News & Views

Clemente’s Corner: Celebrini The Real Teal In Sharks Rebuild Year

“Do You Know the Way to San Jose” remains a popular song. It’s catchy. It has a good beat. I has endured the test of time. First released in 1968 by singer Dionne Warwick, it also remains an homage to the California city. 

Fast forward 56 years and Macklin Celebrini did find his way to San Jose. The No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NHL Entry Draft, Celebrini is also hoping to endure the test of time by having a very strong first pro season. 

Like the song, the 18-year-old center in a Sharks uniform also marks a homecoming of sorts. In fact, the Vancouver native is no stranger to San Jose. As a child, he moved to California and played for the San Jose Junior Sharks AAA team. As a member of the U14 team, Celebrini featured in 54 games and amassed an astonishing 49 goals and 45 assists for 94 points.

In addition, Celebrini – nicknamed “The Cheetah” because of his speed – has added hype to card collecting this season. All No. 1 picks typically do. How he will do in the coming weeks and months will have a huge impact on his rookie card values. For starters, he had a goal and an assist in his first game at SAP Center, a 4-2 preseason loss on Sept. 22 to the Vegas Golden Knights.

In the hopes that Celebrini will be a favorite among collectors, Upper Deck signed Celebrini to an exclusive autograph deal back in July.

“We’re committed to bringing fans even closer to their favorite NHL players, and the addition of Celebrini reflects our dedication to showcasing both seasoned legends and emerging stars,” said Upper Deck President Jason Masherah. “We’re proud to represent him at such an exciting time in his career and look forward to capturing his success on the ice once he makes his NHL debut.”

I caught up with Celebrini at last month’s NHLPA Rookie Showcase, organized in conjunction with Upper Deck, in Arlington, Va. During his appearance there, Celebrini took the time to discuss the upcoming NHL season, playing alongside a former rival and his favorite hockey card ever.  

Continue reading “Clemente’s Corner: Celebrini The Real Teal In Sharks Rebuild Year”

Clemente’s Corner: Josh Doan Takes Father-Son Legacy to Utah

Josh Doan

If the name Josh Doan sounds familiar it’s because you may remember his father, Shane.

The elder Doan spent his entire 21-year NHL career with the Arizona Coyotes franchise, beginning with the original Winnipeg Jets in 1995 before playing in Phoenix for two decades. He was the last remaining player active in the NHL from the original Jets before he announced his retirement in 2017.

Last season, his son Josh made his debut for Arizona. But his Coyotes career only lasted 11 games. The franchise relocated to Salt Lake City over the summer, where they will be known as the Utah Hockey Club this coming season.

Doan got the chance to put on the new Utah jersey for the very first time this Wednesday when he attended the NHLPA Rookie Showcase in Arlington, Va. The annual event – held in cooperation with Upper Deck – allows the card company to take photos and collect autographs of the 35 rookies in attendance to be used in future releases.

Doan, sporting the new Utah jersey for the very first time, talked about the coming season, what it’s like to be on a new team and what cards he liked to collect as a child. 

Continue reading “Clemente’s Corner: Josh Doan Takes Father-Son Legacy to Utah”

Interlocking Card Frames Make a Great Wall Display

You put a lot of time, passion, and money into your collection. So, it is only natural that you would want to display your best cards – either graded or ungraded – on your wall. BCW Interlocking Card Frames are a great way to display your cardboard treasures for the world to see. They are versatile, easy to hang, fit together nicely, and add a touch of class to your display. Read the rest of the story at the BCW Supplies Blog.

The 2024-25 Collecting Season Starts Today

Launch of MVP Signals Start of New Collecting Year

Happy New Collecting Year!

Today, Upper Deck released its 2024-25 MVP Hockey card set. In recent history, MVP is always the first hockey set released for the season – meaning that the 2024-25 hockey collecting season has officially begun.

Like previous years’ MVP sets, the 2024-25 MVP Hockey set consists of 200 base cards and 50 short prints. The 50 short prints are either of rookies who made their debuts late during the previous season – a.k.a. “Leftover Rookies,” as I like to call them – or of star NHL players.

Of course, there are parallels and inserts galore, as well as the chance of pulling a redemption card that can be exchanged for a “Number One Draft Pick” card of Sharks’ rookie Macklin Celebrini.

With the start of hockey season still over six weeks away, it does seem a bit premature to release cards for the new season. I mean, some of us are still trying to complete several sets from the 2023-24 season.

Continue reading “The 2024-25 Collecting Season Starts Today”

Clemente’s Corner: Why Fanatics Fest Was Better for Hockey Fans Than the National

It’s been quite a busy summer for card and memorabilia collectors. Over the span of just a few weeks, both the National Sports Collectors Convention and Fanatics Fest NYC took place in Cleveland and New York, respectively.

Many of you went to one of these big shows. Some may have even gone to both. I was among that group who walked thousands of steps in an effort to compare the two shows and figure out which one was better.  

So, which one was the better show?

The answer depends largely on what you were looking for. The National is a card and memorabilia show with autograph signers. Fanatics Fest was sold as the first-ever “immersive sports festival” that also had a card show as a part of it. They, too, had signers, but it was much bigger and the production value high enough to make it a first-class event.

Here are three reasons why Fanatics Fest NYC was better than this year’s National when it comes to hockey fans and collectors:

Continue reading “Clemente’s Corner: Why Fanatics Fest Was Better for Hockey Fans Than the National”

Tim’s Take: Hobby Re-Packs in a Post-Pandemic Society

As Marvin Gaye once pined, “Life Is a Gamble.”

If you know that obscure song (more of an ambiance piece) from the Trouble Man soundtrack, kudos to you and your good taste in music.

But it’s true. Life IS a gamble. The phenomenon of re-pack products for trading cards has pushed its way to the forefront of the hobby over the last few years and surely tests that cliche.

If you want my personal, honest opinion on these right off the top, well, “JUST DON’T!”

There, done, article over.

But what’s the fun in that?

Continue reading “Tim’s Take: Hobby Re-Packs in a Post-Pandemic Society”

My Recap of the 2024 National Sports Collectors Convention

Last month, the 44th annual National Sports Collectors Convention took place in Cleveland, Ohio. And for the fourth year in a row, I set up at the National to sell hockey cards and Puck Junk t-shirts, and to promote the Puck Junk Podcast.

As much fun as it is to be at a five-day card show, it is also a grind. Continue reading “My Recap of the 2024 National Sports Collectors Convention”

Visit Puck Junk at the National This Week

Drop by Booth #700 and Get a Free “Bad Hockey Card” Set

I will be at the National Sports Collectors Convention in Cleveland later this week to sell some t-shirts and hockey cards – and to promote the Puck Junk Podcast. 

Are you coming to the National this year? Visit me at Booth #700 – with Memory Lane and AU Sports, near the entrance and across from the food court. Here’s an easy map that shows how to find me: 

Drop by Booth #700, say hi, and get a free set of Bad Hockey Card Hall of Fame Trading Cards – All New Series 2! Continue reading “Visit Puck Junk at the National This Week”

Lack of Hockey Guests at the 2024 National is a Letdown

HOF Goalie Hasek Only Hockey Star at the NSCC

I’ve been thinking about the upcoming National Sports Collectors Convention a lot lately, which will take place in Cleveland July 24-28. The annual, five-day sports card and memorabilia show is always something I look forward to. Although baseball cards make up the majority of what is for sale at the NSCC, you can always find hockey cards, jerseys, and other great memorabilia pieces if you look.

However, what you won’t find at the National this year are many former hockey players signing autographs. In fact, there will be only one hockey autograph guest at the National this year: Hall of Fame goalie Dominik Hasek. 

While Hasek is an awesome guest, having just one hockey autograph guest at the biggest card show in the world is a huge letdown.

Continue reading “Lack of Hockey Guests at the 2024 National is a Letdown”

Tim’s Take: COMC & e-Pack – The Race to the Bottom

In January 2016, Upper Deck launched an online platform that gave collectors a way to collect and trade digital trading cards. They called this platform e-Pack. As part of that experience, they added the ability to parlay those digital cards, via the act of “combining” various quantities, to create actual physical cards. For the user, the process was simple: collect cards, trade cards, or have your cards shipped directly to you. 

At the same time, Upper Deck also announced a partnership with an online marketplace to act as the fulfillment center for their physical product. That marketplace was Check Out My Cards, or COMC as the hobby has grown to know it. After the initial glitches were worked out, it became an easy way for collectors and users of their platform to make a few bucks on their digital-to-physical cards. Emphasis on a few bucks.

Continue reading “Tim’s Take: COMC & e-Pack – The Race to the Bottom”