Connor Bedard’s O-Pee-Chee Rookie Cards are Hot!

But Will They Be This Hot for Long?

It’s a mad, mad world we hockey card collectors are living in right now. Earlier this month, the hobby got turned on it’s head – again! – thanks, in large part, to the hype surrounding Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard.

Upper Deck released its 2023-24 O-Pee-Chee Hockey set on February 7. Traditionally, OPC is issued at the start of the season and does not include any of the “big name” rookies, who would normally get OPC cards later in the year as a part of an update set.

But this year, OPC was released mid-season. That means that Upper Deck could include Connor Bedard in the ’23-24 OPC set – and boy, did they ever! 

Continue reading “Connor Bedard’s O-Pee-Chee Rookie Cards are Hot!”

Rookie Cards of Every NHL Head Coach for the 2023-24 Season

Every NHL head coach has either played or coached at some level before becoming a “bench boss” in The Show. Maybe he was a solid NHL player. Or maybe he was a minor leaguer who grinded out a career. Or maybe he quit playing after junior hockey and got into coaching at a relatively young age. 

Thus, almost every NHL head coach for the 2023-24 season had at least one hockey card issued during either their playing or coaching career. Here is each coach’s “rookie card” if they played in the NHL, or “first-ever” card if they played elsewhere. This list includes all the coaching changes made during the 2023-24 season. 

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Puck Junk Podcast: 2023-24 Topps NHL Sticker Collection

Plus: Connor Bedard’s OPC RC is on Fire!
Episode #179: February 17, 2024

In the latest episode of the Puck Junk Podcast, Sal and Tim talk all about the 2023-24 Topps NHL Sticker Collection. They also talk about the insane prices that Connor Bedard’s O-Pee-Chee Marquee Rookie card is selling for, the Penguins retiring Jaromir Jagr’s number 68, and more. It’s 95 minutes of hockey goodness!

Links
Upper Deck My MVP Contest Website
LastSticker.com is a great site for trading duplicate stickers with others

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Puck Junk Podcast: Patrick Roy Returns to the NHL

Plus: The Upcoming NHL All-Star Game
Episode #176: January 27, 2024

In the new Puck Junk Podcast, Sal, Tim, and Clemente talk about Patrick Roy’s return to the NHL as the new head coach of the New York Islanders. They also discuss the new format for the upcoming NHL All-Star Game, if you can go to a card show without buying anything, if Fanatics will eventually make hockey cards, and more. It’s 115 minutes of hockey goodness. 

Links
The card where Topps airbrushed the Upper Deck Logo (Puck Junk)
Review: 2003-04 Topps C55 Hockey (Puck Junk)
Video: Patrick Roy vs. Bruce Boudreau (YouTube)
Video: Patrick Roy vs. Mike Vernon Goalie Fight (YouTube)
Video: Patrick Roy vs. Chris Osgood Goalie Fight (YouTube)
Video: Ron Hextall vs. Alain Chevrier Goalie Fight (YouTube)
1987 Canada Cup Game 3: An Oral History (The Hockey News)

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Podcast music by Retro Game Remix – follow them on YouTube

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Puck Junk Podcast: 2023-24 Upper Deck Series 2 Young Guns

Episode #175: January 19, 2024

This week, the guys talk all about the upcoming 2023-24 Upper Deck Series 2 Young Guns rookie cards, discuss how much Connor Bedard’s Young Guns rookie card will sell for at launch, and which other rookies will be worth adding to your collection. Plus, the new 2024 NHL All-Star jerseys inflicted on us by Justin Bieber. It’s one hour of hockey goodness. 

Links
The Russian Penguins: An Oral History (The Hockey News)
2023-24 Upper Deck Series 2 Young Guns Checklist (Puck Junk Newsletter)
2024 NHL All-Star Jerseys Designed by Bieber’s Fashion Label (NHL.com)
And here’s that wacky Leafs jersey designed by Bieber (NHL.com)

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Follow Sal Barry on X/Twitter @PuckJunk & Instagram @PuckJunk
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Review: 2023-24 Boston Bruins Centennial Box Set

100 Years, 100 Boston Bruins Greats

The Boston Bruins turns 100 years old this season. The team was founded in 1924 and was the first National Hockey League team to play in the United States. Upper Deck recently released a boxed set commemorating 100 of the best players to wear the black and gold – and sometimes brown and gold – for Boston. 

Costing around $50, the Bruins Centennial Box Set contains the entire 100-card set. You also get four parallel cards and one insert card, while some sets may also have a card autographed by a famous Bruins player. 

Here is a closer look at the set’s design, player selection – and if it is worth buying.

Continue reading “Review: 2023-24 Boston Bruins Centennial Box Set”

Box Break: 2023 Team Canada Juniors Hockey Cards

The 2023 Team Canada Juniors set was released in November of 2023. The set features Canadian players who played in the 2023 Under-20 World Junior Championship and the 2023 Under-18 World Junior Championship, as well as women who play on the Canadian Women’s National Team. 

2023 Team Canada Juniors hockey cards cost around $230 for a 15-pack hobby box. Each pack has six cards. The box – which pictures Connor Bedard on it – claims that you can get “at least 4 hits per box!” Bedard also happens to be the main reason why a box of 2023 Team Canada Juniors is rather pricey; it is possible to get an autographed card of Bedard, who was drafted first overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2023. Bedard also has two cards in the base set, one card in the  short-printed “Program of Excellence” subset, several insert cards – plus the plethora of parallels those cards have. 

In other words, if you are looking for cards of Connor Bedard, this is a good box to break. 

Besides autographed cards, other hits you can get in a box of these cards includes a jersey card or a high-end insert card printed on plexiglass. 

I recently opened a hobby box of 2023 Team Canada Juniors. Here is what was inside. 

Continue reading “Box Break: 2023 Team Canada Juniors Hockey Cards”

Puck Junk Podcast: The Corey Perry Fiasco

Plus: The Problem with ESPN+
Episode #171: December 8, 2023

Sal Barry, Tim Parish, and Clemente Lisi talk about a bunch of topics – including the Corey Perry fiasco, the problem with ESPN+, Patrick Kane signing with the Red Wings, Tristan Jarry’s goalie goal, Black Friday purchases, and more. It’s TWO HOURS of hockey goodness!

Follow
Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk & Instagram @PuckJunk
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG & Instagram @therealdfg66.
Follow Clemente Lisi on 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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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