Card of the Week

The Puck Junk Bad Hockey Card Hall of Fame: Class of 2024

With 2024 coming to a close, it was now or never for announcing the Puck Junk Bad Hockey Card Hall of Fame: Class of 2024. But there’s nothing quite like a deadline to get things done, right? 

This year’s Hall of Fame class sees three new members added to the Bad Paint Job Category, four new members enshrined in the Bad Photograph Category, two new members honored in the Bad Idea Category, and – for the first time since 2021 – a new addition in the Bad Mascot Category. 

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Rookie Cards of Every NHL Head Coach for the 2023-24 Season

Every NHL head coach has either played or coached at some level before becoming a “bench boss” in The Show. Maybe he was a solid NHL player. Or maybe he was a minor leaguer who grinded out a career. Or maybe he quit playing after junior hockey and got into coaching at a relatively young age. 

Thus, almost every NHL head coach for the 2023-24 season had at least one hockey card issued during either their playing or coaching career. Here is each coach’s “rookie card” if they played in the NHL, or “first-ever” card if they played elsewhere. This list includes all the coaching changes made during the 2023-24 season. 

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Card of the Week: Who Are Those Guys?

1992-93 Wheeling Thunderbirds #20: Those Guys

You are probably asking yourself, who are “Those Guys” – those two middle-aged men clad in yellow polo shirts.

Are they the team’s owners? Coaches? Equipment guys?

The ushers? Ticket takers? Concession stand workers? 

Nope – they are the guys who produced a team set of minor league hockey cards. This might be the most self-serving hockey card of all time.

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Card of the Week: Connie Madigan

The NHL’s Oldest Rookie Made His Debut at Age 38 – and Got His Rookie Card 38 Years Later

On Tuesday, former minor hockey league legend Cornelius “Connie” Madigan passed away at age 89. He has the record of being the oldest rookie to play in the NHL, which he set when he suited up for the St. Louis Blues towards the end of the 1972-73 season at the age of 38. Madigan’s stint with the Blues indirectly lead to a bit part in the film Slap Shot, which indirectly led to him getting his own rookie card – albeit 38 years after his NHL debut. 

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The Puck Junk Bad Hockey Card Hall of Fame: Class of 2023

With the year winding down, it’s about time we enshrine some of the worst hockey cards ever made into the Puck Junk Bad Hockey Card Hall of Fame: Class of 2023. 

This year’s Bad Hockey Card Hall of Fame Class is headlined by three new members in the Bad Paint Job category as well as three members in the Bad Photo category. Also represented this year is the Bad Idea category, the Bad Mistake category, and the Bad Head Swap category. But really, is there such thing as a good head swap on a trading card? 

Anyway, I present to you, the Puck Junk Bad Hockey Card Hall of Fame: Class of 2023! 

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Rookie Cards of Every NHL Head Coach for the 2022-23 Season

Every NHL head coach has played hockey at some time in their life prior to stepping behind the bench. Some were NHL superstars, others grinded it out in the minors for years, while others got into coaching soon after their junior or collegiate careers came to an end. All 32 NHL coaches for the 2022-23 season has had at least one hockey card issued picturing them — either as a player or as a coach, because not all of them were “good enough” to get a card while they were playing.  

Here is my annual list of rookie cards for every head coach in the NHL this season — updated to include Rick Tocchet’s replacement of Bruce Boudreau midway through the season. I’ve also included the comparative monetary value of each card — spoiler alert: most are worth very little — as well as how tough it is to track down…you know, in case you want to start a John Tortorella hockey card collection. 

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The Puck Junk Bad Hockey Card Hall of Fame: Class of 2022

I’ve collected hockey cards for over 30 years, and in that time I’ve seen a lot of bad cards. Really bad cards. So, in 2017, I started the Puck Junk Bad Hockey Card Hall of Fame to spotlight the worst hockey cards ever made. 

Just as the Hockey Hall of Fame is enshrining new members this weekend, so too is the Puck Junk Bad Hockey Card Hall of Fame. This year, 10 pieces of cardboard get honored for being horrible — be it for bad photography, bad paintjobs, or just being awful all around. 

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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. 

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