Video: 2020-21 Pro Set Memories Hockey Box Break

Sal Barry breaks a box of 2020-21 Pro Set Memories Hockey. Released in August of 2020, a box of 2020-21 Pro Set Memories Hockey has two autographed cards of hockey legends and two “buybacks” of old Pro Set Hockey cards from the 1990s. A box currently costs around $150. 

Love hockey? Join the Puck Junk Facebook Group, subscribe to Puck Junk on Apple Podcasts and  YouTube, and support this site at the Puck Junk Online Shop

Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk

The Top 10 Hockey Collectible Stories of 2021

Yes, we are already one month into 2022, but I wanted to take a look back at hockey card collecting in 2021. Just like the year before it, almost every story in 2021 was affected in some way by the COVID-19 pandemic. But not all of it was bad! More people got involved — or re-involved — with card collecting. This led to some new ideas and opportunities. Here are the top 10 hockey collecting stories of 2021. 

Continue reading “The Top 10 Hockey Collectible Stories of 2021”

Puck Junk Podcast: 2021-22 Pro Set Memories & Topps Now Stickers

Plus: A Recap of the Chicago Sports Spectacular 
Episode: #104: Nov. 24, 2021

In Episode #104 of the Puck Junk Hockey Podcast, Sal Barry and Tim Parish talk about the just-announced 2021-22 Pro Set Memories Hockey set. They also discuss Topps Now Hockey Stickers and the Fall 2021 Chicago Sports Spectacular. It’s 88 minutes of hockey goodness! 

Show Notes and Links:
Topps Now Hockey Sticker Archive (Topps website)
Definition of “shovelware” (Urban Dictionary)
Sal’s ironic collection of Rene Bourque Artifacts Cards (Puck Junk)
Information about 2021-22 Pro Set Memories (Cardboard Connection)
Sal’s booth at the Fall 2021 Chicago Sports Spectacular (Twitter)

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

Subscribe to the Puck Junk Hockey Podcast on Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyiHeartRadioStitcherPodchaserPocketCastsCastbox , Castro,
OvercastTuneIn and SoundCloud.

Love hockey? Join the 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: Interview with Gregg Kohn, VP of Product Development at Leaf Trading Cards

Episode #94: June 10, 2021

Have you ever wondered what it is like to work for a trading card company and make decisions that influence the product that end up in collectors’ hands? This week, Sal Barry and Tim Parish talk with Gregg Kohn, Vice President of Product Development at Leaf Trading Cards, and a former executive with Upper Deck. Gregg talks about working on current sets like Lumber Kings and Pearl Hockey, and reveals many new details about the upcoming Pro Set Memories Hockey card set. 

Show Notes, Links, and Images: 
The two books that Gregg refers to are “Hockey  Night Fever” and “The California Golden Seals” (review of the Seals book here).
Follow Gregg Kohn on Twitter @scoobycub
Review of the film “The Love Guru” (Puck Junk)
The 1999 Upper Deck Century Legends Ken Dryden card (Puck Junk)
Review: 1991-92 Pro Set Platinum Hockey (Puck Junk)

Images of upcoming hockey cards by Leaf Trading Cards: 

Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk.
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG.
Podcast opening and closing music by Jim “Not the Goalie” Howard.

Subscribe to the Puck Junk Hockey Podcast on Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyiHeartRadioStitcherPodchaserPocketCastsCastbox , Castro,
OvercastTuneIn and SoundCloud.

Love hockey? Join the 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: The Return of Pro Set Hockey

Episode #92: May 27, 2021

This week, Sal Barry and Tim Parish talk about the upcoming Pro Set Memories Hockey card set by Leaf Trading Cards. As fans of Pro Set cards from the 1990s, the guys have quite a bit to say about these new Pro Set cards, which will consist of autographs and serial-numbered buybacks. They also talk about the upcoming Sport Card Expo “Virtual Edition” and recent hockey card releases. It’s 85 minutes of pure hockey goodness. 

Show Notes, Links, and Images:
Join the Puck Junk Facebook Group here.
Register to attend the Sport Card Expo Virtual Edition (link)
Sal’s interview with Bobby Hull from November 2020 (Puck Junk)
Topps Now Hockey Sticker Archive (Topps)
2020-21 Upper Deck NHL Rookie Box Set (Upper Deck)
The rare Taro Tsujimoto card (Puck Junk)
Information about Pro Set Memories hockey cards (Blowout Cards)
1989 Upper Deck Dale Murphy error card (Trading Card DB)
1983-84 Steve Larmer and Steve Ludzik error cards (Puck Junk)
1991-92 Parkhurst Santa Claus card (Puck Junk)
Buy a retro hockey wrapper t-shirt from the Puck Junk Online Shop

Images of the forthcoming Pro Set Memories set:


Finally, the Pro Set Memories sell sheet:

Click to see larger.

Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk.
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG.
Podcast opening and closing music by Jim “Not the Goalie” Howard.

Subscribe to the Puck Junk Hockey Podcast on Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyiHeartRadioStitcherPodchaserPocketCastsCastbox , Castro,
OvercastTuneIn and SoundCloud.

Love hockey? Join the 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: New Hockey Cards for February 2021

Plus, Upper Deck Extended Series! 
Episode #83: Feb. 25, 2021

After a three-week hiatus, Sal and Tim are back to talk hockey cards! This time, they discuss the latest releases from Upper Deck, Leaf, Topps and President’s Choice Trading Cards. Plus, a look ahead at the upcoming Upper Deck Extended Series — and how “Event-Used” jersey cards could be better! It’s two hours of hockey goodness.

Show Notes and Links: 
Sal’s “Hockey Card” from his youth hockey clinic. (Puck Junk)
Sal talked about writing the text on the back of “Bloodlines” cards, but he really meant the “Sibling Sensations” set from 2019. (Upper Deck Blog)
Adam Pardy knocked into audience at a Blackhawks game. (The Real DFG)
President’s Choice Game-Used Number cards. (PCTC)
President’s Choice Game-Used Rocket Richard Trophy Cards. (PCTC)
President’s Choice Game-Used Vintage Memorabilia cards. (PCTC)
Topps Now Hockey Sticker print runs. (Topps)
Tampa Bay Lightning Stanley Cup Champions 6-card set (Upper Deck Blog)
Review of the 2013 Blackhawks Stanley Cup Set (Puck Junk)
Dragon Ball Z: “It’s over 9000!” (YouTube)
2020-21 Upper Deck Rookie Box Set (Cardboard Connection)
Michigan J. Frog, a.k.a. “The Singing Frog” (YouTube)
2020-21 Upper Deck Series 2 Young Guns Checklist (Upper Deck Blog)
Upper Deck addresses Game Dated Moments problems (Upper Deck E-Pack)
2021 Leaf In The Game Used Hockey Checklist & Info (Beckett)
2021 Pro Set Football Trevor Lawrence rookie card (Leaf Trading Cards)
Ways to Improve Upper Deck Series 1 & 2 (Puck Junk)
Upper Deck Answers My Burning Questions (Puck Junk)
2020-21 Upper Deck Extended Series Info (Beckett)

Jeremy Roenick “Fight Strap” card by President’s Choice Trading Cards

Here are some of the 2021 Leaf In The Game Used cards:

2020-21 The Cup John Marino rookie card with the “wrong” patch on it:

A Dino Ciccarelli North Stars card with a Red Wings swatch. Just awful! 

A 1999-2000 HoloGrFX card. HoloGrFX will return this year. 

Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk.
Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG.
Podcast opening and closing music by Jim “Not the Goalie” Howard.

Subscribe to the Puck Junk Hockey Podcast on Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyiHeartRadioStitcherPodchaserPocketCastsCastbox , Castro,
OvercastTuneIn 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: May 20, 2020

The Controversy of Cards with Protective Film

This week, Sal Barry and Tim Parish discuss the controversial topic of hockey trading cards with protective film on them. From the mid-1990s until the early 2000s, card companies would put protective film on premium cards to protect them from getting scratched. Collectors were split into two camps on this: some removed the film from the cards, while others believed that doing so would actually reduce the value of the cards on the secondary market. Sal and Tim also talk about the new hockey card releases this week, the potential return of the NHL — and Nordiques jerseys!

Show Notes and Links:
NHL considering 8-9 sites for season restart (NHL.com)
Avalanche may wear Nordiques jerseys next season (NHL.com)
NHL players who wore number 66 (Hockey-Reference.com)
President’s Choice Trading Cards “Equipped” cards (PCTC website)
Upper Deck Game Dated Moments cards for Week 32 (UD website)
And since we brought up 1980-81 Topps Hockey cards, here is a review of that set (Puck Junk)

Images of cards with protective film still on them:

1994-95 Topps Finest #34 – Chris Chelios

1994-95 Donruss – Masked Marvels inserts #1 – Ed Belfour

1995-96 Topps Finest #121 – Chris Chelios
Notice the discoloration (“greening”) on his face

1996-97 Select Certified #27 – Chris Chelios

1996-97 Leaf Preferred – Steel Inserts #7 – Chris Chelios

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 PodcastsGoogle Play MusicSpotifyiHeartRadioStitcherPodchaserPocketCastsCastbox , Castro,
OvercastTuneIn and SoundCloud.

Love hockey? Join the new Puck Junk Facebook Group 

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

Every 1993-94 Hockey Card Set Ranked

The 1993-94 season was my favorite year to collect hockey cards. Everything about that season was just so right for me. I was living with my Grandmother and going to a local junior college, so my cost of living was low. I was working full-time at a card and comic book shop, so I could buy new cards at a deep discount. I had just gotten my drivers licence, so I could drive around Chicago to other card shops or local shows to find the last few inserts I needed for a given set. Plus, I was still promoting a monthly neighborhood show, so a lot of times people would bring me cards that I needed. My situation in life made collecting easy for me that year.

As for the cards themselves, the 1993-94 season was the last year before hockey card collecting got out of hand. Packs were still affordable, with most between $1 and $3. (The 1994 NHL Lockout would change that, but that’s a story for another time.) There were really no short prints, other than the odd insert, so sets were fairly easy to complete. There were some great insert sets, but not so many different insert sets like it is today, where you can buy a box of cards and get 40 different inserts across 10 different insert sets. There were five different card companies competing with each other, so they had to try hard to do better than one another.

Vintage Hockey Card Wrapper T-Shirts - Shop Now

For example, Topps finally got with the program and printed its flagship set on quality card stock, with gloss coating and full-color backs. The company also issued the set in two series, so it could include rookies and traded players in their new uniforms later on that season.

Unfortunately, there were some casualties. Pro Set had gone bankrupt in 1992-93, and while it tried to issue a set for the 1993-94 season, its license was revoked by the NHL. The NHL also mandated that companies could only issue two sets per season, so Topps had to jettison its unpopular Bowman Hockey set, while O-Pee-Chee stopped making its own smaller, premium “Premier” set, as the “Premier” name would be used by both Topps and O-Pee-Chee that year for their large, two-series card sets.

One addition to this year’s ranking is how each company included Alexander Daigle in their sets. Daigle was selected first-overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft. Pinnacle Brands — which made the Score and Pinnacle hockey card sets — had worked out a deal with Daigle, so that only they could picture him in a Senators uniform until he played in an NHL game. The other companies could not use a “Draft Day” photo, nor could they use photo manipulation to put his head on a different Senators player’s body. Thus, they had to get a little creative in how to picture that season’s hottest rookie in their hockey card sets that year.

As I have done with the 1990-91, 1991-92 and 1992-93 sets, here is my retrospective and ranking of every hockey card set issued in 1993-94.

Continue reading “Every 1993-94 Hockey Card Set Ranked”

Top 10 Hockey Collectible Stories of 2018

On the surface, the 2018 calendar year may have seemed a bit slow when it came to hockey cards and collectibles. Only one company makes licensed NHL hockey cards, so there is no real head-to-head competition. Still, that didn’t stop one card company from foiling the plans of another. Plus, there was plenty of competition in a record-breaking auction. A few other significant happenings took place in the world of hockey collecting. Here is my list of the top hockey collectible stories for 2018. 

Continue reading “Top 10 Hockey Collectible Stories of 2018”

Review: 1993-94 Leaf Mario Lemieux Collection

When the 1993-94 hockey season started, the Leaf Trading Card Company entered into the foray and released several hockey card sets. The company chose a rather significant superstar as their spokesperson – Mario Lemieux. 

As a Pittsburgh Penguins fan in the early 1990s, it was exciting to see Lemieux heavily featured in all of Leaf’s promotional material. Given the health issues he faced the previous season, seeing Lemieux look so vibrant, and featuring him in his own 10-card insert set, seemed like a fitting tribute to my hero. 

Continue reading “Review: 1993-94 Leaf Mario Lemieux Collection”