Defense Wins Championships – But Offense Wins MVP?

The Panthers Win…and So Does McDavid?

Monday night’s Stanley Cup Final Game 7 between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers was certainly…something.

Exciting? Sure. It was a close Game 7 that was decided by one goal. But honestly, I feel that a lot of the excitement was the anticipation leading up to the game, and maybe not the game so much.

Did the game have exciting moments? Sure, that mad scramble in front of the Panthers’ crease, where both Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman were unable to tie the game, was intense. So was the breakaway goal scored by Oilers center Mattias Janmark. The game had its moments for sure. 

But the bottom line is that this was a game that was won by one goal because the Panthers played their suffocating style of defense, knowing that they could win the game 2-1 but not 8-7. 

And the saying goes, offense wins games, but defense wins championships.

Apparently, offense wins the MVP award, too. Continue reading “Defense Wins Championships – But Offense Wins MVP?”

Video: 2023-24 Black Diamond Hockey Box Break

Sal Barry opens a box of 2023-24 Black Diamond Hockey cards, hoping to find a Connor Bedard rookie card. Each box has six premium hockey cards, including one autograph or Diamond Relic.

Are you collecting any cards from the 2023-24 Black Diamond Hockey set? Leave a comment and let us know!

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Puck Junk Podcast: Interview with Mike Phillips and Jean MacLeod of Upper Deck

Plus: 2023-24 E-X 2000 Hockey
Episode #191: June 24, 2024

Jean MacLeod (Sr. Creative Director) and Mike Phillips (Executive VP of Sales & Marketing) of Upper Deck join us on the podcast. The two worked together on many sports card sets in the 1990s, such as Fleer Metal Universe Hockey and the various E-X 2000 trading card sets. MacLeod and Phillips also talk about the upcoming 2023-24 E-X 2000 Hockey set coming this fall. It’s 55 minutes of hockey goodness! 

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Podcast music by Retro Game Remix – follow them on YouTube

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Connor McDavid is For Real!

McJesus Went from Zero to Hero in a Hurry

In last week’s newsletter, I mentioned how stellar Panthers’ goalie Sergei Bobrovsky was through the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final. He allowed just one goal in the first two games, leading the Panthers to a 2-0 series lead. The Panthers also won Game 3 and looked poised to sweep the series.

Meanwhile, Oilers captain Connor McDavid was all but absent, scoring one assist in Game 2 and two assists in Game 3 in two losing efforts. 

Then McDavid woke up. Continue reading “Connor McDavid is For Real!”

Puck Junk Podcast: Potential Utah Hockey Club Team Names

In this episode of the Puck Junk Podcast, Sal Barry and Clemente Lisi discuss six potential team names for the new Utah Hockey Club – including the name the team picked temporarily for the 2024-25 season. The guys also talk about the Washington Capitals buying the hockey website CapFriendly, and several new Game Dated Moments cards of the PWHL Walter Cup Championship and the CHL Memorial Cup Championship. It’s one hour of hockey goodness! 

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

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2023-24 Trilogy Hockey Cards Box Break

After taking a hiatus in 2021-22, Upper Deck Trilogy returned for the 2022-23 season. Trilogy is back again for 2023-24, released in the middle of May. Since Trilogy is a late-season release, Upper Deck can include cards of Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard, who made his debut at the start of the season.

A box of 2023-24 Trilogy contains six packs. Each pack has four cards. A box costs around $160. So, that’s about $27 per pack – or $6.75 per card. You get two hits per box “on average,” according to the front of the box. Hits can be a jersey or patch card, or an autographed card, such as Trilogy’s popular “Signature Pucks” cards that have an autograph on a mini-puck that is embedded in the card. 

I recently opened a hobby box of 2023-24 Trilogy. Here is what was inside. 

Continue reading “2023-24 Trilogy Hockey Cards Box Break”

Why I Want the Edmonton Oilers to Win the Stanley Cup

We All Want to See McDavid Win It Sooner Than Later, Right? 

This Saturday is Game One of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers – and I’ll admit that I want the Oilers to win the Cup. 

Not because I want to see a Canadian team win the Stanley Cup for the first time in 31 years. I could care less about that. Continue reading “Why I Want the Edmonton Oilers to Win the Stanley Cup”

Pro Women’s Hockey Cards Are Here

The First 8 PWHL Cards Now Available via ePack

As the Professional Women’s Hockey League was winding down its inaugural season, Upper Deck released the first-ever physical trading cards for the PWHL. While Upper Deck did release eight digital trading cards of PWHL players back in March, these new cards are actual, legit trading cards that will be printed and shipped to collectors. Continue reading “Pro Women’s Hockey Cards Are Here”

Puck Junk Podcast: Why Connor Bedard Will Win the Calder Trophy

Plus: How Topps Policy Changes Could Affect Hockey Cards
Episode #188: May 10, 2024

In this episode of the Puck Junk Podcast, the guys discuss why Connor Bedard will win the Calder Trophy, as well as the latest population counts on graded copies of his Young Guns card. They also talk about Topps changing its redemption card policy and how it might force Upper Deck to do the same. Plus, how Fanatics is changing local cards shops…but not necessarily for the better. It’s 98 minutes of hockey goodness!

Links
Topps Announces Redemption Extension (Sports Collectors Daily)
Bedard, Faber, Hughes Named Calder Trophy Finalists (NHL.com)

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

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

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Subscribe
Subscribe to the Puck Junk Email Newsletter and the YouTube Channel

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