Hockey Cards

1994-95 Action Packed Big Picture Collectible Promo Posters

packaging_frontFormer trading card company Action Packed had big plans to make hockey collectibles for the 1994-95 season. But those plans never unfolded. One odd set that was promoted in 1994 but never released was Big Picture, a series of 84 card-sized collectibles that unfolded to reveal a poster. Continue reading “1994-95 Action Packed Big Picture Collectible Promo Posters”

Career in Cards: Daniel Alfredsson

2005-06_bDaniel Alfredsson officially retired yesterday after participating in a pregame skate with the Ottawa Senators, then giving his retirement speech. He spent 18 seasons in the NHL. Alfredsson won rookie if the year honors in 1996, played in the All-Star Game six times, and was a point-per-game player for most of his career. Most of these accomplishments were during the “dead puck era,” where NHL scoring steadily declined. Here’s a look back at Alfredsson’s career — with the help of a few trading cards. Continue reading “Career in Cards: Daniel Alfredsson”

Cards of Martin Brodeur in his new jersey

1971-72_brodeurMartin Brodeur signed a contract with the St. Louis Blues yesterday. No doubt, cards of Brodeur as a Blues player will be included in upcoming sets like Upper Deck Series Two.

But why wait for that? Why even wait for an official photo of Marty donning the Blue note? Thirty years ago, card companies didn’t wait; they took matters into their own hands — and so did I.

Want a card of Brodeur with the Blues? Well, I made four. Continue reading “Cards of Martin Brodeur in his new jersey”

2014-15 Upper Deck Series 1 box break #1

box_1Upper Deck Hockey is the one set I’ve looked forward to each year for the past 25 years. It’s a great mix of  high-quality production values, a decent-sized base set (when counting Series 1 and 2), plus all the rookies that matter. So, of course when this year’s set came out, you know I had to buy a box or three. There’s nothing more relaxing than watching a hockey game while opening up some cards. And that’s just what I did. Continue reading “2014-15 Upper Deck Series 1 box break #1”

Deja Vu Tuesday: Phil Esposito

espo_1I like this photo of Phil Esposito. His hair is a mess, his face contemplative.  It’s a great portrait of the Hall of Fame center. You can see the captain’s “C,” the double 7s — the reason Wayne Gretzky decided it was OK to wear double 9s — and the Rangers shield logo. The O-Pee-Chee card company must have liked it too, because they used it again, even when they probably shouldn’t have. Continue reading “Deja Vu Tuesday: Phil Esposito”

Card of the Week: Wrong City Lights

not_raleigh_smallEditor’s Note: Jim Howard is a new Puck Junk contributor.Show him some love and leave him a comment below.

A few years ago, Panini released a cool, relatively inexpensive hockey series called Pinnacle. One of the nicer points was that it didn’t dole out the same stats that you found on every card that year, but rather told you a story about that player featured on the cards.

Pinnacle’s autograph and jersey swatch cards were labeled as “City Lights” and went further by showing a player, gargantuan size, floating in front of their team’s city sky-line as if they’re in the process of receiving a pass from Godzilla and about to put it past King Kong — all the while informing of some special fact about the city or a historical event loosely related to that franchise. Neat; and I like jersey cards because they are good for collecting autographs!

Now, I know some collectors dislike jersey cards, especially cards that feature a swatch from the player’s previous team. But the Hurricanes card for the City Lights series sent me right over the edge! Since Jeff Skinner has only played for us, Panini couldn’t mess the jersey up. Instead they picture the wrong city. And not just any city, but Charlotte — Raleigh’s cross-state rival. Continue reading “Card of the Week: Wrong City Lights”