Hockey cards, collectibles and culture
Back in 2018, I was paid $250 to play hockey. No, it wasn’t on a professional tryout contract with a minor league team, but rather for a television commercial. That said, they would recruit practically anyone who owned hockey gear — including me, a guy who had been playing for less than five years at the time.
I was a guest on Pittsburgh Hockey Now, discussing my article for The Hockey News about the Russian Penguins. For those who don’t know, the Russian Penguins were a joint venture between Russia’s Red Army hockey club and the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins from 1993 to 1995. If that sounds like a crazy idea, well…it was. The Russian Penguins had everything from strippers to mobsters, as well as a few future NHL players, too. I also show off a few rare pieces of Penguins memorabilia. ■
Love hockey collectibles and/or hockey culture? Join the new Puck Junk Facebook Group and follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk.
Hockey card collecting was on a precipice during the 1989-90 season. It hadn’t yet taken the plunge into the abyss of overproduction, inflated prices and rookie cards of practically anyone who got within 10 feet of an NHL uniform — succinctly known as the “Junk Wax Era.” Hockey cards were rapidly becoming more and more popular, accelerated by the trade of Wayne Gretzky to the Los Angeles Kings in 1988.
Yet, only two companies issued mainstream sets that season. The 198-card Topps set was sold in the U.S. and its near-identical, though slightly larger, cousin O-Pee-Chee sold a 330-card set in Canada.
But if you dig a little deeper, you will find that there were many other cards issued that year that stray from the beaten path — from team-issue cards to minor and junior league trading card sets, to cards printed on the side of food boxes.
Here is a look at the 15 best hockey cards from the 1989-90 season. Keep in mind that most of these cards aren’t particularly valuable, with most ranging from $2 to $5 each — and even that might be pushing it. Anyone with a love of hockey cards and hockey history should consider having these in their cardboard collection.
Collector Daniel Gilchrist has collected everything and anything related to Nikolai Khabibulin for 25 years. He owns several game-used goalie sticks, a game-used jersey and game-used goalie pads once worn by “The Bulin Wall.” He also has dozens of autographs and thousands of cards of Khabibulin, who is — if you haven’t guessed it by now — Gilchrist’s favorite player.
Gilchrist set out on one of his biggest collecting goals in 2016 when he decided to track down all 24 Nikolai Khabibulin logo patch cards from the 2013-14 Upper Deck Edmonton Oilers Collection trading card set. Although the pieces of Oilers logo aren’t from a game-worn jersey, they are still a sight to be seen when assembled. Gilchrist recently talked with Puck Junk about what challenges there were in his quest to collect all 24 logo patch cards of his favorite player.
Sal Barry: How long have you been a hockey card collector?
Daniel Gilchrist: Since I was 14. My family moved from Winnipeg to Edmonton in 1988, a few days after Wayne Gretzky was traded to the Kings. My cousins sent me a care package when we moved, and it had a bunch of hockey cards in it, including a Brett Hull rookie card. That’s how I got started.
SB: How did Nikolai Khabibulin become your favorite player?
DC: It’s actually a pretty funny story. Continue reading “The Quest for Khabibulin”
I hope you’re all healthy and safe during this quarantine season. It was a busy week for me as I celebrated my 25th birthday last Monday. To stay busy, I’ve been exclusively watching full movie series in my spare time. I’ve watched all five films in the Jason Bourne series. I’ve also watched all three Star Wars trilogies. Yes, all three TRILOGIES, and Solo, which was surprisingly much better than I expected it to be.
In hockey news, it was a sad week. Over the weekend, we lost Edmonton Oilers player Colby Cave, who was 25-years-old. Obviously, nothing else comes close to the importance of the loss of Cave. However, discussions have taken place on how to move forward with the season after quarantine ends. More on that below.
Lastly, Happy Easter and happy Passover to all my monotheistic homies. Here’s a song I recommend you turn up to if you’re celebrating either, or just want to jam.
Continue reading “Blake’s Takes: The NHL Brainstorms Ways to Continue the Season”
In the latest — and dare we say greatest? — episode of the Puck Junk Hockey Podcast, Sal Barry and Tim Parish look back at the “ugly baby” known as the 1992-93 Topps Hockey card set. They also discuss all the latest hockey happenings (or lack thereof) going on over the past week. Spoiler alert: they get off topic for a bit and talk about The Love Guru. You have been warned. This week’s show clocks in at 1 hour 49 minutes.
Show Notes, Links and Additional Images:
Puck Junk Podcast about NBC firing Jeremy Roenick (Puck Junk)
The National Sports Collectors Convention statement on COVID-19 (NSCC)
2019-20 Upper Deck Game Dated Moments Week 26 cards (Upper Deck)
1992-93 Topps Hockey Checklist (Trading Card DB)
Every 1992-93 Hockey Card Set Ranked (Puck Junk)
Tim Parish’s blog (The Real DFG)
1992-93 Topps Hockey card images:
#1 – Wayne Gretzky, first card in the set
#529 – Eric Lindros, last card in the set
#166 – Mike McNeil, taking a sip
#318 – Dino Ciccarelli, scrumming it up
#318 – Dino Cicarelli, card back
#318 – Dino Ciccarelli, Gold Parallel
#318 – Dino Ciccarelli, Gold Parallel back
#414 – Denis Savard, just standing around
#406 – Gaetan Duchesne, sitting somewhere
#364 – Dan Lambert, wearing glasses
#501 – Bryan Marchment, wearing a half-cage
#522 – Frank Pietrangelo, in a deep crouch
#9 – Nicklas Lidstrom Super Rookie
#265 – Mario Lemieux All-Star
#67 – Jim Thomson (RC). He later appeared in the 2009 film The Love Guru
1992-93 Topps Hockey sell sheet (via Trading Card DB):
1992-93 Topps Hockey Poster:
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,
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Support this podcast and buy a shirt from the Puck Junk Online Shop. ■
Although it was a quiet week in the NHL, most of my takes this week are not COVID-19 related. We could all use some positive news. On that note, today is my 25th birthday, so please include your birthday wishes in the comments. Stay safe everyone!
Continue reading “Blake’s Takes: Player Polls & Trick Shots”
In this episode of the Puck Junk Hockey Podcast, Sal Barry and Tim Parish discuss the latest happenings around the world of hockey, including the cancellation of the KHL in Russia– what took them so long? — and the postponement of the NHL Entry Draft and Award Show. Then they talk about the three “Neo-Retro” Parkhurst Hockey card sets: Missing Link, Tall Boys and ’66’67 Parkies. These wonderful sets came out in the 1990s, but featured designs and players from the 1950s and 1960s.
Show Notes and Links:
Commons 4 Kids Charity (site)
1997-98 Pacific Cramer’s Choice Patrick Roy Jumbo card:
A few Sportscaster cards for your reference:
Weird looking Eddie Lack Bobblehead figure.
Eddie Lack’s retirement announcement video (Twitter)
Taco commercial starring Eddie Lack (YouTube)
Jonas Hiller’s awesome “matte black” goalie mask
Jonas Hiller wearing glasses at the 2011 NHL Fantasy Draft
Toronto Sports Card Expo (site)
1994 Parkhurst Missing Link Johnny Bower card:
1994 Parkhurst Missing Link Checklist (Trading Card DB)
1994 Parkhurst Tall Boys Jean Beliveau card
1994 Parkhurst Tall Boys Checklist (Trading Card DB)
1995 Parkhurst ’66-67 Bobby Orr card:
1995 Parkhurst ’66-67 Checklist (Trading Card DB)
Puck Junk Facebook Group (Facebook)
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
Support this podcast and buy a shirt from the Puck Junk Online Shop. ■
We’re entering another week of quarantine. I hope everyone is staying inside and is assisting in preventing the spread of the Coronavirus. Sadly, a few new NHL players tested positive for COVID-19 last week. However, there was a bit of good news that I’m happy to talk about. The virus hasn’t stopped me from giving you all the hot takes you deserve.
This is the video we all need right now. Slap Shot actor Jerry Houser and former NHL defenseman Dale Tallon take turns interviewing each other. And it’s pretty darn funny.
Houser, who hockey fans remember best as Dave “Killer” Carlson from the 1977 film Slap Shot, is a longtime TV and movie actor. And hockey fans all know Tallon, who has been in the NHL for 50 years now as a player, color commentator and team executive. He is currently the GM of the Florida Panthers.
This interview is from a charity hockey game from 1989 between the Celebrity All-Star Team and the Chicago Blackhawks Alumni Team. The game took place at the old Chicago Stadium.
Tallon and Houser sat down for this interview prior to the game, and Tallon does an admirable job when being put on the spot. This was perhaps the best exchange between the two:
HOUSER: People don’t talk to you all that much; find out who you really are. Who are you really?
TALLON: Actually, I’m Alan Thicke in a bigger body.
HOUSER: Oh, then I don’t have to worry about getting any passes from you.
Later in the interview, Houser talks about how hockey has grown in Los Angeles over the past 20 years and how Wayne Gretzky coming to L.A. has increased interest in the Celebrity All-Star Team.
The game between the Celebrity All-Stars and Blackhawks Alumni was played sometime in September of 1989, and I recorded it on a VHS tape when it was televised a few weeks later in early October of 1989. (The Blackhawks even blacked out live broadcasts of charity hockey games back then. Seriously.) Thankfully, my VHS copy still works 30 years later, because the world needed to see Killer Carlson interviewing the future Panthers GM. ■
Love hockey culture and/or hockey collectibles? Join the new Puck Junk Facebook Group and follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk.