Sal Barry, Author at Puck Junk

Puck Junk Podcast: 2020-21 MVP Hockey Cards

Episode #71: October 22, 2020

In this episode of the Puck Junk Hockey Podcast, Sal Barry and Tim Parish talk about hockey announcer Mike “Doc” Emrick retiring and the new 2020-21 Upper Deck MVP Hockey cards. Plus, more details about the Virtual Expo 2.0.

Show Notes, Links and Images:
Tim’s column on what Mike Emrick has meant for hockey (Puck Junk)
Virtual Expo 2.0 (show website)
Andre Dawson State Farm Insurance commercial (YouTube)
Penguins and Flyers “Reverse Retro” Jerseys (Icethetics)
The Penguins’ jerseys also featured a diagonal “PITTSBURGH” wordmark on home and road jerseys during the 1967-68 season, and again from 1992-93 to 1996-97 on road jerseys.
The Joey Logano hockey card (Puck Junk)
President’s Choice Trading Cards Captains Row (link)
That time Evgeni Malkin appeared twice in the same set (Puck Junk)
Joe Thornton’s 1995-96 junior league hockey card (Puck Junk)
2020-21 MVP Hockey checklist (Trading Card DB)

2020-21 MVP Hockey card images:

2020-21 MVP Hockey #106 – Alex Ovechkin

2020-21 MVP Hockey #106 – Alex Ovechkin (back)

2020-21 MVP Hockey #23 – Brock Nelson

2020-21 MVP Hockey #76 – Jamie Benn

2020-21 MVP Hockey #125 – Patrick Marleau
Even though Marleau was a Penguins player when this set came out, he is pictured with the Sharks. Coincidentally, Marleau signed with the Sharks after this card came out.

2020-21 MVP Hockey #219 – Steven Stamkos (short print)

2020-21 MVP Hockey #230 – Gage Quinney (RC, short print)

2020-21 MVP Hockey #221 – Michael DiPietro (RC, short print)

2020-21 MVP Hockey – Puzzle Back Variants

2020-21 MVP Hockey #161 – Sebastian Aho Silver Scripts Parallel

2020-21 MVP Hockey #8 – Nick Foligno Super Script Parallel (16/25)

2020-21 MVP Hockey Retro Parallel #74 – Matthew Tkachuk

2020-21 MVP Hockey Colors and Contour #66 – Liam Foudy (160/250)

2020-21 MVP Hockey Mirror Mirror insert #MM-9 – Brad Marchand

2020-21 MVP Hockey Net Crashers inserts #NC-2 – Nathan MacKinnon

2020-21 MVP Hockey High Speed inserts #HS-1 – Connor McDavid

2020-21 MVP Hockey – Unopened Hobby Box

Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk.
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG.
Podcast music by Jim “Not the Goalie” Howard.

Subscribe to the Puck Junk Hockey Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, 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. ■

Puck Junk Podcast: 2020-21 O-Pee-Chee Hockey Cards

Episode #70: October 15, 2020

It’s been a month, but we’re back! In the latest Puck Junk Hockey Podcast, Sal Barry and Tim Parish discuss some of the offseason moves by NHL teams. They also talk about the upcoming Virtual Expo 2.0 and new hockey card releases. Then the guys take a long, detailed look at the 2020-21 O-Pee-Chee Hockey card set by Upper Deck.

Show Notes, Links and Images:
The Virtual Expo 2.0 (Show Site)
President’s Choice Trading Cards Game Used (President’s Choice Website)
2020-21 O-Pee-Chee Hockey checklist (Cardboard Connection)

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee card images:

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee #398 – Patrick Marleau
…forever immortalized as a Penguins player

Card backs have up to 10 seasons of stats.

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee #330 – Mika Zibanejad

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee #33 – Connor McDavid

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee #289 – Sidney Crosby

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee #521 – Gage Quinney (Marquee Rookies)

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee #550 – Wayne Gretzky (Marquee Legends)

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee #584 – Leon Draisaitl (League Leaders)

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee #188 – Nathan Beaulieu (Blue Border Parallel)

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee #12 – Travis Zajac (Red Parallel, because WHY NOT?)

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee #18 – Duncan Keith (Retro Parallel)

Retro Parallel card backs look a lot like early 1980s O-Pee-Chee card backs.

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee #213 – Phil Kessel (Retro Black Border Parallel)

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee – Premier “Tall Boys” Inserts #P-12 – Brent Burns.
Tall Boys or Small Boys? You decide.

O-Pee-Chee Premier card backs are printed in full color.

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee – Playing Cards 3♥ – Pekka Rinne

Playing Card Backs are black with gold ink.

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee Hockey – sealed box

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee Hockey – sealed pack

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee Hockey packs are somewhat difficult to open.

Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk.
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG.
Podcast music by Jim “Not the Goalie” Howard.

Subscribe to the Puck Junk Hockey Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, 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. ■

Re-Imagining the 1995 NHL Entry Draft

With the 2020 NHL Entry Draft finally taking place this week, it is time for my annual retro fantasy redraft. This time, we’re traveling back 25 years to 1995 — the year that the New Jersey Devils won their first Stanley Cup and “The Macarena” ruled the airwaves.

The 1995 NHL Entry Draft was the second draft in a row where the top two players selected were defensemen. In fact, the top three picks in 1995 were d-men. Meanwhile, a future 600-goal scorer was taken 11th overall, while a future Vezina Trophy winner wouldn’t be selected until the 5th round!

Knowing what we know today, what would the first round of the 1995 NHL Entry Draft look like? Who would go first overall? Fifth overall? Twenty-fifth-overall? Let’s find out!

“And with the first-overall pick, the Ottawa Senators select…”

Continue reading “Re-Imagining the 1995 NHL Entry Draft”

Puck Junk Podcast: 2001-02 Fleer Greats of the Game Hockey

Episode #69: September 15, 2020

In this episode of the Puck Junk Hockey Podcast, Sal Barry and Tim Parish talk about the 2001-02 Fleer Greats of the Game Hockey card set, which has an impressive lineup of Hall of Famers and hometown heroes. They also talk about the latest hockey collectibles from Upper Deck and Topps. This episode is 90 minutes of pure hockey goodness.

Show Notes, Links and Images:
Topps Now Hockey Stickers archive with print run info (Topps)
Upper Deck Game Dated Moments for Week 49 (Upper Deck Blog)
Fake “New Kids on the Ice” hockey card (Puck Junk)
Wayne Gretzky Fake Indianapolis Racers hockey card (Puck Junk)
2001-02 Fleer Greats of the Game Checklist (Trading Card DB)

2001-02 Fleer Greats of the Game card images:

2001-02 Fleer Greats of the Game #1 – Gordie Howe…er, I mean Mr. Hockey

2001-02 Fleer Greats of the Game #1 – Mr. Hockey (back)

2001-02 Fleer Greats of the Game #87 – Rick Kehoe

2001-02 Fleer Greats of the Game #87 – Rick Kehoe (back)

2001-02 Fleer Greats of the Game #72 – Mike Bossy

2001-02 Fleer Greats of the Game #81 – Mario Lemieux

2001-02 Fleer Greats of the Game #19 – Tony Esposito

2001-02 Fleer Greats of the Game #64 – Chico Resch

2001-02 Fleer Greats of the Game #59 – Michel Goulet

2001-02 Fleer Greats of the Game #26 – Ulf Nilsson

2001-02 Fleer Greats of the Game #88 – Gump Worsley

2001-02 Fleer Greats of the Game #20 – Guy Lapointe
Allegedly, Lapointe will not autograph this card.

2001-02 Fleer Greats of the Game #34 – Wendel Cark

2001-02 Fleer Greats of the Game #70 – Rick Middleton

2001-02 Fleer Greats of the Game Sealed Hobby Box

Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk.
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG.
Podcast music by Jim “Not the Goalie” Howard.

Subscribe to the Puck Junk Hockey Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, 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. ■

How to Build an Awesome-Looking Sports Card Library

Sports card collections are always a work in progress caught somewhere between chaos and order, but every card enthusiast has some method of organization that helps them enjoy their collection. Putting my cards into pages and albums, then storing them on bookcases, has helped me tame the chaos. This way, I can quickly find a specific card or set to look at and enjoy; or easily put away a new card when I add it to my collection. A fellow collector once remarked that my collection looked like “The Library of Congress for Hockey Cards,” which I took as a huge compliment. If you have a little floor space in your bedroom, rec room or “man cave,” you too can create your own impressive sports card library.

Here is what you will need: Read the rest of the story at the BCW Supplies Blog.

Puck Junk Podcast: 1982-83 O-Pee-Chee Hockey Cards

Episode #68: August 28, 2020

In the latest Puck Junk Hockey Podcast, Sal Barry and Tim Parish look back at the 1982-83 O-Pee-Chee Hockey Card set. They also discuss the pause of the NHL playoffs due to players protesting systemic racism, the legacy of Dale Hawerchuk, Mike Milbury putting his shoe in his mouth one too many times, the problem with Topps NOW Hockey stickers, and much more. This episode is 2 hours 8 minutes, so kick back and enjoy!

Show Notes, Links and Images:
NHL Postpones Games Until Saturday (NHL.com)
Dale Hawerchuk’s page on the Hockey Hall of Fame Website (HHOF)
NBC Removes Mike Milbury Due to Comments (Yahoo Sports)
Review of “The Don Cherry Story, Part 1” (Puck Junk)
Review of “The Don Cherry Story, Part 2” (Puck Junk)
Marc-Andre Fleury Asks Agent to Delete Controversial Tweet (NBC PHT)
Topps Now NHL Sticker Archive with Print Runs (Topps)
2020-21 Upper Deck MVP Hockey Checklist (Cardboard Connection)

The 1981-82 Oilers card of Wayne Gretzky with a mullet…

…looking like Jack Blades from the band Night Ranger.

Images of the 1982-83 O-Pee-Chee Hockey Card set:

1982-83 OPC #106 – Wayne Gretzky

1982-83 OPC #106 – Wayne Gretzky (back)

1982-83 OPC #380- Dale Hawerchuk rookie card

1982-83 OPC #105 – Grant Fuhr rookie card

1982-83 OPC #123 – Ron Francis rookie card

1982-83 OPC #307 – Joe Mullen rookie card

1982-83 OPC #342 – Marc Crawford rookie card.
More about this card here.

1982-83 OPC #327 – Bob McGill rookie card

1982-83 OPC #48 – Steve Konroyd rookie card

1982-83 OPC #165 – Dino Ciccarelli second card

1982-83 OPC #292 – Peter Stastny second card

1982-83 OPC #252 – Mark Howe

1982-83 OPC #64 – Tony Esposito

1982-83 OPC #265 – Randy Carlyle.
Note the “UFO” in the lower-left corner

1982-83 OPC #107 – Wayne Gretzky “In Action”

1982-83 OPC #40 – Mel Bridgeman “In Action”…or is it “Inaction“…?

1982-83 OPC #238 Paul Baxter Penalty Minutes Leaders

1982-83 OPC #4 – Mikko Leinonen Record Breakers.
Tim thinks that he looks like Peter Dinklage.

1982-83 OPC Hockey Wrapper

Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk.
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG.
Podcast music by Jim “Not the Goalie” Howard.

Subscribe to the Puck Junk Hockey Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, 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. ■

2019-20 Topps Hockey Stickers Box Break #3

This is my third and final box of 2019-20 Topps Hockey Stickers. With each box containing 250 stickers, my hope was that I would get pretty close to having a complete 630-sticker set. The first box gave me over 39% of the set, while the second box put me at 62%. While I know that I am not going to get every sticker that I need, my hope is that I am at a respectable enough number that I could finish the set off in a few trades.

Continue reading “2019-20 Topps Hockey Stickers Box Break #3”

2019-20 Topps Hockey Stickers Box Break #2

If you want to build a set of 2019-20 Topps Hockey Stickers, you’re going to need to buy many packs. Considering that you get five stickers per pack and there are 630 stickers in the set, you would need to purchase at least 126 packs, or about 2-1/2 boxes. I purchased three boxes — each has 50 packs — and posted the results of the first box last week.

Opening packs of stickers is not for the “hit chasers,” as there are no hits to speak of. Really, a good box is one that has few doubles in its collation; a great box is one that has very few doubles from the previous box. Hopefully, this box is a “hit” by not giving me most of the stickers that I got in my previous box. So, without further ado, here are the results of my second box break of 2019-20 Topps Hockey Stickers:

Continue reading “2019-20 Topps Hockey Stickers Box Break #2”

2019-20 Topps Hockey Stickers Box Break #1

I bought three boxes of 2019-20 Topps Hockey Stickers way back in January, but a lot of stuff happened in my life that kept me from opening and sorting through them. When the NHL restarted its season in late July, I finally had the time and the motivation to open my sticker boxes to try and build a set.

The 2019-20 season is the first time in a long time that Topps made any sort of tangible hockey collectible; the company last made hockey cards for the 2003-04 season. Topps also made sticker albums way back during the 1982-83 and 1983-84 seasons. Over the past three decades, Panini was the preeminent manufacturer of hockey stickers until Topps got the license for the 2019-20 season.

About 2019-20 Topps Hockey Stickers

2019-20 Topps Hockey Stickers cost about $1 per pack and contain five stickers: four regular stickers and one shiny “foil” sticker. Boxes contain $50 packs and can be bought from the Topps Online Shop. However, you can find boxes in the $30-$40 range on Ebay and from various online card retailers.

Interestingly, the stickers come in foil wrappers that are “crimped” at the top and bottom, just like how sports trading cards are packaged today.

There are 630 stickers in the 2019-20 Topps Hockey Sticker collection, so you would need three boxes to hope to make a complete set. Here is what I got in my first box.

Continue reading “2019-20 Topps Hockey Stickers Box Break #1”

No Stanley For Old Men: 2020 Edition

Which Grey Beard in the “Playoff Bubble” Do You Want to See Win the Stanley Cup?

It took what felt like forever, but Round One of the 2020 NHL Playoffs is finally underway. (And yes, this blog post is two days late; I’m working on “Quarantine Time” here, so bear with me.) After a four-and-a-half month pause, followed by Round Robin and Qualifying Round games, we have our 16 playoff teams, ready to put it all on the line to be winners of the 2020 Stanley Cup Championship.

But with the playoffs, the inevitable questions are always raised:

What player hasn’t yet won the Stanley Cup yet during their career?

What grizzled old vet will retire at season’s end without ever hoisting the Stanley Cup?

What all-time will never get to sip champagne from Lord Stanley’s Cup?

And considering the COVID-19 pandemic, I don’t think any NHL player is going to want to drink from the Stanley Cup this October. Regardless, there are players who play for nearly two decades who will never have the opportunity to drink from the Cup then think better of it.

Every year, playoff teams are chock-full of young, eager players who have seemingly all the time in the world to win the toughest championship trophy to win in all of sports. But every team also has some more experienced players who know that they don’t have all the time in the world, or even a wily old veteran that has stuck around to give it one more go before hanging ’em up.

Here is a look at the oldest player on each 2020 Stanley Cup playoff team and why we’re hoping for each one of them to win, even if we don’t like the team they play on.

Continue reading “No Stanley For Old Men: 2020 Edition”