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

Top Ten Hockey Player Pick-Up Lines

Where were you today in 1998?

Me? I was parked in front of my television, excitedly anticipating the start of the hockey games in the 1998 Winter Olympics. This was the first time that the NHL would allow its best players to compete in the Olympic Games, which were held in Nagano, Japan that year. Many Americans, including myself, had high expectations for Team USA, especially considering that they won the World Cup of Hockey tournament in 1996.

But, the Men’s Ice Hockey Team performance — and off-ice conduct — was nothing short of a disaster in those games. (Fortunately, the Women’s Team redeemed the U.S. and won the Gold.) A few hours before their first game, against Sweden on February 13, 1998, David Letterman featured a hockey-themed Top-Ten List.  Below is the transcript, Continue reading “Top Ten Hockey Player Pick-Up Lines”

Ilya Bryzgalov “Mad” Music Video


This is currently my favorite video on YouTube. It combines Ilya Bryzgalov’s famous “Why you have to be mad?” quote with MAGIC!’s  hit singe “Rude.” The visuals are funny, in a bad Photoshop sort of way, and the lyrics make sense if you have followed Bryzgalov’s career the past decade. Continue reading “Ilya Bryzgalov “Mad” Music Video”

The Hextalls article on The Hockey News

Hextalls LogoIn case you missed it, I recently had an article published on The Hockey News website about a Canadian pop punk band named The Hextalls. They are releasing their newest album on February 14, and have been around since the late 1990s. If you like rock music, see my article at the THN website. Should you decide that you want to give these guys a listen, you can stream their last few albums over at Grooveshark. I recommend  “Pacman,” “I Don’t Wanna be a New York Ranger,” and “I Bred this Beard for Slaughter” to get a good idea of what their music is like. ■

Pack Break: 2014-15 Panini NHL Stickers

wrapper_frontEven though they lost their license to make NHL trading cards, Panini is soldiering on with their annual hockey sticker set for 2014-15. I probably won’t collect this year’s sticker set, but I’m still glad it came out. Panini has made NHL sticker sets since 1987-88, and it is nice to see that trend continue. Plus, this gives people a choice if they don’t want to collect any of Upper Deck’s offerings. A pack costs $1.00 and has seven stickers. There are 500 stickers in the set. I recently bought a pack to see what this year’s set was like. Continue reading “Pack Break: 2014-15 Panini NHL Stickers”

Career in Cards: Martin Brodeur

2000-01_VintageMartin Brodeur announced his retirement yesterday, ending a remarkable NHL career. During the past two-plus decades, Brodeur won many awards and set a lot of records. He also had a diverse array of hockey cards over the past 25 years. When Brodeur was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in 1990, trading cards were just plain pieces of cardboard. By the time Brodeur’s career ended, cards were as decorated as he was. Here’s a look at the past 25 years of Martin Brodeur’s career, illustrated with some of his best hockey cards. Continue reading “Career in Cards: Martin Brodeur”

Chicago Stadium 60th Anniversary Patch

chicago_stadium_patchLongtime Chicago Blackhawks fans may recognize this patch. It was issued in 1989 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Chicago Stadium, which was the home of the Blackhawks back then, as well as the NBA’s Chicago Bulls. I missed out on getting this patch when it was a giveaway in 1989. Since then, it has been on my want list — but I finally nabbed one! Continue reading “Chicago Stadium 60th Anniversary Patch”

1996-97 Donruss Elite Eric Lindros & Mario Lemieux uncirculated autograph

lindros_lemieuxThe shiny card you see here is from the 1996-97 Donruss Elite Hart to Hart insert set. I purchased it from a dealer recently. However, there is good reason to believe that this card may have “escaped” from the Donruss facility in 1997 and was never circulated in packs. Continue reading “1996-97 Donruss Elite Eric Lindros & Mario Lemieux uncirculated autograph”

What’s That Song in the 2015 NHL All-Star Game Commercial?

If you live in the U.S., chances are you’ve seen the above commercial for the upcoming NHL All-Star Game — probably ten times an hour when watching your favorite team on TV. Visually, it’s a pretty cool commercial, with elite NHL players as celestial bodies in the sky, playing hockey among the stars. But if that tune playing in the ad has started to grow on you after hearing it for the 40th time, you’re probably asking, hey, what’s that generic-sounding alt-rock noise in the background?

Well, I’m glad you asked. Continue reading “What’s That Song in the 2015 NHL All-Star Game Commercial?”

Career in Cards: Jean-Paul “J.P.” Parise

1971-72_OPCJean-Paul “J.P.” Parise passed away on Wednesday at the age of 73 after a year-long battle with lung cancer. It’s always tough to see one of our hockey heroes pass away, and though I never saw Parise play, I admired him. He had a steady, 12-year career in the NHL, reaching the 20-goal mark seven times. Parise also represented Canada in the 1972 Summit Series against the Soviet Union. He reached the 20-goal plateau seven times. Here is a look back at his career achievements as a player, illustrated with his hockey cards. Continue reading “Career in Cards: Jean-Paul “J.P.” Parise”