2024-25 SPx Hockey Box Break

Upper Deck changed its configuration for SPx with its 2024-25 SPx set. Once upon a time, a box of SPx had more than just a handful of cards. Back in 2015-16, a box of SPx hockey cards had 10 packs, each with four cards, for a total of 40 cards. The next season, SPx downsized the number of cards you got in a box significantly, lowering the quantity while raising the quality. Here’s how many cards SPx had over the past seven seasons: 

      • 2016-17 SPx – four cards per box
      • 2017-18 SPx – four cards per box
      • 2018-19 SPx – four cards per box
      • 2019-20 SPx – four cards per box
      • 2021-22 SPx – four cards per box
      • 2022-23 SPx – five cards per box
      • 2023-24 SPx – five cards per box

As you can see, you didn’t get a lot of cards for your money, but all of the cards were some sort of “hit” – be it an autograph, a jersey card, a low-numbered insert, or the like. 

This year, Upper Deck upped the number of cards in a box of SPx, including many more base cards in a box so you can actually build the base set. A box of 2024-25 SPx contains eight packs, each with three cards, for a total of 24 cards. Each pack has one base card plus two other cards – be it a rookie card, parallel, or insert. 

Let’s see what was inside my box of 2024-25 SPx Hockey: 

Continue reading “2024-25 SPx Hockey Box Break”

The 8th Annual Puck Junk Awards

Another NHL season has come to an end, some players won awards – and some players who should have won awards were overlooked. 

Hence, the foundation of the annual Puck Junk Awards in 2018. Now in its 8th year, the Puck Junk Awards honor the unsung heroes – such as the best scorer who can fight, the player who came out of nowhere and wowed everyone, and the least-likely goalie to tend the twine. 

So, without further delay, here are the Puck Junk Award Winners for 2025. 

Continue reading “The 8th Annual Puck Junk Awards”

Puck Junk Podcast: Fanatics Fest NYC 2025

Plus: Panthers Repeat as Champs
Episode #219: June 27, 2025

In this episode, the guys talk about the Florida Panthers repeating as Stanley Cup Champions – and why they can three-peat next year. Clemente gives his recap of the Fanatics Fest NYC 2025 sports convention. Plus, thoughts on some recent trades, and more. It’s 101 minutes of hockey goodness – now with chapters, so you can skip to your favorite part. 

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

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Puck Junk Podcast: Interview with Paul Zickler of Upper Deck

Plus: UD’s New RPA Authentication
Episode #218: May 30, 2025

Sal Barry talks with Paul Zickler, the Director of Sports Brands at Upper Deck, about Upper Deck’s new Rookie Patch Auto Authentication. The feature will deter the practice of “patch swapping” on high-end rookie cards starting with the 2023-24 The Cup. Zickler also talks about the success of PWHL trading cards and plans for the next release, future Four Nations Face-Off cards, Alex Ovechkin autographs in 2024-25 Extended Series, and a look at 2025-26 Upper Deck Series One. It’s 37 minutes of hockey goodness – now with chapters so you can skip to your favorite parts. 

Links
Upper Deck Unveils New Feature to Combat Fraud (Sports Collectors Digest)
The Authority website (TheAuthority.com)
Can Ovechkin Save Extended Series? (Puck Junk)
2024-25 Upper Deck Extended Series Box Break (Puck Junk)

Rookie cards in 2023-24 The Cup will come slabbed and feature a serial number to verify its authenticity at TheAuthority.com website.

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

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or Transistor.

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2024-25 Upper Deck Extended Series Box Break

2024-25 Upper Deck Extended Series Hockey comes out today. As the name implies, Extended Series extends Upper Deck’s flagship release by another 250 cards for a total of 750 cards between the three series. 

Since 2020-21, Extended Series has made a good thing better by making Upper Deck’s flagship release the largest set of the season. Extended Series usually brings along with it loads of fun, retro-themed insert cards, drawing inspiration from the late 1990s to mid-2000s. In the past, many of the inserts you found in Extended Series were seral numbered, too. 

A box of 2024-25 Upper Deck Extended Series is selling for around $120 for a 12-pack box. Each pack consists of nine base cards and three insert cards for 12 cards total. There is even a very long shot at pulling an Alex Ovechkin Young Guns buyback autographed card. There’s only eight of those Ovie Autos floating around, so your chances of getting hit by lightning are probably better. And no, I don’t mean Victor Hedman…though he does have a card in this set. 

Today, I opened a box of 2024-25 Upper Deck Extended Series Hockey. Let’s see what was inside. 

Continue reading “2024-25 Upper Deck Extended Series Box Break”

Can Ovechkin Save Extended Series?

Will Hype and Hope Help the Often-Overlooked Set?

Upper Deck announced that Alexander Ovechkin has autographed eight copies of this 2005-06 Young Guns rookie cards, which will be randomly found in packs of 2024-25 Upper Deck Extended Series. Each card will bear Ovie’s autograph in bright blue ink and be hand numbered out of 8. These are original Young Guns cards that Upper Deck purchased to get signed (a.k.a. “buybacks.”)

Will the hype and hope of pulling an autographed Ovechkin Young Guns rookie card give Extended Series that push it needs?

Continue reading “Can Ovechkin Save Extended Series?”

Puck Junk Podcast: 2024-25 O-Pee-Chee Hockey Cards

Episode #215: April 4, 2025

In Episode #215 of the Puck Junk Podcast, the guys talk about the new 2024-25 O-Pee-Chee Hockey card set. Plus: National Hockey Card Day 2025, 2024-25 Emanate Under Wraps Hockey, and John Tortorella gets fired again. It’s 92 minutes of hockey goodness – now with chapters so you can skip to your favorite parts. 

Links
Tortorella Fired by Flyers (NHL.com)
Book Review: A Guy Like Me by John Scott (Puck Junk)
Video: John Tortorella in a Fight in the Flames Hallway (YouTube)
National Hockey Card Day Website (Upper Deck)
National Hockey Card Day Trade Group (Facebook)
Review: 1998-99 Panini Photocards (Puck Junk)
Emanate Hockey Listing on GameStop Website (GameStop.com)
2024-25 O-Pee-Chee Hockey Checklist (Trading Card DB)

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

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

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Subscribe to the Puck Junk Email Newsletter and the YouTube Channel

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

Will Tariffs Affect the Price of Hockey Cards?

And You Thought Cards Already Cost Too Much

Recently, a Puck Junk Podcast listener asked me if the “Trade War” tariffs that are being imposed on goods imported into the United States and in Canada will affect the price of hockey cards.

Continue reading “Will Tariffs Affect the Price of Hockey Cards?”

Puck Junk Podcast: 2024-25 Synergy Hockey Cards

Episode #213: March 8, 2025

In this episode, the guys give their review of the 2024-25 Synergy Hockey set – which could be the last-ever Synergy set. Other topics include Sidney Crosby’s recent milestones, the passing of longtime Penguins announcer Mike Lange, Seth Jones’ trade to Florida, the recent Stadium Series, Shoresy Season 4, and the upcoming Chicago Sports Spectacular. Plus, would a 24-hour long card show be possible? It’s 90 minutes of hockey goodness – now with chapters, so you can skip ahead to your favorite parts. 

Links
2024-25 Synergy Box Break & Images (Puck Junk)
2024-25 Synergy Checklist (TCDB)

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

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

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

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

2024-25 Topps Hockey Stickers Box Break #5

After opening four boxes of 2024-25 Topps Hockey Stickers, I was down to needing 71 stickers to complete the 800-sticker set. And yet these Topps sticker sets are notoriously difficult to build, so I knew that would probably be impossible. But I figured having more doubles on hand to trade could only help. Plus, there are those parallels. My fourth box had a Red Foil Parallel. Would this box also have a Red Foil Parallel? It could happen, as they are found one in every five boxes, or about three per 16-box case. Or could this box have two Blue Foil Parallels of players that I collect, or even – dare to dream – a Gold Foil Parallel?

That said, let’s see what my fifth and final box of 2024-25 Topps Hockey Stickers had inside. 

Continue reading “2024-25 Topps Hockey Stickers Box Break #5”