Tag: 2020-21

Best of the Worst: 2020-21 Upper Deck Series 1 Hockey

Greetings, my fellow hockey fans who aren’t watching hockey! While we are trying to socially distance and wash our hands like NBC Sports washed it’s hands of several problematic co-hosts, Upper Deck dropped a lump of coal in our turkey before yelling, “Happy St. Paddy’s Day!” and throwing beaded necklaces at us. And who can blame them since we don’t know what day it is, let alone what holiday. But that’s no lump of coal: it’s a box of Upper Deck’s Series 1!  If it was coal, it would have said “Panini.”

Before jumping to the goods, I was worried that I wouldn’t find enough cards to make fun of in a post, and this has been the case for the past few boxes of Upper Deck’s flagship hockey set. Honestly, the first half of the packs that I exhumed not only lacked of comical merriment fuel, but frankly, they lacked anything awesome or inspiring. The cards were boring. Dull. Safe. But thankfully, the later half of the box got things back on track! 

Continue reading “Best of the Worst: 2020-21 Upper Deck Series 1 Hockey”

Blake’s Takes: Evander Kane’s Twitter Brawl

I’m back after a two-week hiatus. I hope everyone ate themselves sick during Thanksgiving or just another Thursday for our Canadian readers. Most of all, I hope everyone stayed safe.

It’s been an odd last two weeks. The biggest news was Tampa Bay inking Mikhail Sergachev to an extension. The rest of my takes this week will cast a wide net from interesting to flat out weird. If I accomplish anything this week, I hope you learn something.

And if you don’t learn anything, at least listen to this song. But, if you don’t like my column, you probably won’t like the song either.

Continue reading “Blake’s Takes: Evander Kane’s Twitter Brawl”

Puck Junk Podcast: Reverse Retro Jerseys, Part 3

Episode #75: November 20, 2020

Sal Barry, Tim Parish, Jim Howard and Blake Isaacs conclude their talk about the new NHL Reverse Retro jerseys. In part three of this three-part podcast, they look at the new jerseys for the New Jersey Devils, Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets. 

Show Notes, Links and Images: 
Pictures of all Reverse Retro Jerseys (Instagram)
Pictures and Information about the Reverse Retro Jerseys (NHL.com)

Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk.
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG.
Follow Jim “Not the Goalie” Howard on Instagram @FlyingV2112.
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 Podcasts, 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. ■

Puck Junk Podcast: Reverse Retro Jerseys, Part 2

Episode #74: November 19, 2020

Sal Barry, Tim Parish, Jim Howard and Blake Isaacs continue their discussion of the new NHL Reverse Retro Jerseys. In part two of this three-part podcast, they talk about the jerseys for the Detroit Red Wings, Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, Las Vegas Golden Knights, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators, New York Islanders and New York Rangers.

Show Notes, Links and Images:
Pictures of all Reverse Retro Jerseys (Instagram)
Pictures and Information about the Reverse Retro Jerseys (NHL.com)

Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk.
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG.
Follow Jim “Not the Goalie” Howard on Instagram @FlyingV2112.
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 Podcasts, 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: The Reverse Retro Jerseys Have Arrived

Last week and Monday were exciting days off the ice. The hyped reverse retro jerseys were finally released and they shook Twitter. In this week’s column, I’ll share my takes on my favorite and least favorite Reverse Retro jerseys!

I’ll also touch on a few smaller storylines across in the NHL and even one in college hockey.

Continue reading “Blake’s Takes: The Reverse Retro Jerseys Have Arrived”

Blake’s Takes: Wings Extend Mantha

Last week was a pretty calm one in the NHL. Most free agents are signed and trades have been made. There was one rather large signing I want to talk about.

Other than that, like the last few weeks, I’ll revisit some transactions I didn’t have a chance to touch one at the beginning of free agency.

Continue reading “Blake’s Takes: Wings Extend Mantha”

Blake’s Takes: Coyotes Renounce Pick

Last week was hot with news as most of it came from the desert. The Arizona Coyotes dominated the headlines when they renounced their rights to a draft pick after ugly details from his past surfaced. The organization also made a minor move that might actually benefit the team, too.

As always, I wrote about one of my favorite signings and a scorching hot jersey reveal. You won’t want to miss this week’s set of takes.

Continue reading “Blake’s Takes: Coyotes Renounce Pick”

Blake’s Takes: Additional Free Agency and League Notes

Sadly, there were no sexy storylines in the NHL last week. But, as I mentioned before, so much happened over the last two weeks with the opening of the free-agency window and the draft, there is plenty for me to write about.

This week, I’ll touch on some storylines that weren’t pressing enough to make into my columns over the last few weeks. Happy Monday!

Continue reading “Blake’s Takes: Additional Free Agency and League Notes”

Puck Junk Podcast: 2020-21 MVP Hockey Cards

Episode #71: October 22, 2020

In this episode of the Puck Junk Hockey Podcast, Sal Barry and Tim Parish talk about hockey announcer Mike “Doc” Emrick retiring and the new 2020-21 Upper Deck MVP Hockey cards. Plus, more details about the Virtual Expo 2.0. 

Show Notes, Links and Images:
Tim’s column on what Mike Emrick has meant for hockey (Puck Junk)
Virtual Expo 2.0 (show website) 
Andre Dawson State Farm Insurance commercial (YouTube) 
Penguins and Flyers “Reverse Retro” Jerseys (Icethetics)
The Penguins’ jerseys also featured a diagonal “PITTSBURGH” wordmark on home and road jerseys during the 1967-68 season, and again from 1992-93 to 1996-97 on road jerseys. 
The Joey Logano hockey card (Puck Junk)
President’s Choice Trading Cards Captains Row (link)
That time Evgeni Malkin  appeared twice in the same set (Puck Junk)
Joe Thornton’s 1995-96 junior league hockey card (Puck Junk)
2020-21 MVP Hockey checklist (Trading Card DB)

2020-21 MVP Hockey card images:

2020-21 MVP Hockey #106 – Alex Ovechkin

2020-21 MVP Hockey #106 – Alex Ovechkin (back)

2020-21 MVP Hockey #23 – Brock Nelson

2020-21 MVP Hockey #76 – Jamie Benn

2020-21 MVP Hockey #125 – Patrick Marleau
Even though Marleau was a Penguins player when this set came out, he is pictured with the Sharks. Coincidentally, Marleau signed with the Sharks after this card came out. 

2020-21 MVP Hockey #219 – Steven Stamkos (short print)

2020-21 MVP Hockey #230 – Gage Quinney (RC, short print)

2020-21 MVP Hockey #221 – Michael DiPietro (RC, short print)

2020-21 MVP Hockey – Puzzle Back Variants

2020-21 MVP Hockey #161 – Sebastian Aho Silver Scripts Parallel

2020-21 MVP Hockey #8 – Nick Foligno Super Script Parallel (16/25)

2020-21 MVP Hockey Retro Parallel #74 – Matthew Tkachuk

2020-21 MVP Hockey Colors and Contour #66 – Liam Foudy (160/250) 

2020-21 MVP Hockey Mirror Mirror insert #MM-9 – Brad Marchand

2020-21 MVP Hockey Net Crashers inserts #NC-2 – Nathan MacKinnon

2020-21 MVP Hockey High Speed inserts #HS-1 – Connor McDavid

2020-21 MVP Hockey – Unopened Hobby Box 

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. ■

The Voice of Hockey Calls it a Career

Legendary NHL Broadcaster “Doc” Emrick Retires

Since 2005, when NBC acquired the rights to NHL broadcasting in the United States, there has been one consummate voice featured behind the microphone, serving up his eloquent and sometimes frantically excitable play-by-play for the feature games every week. On Monday, that voice decided to sign off for the last time. Mike “Doc” Emrick announced that after more than 50 years in the broadcasting business, he was retiring.

As the story goes, the first time Doc ever got the opportunity to cover a game in the NHL, he did so under the guise that he wasn’t getting paid anything…except a press credential. Continue reading “The Voice of Hockey Calls it a Career”