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

2022-23 Upper Deck Series Two Hockey Hobby Box Break

If you collect Upper Deck Series One, then collecting Upper Deck Series Two is a must. The 2022-23 Upper Deck Series Two set features 200 base cards and 50 Young Guns rookie cards. The Young Guns are short-prints that are seeded one in every four packs. 

While I opened a box of Series Two a few months ago (to discuss in Episode #154 of the Puck Junk Podcast), I still wanted to post a full box break so you could see the sheer variety of inserts that you get in a box.

Continue reading “2022-23 Upper Deck Series Two Hockey Hobby Box Break”

Visit Puck Junk at the 2023 National Sports Collectors Convention in Chicago

…and Get a Free Set of Hockey Cards!

For the third year in a row, I will be at the National Sports Collectors Convention — a.k.a. “The National” — from Wednesday, July 26 to Sunday, July 30.

I will be at Booth #1011, right next to AU Sports (#1009), right behind Memory Lane (#1108/#1110), and very close to both the Main Entrance and the VIP Entrance.

If you can’t remember that I’m at Booth #1011, just look for the giant Memory Lane banner hanging from the ceiling when you enter the show — I’m right behind them! 

Drop by my booth, say “hi”, and check out the awesome hockey t-shirts and sports cards that I’ll be selling. 

I’m also giving away exclusive sets of Puck Junk Bad Hockey Card Hall of Fame Trading Cards. This six-card set highlights five of the worst hockey cards ever made and is limited to 500 sets. 

If you are at The National this week and want a set, be sure to drop by Booth #1011 to get one.

And if you are NOT coming to The National but want to get a set, contact me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or email and I will mail a set out to you in early August. 

The National Sports Collectors Convention starts Wednesday, July 26 and runs until Sunday, July 30. Click here for more information about the NSCC and to buy tickets. 

If you do come to the National, be sure to stop at Booth #1011, check out what I’ve got for sale, talk some hockey with me, and get a free set of cards! 

Love hockey? Join the Puck Junk Facebook Group, subscribe to Puck Junk on Apple Podcasts and  YouTube, and support this site at the Puck Junk Online Shop. 

Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk. ■

Puck Junk Podcast: 2021-22 SP Authentic Hockey Cards

Plus: Fanatics Starts Its Own Show
Episode #158: July 20, 2023

This week, Sal Barry and Tim Parish talk about the 2021-22 SP Authentic Hockey Card Set, including the base card design, the plethora of inserts, and the copious amounts of foil! They also discuss the upcoming National Sports Collectors Convention, the just-announced set of 2021-22 Upper Deck Ovation Hockey Cards, and Fanatics’ foray into the sports card show promotion business. It’s 70 minutes of hockey goodness! 

Show Notes, Links and Images:
National Sports Collectors Convention Admission Tickets (NSCC Website)
National Sports Collectors Convention Autograph Guests (NSCC Website)
Skyline Room Sports Card Show (Facebook)
A Collecting Evolution: Two Lines of NFTS Enter the NHL World (THN)
Twitter Thread About Sal’s NFT Article (Twitter)
Upper Deck Evolution Website
NHL Breakaway Website 
Fanatics Plans to Expand on Card Show Concept (Sports Collectors Daily)

Here’s the set of cards that Sal will be giving away at the 2023 National:

Just drop by the Puck Junk Booth (booth #1011), say hi, and ask for a set. 

And here are some card images from 2021-22 SP Authentic:

Patrick_Kane
Patrick_Kane_back
Garrett_Pilon_FWA
Anton_Lundell_FW_Patch_Auto
Patrick_Kane_Red
Patrick_Kane_Red_back
Calen_Addison_FW_Red
Taylor_Hall_Pageantry
Vasily_Podholzin_FW_Retro
Logan_Couture_True_Leaders
Roman_Josi_True_Leaders_Blue
Claude_Giroux_Spectrum_FX
Wyatt_Kalynuk_Spectrum_FX
Lucas_Raymond_Top_Rookies
Sidney_Crosby_Diecut

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: 2023 NHL Free Agency

Plus: The Upcoming National Convention – and Puckdoku!
Episode #157: July 14, 2023

In this episode, Sal Barry and Tim Parish talk about many of the NHL free agency signings for 2023 so far, including goalies who signed mega-deals, and a few stars who changed teams. They also discuss the upcoming 2023 National Sports Collectors Convention and the addicting new game Puckdoku. It’s 75 minutes of hockey goodness!

Show Notes, Links and Images:
Clemente’s Corner: Everything You Need to Know About the 2023 National Sports Collectors Convention (Puck Junk)
The Puck Junk Online Shop – Now on Etsy (Etsy)
Check out the new Puckdoku game – it’s fun! (Puckdoku)

Here’s that photo of a 19-year-old Dominik Hasek with Tesla Pardubice in 1984-85.

Click to enlarge.

Dominik Hasek is in the front row, third from right.. And Sal erroneously said in the podcast that Jiri Hrdina is also in the photo. It is actually Frantisek Musil (back row, third from left) who went on to play in the NHL. 

And finally – here’s that FREE set of cards that Sal will be giving away at The National this year. 

Just drop by the Puck Junk Booth (booth #1011), say hi, and ask for a set. 

If you are not going to The National and would like a set, contact Sal on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or email and ask for one. 

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. ■

A Collecting Evolution: Two Lines of NFTs Enter the NHL World

The NHL kept its distance from the NFT market – but that’s about to change with the launch of two new series of digital collectibles backed by the league.

While the NBA, NFL and MLB all entered the NFT game early, the NHL remained on the sidelines. But that’s about to change, with two lines of hockey NFTs launching.

An NFT, short for non-fungible token, is a type of digital collectible that peaked in popularity during the early days of the pandemic. NFTs usually depict celebrities, athletes or original artwork, and they contain motion, animation and sometimes video clips.

They use blockchain technology, a type of encrypted digital ledger that certifies the item’s uniqueness and tracks its ownership history and sales data.

These collectibles can initially sell for anywhere from a few dollars to tens of thousands of dollars, and resale prices can be much higher. One advantage NFTs have is that the licensor – such as a player, team or league – can continue to collect royalties whenever the item is subsequently resold.

An NFT is like a mash-up of a trading card and cryptocurrency. They’re more likely to appeal to so-called “crypto bros” than they are to collectors who buy packs of hockey cards.

Upper Deck hopes to change that with its new line of Evolution digital cards, launched in April. The company already makes traditional hockey cards licensed by the NHL and NHLPA.

“There’s a place for digital collectibles, but it was never done with the collectors in mind,” said Jason Masherah, president of Upper Deck.  Read the rest of the story at The Hockey News website. 

The 6th Annual Puck Junk Awards

The National Hockey League really needs to upgrade its hardware game. Sure, there is no better trophy in sports than the Stanley Cup. And the NHL does a pretty good job at honoring its best forwards, defensemen, and goalies each year. But what about honoring the best scorer who can also fight, the player who came out of nowhere and wowed everyone, or the guy who clawed his way back into the league after a year-long hiatus? 
 
Since 2018, Puck Junk has given out awards to such players. They may not have scored 50 goals or posted 15 shutouts, but they were still interesting, exciting — or even infamous — during the past season. 
 
That said, here are your 2023 Puck Junk Award winners!

Continue reading “The 6th Annual Puck Junk Awards”

How to Prevent Your Sports Cards from Bricking

Longtime collectors remember when sports cards started using a high-gloss protective coating in the early 1990s. This coating – known as UV coating – gave the cards like Fleer Ultra and Topps Stadium Club a slick, premium feel to them. Collectors loved it!. But this eventually led to a problem called “bricking.”

Bricking is when cards get stuck together in a stack resembling a brick. And once they brick, they are hard to unstick. Read on to learn why cards stick together, what to do if they brick, and how to prevent that from happening in the first place. Read the rest of the story at the BCW Supplies Blog.

Puck Junk Podcast: The Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2023

Plus: Notable HHOF Snubs
Episode #156: July 1, 2023

In this supersized episode of the Puck Junk Podcast, Sal Barry, Tim Parish, and Jim Howard talk about the seven new Hockey Hall of Fame inductees for 2023 – Henrik Lundqvist, Tom Barrasso, Mike Vernon, Pierre Turgeon, Caroline Oullette, Ken Hitchcock, and Pierre Lacroix. The guys also discuss three players who are long overdue for a call from the Hall. It’s 106 minutes of hockey goodness!

Show Notes, Links and Images:
The Mike Vernon vs. Patrick Roy fight (YouTube)
Ken Hitchcock’s “Rookie Card”:

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: 2022-23 Trilogy Hockey Cards

Plus: 2023 Stanley Cup Finals Recap
Episode #155: June 24, 2023

After a bit of a hiatus, the Puck Junk Podcast is back! In this episode, Sal Barry and Tim Parish give their thoughts on the victorious Vegas Golden Knights beating the faltering Florida Panthers to win the 2023 Stanley Cup Championship. Then they take a long look at the 2022-23 Trilogy Hockey card set, including what they like about it and what could be better. It’s 82 minutes of hockey goodness! 

Show Notes, Links and Images:
What Haters Get Wrong About the Vegas Golden Knights (Puck Junk)
Puck Junk Podcast: Are Redemption Cards a Necessary Evil? (Puck Junk) 
Box Break: 2022-23 Trilogy Hockey Cards (Puck Junk)

Here is Sal’s INCORRECT Stanley Cup Finals prediction: 

Yeah…that tweet did not age well. 

And here is Sal’s “appearance” on the NHL on TNT:

A better look at the tweet of the Michael Scott / Paul Bissonnette graphic:

8 New And Necessary Punctuation Marks We Really Need

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. ■

2022-23 Trilogy Hockey Box Break

After being cancelled for the 2021-22 season, Trilogy came back for 2022-23 — albeit, near the end of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

Trilogy is perhaps best known for its “Signature Pucks” cards that feature a small rubber puck with an autograph on it, embedded right into the card. Trilogy — or should I say Trilo3y, with a “3” as the “g” since that is how it is spelled — also tends to use the number 3 as a recurring theme. 

A box of Trilogy Hockey cards costs around $130 for a six-pack box. Each pack contains four cards, and the box promises one autographed card and one memorabilia card. 

I recently opened a box of 2022-23 Trilogy. Here is what I found inside. 

Continue reading “2022-23 Trilogy Hockey Box Break”