Clemente’s Corner

Clemente’s Corner: The Greatest New York Rangers of All Time

Few NHL franchises carry the history and prestige of the New York Rangers. Founded in 1926 and playing at the iconic Madison Square Garden, the Rangers have long represented both the grandeur and the grit of New York City. From the Original Six era to the present, the franchise has featured some of the game’s best players.

Ranking the greatest Rangers of all time in its centennial season is no easy task. I started watching the team in 1986, some 40 years ago, and witnessed some highs (like winning the Stanley Cup in 1994) to many lows (like this season). The team’s history spans multiple eras. Greatness can be measured in different ways. For me, it’s both about impact on the team and a mix of individual awards and defining moments.

For a franchise with four Stanley Cups and 49 Hall of Fame players, narrowing the list was easy in some ways and difficult in others. For the purposes of this month’s post, I decided to create First and Second Teams aimed at capturing what it means to have been a successful member of the Broadway Blues.

Note that I do not consider Jaromir Jagr, Eric Lindros or even Wayne Gretzky among the best players to ever don a Rangers jersey. They were all great players, but not great Rangers.

Who does rank among the very best over the course of 100 years? The First Team represents the very best at each position. These are players who defined eras and set franchise standards. The Second Team honors those who were just a tier below but remain years later foundational to the team’s identity and success. 

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Clemente’s Corner: The 5 Best Olympic Hockey Jerseys of All Time

With the Winter Olympics starting later this week in Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo, hockey will once again take center stage in one of sport’s most exciting tournaments.

This edition will be even more special given that it marks the return of NHLers, like Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews and Rasmus Dahlin, to the Winter Olympics. This makes the tournament more competitive as ever given that the best players in the game will go head-to-head for a shot at a gold medal.

I love the Olympics (yes, even the curling), but the men’s and women’s ice hockey tournaments rank at the very top of my list. With national pride on the line – and maybe even a U.S. vs. Canada gold-medal game lurking in our future – it’s a 12-team tournament that can’t be missed.

In celebration of this quadrennial spectacle, here are my top 5 Olympic men’s hockey jerseys of all time:

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Clemente’s Corner: 3 Things Hockey Collectors Can Expect in 2026

I don’t have a crystal ball, but all indications are that this will once again be a big year for trading cards and collectables.

In a year where you have NHL stars competing at the Winter Olympics, Upper Deck pumping out new sets and some big shows filling our days and nights, the year is likely to be one of the most interesting and potentially impactful 12 months for hockey card collectors. Whether your focus is on Young Guns, international stars or show exclusives, this is a year worth planning for.

Here are three things to watch for this year.

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Clemente’s Corner: “The Next One” a Love Letter to Hockey’s Hidden Heroes

Ken Reid is quickly becoming one of hockey’s best authors. I have enjoyed his writing in recent years – and he’s done it again with his latest book, “The Next One: Hockey Scouts, Remote Rinks and Hidden Talent.” 

Reid’s book takes you to small-town rinks featuring players with big-league dreams. In his new book, Reid gives the reader a backstage pass to it all in what is certainly his most ambitious work to date. Reid’s book peels back the curtain on hockey’s hidden machinery — and he’s done it in a way that feels personal.

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Clemente’s Corner: 6 Great NHL Giveaways for the 2025-26 Season

Free giveaways have been a staple of sporting events – including NHL games – for decades. Over time, they have evolved from mere promotional items into sought-after collectibles.

While giveaways go back decades, the real interest in collecting them took off during the hobby boom in the 1990s, coinciding with the NHL’s growing emphasis on branding and fan engagement at a time when the league was expanding. Teams began releasing limited-edition items — especially bobblehead figures — that celebrated star players. Other items included t-shirts, tote bags, mugs and anything else you could slap a logo on.  

The giveaways created a sense of excitement when trying to decide which games to attend, driving up attendance on promotional nights and giving those items increased value on the secondary market. Over time, teams have gotten more creative when it comes to what they planned to hand out. That, too, helped grow value.

The collectability of giveaways stems from several factors – although limited availability remains a major factor. You just had to be at the game to get the item. These days, gameday giveaways are more than a marketing tool: they have become true artifacts of fandom.

Here are six notable giveaways NHL teams will he handing out during the 2025-26 season:

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Clemente’s Corner: Revisiting the 1985-86 7-Eleven Hockey Card Set

The 1985-86 7-Eleven “NHL Collectors’ Series” hockey card set is a distinctive and nostalgic release from the mid-1980s, produced during the start of what we now call the “junk wax era.” Sponsored by the 7-Eleven convenience store chain in Canada, the 25-card promotional set was issued as a limited-time offer, making it a favorite among collectors of oddball and regional hockey issues.

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Clemente’s Corner: Matthew Schaefer Ready to Anchor Islanders’ Future

When the New York Islanders stepped up to the podium at the 2025 NHL Draft, they didn’t just select a defenseman — they chose resilience.

Matthew Schaefer, an elite two-way blueliner from Ontario, was taken No. 1 overall this past June. At 6-foot-1 and loaded with skills that include smooth skating and crisp passing, Schaefer checks every box for a franchise looking to make the playoffs this season and be relevant again.  

But his game is only part of the story. The 17-year-old endured a year that would shake anyone – overcoming mono and sustaining a broken collarbone at the 2025 World Junior Championships. It also included the deaths – just months apart – of his mother and his billet mom. On draft night, he kissed a pink breast cancer ribbon stitched into his Islanders jersey.

Schaefer models his game after Cale Makar, but his mentality may be even more important to the Isles’ rebuild. Now, as he eyes his first NHL training camp, I caught up with Schaefer at the annual NHLPA Rookie Showcase, co-sponsored by Upper Deck, at the MedStar Capitals Iceplex near Washington, D.C.

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Clemente’s Corner: Hockey Cards a Surprise Hit at the 2025 National

The 45th edition of the National Sports Collectors Convention at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center on July 30 to August 3, 2025, was expected to be dominated by baseball.

And it was.

With nearly 700 vendors and record-breaking attendance, the five-day bonanza in Chicago was a massive showcase for cards and memorabilia.

What I didn’t anticipate – and was happily surprised by – was the large presence of both vintage and modern hockey cards across the show floor. Continue reading “Clemente’s Corner: Hockey Cards a Surprise Hit at the 2025 National”

Clemente’s Corner: The Sharks, Rollerblades and a Time Machine to the ‘90s

We collectors do love nostalgia. It’s a way to connect our memories about legendary teams, players and games to the present using small pieces of cardboard. It’s a wonderful pursuit and the reason why so many of us have binders full of cards on our shelves and in our closets from the 1980s and ‘90s.

Another way to connect with the past is through books. One book that will take hockey fans back to that analog time is Brad Porteus’s “Roll With It.” It’s a heartfelt and humorous memoir that delivers exactly what its subtitle promises: “A trip back to the ‘90s – Gen X style.”

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Clemente’s Corner: Fanatics Fest NYC has Become a Place for Hockey Fans

Fanatics Fest NYC is over and done with for this year. 

While some may be wondering if we even need another big card and memorabilia show, I’m here to tell you that we do. 

The reason? Aside from the fact that the second edition of FFNYC, which took place at the Jacob Javits Center in New York this past weekend, has modeled itself after Comic Con (over 500 athletes and celebrities were there), it’s also proven to be a show worth the time of hockey collectors. 

In fact, there was plenty of hockey to buy and see at this show — from cards to autograph guests — that I can say it has surpassed the National. 

Sure, nothing beats the Toronto Sport Card Expo when it comes to hockey, but FFNYC 2025 did have something for hockey collectors. 

Here’s a look at what you missed should you want to attend next year: 

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