2022-23 Upper Deck Synergy Box Break

First released during the 2017-18 season, Upper Deck Synergy hockey cards feature all the bells and whistles. Synergy cards are two layers thick. Like past years, the 2022-23 Synergy cards have a top layer that is printed on die-cut foil board, and a bottom layer is printed on clear plastic. 

One thing that makes Synergy an odd release is that the base cards are very hard to find. You read that right; the base cards are tough pulls. Synergy base cards of veteran players are serial-numbered to 13 copies each, while Synergy rookie cards are numbered to 23 copies each. What you will normally get in a box is mainly Red Parallels, which some may mistake for the base cards.

That said, Synergy is not a cheap product. A box has eight packs, with each pack containing three cards, for a total of 24 cards. When 2022-23 Synergy launched at the end of June 2023, a box was $100; now the price has settled to $85. 

I opened a hobby box of 2022-23 Synergy. Here is what was inside. 

Continue reading “2022-23 Upper Deck Synergy Box Break”

Puck Junk Podcast: 2022-23 Upper Deck Synergy Hockey Cards

Episode #162: August 24, 2023

In this episode of the Puck Junk Podcast, Sal Barry and Tim Parish discuss the 2022-23 Upper Deck Synergy hockey card set, including the design, the inserts…and why the parallels should really be the base set. It’s 71 minutes of hockey goodness! 

Show Notes, Links and Images:
Connor McDavid  Plays in Beer League Hockey Game (Toronto Star)
NHL Ref O’Rourke Biking from California to Chicago for Charity (NHL.com)
Tim’s Take: Is Fanatics a Monopoly? (Puck Junk)
Tim’s Take: Fanatics Strikes Back (Puck Junk)
Sign up for the Puck Junk Email Newsletter here.
Some images from 2022-23 Upper Deck Synergy Hockey Cards:

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Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG & Instagram @therealdfg66.
Podcast music by Retro Game Remix – follow them on YouTube

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2022-23 Upper Deck Extended Series Box Break

Like the final part of a three-act play, Upper Deck Extended Series rounds out the company’s most-exciting card set. Extended Series adds 200 more base cards and 30 new Young Guns to collect, as well as 20 “Round 1 Draft Picks” short prints, making Upper Deck’s flagship release the biggest set of the 2022-23 season. 

2022-23 Upper Deck Extended Series costs about $95 per box and contains 24 eight-card packs. This is the last Upper Deck flagship set that will have this pack configuration, as the set will increase the card count – but decrease the number of packs – starting next year. 

I opened a box of 2022-23 Extended Series. Here is what was inside. 

Continue reading “2022-23 Upper Deck Extended Series Box Break”

Puck Junk Podcast: 2022-23 Upper Deck Extended Series Hockey Cards

Episode #160: August 12, 2023

In this episode of the Puck Junk Podcast, Sal Barry and Tim Parish talk about the 2022-23 Upper Deck Extended Series, including the crop of Young Guns, the new “Round 1 Draft” short prints, and the myriad of inserts. The guys also discuss why Extended Series – as great as it is – is often overlooked by hockey collectors. It’s 59 minutes of hockey goodness! 

Show Notes, Links and Images:
Sign up for the Puck Junk Email Newsletter here.
Tim references our interview with Metal Blade Records CEO Brian Slagel (Episode #78)  who is a huge hockey fan.
You should also give a listen to our interview with Paul Zickler of Upper Deck (Episode #149), who discusses in detail the changes to the pack configuration starting with 2023-24 Upper Deck Series One. 
Finally, some images of 2022-23 Upper Deck Extended Series cards:

Follow
Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk & Instagram @PuckJunk
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG & Instagram @therealdfg66.
Podcast music by Retro Game Remix – follow them on YouTube.

Listen
Listen to the Puck Junk Podcast on Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsAmazon MusicCastboxDeezeriHeartRadioOvercast,  
PlayerFMPocketCastsPodcast AddictPodchaserSpotifyStitcher,
or Transistor.

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Subscribe to the Puck Junk Email Newsletter and the YouTube Channel

Connect 
Connect with us and other hockey fans on the Puck Junk Facebook Group

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

2022-23 Upper Deck Series Two Hockey Hobby Box Break

If you collect Upper Deck Series One, then collecting Upper Deck Series Two is a must. The 2022-23 Upper Deck Series Two set features 200 base cards and 50 Young Guns rookie cards. The Young Guns are short-prints that are seeded one in every four packs. 

While I opened a box of Series Two a few months ago (to discuss in Episode #154 of the Puck Junk Podcast), I still wanted to post a full box break so you could see the sheer variety of inserts that you get in a box.

Continue reading “2022-23 Upper Deck Series Two Hockey Hobby Box Break”

Puck Junk Podcast: 2023 NHL Free Agency

Plus: The Upcoming National Convention – and Puckdoku!
Episode #157: July 14, 2023

In this episode, Sal Barry and Tim Parish talk about many of the NHL free agency signings for 2023 so far, including goalies who signed mega-deals, and a few stars who changed teams. They also discuss the upcoming 2023 National Sports Collectors Convention and the addicting new game Puckdoku. It’s 75 minutes of hockey goodness!

Show Notes, Links and Images:
Clemente’s Corner: Everything You Need to Know About the 2023 National Sports Collectors Convention (Puck Junk)
The Puck Junk Online Shop – Now on Etsy (Etsy)
Check out the new Puckdoku game – it’s fun! (Puckdoku)

Here’s that photo of a 19-year-old Dominik Hasek with Tesla Pardubice in 1984-85.

Click to enlarge.

Dominik Hasek is in the front row, third from right.. And Sal erroneously said in the podcast that Jiri Hrdina is also in the photo. It is actually Frantisek Musil (back row, third from left) who went on to play in the NHL. 

And finally – here’s that FREE set of cards that Sal will be giving away at The National this year. 

Just drop by the Puck Junk Booth (booth #1011), say hi, and ask for a set. 

If you are not going to The National and would like a set, contact Sal on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or email and ask for one. 

Follow
Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk & Instagram @PuckJunk
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG & Instagram @therealdfg66.
Podcast music by Jim “Not the Goalie” Howard (Instagram @flyingV2112)

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

A Collecting Evolution: Two Lines of NFTs Enter the NHL World

The NHL kept its distance from the NFT market – but that’s about to change with the launch of two new series of digital collectibles backed by the league.

While the NBA, NFL and MLB all entered the NFT game early, the NHL remained on the sidelines. But that’s about to change, with two lines of hockey NFTs launching.

An NFT, short for non-fungible token, is a type of digital collectible that peaked in popularity during the early days of the pandemic. NFTs usually depict celebrities, athletes or original artwork, and they contain motion, animation and sometimes video clips.

They use blockchain technology, a type of encrypted digital ledger that certifies the item’s uniqueness and tracks its ownership history and sales data.

These collectibles can initially sell for anywhere from a few dollars to tens of thousands of dollars, and resale prices can be much higher. One advantage NFTs have is that the licensor – such as a player, team or league – can continue to collect royalties whenever the item is subsequently resold.

An NFT is like a mash-up of a trading card and cryptocurrency. They’re more likely to appeal to so-called “crypto bros” than they are to collectors who buy packs of hockey cards.

Upper Deck hopes to change that with its new line of Evolution digital cards, launched in April. The company already makes traditional hockey cards licensed by the NHL and NHLPA.

“There’s a place for digital collectibles, but it was never done with the collectors in mind,” said Jason Masherah, president of Upper Deck.  Read the rest of the story at The Hockey News website. 

The 6th Annual Puck Junk Awards

The National Hockey League really needs to upgrade its hardware game. Sure, there is no better trophy in sports than the Stanley Cup. And the NHL does a pretty good job at honoring its best forwards, defensemen, and goalies each year. But what about honoring the best scorer who can also fight, the player who came out of nowhere and wowed everyone, or the guy who clawed his way back into the league after a year-long hiatus? 
 
Since 2018, Puck Junk has given out awards to such players. They may not have scored 50 goals or posted 15 shutouts, but they were still interesting, exciting — or even infamous — during the past season. 
 
That said, here are your 2023 Puck Junk Award winners!

Continue reading “The 6th Annual Puck Junk Awards”

Puck Junk Podcast: The Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2023

Plus: Notable HHOF Snubs
Episode #156: July 1, 2023

In this supersized episode of the Puck Junk Podcast, Sal Barry, Tim Parish, and Jim Howard talk about the seven new Hockey Hall of Fame inductees for 2023 – Henrik Lundqvist, Tom Barrasso, Mike Vernon, Pierre Turgeon, Caroline Oullette, Ken Hitchcock, and Pierre Lacroix. The guys also discuss three players who are long overdue for a call from the Hall. It’s 106 minutes of hockey goodness!

Show Notes, Links and Images:
The Mike Vernon vs. Patrick Roy fight (YouTube)
Ken Hitchcock’s “Rookie Card”:

Follow
Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk & Instagram @PuckJunk
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG & Instagram @therealdfg66.
Podcast music by Jim “Not the Goalie” Howard (Instagram @flyingV2112)

Subscribe
Subscribe to the Puck Junk Podcast on Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsAmazon MusicCastboxDeezeriHeartRadioOvercast,  
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or Transistor. Subscribe to the Puck Junk Channel on YouTube.  

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

Puck Junk Podcast: 2022-23 Trilogy Hockey Cards

Plus: 2023 Stanley Cup Finals Recap
Episode #155: June 24, 2023

After a bit of a hiatus, the Puck Junk Podcast is back! In this episode, Sal Barry and Tim Parish give their thoughts on the victorious Vegas Golden Knights beating the faltering Florida Panthers to win the 2023 Stanley Cup Championship. Then they take a long look at the 2022-23 Trilogy Hockey card set, including what they like about it and what could be better. It’s 82 minutes of hockey goodness! 

Show Notes, Links and Images:
What Haters Get Wrong About the Vegas Golden Knights (Puck Junk)
Puck Junk Podcast: Are Redemption Cards a Necessary Evil? (Puck Junk
Box Break: 2022-23 Trilogy Hockey Cards (Puck Junk)

Here is Sal’s INCORRECT Stanley Cup Finals prediction: 

Yeah…that tweet did not age well. 

And here is Sal’s “appearance” on the NHL on TNT:

A better look at the tweet of the Michael Scott / Paul Bissonnette graphic:

8 New And Necessary Punctuation Marks We Really Need

Follow
Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk & Instagram @PuckJunk
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG & Instagram @therealdfg66.
Podcast music by Jim “Not the Goalie” Howard (Instagram @flyingV2112)

Subscribe
Subscribe to the Puck Junk Podcast on Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsAmazon MusicCastboxDeezeriHeartRadioOvercast,  
PlayerFMPocketCastsPodcast AddictPodchaserSpotifyStitcher,
or Transistor. Subscribe to the Puck Junk Channel on YouTube.  

Connect 
Connect with us and other hockey fans on the Puck Junk Facebook Group.

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