Category: Hockey Cards

Review: 2023-24 Boston Bruins Centennial Box Set

100 Years, 100 Boston Bruins Greats

The Boston Bruins turns 100 years old this season. The team was founded in 1924 and was the first National Hockey League team to play in the United States. Upper Deck recently released a boxed set commemorating 100 of the best players to wear the black and gold – and sometimes brown and gold – for Boston. 

Costing around $50, the Bruins Centennial Box Set contains the entire 100-card set. You also get four parallel cards and one insert card, while some sets may also have a card autographed by a famous Bruins player. 

Here is a closer look at the set’s design, player selection – and if it is worth buying.

Continue reading “Review: 2023-24 Boston Bruins Centennial Box Set”

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. 

Continue reading “Card of the Week: Connie Madigan”

Box Break: 2023 Team Canada Juniors Hockey Cards

The 2023 Team Canada Juniors set was released in November of 2023. The set features Canadian players who played in the 2023 Under-20 World Junior Championship and the 2023 Under-18 World Junior Championship, as well as women who play on the Canadian Women’s National Team. 

2023 Team Canada Juniors hockey cards cost around $230 for a 15-pack hobby box. Each pack has six cards. The box – which pictures Connor Bedard on it – claims that you can get “at least 4 hits per box!” Bedard also happens to be the main reason why a box of 2023 Team Canada Juniors is rather pricey; it is possible to get an autographed card of Bedard, who was drafted first overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2023. Bedard also has two cards in the base set, one card in the  short-printed “Program of Excellence” subset, several insert cards – plus the plethora of parallels those cards have. 

In other words, if you are looking for cards of Connor Bedard, this is a good box to break. 

Besides autographed cards, other hits you can get in a box of these cards includes a jersey card or a high-end insert card printed on plexiglass. 

I recently opened a hobby box of 2023 Team Canada Juniors. Here is what was inside. 

Continue reading “Box Break: 2023 Team Canada Juniors Hockey Cards”

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! 

Continue reading “The Puck Junk Bad Hockey Card Hall of Fame: Class of 2023”

Box Break: 2022-23 Skybox Metal Universe Hockey Cards

Now three years into its comeback, Skybox Metal Universe hockey cards feature colorful designs of NHL players superimposed over space backdrops, with metal design elements. Hence, “metal” and “universe.” The cards are also printed on shiny, foil cardstock, While the designs aren’t quite as over-the-top as the Metal Universe cards from the 1990s, they will still appeal to both oldschool collectors who remember those sets, as well as the newer collectors who want something different.

A hobby box of 2022-23 Skybox Metal Universe contains 15 packs. Each pack has seve cards, for a total of 105 cards. Hobby boxes originally cost around $130, but are now down to around $120 per box. A box has 15 various insert cards – including autographs, though those are not guaranteed – and 30 short-printed cards.

I recently opened a hobby box of 2022-23 Skybox Metal Universe hockey cards. Here is what was inside.

Continue reading “Box Break: 2022-23 Skybox Metal Universe Hockey Cards”

2021-22 Credentials Hockey Box Break

The 2021-22 Credentials Hockey set by Upper Deck was released in August 2023, just a few months shy of the 2023-24 hockey season. That makes Credentials a bit of an “old” product, with rookie cards from almost two seasons ago. More so, Credentials also contains cards from the cancelled 2020-21 Credentials cards, as well as rookie update cards from 2019-20 Credentials – meaning, you can get rookie cards from three different seasons in one box!

A box of 2021-22 Credentials hockey has eight packs. Each pack has six cards for a total of 48 cards. When 2021-22 Credentials was released, it cost about $150 per box. Now, it’s around $110 per box. A hobby box contains either an autographed card OR a non-autographed acetate card.

I recently opened a box of 2021-22 Credentials. Here’s what I got in my box. 

Continue reading “2021-22 Credentials Hockey Box Break”

2021-22 Stature Hockey Box Break

Upper Deck’s Stature Hockey cards, first released during the 2019-20 season, features serial-numbered cards printed on thick, shiny foil stock. These accoutrements give Stature a sense of gravitas to them. The cards are shiny and thick, while most are numbered. Upper Deck released its 2021-22 Stature Hockey set in August of 2023; yes, that is a full year after the season it is based on had ended! 

Regardless, if you liked Stature hockey cards from the past two seasons, then you will like the 2021-22 Stature set as well. A hobby box contains eight cards and costs around $145. That’s a bit cheaper than last year, when Stature was selling for around $180 for an eight-card box.

A box of 2021-22 Stature Hockey contains two base cards, one rookie card, one autographed card, one insert card, and two numbered parallel cards. The eight card in the box is either an additional rookie card, autographed card, or numbered parallel. 

I finally got my hands on a hobby box of 2021-22 Stature Hockey. Here is what is inside. 

Continue reading “2021-22 Stature Hockey Box Break”

2022-23 Upper Deck AHL Hockey Box Break

Upper Deck issued its 2022-23 American Hockey League trading card set in June of 2023. The set has 150 cards of AHL players – some prospects who will go onto long careers in the NHL, and others who played a handful of NHL games but went on to long careers in “The A.” 

Fortunately for minor league hockey card enthusiasts, this set isn’t too hard to put together. There are 100 base cards and 50 short-printed Star Rookies – and you get one Star Rookie in each pack!

A box of 2022-23 Upper Deck AHL costs around $50 and has 12 packs. Each pack has 10 cards. Here’s a look at what’s inside a box of 2022-23 Upper Deck AHL. 

Continue reading “2022-23 Upper Deck AHL Hockey Box Break”

2022-23 Upper Deck Synergy Box Break

First released during the 2017-18 season, Upper Deck Synergy hockey cards feature all the bells and whistles. Synergy cards are two layers thick. Like past years, the 2022-23 Synergy cards have a top layer that is printed on die-cut foil board, and a bottom layer is printed on clear plastic. 

One thing that makes Synergy an odd release is that the base cards are very hard to find. You read that right; the base cards are tough pulls. Synergy base cards of veteran players are serial-numbered to 13 copies each, while Synergy rookie cards are numbered to 23 copies each. What you will normally get in a box is mainly Red Parallels, which some may mistake for the base cards.

That said, Synergy is not a cheap product. A box has eight packs, with each pack containing three cards, for a total of 24 cards. When 2022-23 Synergy launched at the end of June 2023, a box was $100; now the price has settled to $85. 

I opened a hobby box of 2022-23 Synergy. Here is what was inside. 

Continue reading “2022-23 Upper Deck Synergy Box Break”