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”

New Blackhawks Winter Classic Jersey Almost Gets It Right

toews
Blackhawks’ captain Jonathan Toews models the 2015 Winter Classic Jersey [Blackhawks / NHL]

The Chicago Blackhawks unveiled their new jerseys for the 2015 Winter Classic Wednesday on Twitter, then later on their website. And I love it. It is awesome. It is almost perfect.

Almost. Continue reading “New Blackhawks Winter Classic Jersey Almost Gets It Right”

Interview: Blues Goalie Jake Allen

[Photo by Mark Buckner / St. Louis Blues]
After a remarkable 2013-14 season, Jake Allen earned a spot on the St. Louis Blues. [Photo by Mark Buckner / St. Louis Blues]

St. Louis Blues goaltender Jake Allen has assembled quite the resume in his relatively young career. The Fredericton, New Brunswick native helped the Canadian Under-18 Team win the gold medal in 2008, and was named the tournament’s MVP. His showing was impressive enough for the Blues to draft him in the second round of that year’s NHL Entry Draft. Two years later, Allen won the Jacques Plante Memorial Trophy as the top goalie in the QMJHL. He was also named the CHL Goaltender of the Year as the best goalie in major junior hockey.

In the 2012-13 season, Allen was called up by the St. Louis Blues, playing in 15 games. His nine wins, one shutout and 2.45 goals-allowed average in the lockout-shortened season netted him a spot on the 2013 NHL All-Rookie Team. The next year, Allen won the Aldege “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award as the American Hockey League’s top goaltender, when he led the league in goals against average (2.03), wins (33), save percentage (0.928%) and shutouts (7). His remarkable play earned him the backup role with the St. Louis Blues this year.

I recently spoke with Allen about his blossoming career, the differences between playing in the NHL and AHL and what goes through his mind during a shootout.

Sal Barry: What is your earliest memory of playing hockey?

Jake Allen: Putting on the pads for the first time. It was a great feeling, something that was meant to be. Putting those big pads on is something I’ll never forget. Continue reading “Interview: Blues Goalie Jake Allen”

Card of the Week: 1999-00 Upper Deck Century Legends #23 – Ken Dryden

Ken_DrydenI acquired a personal grail of mine recently when I added this card to my collection: a 1999-2000 Upper Deck Century Legends Ken Dryden. It’s a card that technically does not exist, and yet I have one. Continue reading “Card of the Week: 1999-00 Upper Deck Century Legends #23 – Ken Dryden”

Andrew Shaw Pretty Darn Funny in Local Car Commercials

Blackhawks fans have been seeing a lot of Andrew Shaw lately. Not just as a regular in the ‘Hawks lineup, but in quite a few commercials that air during the games, too. Shaw seems to be doing a pretty good job as a pitchman. There’s his bit part in the BMO Harris Bank Commercial (“His name is Steve!“) from earlier this year. Shaw is now starring in commercials for local car dealer Bill Kaye Chevrolet.

Shaw sounds natural when delivering his lines in the 30-second commercial. None of that typical robotic reading of the cue cards stuff that we get from most athletes. The best part is when he nonchalantly skates off, saying “Gotta go,” after smashing a hapless employee into the glass.

In another spot, the sum total of Shaw’s acting is making angry eyes while slurping some (we presume) coffee. But it works.


Shaw seems so relaxed in front of the camera that it is easy to picture him going into broadcasting when he retires — most likely as a studio analyst like Jamie McClennan or P.J. Stock. We know Shaw would always have something to say.

Hockey Extreme Value 10-Pack Box Break

boxNormally, I avoid re-pack boxes unless they guarantee something spiffy. A few years back, I bought a so-called Hockey Cube because it promised two autographed cards and a full set of 2010-11 Score Traded. This particular box of packs, repacked by the Fairfield Company in Iowa, made no promises, other than a 40% savings.

Still, I was enticed by that pack of Be A Player, clearly shown in the right window of the box. We all know that Be A Player packs tend to have a higher ratio of autographed inserts than other sets. For $20 $12, I took a gamble to see if I’d pull an autograph. Continue reading “Hockey Extreme Value 10-Pack Box Break”

Card of the Week: 1951 Hit Parade of Champions Jack Stewart

1951 Hit Parade of Champions 2-16 - Jack StewartOne thing I absolutely love about collecting is that you will find cards out there that you never knew existed. In the past, I’ve come across some pretty sweet cards unbeknownst to me, like this one about the 1934 Blackhawks and another one about Lester B. Pearson. My latest cool find is this 1951 card of Hall of Fame defenseman Jack Stewart, from a set called Hit Parade of Champions. Continue reading “Card of the Week: 1951 Hit Parade of Champions Jack Stewart”