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: Interview with Gregg Kohn, VP of Product Development at Leaf Trading Cards

Episode #94: June 10, 2021

Have you ever wondered what it is like to work for a trading card company and make decisions that influence the product that end up in collectors’ hands? This week, Sal Barry and Tim Parish talk with Gregg Kohn, Vice President of Product Development at Leaf Trading Cards, and a former executive with Upper Deck. Gregg talks about working on current sets like Lumber Kings and Pearl Hockey, and reveals many new details about the upcoming Pro Set Memories Hockey card set. 

Show Notes, Links, and Images: 
The two books that Gregg refers to are “Hockey  Night Fever” and “The California Golden Seals” (review of the Seals book here).
Follow Gregg Kohn on Twitter @scoobycub
Review of the film “The Love Guru” (Puck Junk)
The 1999 Upper Deck Century Legends Ken Dryden card (Puck Junk)
Review: 1991-92 Pro Set Platinum Hockey (Puck Junk)

Images of upcoming hockey cards by Leaf Trading Cards: 

Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk.
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG.
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: 1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Premier Hockey

Part 3 of the ’90-91 Retrospective Series
Episode #93: June 4, 2021

Thirty years ago was the “Hockey Card Explosion,” when hockey cards skyrocketed in popularity as several new companies entered the market during the 1990-91 season. In the third part of this special podcast series, Sal Barry and Tim Parish take a long look at the 1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Premier Hockey set, which was the most-valuable and arguably the most-popular set from that season. 

Show Notes, Links, and Images:
Write us a review at Apple Podcasts (link)
1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Premier Hockey Checklist (Trading Card DB)
Every 1990-91 Hockey Card Set Ranked (Puck Junk)

1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Premier Hockey Card Images 

1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Premier #38 – Wayne Gretzky

1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Premier #38 – Wayne Gretzky (back)

1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Premier #63 – Mario Lemieux

1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Premier #63 – Mario Lemieux (back)

1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Premier #6 – Rob Blake (Rookie Card)

1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Premier #30– Sergei Fedorov (Rookie Card)

1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Premier #50 – Jaromir Jagr (Rookie Card)

1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Premier #51 – Curtis Joseph (Rookie Card)

1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Premier #71 – Mark Messier

1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Premier #74 – Mike Modano (Rookie Card)

1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Premier #76 – Andy Moog

1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Premier #100– Jeremy Roenick (Rookie Card)

1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Premier #103 – Denis Savard

1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Premier #114 – Mats Sundin (Rookie Card)

1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Premier #126– Mike Vernon

1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Premier Wrapper

Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk.
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG.
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. ■

Review: The Mighty Ducks Game Changers, Season 1, Episode 10

“State of Play” is the 10th and final episode in the first season of The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, and it delivers what viewers have been expecting all along: a rematch between the Don’t Bothers and the Mighty Ducks. It does this with some plot twists and — to quote Coach Orion from the third Mighty Ducks film — a few “little duck tricks.” 

NOTE: This review contains minor spoilers. 

Continue reading “Review: The Mighty Ducks Game Changers, Season 1, Episode 10”

Puck Junk Podcast: The Return of Pro Set Hockey

Episode #92: May 27, 2021

This week, Sal Barry and Tim Parish talk about the upcoming Pro Set Memories Hockey card set by Leaf Trading Cards. As fans of Pro Set cards from the 1990s, the guys have quite a bit to say about these new Pro Set cards, which will consist of autographs and serial-numbered buybacks. They also talk about the upcoming Sport Card Expo “Virtual Edition” and recent hockey card releases. It’s 85 minutes of pure hockey goodness. 

Show Notes, Links, and Images:
Join the Puck Junk Facebook Group here.
Register to attend the Sport Card Expo Virtual Edition (link)
Sal’s interview with Bobby Hull from November 2020 (Puck Junk)
Topps Now Hockey Sticker Archive (Topps)
2020-21 Upper Deck NHL Rookie Box Set (Upper Deck)
The rare Taro Tsujimoto card (Puck Junk)
Information about Pro Set Memories hockey cards (Blowout Cards)
1989 Upper Deck Dale Murphy error card (Trading Card DB)
1983-84 Steve Larmer and Steve Ludzik error cards (Puck Junk)
1991-92 Parkhurst Santa Claus card (Puck Junk)
Buy a retro hockey wrapper t-shirt from the Puck Junk Online Shop. 

Images of the forthcoming Pro Set Memories set:


Finally, the Pro Set Memories sell sheet:

Click to see larger.

Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk.
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG.
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. ■

Review: The Mighty Ducks Game Changers, Season 1, Episode 9

“Head Games” is the penultimate episode in season one of The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers. It skillfully continues the series’ trajectory towards an inevitable final showdown between the Don’t Bothers and the Mighty Ducks. It’s a great episode that entertains without an iota of hockey action. 

NOTE: This review contains minor spoilers. 

Continue reading “Review: The Mighty Ducks Game Changers, Season 1, Episode 9”

Puck Junk Podcast: Target Stops Selling Sports Cards

Plus NFTs, COMC & New Hockey
Episode #91: May 20, 2021

Sal Barry and Tim Parish talk about Target’s decision to stop selling sports trading cards in its retail stores. Is the end of retail flipping? And does the hobby need retail packs, anyway? The guys also discuss NFTs, new hockey card releases and Tim FINALLY getting his order from COMC six months later. It’s 80 minutes of hockey goodness.

Show Notes and Links:
Dapper Labs Lawsuit Story (Coindesk)
New Jersey Devils NFT coins (Twitter)
Topps Now Hockey Sticker Archive (Topps)
President’s Choice Trading Cards “Roots” cards (PCTC)
Dispute Over Cards Leads to Gun… (Sports Collectors Daily)
Target Stops Selling Cards, Citing Safety Concerns (NY Times)
Rate our show and write us a review on Apple Podcasts

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

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

Review: The Mighty Ducks Game Changers, Season 1, Episode 8

“Change on the Fly,” the 8th episode of The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, appropriately describes Alex’s changing attitude as the Don’t Bothers continue their win streak. However, winning comes with a price: the Don’t Bothers are slowly becoming the Mighty Ducks. 

NOTE: This review contains minor spoilers. 

Continue reading “Review: The Mighty Ducks Game Changers, Season 1, Episode 8”

No Stanley for Old Men: 2021 Edition

Which of these “Old Men Without a Cup” Will Go All the Way in 2021?

The NHL Playoffs start Saturday, which raises an inevitable question in my mind: who is the oldest active player on each team to not win the Stanley Cup?

Then, I always think back to the 2001 Stanley Cup Finals. Twenty years ago, it seemed that the whole hockey world was rooting for the Colorado Avalanche to win so that veteran all-star defenseman Ray Bourque, then 41, could finally lift the Stanley Cup. Bourque had led the Boston Bruins to the Cup Finals in 1988 and 1990, but lost both time to the Edmonton Oilers. Fortunately for Bourque, he was traded to the Avalanche in 2000 and won the Cup with Colorado in 2001, so he got to cap his 22-year career as a champion. 

But not all veteran players get to go out like Bourque did. Some play nearly two decades and/or reach their 40th birthday and never come close to winning the Cup. Here is a look at the oldest player on each team in the 2021 NHL Playoffs who has yet to win hockey’s ultimate prize. Which veteran on this list are you hoping will finally lift the Stanley Cup this year? 

Continue reading “No Stanley for Old Men: 2021 Edition”

Review: The Mighty Ducks Game Changers, Season 1, Episode 7

“Pond Hockey,” the seventh episode of The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, starts out promising. The Don’t Bothers are understandably angry at Evan for thinking of rejoining the Ducks. But the episode crams too much into too little time, feels rushed, and isn’t as satisfying as the previous six episodes. 

NOTE: This review contains minor spoilers. 

Continue reading “Review: The Mighty Ducks Game Changers, Season 1, Episode 7”

President’s Choice Trading Cards to Release “Roots” Hockey Card Set

President’s Choice Trading Cards will release a new hockey card set this Friday called “Roots.” The cards picture Original Six Era players — like Eddie Shore, Glenn Hall and Gordie Howe — and have a piece of game-worn memorabilia on them. Roots cards are serial numbered to 1, 2 or 3 copies each. 

The full press release is below: Continue reading “President’s Choice Trading Cards to Release “Roots” Hockey Card Set”