News & Views

1963-64 Parkhurst #83 – Ralph Backstrom

My first ’63-64 Parkhurst card of the new year, Ralph Backstrom bumps me up to 21 out of 99 cards in that set. Four more cards, and I’ll be 1/4 of the way there.

In 2008, I only purchased 2 cards from this set (though one of them was Gordie Howe).

In 2009, I made a more concentrated effort to build this set, picking up 18 cards for my set.

This year, I hope to get another 24 cards for this set–about one every two weeks. On a limited budget, that makes it a challenge. Most of the cards in this release are not that hard to come by, but I’d rather wait until I can get a good deal. This Backstrom card here cost me $8.02, but it has no creases, no marks and four sharp corners…well worth it for a 47-year old card.

2010 Blackhawks Convention tickets…

…are now on sale, so you better hurry and buy some before they are all gone. Because the team would love you to buy into all the hype.

Two years back, the Blackhawks put their convention passes up for sale in March, if I recall correctly. Last year, the passes went on sale around February. For the 2010 convention, they started  hawking (ha!) convention passes back in December 2009. Why so soon? What’s the rush?

“Well, they gotta pay Marian Hossa somehow, right?” suggested my girlfriend Shellie.

Good point. $12 million a season doesn’t raise itself.

Continue reading “2010 Blackhawks Convention tickets…”

Oh noes!!!1! Chris Chelios arrested!

Chris Chelios–my favorite hockey player of all time–was arrested for drunken driving in late December. Yeah, old news by now. The story was reported on Tuesday, January 6. It’s still sinking in for me. The story was reported on the news in Chicago and Detroit, as well as The Hockey News. I’m sure it was reported on in Montreal too; the city where he broke into the NHL.

It’s funny how the Chicago report uses his full name, Christos K. Chelios. They only give you the “full name treatment” if you die or commit a crime.

Ironically, after Tuesday night’s game in Hamilton against the Bulldogs, Chelios commented about a bad call by a referee, suggesting that perhaps the ref was “hung over.” But when asked about his DUI charge, Chelios immediately left the locker room. He can dish it out, but can’t take it.

Sigh.

This is not how I want to remember Chris Chelios. This is not how I want the world to remember Chris Chelios. Speaking of “the world,” a DUI is not the end of the world. And fortunately, no one was hurt. But still, a bit of irresponsibility for someone I look up to.

As it stands now, Chelios has a lot of critics–and this won’t help. He is 47 and playing for the minor-league Chicago Wolves of the AHL. He’s trying to work his way back into the NHL, but it seems the popular fan sentiment is that he is making a fool of himself and should retire.

I don’t think so. As long as the heart (and the legs, and the lungs, etc.) are willing, he should keep playing. As is the tag line of one of my favorite personal care product goes, Chelios should “stay in the game.”

 

Why I’m glad USA won the WJC

The World Junior Championship is over. Team USA beat Team Canada 6-5 in OT, winning the gold for the first time since 2004.

I’m not glad that USA won because I was intently following the tournament. I’ve watched a game here and there, and being in school tonight I was only able to catch midway through the third to the end of the final game.

I’m not glad that that USA won because I’m some sort of super patriot. I think overzealous displays of nationalism are borderline embarrassing in this day and age of the “global village.”

I am glad that USA won because it will quell the talk of how the Canadian team was “supposed” to win this year, how it was their “destiny” or whatnot.

But not this time.

Yes, the rest of us get it. Canada invented ice hockey. Canadians make the best hockey players…though the best hockey player in the world right now is Russian. Canada getting a silver medal in a hockey tournament is as unfathomable as USA getting a silver medal in Olympic basketball. But it happens.

Perhaps I’m a little glad about this because it might get more American kids interested in hockey, just like the 1980 Olympics inspired one generation to lace ’em up, while watching Wayne Gretzky play in Los Angeles inspired the next group.

No, a US victory at the WJC probably wont’ have the same effect. But in the end, Canada will up their game and most likely win the gold next year. Then the US, as well as the other countries, will bring it to the next level too.

Then the game of hockey will get even better, and everyone wins.

Lidstrom / Chelios / Rafalski GU

Normally, I despise jersey cards. I think they are useless as far as my collection is concerned. Plus, jersey cards end up inflating the price of packs of cards that *might* contain one (Upper Deck, OPC). But every now and then, I make an exception, and purchase such a card for my collection. Behold:

Chris Chelios is my favorite player, so I try to get as many different cards of his as possible–including jersey cards. This one in particular has game-used jersey swatches from Niklas Lidstrom, Chelios and Brian Rafalski. The first two are locks to make the Hall of Fame when they retire. While Rafalski probably wont land in the Hall, he has thus far has a pretty good hockey career–in college, in Europe and in the NHL–and will represent the United States in the 2010 Olympics this February.

So how much did this card of three great players set me back? With shipping, $3.52. That just underscores how worthless these darn things are.  I do like the way the red P in OPC is flanked by a white O and white C, giving the card a bit of symmetry.

One small step…

Well, I did it. I managed to update Puck Junk once a day during December. After finishing my grad classes for the quarter in late November, I promised myself that I’d try to do a daily update for an entire month. Counting this New Year’s Day post, my streak is now at 38 straight days (Nov. 25 – Jan. 1). This is the first time that I’ve managed to write something every day.

Another first, Puck Junk has eclipsed 1,000 visits in a month, with a total count of 1,208 visits for December. I know in the grander scheme of the web, a thousand visits a month is nothing–some sites get that traffic in a day. Regardless, I feel pretty good about that.

Sure, this is not the most exciting blog post I’ve ever written. I’m still recovering from an awesome New Year’s Eve banquet. I ate too much and got to bed real late, but managed to get up just in time to see this year’s Winter Classic.

Speaking of which, it is a good thing that  Tim Thomas’ selfish play didn’t cost his team the game, eh?

Epic Win FTS

I went to a card show today, and normally I like to write about all the cool cards and memorabilia I picked up.

But today, I scored what was probably the best purchase I have ever made in my 20 years of hockey card collecting.

I bought a 1985-86 Topps Hockey Set for $50.

Yes, it had the Lemieux. It’s not perfect, but I have a few Topps Lemieux RCs anyway, so a less-than-perfect one will be fine to put in the 9-pocket page.

The set also had the Gretzky card, an unmarked checklist and the other 162 cards.

Complete.

I won’t have to piece this one together.

Yes, it seems too good to be true. Hooray for me.

I also got some other stuff–including a 2009-10 Upper Deck hobby box. Seems kind of unimportant by comparison, now that I think of it.

Ironic that I spent more on an unopened box of new cards than a complete set of old ones…

Upper Deck to continue Hockey Card Day in 2010

For a second year in a row, Upper Deck hockey cards will be given out at card shops and retail chains across Canada to celebrate National Hockey Card Day, or NHCD as the cool kids like to call it.

NHCD will happen on Saturday, January 30, 2010. Those who visit a Toys R Us, Wal-Mart, London Drugs, Rexall, Jean Coutu, Pharma Plus or a local participating card shop will receive a free, 5-card pack featuring all-new hockey cards.

And while only one pack will be given out per customer, there’s no rule against visiting as many of these shops as possible. There are 15 cards in the set, so you’ll need to get at least 3 packs to try to complete a set…or 6 packs if you want to hook your buddy Sal up with a set.

Here is the 15-card checklist:

5 “2009-10 Rookies” cards:
– John Tavares (New York Islanders)
– Matt Duchesne (Colorado Avalanche)
– Jaime Benn (Dallas Stars)
– Evander Kane (Atlanta Thrashers)
– Logan Couture (San Jose Sharks)


5 “Pride of Canada” cards:
– Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins)
– Vincent Lecavalier (Tampa Bay Lightning)
– Martin Brodeur (New Jersey Devils)
– Mike Richards (Philadelphia Flyers)
– Rick Nash (Columbus Blue Jackets)


5 “Heroes” cards:
– Jarome Iginla (Calgary Flames)
– Jonathan Toews (Chicago Blackhawks)
– Roberto Luongo (Vancouver Canucks)
– Wayne Gretzky (Edmonton Oilers)
– Steve Yzerman (Detroit Red Wings)


The “Rookies” and “Pride of Canada” cards look great. The full color photo, placed atop a sepia-toned background, really make the player “pop”. The bold red or blue bars punch up the design while also playing off of the red, white and blue “National Hockey Card Day” logo.

But the sepia-toned “Heroes” cards are a bit lacking. The “National Hockey Card Day” logo should have been sepia-toned too. But it isn’t, so it sticks out like a sore thumb. A shame, since the “Rookies” and “Pride of Canada” cards have such carefully-considered designs.

Then again, the cards are FREE, so who am I to complain about the design?

However, I would like to complain that these are only given out in Canada. How about us fans in the U.S.? Don’t forget that 24 of the 30 teams are here south of the border, and that the Winter Classic will be held in Boston this season.

Anyway, be sure to check out the National Hockey Card Day website. Eventually, they will post a list of participating retailers who will be giving out these free cards.