comes to hockey rookie cards among collectors. 

However, SP Authentic is more expensive now, costing around $300 for an 18-pack box. Each pack has five cards, and each box guarantees two autographed cards. 

I recently got a box of 2020-21 SP Authentic. Let’s see what cards were inside. 

Continue reading “2020-21 SP Authentic Hockey Box Break”

2020-21 Premier Hockey Box Break

Premier Hockey is another high-quality, premium set by Upper Deck, similar to Stature and Ultimate Collection, which offer just a handful of cards per box. And like Stature and Ultimate Collection, the 2020-21 Premier Hockey set came out almost a good year after intended, as it was released towards the end of the 2021-22 season. This is great if you are still hoping to get rookie cards of Kirill Kaprizov, Alexis Lafreniere, or other players who made their debut during the shortened 2020-21 season. 

2020-21 Premier Hockey costs around $400 for a six-card box. Every box should net you three autograph and/or memorabilia cards, plus an acetate autographed patch card. Well, that last card has me intrigued; it has an autograph, a piece of jersey patch AND is an acetate card, a la “Clear Cut.” I can’t wait to see what that looks like! You also get an additional numbered rookie card and a base card — or a parallel of either. 

OK, let’s open this bad boy up and see what we’ve got! 

Continue reading “2020-21 Premier Hockey Box Break”

Puck Junk Podcast: 2022 National Sports Collectors Convention Recap

Episode #124 – August 11, 2022

Sal Barry and Tim Parish are joined by new Puck Junk contributing writer Clemente Lisi. The three of them talk all about the 2022 National Sports Collectors Convention that was held in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Sal shares his experience of being a dealer at the National, while Clemente gives his perspective on being a convention attendee. It’s 87 minutes of hobby goodness! 

Show Notes & Links:
Recapping the 2022 National Sports Collectors Convention (Puck Junk)
How Trade Nights became fun, popular after-hours events for card collectors (Sports Collectors Digest)
With 2022 World Cup approaching, collectors get their kicks as soccer cards rise in popularity, value (Sports Collectors Digest)
Review: 2012-13 Rockford IceHogs Team Set (Puck Junk)
Podcast: 2021 National Sports Collectors Convention Recap (Puck Junk)

The old (left) and new (right) “variations” of Sal’s business card.

Puck Junk stickers were a big hit with the kids — and some adults, too — at the 2022 National Sports Collectors Convention. 

Follow
Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk & Instagram @PuckJunk. 
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG & Instagram @therealdfg66.
Follow Clemente Lisi on Twitter @ClementeLisi.
Podcast music by Jim “Not the Goalie” Howard (Instagram @flyingV2112)

Subscribe
Subscribe to the Puck Junk Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Castbox, Deezer, iHeartRadio, Overcast, PlayerFM, PocketCasts, Podcast Addict, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher, and Transistor. Subscribe to the Puck Junk Channel on YouTube.  

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

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