The 38-Year Old Rookie: How Injuries Opened the NHL Door for a Veteran Journeyman

Connie Madigan was a force in the minor leagues for 15 seasons before finally getting a crack at the NHL

Cornelius ‘Connie’ Madigan didn’t raise many eyebrows when he made his NHL debut on Feb. 6, 1973, with the St. Louis Blues. The team was so beset by injuries that 12 defensemen suited up for them that season.

However, the 38-year-old Madigan set a record that night that still stands: he was the oldest rookie to play in the NHL. And with today’s game being all about speed, it’s a safe bet that distinction will never be surpassed.

Back then, Madigan didn’t know he was setting a record. He was just happy to finally get a shot in the NHL. “Blues broadcaster Dan Kelly told me after a game that I was the oldest NHL rookie,” said Madigan, now 84. “I told him it should have been a long time ago.”

Don Cherry, who played with and against Madigan in the minors, added: “Connie should have gotten his chance when he was in his 20s or early 30s. He would have been a lot better. But a lot of guys were like him and never got a shot.” Read the rest of the story at The Hockey News.

Blake’s Takes: We Have Hub Cities!

Our hub cities have finally been leaked. The NHL season will continue in two cities in Canada: Edmonton and Toronto. There was also big news reported on a possible return to the Olympics for NHL players. Overall, last week offered a lot of positive in the hockey world. Which is something we all need badly right now.

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Puck Junk Podcast: July 4, 2020

1996-97 Black Diamond Hockey Cards

In the newest episode of the Puck Junk Hockey Podcast, Sal Barry and Tim Parish give their long-overdue recap of the Virtual Expo. Then they talk about the NHL Draft Lottery and the NHL’s rumored “hub cities. Finally, they take a look back at the 1996-97 Upper Deck Black Diamond Hockey card set, which was the first hockey set to utilize short-printed cards as part of the main set. 

Show Notes, Links and Images:
Tim Parish’s Instagram account @TheRealDFG66
Sal Barry’s Instagram account @PuckJunk
1996-97 Black Diamond checklist (Trading Card DB)
1996-97 Black Diamond card images

#160 – Joe Thornton RC

#103 – Patrick Marleau RC

#88 – Peter Schaefer RC
Shown here for being very BAPish

Wayne Gretzky Promo Card, courtesy of Trading Card DB.

Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk.
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG.
Podcast music by Jim “Not the Goalie” Howard.

Subscribe to the Puck Junk Hockey Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, Podchaser, PocketCasts, Castbox , Castro,
Overcast, TuneIn and SoundCloud.

Love hockey? Join the new Puck Junk Facebook Group and subscribe to Puck Junk on YouTube. 

Support this podcast and buy a shirt from the Puck Junk Online Shop. ■

Blake’s Takes: And the First Pick Goes to…

There was a lot of big news in the NHL last week. Most notably, the NHL lottery was hosted and we still don’t know who has the first pick. We do know the newest six members of the Hockey Hall of Fame and the name of the arena the Seattle franchise will call home. Keep reading if want a recap of one of the most interesting weeks of the NHL season.

Continue reading “Blake’s Takes: And the First Pick Goes to…”

Puck Junk Podcast: June 25, 2020

Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2020

Sal Barry and guest co-host Blake Isaacs talk about the Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2020: Jarome Iginla, Marian Hossa, Doug Wilson, Kevin Lowe, Kim St-Pierre and Ken Holland. Plus, they discuss who was snubbed by the Hall this year, and who might make it in 2021. 

Show Notes, Images and Links:
Ken Holland biography (Wikipedia)
Jarome Iginla career stats (HockeyDB)
Marian Hossa career stats (HockeyDB)
Kevin Lowe career stats (HockeyDB)
Doug Wilson career stats (HockeyDB)
Kim St-Pierre biography (Wikipedia)

Finally, here’s that Kevin Lowe hockey card that has Gretzky’s stats on it:

Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk.
Follow Blake Isaacs on Twitter @bisaacs1995.
Podcast music by Jim “Not the Goalie” Howard.

Subscribe to the Puck Junk Hockey Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, Podchaser, PocketCasts, Castbox , Castro,
Overcast, TuneIn and SoundCloud.

Love hockey? Join the new Puck Junk Facebook Group and subscribe to Puck Junk on YouTube. 

Support this podcast and buy a shirt from the Puck Junk Online Shop. ■

Four Tips for Moving Your Collection

Moving to a new home is a stressful time – even more stressful if you also have a collection that needs to be moved. In a perfect world, you buy a house and then start filling it with sports cards and other treasures, without ever having to worry about getting your collection safely from Point A to Point B.

But things don’t always happen that way. Maybe you rediscovered collecting a few years after college, dug up your old collection out of your parents’ basement, and took it back to your apartment to rekindle your interest. Or maybe you sold your house for that bigger and better house. Regardless of the reason, when you move, you want to move your collection without it getting damaged. After living in the same place for 12 years, I recently had to relocate myself and my sports card collection to a new home. Here are four tips on how to do it safely and effectively.

1. Get organized

This almost goes without saying, but a little organization goes a long way. If you have the time and room, several weeks before a move is a great time to sort your collection, as it will make packing and unpacking easier. Gather up all of the same type of collectibles and get them into one area so that you can pack them together. Many collectors, myself included, have a habit of stashing things here and there. For example, I had some hockey pucks displayed on a shelf, more pucks in a box in my closet, and even more pucks in a 1,600-count card Shoe Storage Box that was stashed with my cards. Once I got all my pucks in a row, I realized that I’d need a heavy-duty box with handles to move them in.

It is best to box similar items together for two reasons. Read the rest of the story at the BCW Supplies Blog. 

Puck Culture: Five Todd McFarlane / Hockey Crossovers

Comic book creator and artist Todd McFarlane is a legend in his industry, having worked for many years on The Amazing Spider-Man and Spawn. But he’s also a huge hockey fan and has been involved with the sport in one way or another over the past 30 years.

1. Spawn-Themed Hockey Merchandise

McFarlane’s Spawn comic character appeared on some hockey-related merchandise in the 1990s. Spawn, dressed up as a hockey player, was pictured on a trading card that was given away with a sports magazine in 1994. Then, in 1998, the Spawn logo was emblazoned on a pair of 1:45-scale die-cast Olympia ice resurfacers sold in stores, as well as a puck given away at OHL Plymouth Whalers games on “Spawn Night.”

Read the rest of the story at The Hockey News

Blake’s Takes: Botterill Out in Buffalo

Last week was a busy one in the NHL. The Sabres fired their GM, the AHL made a major announcement, and the NHL took another step forward with social justice. I’ll dive into all of those topics in addition to a few other  tidbits. Let me know what you think in the comments.

Continue reading “Blake’s Takes: Botterill Out in Buffalo”

Puck Junk Podcast: June 17, 2020

2005-06 Parkhurst Hockey Cards

In this week’s episode of the Puck Junk Hockey Podcast, Sal Barry and Tim Parish take a look back at the 2005-06 Parkhurst Hockey card set. It was one of the last sets to be released that season, but stands out as one of the best. Plus, they talk about new cards from Upper Deck and President’s Choice Trading Cards, and about this weekend’s Virtual Expo. It’s 80 minutes of hockey goodness! 

Show Notes, Links and Images: 
‘NHL’s Who Wore It Best?’: Nos. 10-1 (NHL.com)
Book Review: The Code (Puck Junk)
Ryan Reaves re-signs with Vegas (Twitter)
The Annual Puck Junk Awards from 2018 and 2019
Four Tips for Moving Your Collection (BCW Supplies Blog)
1990-91 Pro Set Hockey Series 1 Pack Break Video (YouTube)
Upper Deck Game Dated Moments for Week 36 (Upper Deck)
2019-20 Upper Deck Ice checklist (Cardboard Connection)
Book Review: Sean Avery’s autobiography (Puck Junk)
President’s Choice Trading Cards AutoMemo cards (President’s Choice)
President’s Choice Trading Cards DualMemo cards (President’s Choice) 
Everything You Need to Know About the Upcoming Virtual Expo (Puck Junk)
Register to Attend the Virtual Expo  (Sport Card Expo)

NOTE: The Puck Junk Podcast will broadcast live from the Virtual Expo on Saturday at 11 am ET. You can find the show at the Expo on the Main Stage. 

Images from 2005-06 Parkhurst Hockey:

#390 – Mario Lemieux

#561 – Martin Brodeur

#400- Joe Thornton

#500 – Mr. Hockey (Gordie Howe)

#657 – Sidney Crosby (RC)

#646 – Henrik Lundqvist (RC)

#669 – Alexander Ovechkin (RC)

#670 – Tomas Fleischmann (RC)
I scanned this one by mistake, thinking he was Alex Ovechkin 🙂

2005-06 Parkhurst Hockey hobby box top

2005-06 Parkhurst Hockey wrapper

2005-06 Parkhurst Hockey Review, with more images (Puck Junk)

Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk.
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG. 
Podcast music by Jim “Not the Goalie” Howard.

Subscribe to the Puck Junk Hockey Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, Podchaser, PocketCasts, Castbox , Castro,
Overcast, TuneIn and SoundCloud.

Love hockey? Join the new Puck Junk Facebook Group and subscribe to the Puck Junk YouTube Channel. 

Support this podcast and buy a shirt from the Puck Junk Online Shop. ■

Blake’s Takes: The Move to Phase 3

This week, I’ll share my thoughts on the founding of The Hockey Diversity Alliance. Hopefully, this group can much-needed change in regard to diversity in the hockey community. In other news, the league also announced a date to move into Phase 3 which will allow teams to host training camp.

Stay safe out there everyone!

Continue reading “Blake’s Takes: The Move to Phase 3”