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: New Hockey Cards for January 2022

Plus: Premier Hockey Federation Cards 
Episode #107: Jan. 12, 2022

After a month-long hiatus, Sal Barry and Tim Parish are back for the first Puck Junk Podcast of 2022. In this episode, they talk about some of the new hockey card releases for the 2021-22 season. Other topics include Fanatics purchasing Topps, Upper Deck making Premier Hockey Federation cards this fall, and a sealed case of Pokemon cards authenticated by Baseball Card Exchange that might be fake. 

Show Notes and Links:
The NHL’s Enhanced COVID Measures from December 18, 2021 (PDF)
List of NHL Games Postponed by COVID (NHL.com)
Sport Lots Website (sportlots.com)
2021-22 MVP Hockey Checklist (Cardboard Connection) 
“Remember ALF? He’s back…in pog form!” (YouTube) 
NHL Roxx on Twitter
Logan Paul’s $3.5 Million Pokemon Case May Be Fake (PokeBeach)
Here’s a shorter article about the Pokemon case (Complex)
Fanatics Acquires Topps for $500 Million (CNBC)
Upper Deck Lands Women’s Hockey Card License (Sports Collectors Daily)
1994 Classic Women of Hockey Insert Set Checklist (Trading Card DB)

Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk & Instagram @PuckJunk. 
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG & Instagram @therealdfg66.
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 Puck Junk Facebook Group and subscribe to Puck Junk on YouTube. 

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

Snap Shots: Kraken Fan Saves Canucks’ Equipment Manager’s Life

Happy Monday! This week, I want to take a look at a big story that made the rounds early last week, when a quick-thinking Seattle Kraken fan helped save a Vancouver Canucks’ assistant equipment manager’s life. We will also take a look at an awesome goal, a new “rookie” record that was set, and the potential end of a solid NHL career. Plus, COVID-19 continues to ruin hockey.  

Continue reading “Snap Shots: Kraken Fan Saves Canucks’ Equipment Manager’s Life”

The Ralph Macchio Hockey Rookie Card

Cobra Kai and Karate Kid Star Macchio Got His Own Hockey Trading Card in 1991-92

Last week, Cobra Kai Season 4 premiered on Netflix and quickly became the streaming service’s most-watched series. But did you know that Cobra Kai and Karate Kid star Ralph Macchio had his own hockey card 30 years ago? Here’s how –and why — it happened. 

Continue reading “The Ralph Macchio Hockey Rookie Card”

Snap Shots: The Coldest Winter Classic

Welcome to a new weekly column called Snap Shots. Since Blake Isaacs has stepped away from writing his Blake’s Takes column, I will fill the void with my weekly recap of the biggest, most interesting, or most fun things that happened in hockey over the past week. 

A lot of news this week has to do with how COVID-19 continues to mess up hockey for everyone. But not all of the news is bad. We also had the coldest Winter Classic in history (Brrrrr!) and four — count ’em, four — new goalies make their NHL debuts. 

Continue reading “Snap Shots: The Coldest Winter Classic”

Puck Junk’s Top Articles of 2021

Happy New Year, loyal Puck Junk readers. Before we get into new content for 2022, I wanted to give a recap of Puck Junk’s most-read articles of 2021, and a brief update about what has been going on with this website.

As we all know, the trading card hobby has experienced a resurgence in interest over the past two years; much of it as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic making more people stay at home and spend their money on other activities besides sporting events, concerts, and travel. 

As a result, Puck Junk has experienced it’s highest readership of all time. In fact, traffic on this site has grown 75% between 2020 and 2021. And as I’ve always said, it is more gratifying when more people read this site. I still remember how excited I was back in late 2007 when I finally had an article read by 10 people. Yes, just getting to double-digits was such an accomplishment back then. So, I am very grateful today that thousands of people read and enjoy what I write.  

Likewise, listenership of the Puck Junk Hockey Podcast has increased 35% between 2020 and 2021. Again, it is great to see more people engage with the podcast that myself and Tim — and many times Blake and Jim — work on. We don’t always get an episode up every week, but we try. Hopefully, we will increase our output of podcast episodes in 2022. 

Anyway, below are the 10 articles published in 2021 that were read the most. So, take a look at this list and be sure to check out any articles that you missed the first time. 

Continue reading “Puck Junk’s Top Articles of 2021”

The Puck Junk Bad Hockey Card Hall of Fame: Class of 2021

The year 2021 would not be complete until 10 more cards are inducted into the Puck Junk Bad Hockey Card Hall of Fame. Since 2017, this website has honored the most-horrendous hockey cards ever made. Some cards use bad photos, other cards have janky paint jobs…and some cards are just straight-up awful and should not have been made in the first place.

So, before we can ring in 2022, let’s take a look at some of the worst hockey cards ever made. 

Continue reading “The Puck Junk Bad Hockey Card Hall of Fame: Class of 2021”

Puck Junk Podcast: Marc-Andre Fleury Wins 500 Games

Episode #106: Dec. 16, 2021

The boys are back with the latest Puck Junk Hockey Podcast! This time, Sal and Tim talk about Marc-Andre Fleury becoming only the third goalie in NHL history to win 500 regular season games. They also discuss how COVID-19 may affect the 2022 Winter Olympics in China. Plus, new hockey card releases for the 2021-22 season. It’s 107 minutes of hockey goodness! 

Show Notes and Links:
COMC Company Update for December 2021 (COMC Blog)
PSA’s Parent Company Buys Card Ladder (Sports Collectors Daily)
Puck Junk Bad Hockey Card Hall of Fame: Class of 2017, 2018, 2019 & 2020
Marc-Andre Fleury wins 500th Game (NBC Chicago)
My Husband, Marc-Andre Fleury by Veronica Fleury (NHL.com)

Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk & Instagram @PuckJunk. 
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG & Instagram @therealdfg66.
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 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: 2020-21 O-Pee-Chee Platinum Hockey

Plus: The “Stupid Era” of Card Collecting 
Episode #105: Dec. 3, 2021

Sal Barry and Tim Parish discuss the new 2020-21 O-Pee-Chee Platinum hockey card set. They also talk about how we are currently living in “the stupid era” of card collecting. Plus: Brad Marchand’s antics, Rod Brind’Amour’s tantrum, Brendan Lemieux bites Brady Tkachuk, the Penguins get sold, and the Habs clean house. It’s 80 minutes of hockey goodness! 

 

Show Notes, Links and Images:
Dec. 12 Bridgeview Card Show & Autograph Signing (Facebook page)
Complete List of Brad Marchand’s Fights (HockeyFights.com)
Video: Brady Tkachuk vs. Brandon Lemieux Altercation (YouTube)
Video: Rod Brind’Amour Throws a Tantrum (YouTube)
2020-21 O-Pee-Chee Platinum Hockey Checklist (Cardboard Connection)

Some images from the 2020-21 O-Pee-Chee Platinum Hockey set:

Jack Eichel – base card

Alexis Lafreniere – Marquee Rookies

Auston Matthews – Cosmic parallel

Sidney Crosby – Best in the World insert

Elias Pettersson – Photo Driven insert

Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk & Instagram @PuckJunk. 
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG & Instagram @therealdfg66.
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 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: 2021-22 Pro Set Memories & Topps Now Stickers

Plus: A Recap of the Chicago Sports Spectacular 
Episode: #104: Nov. 24, 2021

In Episode #104 of the Puck Junk Hockey Podcast, Sal Barry and Tim Parish talk about the just-announced 2021-22 Pro Set Memories Hockey set. They also discuss Topps Now Hockey Stickers and the Fall 2021 Chicago Sports Spectacular. It’s 88 minutes of hockey goodness! 

Show Notes and Links:
Topps Now Hockey Sticker Archive (Topps website)
Definition of “shovelware” (Urban Dictionary)
Sal’s ironic collection of Rene Bourque Artifacts Cards (Puck Junk)
Information about 2021-22 Pro Set Memories (Cardboard Connection)
Sal’s booth at the Fall 2021 Chicago Sports Spectacular (Twitter)

Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk & Instagram @PuckJunk. 
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG & Instagram @therealdfg66.
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 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: 2020-21 Skybox Metal Universe Hockey

Plus: Inflated Hobby & Retail Box Prices
Episode #103: November 17, 2021

In this episode of the Puck Junk Podcast, Sal Barry and Tim Parish talk all about the 2020-21 Skybox Metal Universe set. What makes it great — and not so great? Then, the guys talk about how the prices of hobby and retail boxes are getting out of hand. It’s 1 hour and 8 minutes of hockey goodness. 

Show Notes, Links and Images:
Chicago Sports Spectacular (show website)
Bridgeview Card Show & Autograph Signing (show Facebook page)
VintageGraphs: Sports Autographs & Collectibles (Facebook page)
2020-21 Skybox Metal Universe checklist (Cardboard Connection)
The horrible Mel Bridgeman hockey card (Puck Junk)
The equally-horrible Glen Hanlon hockey card (Puck Junk)
The “Lettuce Head” Bryan Pitton hockey card (Puck Junk)
Puck Junk Podcast #21: The Worst Insert Sets from the 1990s (Puck Junk)
Puck Junk Podcast #78: Brian Slagel Interview (Puck Junk)
Puck Junk Podcast #14: 1996-97 Fleer Metal Universe (Puck Junk)

Some images from the 2020-21 Skybox Metal Universe set:

Elias Pettersson – base card

Auston Matthews – retro insert 

Carey Price – Intimidation Nation insert 

Alex Ovechkin – ALON insert

Patrick Kane – Platinum Portraits insert

Finally, here’s the Ryan Getzlaf card that Tim was talking about:

2013-14 Upper Deck #171 – Ryan Getzlaf…making an entrance indeed!

What do you think of the 2020-21 Skybox Metal Universe set? Are you collecting it? Leave a comment and let us know!

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. ■