Category: News

On Saturday, I received this form letter from Beckett Publications, encouraging me to re-subscribe to Beckett Hockey Magazine.  This seems like a very strange thing for Beckett to do.

In summary, the letter states that I can receive 7 issues for $29.95–a savings of more than 50% off of the cover price.

It also outlines these key features:

• Unparalleled coverage and card valuations you can trust
• Tips on hockey card collecting with reliable price guides
• Card stock winners and losers from the 2010 Olympics
• Insightful articles and fantastic action on most celebrated stars on the ice
• Hockey show calendar

Correct me if I’m wrong, but the first two bullet points sound like the same thing–“valuations you can trust” and “reliable price guides”. The 2010 Olympics is old news by now. The show calendar is helpful, but what’s this about “insightful articles?”

In a 176-page magazine, such as the January 2010 issue here, 140 are dedicated to the price guide. Only 20 pages–less than 12 percent–are actual articles that you would read.

And as for the articles themselves, most are either capsules about forthcoming products, box breakdowns, or articles that outline a star player’s most valuable cards. Informative, but not very insightful.

Want information about upcoming hockey card releases? Just go to the websites of Upper Deck or In The Game, as Beckett just regurgitates their press releases, anyway.

Box breakdowns? You can find tons of those on blogs and on YouTube.

So, what’s my incentive to subscribe?

I suppose the price guide itself is a reason to subscribe. But other than adding prices for the new sets, and a few changes here and there, it is more or less the same information every issue.

What perplexes me about this special offer is that in the past few years Beckett has been really intent on selling access to their Online Price Guide (OPG). OPG access costs around $50 per year, requires no paper, no mailing and no need to write articles.

So, why the sudden push to sell magazines–at the low, low price of $4.28 per issue? The answer is obviously advertising dollars. The more subscriptions you sell, the easier it is to sell ad space…and the more you can charge per ad.

If Beckett wants to sell printed magazines, then lowering the subscription price is not the answer. Neither is publishing bullet-point lists of “what we got in a box of Champ’s” or “total value of every John Tavares card ever made” articles.

Instead, they should return their focus to printing quality, hobby-related articles that people would pay to read.

For the first time in their 55-year history, the Hockey Hall of Fame has inducted a woman–no, TWO women–into their clubhouse: Cammi Granato and Angela James.

Cammi Granato was the face of women’s hockey in the U.S. for over a decade. She was a part of the U.S. National Women’s Team from 1990 to 2006, and won numerous Gold and Silver medals at World Championships, Olympics and other international tournaments. (More about Cammi Granato)

Referred to as the “Wayne Gretzky of Women’s Hockey,” Angela James scored 34 points in 20 international contests, winning 7 gold medals in the process.

Both women have accomplished hockey careers. Granato is a member of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, and James a member of the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. The pair are also in the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame. Induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame is a fitting, well-deserved honor.

A few guys were inducted too:

Dino Ciccarelli – Dino scored 1232 points during his 19-year NHL career. And why did it take 11 years for him to get in the Hall?

Jimmy Devallano (builder category) – Longtime NHL executive most famously known as the General Manager that built the powerhouse Detroit Red Wings team of the 1990s and 2000s.

Daryl “Doc” Seaman (builder category) – One of the owners of the Calgary Flames, He passed away in 2009.

The fact that two women were inducted into the HHOF shows how much women’s hockey has grown–especially since becoming a medal sport in the Winter Olympics in 1998.

And as a Chicago native, it is extra special for me to see Granato–who is from the suburbs of Chicago–make it into the Hall.

What is disappointing is that two builders were a part of the 2010 HHOF class. One builder and four players would have been more appropriate. Just look at what players were overlooked this year:

Adam Oates (6th year of eligibility)- Oates is the highest scorer to not be in the Hall of Fame (341 goals, 1079 assists, 1420 points–that’s over a point-per-game during his 19-year NHL career.

Doug Gilmour (7th year of eligibility)- Though Gilmour was lauded for his defensive play–he won the Selke Trophy in 1993–he scored 1414 points in 1474 games over 20 years.

Joe Nieuwendyk (1st year of eligibility) – 19 seasons in the NHL, and over 1100 points. Brian Costello at The Hockey News had me convinced that Nieuwendyk was a shoo-in for the Hall. Well, there’s always next year.

With all due respect to Devallano and Seaman, I think only one builder should be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame each year. Sure, builder’s “build” the sport in both apparent and intangible ways. But it is the players themselves who are the lifeblood of the sport.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

The best of times because my team is in the Stanley Cup Finals.

The worst of times because I am in Grad School Finals.

You would think that I would be blogging 24/7, considering how elated I am about the Blackhawks.

But “Stanley Cup Finals” is not a legitimate reason for getting an extension on my final projects (due Friday), regardless of the teams playing in them.

Since this may be the last game of the Finals, here are a few thoughts about the series:

Coach Joel Quenneville has been dubbed “Coach Q” or sometimes just “Q” by Chicago media and fans. I’m wondering if Philadelphia has a nickname for Flyers head coach Peter Laviolette? If not, may I suggest “P-Lav”?

Speaking of P-Lav, when asked which of his two goalies would start Game 6, Laviolette snapped back at reporters, asking them if they inquired about who Chicago was going to start in net. A tad defensive, no?

TSN Analyst Ray Ferraro thinks that the Blackhawks will win Game 6 tonight.

Ed Olczyk–who is a TV color commentator for the Blackhawks–has said all along that the series will go 7 games.

Perhaps the ‘Hawks should pretend that they are playing the San Jose Sharks. Then they’ll win for sure. Maybe someone could slip a little teal dye in the Flyers laundry…

Since Dave Bolland, Adam Burish and Nick Boynton each appeared in at least one game during the Finals, they are all eligible to get their names engraved on the Stanley Cup if the Blackhawks win. None of them appeared in 40 regular season games for the ‘Hawks, which is the other criteria for eligibility.

Bryan Bickell played 16 games with the Blackhawks during the regular season, and 4 in the playoffs. He has yet to see any time in the Finals, though. If Andrew Ladd sits out again due to injury (as was rumored today), then it would be great to see Bickell in the lineup so that he can get his name engraved on the Cup if the Hawks win tonight.

The Coach Q graffiti you see at the top of this article was swiped from a friend’s Facebook page. Not sure where she found it, but it’s pretty awesome.

Those of you not from Chicago are probably unaware of the overwhelming–almost oppressive–amount of attention the Blackhawks have been getting during the playoffs. Especially during the Stanley Cup Finals. Continue reading “Blackhawks Mania Sweeps Chicago”

And now, the series we’ve all been waiting for…

Series: Chicago Blackhawsks (2-West) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (7-East)

My Prediction: Blackhawks in 5 games to win the Stanley Cup

Comments: Sweeps were rare in this year’s playoffs. Only the top-seeded Sharks got swept, being beaten in 4 straight by the Blackhawks.

Yes, the ‘Hawks certainly bring their “Eh Game” when playing great teams. They did sweep the Sharks, but needed 6 games to beat the Canucks and 6 to beat the Predators.

And the Blackhawks will need 5 to beat the Flyers.

No, it won’t be a sweep. The Flyers are good enough to steal a game from the Blackhawks, but not good enough to steal the series.

FYI, there’s still time to enter my Stanley Cup Contest.

Four teams enter, two teams leave…and the other two go to the Stanley Cup Finals!

Series: San Jose Sharks (1) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (2)

My Prediction: Blackhawks in 6 games.

What Actually Happened: Blackhawks SWEEP in 4 games.

Comments: This could end up being the only sweep in the 2010 playoffs.The games were close–being decided by only 1 or 2 goals–but the Blackhawks never seemed like they were going to lose.

And while I’m glad that my team won, I’m disappointed in the Sharks. The games were exciting…I guess I was secretly hoping for more of them.

 

Series: Philadelphia Flyers (7) vs. Montreal Canadiens (8)

My Prediction: Montreal UPSETS Philadelphia in 7 games.

What Actually Happened: Philadelphia won in 5 games.

Comments: Thanks, Montreal. Thanks for beating the two most exciting teams in the East, only to be beaten by one of the lamest. Oh, and if you haven’t guessed–I’m being sarcastic!

You killed all the giants, and now a dwarf has bested you for a trip to the Finals.

Chicago vs. Philadelphia? The same Flyers who didn’t make the playoffs until the last day of the season–and in a shootout, no less? This is who the ‘Hawks will face to win the Cup.At least if the Canadiens won, it would have been two Original Six teams in the Finals.

Granted, I like Chicago’s odds against Philly. They can–and should–win the Stanley Cup. But a Cup victory over a GOOD team would be more gratifying.

*******
Late Tuesday or early Wednesday I will announce my first contest on Puck Junk. Just got to scrounge up a few prizes first.

The Chicago Blackhawks have swept the San Jose Sharks. I’ve waited half a lifetime for this moment–for the ‘Hawks to return to the Stanley Cup Finals. The last time that happened was 1992, when the 17-year old version of me watched in horror as the team lost in 4 straight to the Pittsburgh Penguins. A disappointing end to an exciting year.

A few other notes about the Blackhawks…

Teeth 4 Keith: Duncan Keith lost four seven teeth in Game 4 against the Sharks. He still returned in the third period, and even answered everyone’s questions after the game. Sure, he sounded lispy, with the missing teeth and swollen lips, and woozy from the painkillers. But he handled the onslaught of questions well.

Yes, this is the only Niemi card I own.

Pro Antti: Now that the ‘Hawks have made it to the Cup Finals, perhaps this will make all the anti-Antti Niemi folk pro-Niemi. There is no goaltending controversy, and no more doubts about Niemi. The ‘Hawks can win the Cup with a rookie netminder. Just ask Cam Ward. Or Patrick Roy. Or Ken Dryden.

 

Byfuglien? Damn Near Traded ‘Em!: Way back in November 2008, it was rumored that the Blackhawks were going to trade Dustin Byfuglien to the Washington Capitals for Michael Nylander. Eighteen months later, it is safe to assume that the Blackhawks organization are glad they didn’t engage in such stupidity.  Nylander split this season between the AHL and Finland, while Byfuglien leads the ‘Hawks with 8 goals in the postseason–3 of them game-winners against the Sharks.

Stop Saying Chalmerson! As much as I like Mike Emrick, someone really needs to correct his pronunciation of Blackhawks defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson. Same goes for that other Versus announcer. It is pronounced YAL-mer-son, not CHAL-mer-son. Every time I hear “Chalmerson”, I think of The Simpsons for some reason. We need Eddie Olczyk to shout “Stop it right here!” and then Tellustrate the correct pronunciation.

See what I did there? Nice, huh?

Speaking of Swedes…What happened to Kim Johnsson? If you recall, the ‘Hawks gave up Cam Barker for Johnsson and prospect Nick Leddy. Johnsson hasn’t played since March 13, and is believed to have sustained a serious concussion. I know the ‘Hawks are riding high now, but I’d still feel better if Barker was on the team.

“Serious” Extends Streak: Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews (aka “Captain Serious”) extended his playoff point-scoring streak to 13 games today. Two nights ago, he broke Stan Mikita’s team record, which was 11 games. That puts Toews in pretty good company.

Twelve wins down, 4 more to go. There’s still plenty of hockey to be played in Chicago.

And once the Blackhawks opponent for the Stanley Cup Finals is determined, check back later this week for Puck Junk’s first contest.

 

Back in October of 2009, I wrote my first letter to Upper Deck, returning a jersey card where the swatches didn’t match the photo. The card pictured 4 Minnesota Wild players, but two of the swatches used were from other teams (Nashville and Los Angeles).

Generally, I am lukewarm towards most jersey cards. However, getting a card that pictures a player with one team, but uses a jersey from another has been my number one collecting gripe.

In keeping my word, I sent back 3 mismatched jersey cards to Upper Deck…

I also sent back a Game Patch card because of a bent corner.

And here is the letter that I sent:

As you can see, I was very polite and clearly explained why I was not happy with those 3 jersey cards of Cicarelli, Emery and Turco.

I also suggested that they forward my feedback to the brand team, so that the people who actually make the decisions can see that hockey card collectors don’t like mismatched jersey cards.

About one month later, I got a reply…

The “form letter” part of their response goes on for a bit, so I’ll cut to the chase…

This was in regard to the damaged Adam Hall Game Patch card. The replacement that they sent…

…was a Joffrey Lupul Game Patch card, number 1/15. I don’t think I’ve ever received a 1-out-of-anything before. I was pleasantly surprised with this card. Upper Deck is very good when replacing damaged cards.

But what about the other 3 cards of Ciccarellli, Emery and Turco? They were returned to me, with the following explanation at the end of the letter…

So there you have it. The NHL does not require–or does not care–if Upper Deck mismatches swatches and photos. 

This bothers me because jersey cards drive up the price of a box of cards. If you compare a product like Victory ($1 per pack) and Upper Deck ($3 per pack) the only REAL difference is that you can get a few jersey cards in a box of Upper Deck cards. The jersey cards double or triple the price of a pack, but usually  sell for only $3-$5 each. And putting the “wrong” swatch only makes the card harder to get rid of less desirable to collectors.

So I ask my fellow collectors to follow suit. If you get a crummy jersey card, send it back. Let Upper Deck know that you are tired of these garbage “hits” driving up the price of the cards you collect. Considering all the financial hardships Upper Deck has dealt with in the past few months, maybe they will finally listen to what their customers are saying.

It’s Round 3! The Final Four! The Conference Finals! Winners go to the Stanley Cup Finals, and losers have all summer to say “we were this close…”

Most of us knew that it would come down to these two teams.

Series: San Jose Sharks (1) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (2)

My Prediction: Blackhawks in 6 games.

Comments: The playoffs–probably this year more than any–have established that home ice advantage doesn’t really mean anything anymore. At least not since the lockout, and especially between two teams that finish a few points apart. In this case, the Sharks only finished 1 point ahead of the Hawks in the standings.

One thing about the Blackhawks is that they seem to up their game against better teams.beating the Sharks 3 out of 4 times this year. Their 1 loss was by only a goal. However, 1 of their 3 wins was a 7-2 rout, not unlike the 7-1 beating the Sharks took from the Red Wings in Game 4 the previous round.

The point? Though highly competitive, the Sharks sometimes fall apart in games, and the Blackahwks are just the team to take advantage of that.

We got a 7th seed against an 8th seed. This is the first time such a thing has happened in the NHL playoffs (thanks, Lenny).

Series: Philadelphia Flyers (7) vs. Montreal Canadiens (8)

My Prediction: Montreal UPSETS Philadelphia in 7 games.

Comments: Who would have thought that finishing 7th would have given you home ice advantage in the playoffs? And yet, the 7th-seeded Flyers do.They almost deserve home ice anyway, considering their feat in the previous round, coming back from a 3-0 deficit against the Bruins.

And the Canadiens? Sure, no one really thought they’d make it past the best team in the league (Washington) or last year’s Stanley Cup winner (Pittsburgh). And yet they did. So, beating the Flyers doesn’t seem so far fetched anymore, does it?

I also think that Montreal will win because every so often a team that barely makes the playoffs–the Cinderella team as everyone likes to call them–makes it to the Finals. But like Cinderella’s magical night out on the town, eventually that too comes to an end.

*******
Whoever wins the Western Conference Finals will win the Stanley Cup. There I said it. Of course they’ll have to beat the winning team from the East, but they will.