Hockey cards, collectibles and culture
TeenyMates — perhaps the smallest hockey toys ever — made their NHL debut for the 2013-14 season. They are made by a company called Party Animal Toys, who also has a line of 3-inch tall sports figures called Lil’ Teammates. So just how small are TeenyMates? They measure about an inch tall, just a smidge … Continue reading “Pack Break x 4: TeenyMates Collectible NHL Figures”
Do you remember wearing flannel shirts? Can you still sing all the words to Ice Ice Baby? Do you dream about the days when hockey cards were 50 cents a pack? Then Decades The 1990s — released today by In The Game — just might be the card set you crave. If you are around … Continue reading “In The Game Decades The 90s Box Break”
Twenty-five years ago today, Wayne Gretzky was traded from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings. As an American hockey fan, I feel like I owe a lot to Wayne Gretzky. His presence on a U.S.-based team helped grow the sport here in the states tremendously. The effects of his trade are still felt … Continue reading “Five great effects of the Gretzky trade”
The third and final day of the 2013 Chicago Blackhawks Convention was only four hours long, starting at 9 a.m. and ending at 1 p.m. However, wristbands for the first group of players would be distributed at 8:30 a.m. There was an outside chance that I could get Bobby Hull’s autograph, as wristband distribution for … Continue reading “2013 Blackhawks Convention day 3 recap”
1991-92 Ultimate Draft Picks #48 – Kerry Toporowski We all love to make fun of crummy hockey cards, from the awful “updated” photos from the 1970s and 1980s, to the cheesy pictures from the 1990s and 2000s. But the worst disservice to both the player and the fans is when the card doesn’t even show … Continue reading “Card of the Week: Kerry Toporowski”
The only thing certain in the NHL is change Game Seven last month between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings marked the last time these teams will face each other in a Western Conference playoff series. Next year, the NHL will realign its conference structure, doing away with six divisions in favor of … Continue reading “Blackhawks & Red Wings: Rivals No More”
In 2012, I sent five “Collecting Resolutions” for myself. And there’s nothing like a little public disclosure to keep myself honest. To reiterate, my 2012 goals were: Avoid retail packs en masse Deal with empty boxes and wrappers Check all sets when I receive them Don’t be a hoarder Complete these @#$% sets already So, … Continue reading “2012 resolutions…How did I do?”
I am glad that NHL hockey is back. However, what leaves a bad taste in my mouth is that the League and the Players’ Association were basically fighting over my money. Not just my money–but your money too. The money of everyone and anyone who goes to a game, watches a game on TV, wears … Continue reading “3 ways NHL, NHLPA can make it up to us”
On November 23, the online trading card store Check Out My Cards (www.COMC.com) had a “Black Friday” sale. For you Canadians, that is what the day after American Thanksgiving is called, since it is the unofficial start of the Christmas shopping season. Retailers would “black out” the schedule for that day–meaning, NO ONE was getting … Continue reading “Review: Check Out My Cards Purchase”
I bought a sealed case–12 hobby boxes–of 2012-13 O-Pee-Chee Hockey. Below is the breakdown of what I got in each box. NOTE: This blog post has a lot of images.