O-Pee-Chee Archives - Page 3 of 6

Puck Junk Podcast: The Million Dollar Gretzky Rookie plus 2020-21 Upper Deck Series 1 Hockey

Episode #76: December 9, 2020

After a three-week hiatus, Sal Barry and Tim Parish are back with a new episode of the Puck Junk Hockey Podcast. This time, they talk about the release of 2020-21 Upper Deck Series One Hockey cards — and some of the production problems that have plagued the set. The guys also discuss the PSA 10 Wayne Gretzky O-Pee-Chee rookie card that will become the most-valuable hockey card of all-time. Plus, new and upcoming releases, “COMC Jail,” and more.

Show Notes, Links and Images:
2020-21 Upper Deck Series One Hockey Checklist (Cardboard Connection)
President’s Choice Trading Cards (website)
Upper Deck E-Pack (website)
Why – and How – Hockey Cards Have Made a Comeback (The Score)
PSA 10 Wayne Gretzky OPC Rooke Auction (Heritage Auctions)

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 Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, Podchaser, PocketCasts, Castbox , Castro,
Overcast, TuneIn 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: 2020-21 O-Pee-Chee Hockey Cards

Episode #70: October 15, 2020

It’s been a month, but we’re back! In the latest Puck Junk Hockey Podcast, Sal Barry and Tim Parish discuss some of the offseason moves by NHL teams. They also talk about the upcoming Virtual Expo 2.0 and new hockey card releases. Then the guys take a long, detailed look at the 2020-21 O-Pee-Chee Hockey card set by Upper Deck.

Show Notes, Links and Images:
The Virtual Expo 2.0 (Show Site)
President’s Choice Trading Cards Game Used (President’s Choice Website)
2020-21 O-Pee-Chee Hockey checklist (Cardboard Connection)

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee card images:

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee #398 – Patrick Marleau
…forever immortalized as a Penguins player

Card backs have up to 10 seasons of stats.

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee #330 – Mika Zibanejad

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee #33 – Connor McDavid

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee #289 – Sidney Crosby

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee #521 – Gage Quinney (Marquee Rookies)

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee #550 – Wayne Gretzky (Marquee Legends)

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee #584 – Leon Draisaitl (League Leaders)

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee #188 – Nathan Beaulieu (Blue Border Parallel)

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee #12 – Travis Zajac (Red Parallel, because WHY NOT?)

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee #18 – Duncan Keith (Retro Parallel)

Retro Parallel card backs look a lot like early 1980s O-Pee-Chee card backs.

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee #213 – Phil Kessel (Retro Black Border Parallel)

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee – Premier “Tall Boys” Inserts #P-12 – Brent Burns.
Tall Boys or Small Boys? You decide.

O-Pee-Chee Premier card backs are printed in full color.

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee – Playing Cards 3♥ – Pekka Rinne

Playing Card Backs are black with gold ink.

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee Hockey – sealed box

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee Hockey – sealed pack

2020-21 O-Pee-Chee Hockey packs are somewhat difficult to open.

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 Podcasts, Google Play Music, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, Podchaser, PocketCasts, Castbox , Castro,
Overcast, TuneIn 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: 1982-83 O-Pee-Chee Hockey Cards

Episode #68: August 28, 2020

In the latest Puck Junk Hockey Podcast, Sal Barry and Tim Parish look back at the 1982-83 O-Pee-Chee Hockey Card set. They also discuss the pause of the NHL playoffs due to players protesting systemic racism, the legacy of Dale Hawerchuk, Mike Milbury putting his shoe in his mouth one too many times, the problem with Topps NOW Hockey stickers, and much more. This episode is 2 hours 8 minutes, so kick back and enjoy!

Show Notes, Links and Images:
NHL Postpones Games Until Saturday (NHL.com)
Dale Hawerchuk’s page on the Hockey Hall of Fame Website (HHOF)
NBC Removes Mike Milbury Due to Comments (Yahoo Sports)
Review of “The Don Cherry Story, Part 1” (Puck Junk)
Review of “The Don Cherry Story, Part 2” (Puck Junk)
Marc-Andre Fleury Asks Agent to Delete Controversial Tweet (NBC PHT)
Topps Now NHL Sticker Archive with Print Runs (Topps)
2020-21 Upper Deck MVP Hockey Checklist (Cardboard Connection)

The 1981-82 Oilers card of Wayne Gretzky with a mullet…

…looking like Jack Blades from the band Night Ranger.

Images of the 1982-83 O-Pee-Chee Hockey Card set:

1982-83 OPC #106 – Wayne Gretzky

1982-83 OPC #106 – Wayne Gretzky (back)

1982-83 OPC #380- Dale Hawerchuk rookie card

1982-83 OPC #105 – Grant Fuhr rookie card

1982-83 OPC #123 – Ron Francis rookie card

1982-83 OPC #307 – Joe Mullen rookie card

1982-83 OPC #342 – Marc Crawford rookie card.
More about this card here.

1982-83 OPC #327 – Bob McGill rookie card

1982-83 OPC #48 – Steve Konroyd rookie card

1982-83 OPC #165 – Dino Ciccarelli second card

1982-83 OPC #292 – Peter Stastny second card

1982-83 OPC #252 – Mark Howe

1982-83 OPC #64 – Tony Esposito

1982-83 OPC #265 – Randy Carlyle.
Note the “UFO” in the lower-left corner

1982-83 OPC #107 – Wayne Gretzky “In Action”

1982-83 OPC #40 – Mel Bridgeman “In Action”…or is it “Inaction“…?

1982-83 OPC #238 Paul Baxter Penalty Minutes Leaders

1982-83 OPC #4 – Mikko Leinonen Record Breakers.
Tim thinks that he looks like Peter Dinklage.

1982-83 OPC Hockey Wrapper

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 Podcasts, Google Play Music, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, Podchaser, PocketCasts, Castbox , Castro,
Overcast, TuneIn 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: April 17, 2020

1973-74 Topps & O-Pee-Chee Hockey Cards

In today’s episode of the Puck Junk Hockey Podcast, Sal Barry and Tim Parish take a look back at the 1973-74 Topps and O-Pee-Chee hockey card sets. They also get caught up in all the hockey happenings in the news. This episode is 1 hour and 35 minutes of pure hockey goodness!

Show Notes, Links and Images:
Video: Sal’s appearance on Pittsburgh Hockey Now (Puck Junk)
Jessica’s “Genuine Heroes” trading card (Twitter)
Kris Versteeg retires — again! (ESPN)
1973-74 Topps Hockey checklist (Trading Card DB)
1973-74 O-Pee-Chee checklist (Trading Card DB)
The story of Dale Tallon wearing #9 for the Blackhawks (Puck Junk)

Here’s Sidney Crosby with a dog:

1973-74 Topps and O-Pee-Chee hockey card images:

1973-74 Topps #162 – Billy Smith

1973-74 Topps #81 – Bill Barber

1973-74 Topps #149 – Dave Schultz (RC)

1973-74 O-Pee-Chee #237Larry Robinson (RC)

1973-74 Topps #119 – Doug Favell

1973-74 Topps #129 – Dale Tallon

1973-74 Topps #32 – Dan Maloney

1973-74 O-Pee-Chee #3 – Phil Roberto

1973-74 O-Pee-Chee #124 – Steve Durbano (RC)

1973-74 Topps #173 – Jean Ratelle

1973-74 O-Pee-Chee #91 – Joe Watson

1973-74 Topps #31 – Wayne Stephenson

1973-74 Topps #85 – Dave Keon

1973-74 Topps #83 – Brian “Spinner” Spencer
(I accidentally called him “Dave” in the episode)

1973-74 Topps #10 – Ken Dryden

1973-74 O-Pee-Chee #121 – Mike Robitaille

…and the cartoon on the back. (More about that story here.)

1973-74 Topps #100 – Montreal Canadiens

1973-74 Topps #182 – Derek Sanderson

1973-74 Topps #15 – Gary Unger

1973-74 Topps Insert Stickers – Bruins logo / Penguins flag

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 Podcasts, Google Play Music, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, Podchaser, PocketCasts, Castbox , Castro,
Overcast, TuneIn and SoundCloud.

Love hockey? Join the new Puck Junk Facebook Group

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

The 15 Best Hockey Cards from 1989-90

Hockey card collecting was on a precipice during the 1989-90 season. It hadn’t yet taken the plunge into the abyss of overproduction, inflated prices and rookie cards of practically anyone who got within 10 feet of an NHL uniform — succinctly known as the “Junk Wax Era.” Hockey cards were rapidly becoming more and more popular, accelerated by the trade of Wayne Gretzky to the Los Angeles Kings in 1988.

Yet, only two companies issued mainstream sets that season. The 198-card Topps set was sold in the U.S. and its near-identical, though slightly larger, cousin O-Pee-Chee sold a 330-card set in Canada.

But if you dig a little deeper, you will find that there were many other cards issued that year that stray from the beaten path — from team-issue cards to minor and junior league trading card sets, to cards printed on the side of food boxes.

Here is a look at the 15 best hockey cards from the 1989-90 season. Keep in mind that most of these cards aren’t particularly valuable, with most ranging from $2 to $5 each — and even that might be pushing it. Anyone with a love of hockey cards and hockey history should consider having these in their cardboard collection.

Continue reading “The 15 Best Hockey Cards from 1989-90”

Puck Junk Podcast: March 24, 2020

1986-87 Topps & O-Pee-Chee Hockey Cards

This week, Sal Barry and Tim Parish talk about the cancellation of the IIHF World Ice Hockey Championships and two Ottawa Senators players testing positive for COVID-19. They discuss Wayne Gretzky breaking the all-time goal record 26 years ago, and how Coronavirus disease has affected the trading card hobby. Finally, they take a long look at the 1986-87 Topps and O-Pee-Chee Hockey card sets.

Show Notes and Links:
NHL Provides Q&A Regarding Coronavirus Pause (NHL)
IIHF Worlds cancellation FAQ (IIHF)
Possible Names for Seattle’s NHL Team (Puck Junk)
Every 1993-94 Hockey Card Set Ranked (Puck Junk)
Video: Wayne Gretzky breaks Gordie Howe’s goal record. (SportsNet)
Picture: 1993-94 Pinnacle Wayne Gretzky Card #512 (Trading Card DB)
Picture: 1993-94 Upper Deck Wayne Gretzky “802” card (Trading Card DB)
Sport Card & Memorabilia Expo – Response to COVID-19 (Sport Card Expo)
1986-87 Topps Hockey Card Checklist (Trading Card DB)
1986-87 O-Pee-Chee Hockey Card Checklist (Trading Card DB)
Custom Joel Otto and Moe Lemay “Corrected” cards (Puck Junk)
Puck Junk Facebook Group (Facebook)

Here are some images from the 1986-87 Topps and O-Pee-Chee sets:

1986-87 O-Pee-Chee Patrick Roy rookie card

1986-87 Topps Mario Lemieux – 2nd major card

1986-87 O-Pee-Chee Gary Suter rookie card

1986-87 Topps John Vanbiesbrouck rookie card

1986-87 O-Pee-Chee Wendel Clark rookie card

1986-87 Topps Dirk Graham rookie card

1986-87 O-Pee-Chee Steve Thomas rookie card

1986-87 O-Pee-Chee Roberto Romano rookie card – love the alliteration!

1986-87 O-Pee-Chee Joel Otto rookie card – ERROR – pictures Moe Lemay

1986-87 O-Pee-Chee Moe Lemay – ERROR – pictures Joel Otto

1986-87 Topps Murray Bannerman – dig that mask!

1986-87 O-Pee-Chee Box Bottoms Wayne Gretzky

1986-87 Topps Insert Stickers Michel Goulet All-Star

1986-87 O-Pee-Chee Goals Against Leaders Bob Froese

1986-87 O-Pee-Chee Save Percentage Leaders Bob Froese

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 Podcasts, Google Play Music, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, Podchaser, PocketCasts, Castbox , Castro,
Overcast, TuneIn and SoundCloud.

Love hockey? Join the new Puck Junk Facebook Group

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

Puck Junk Podcast: February 7, 2020

1985-86 Topps & O-Pee-Chee Hockey Cards

In this episode of the Puck Junk Hockey Podcast, Sal Barry and Tim Parish take a long look back at the 1985-86 Topps and O-Pee-Chee Hockey Card sets. They also talk about some new releases, including 2019-20 Upper Deck Allure. This podcast weighs in at 90 minutes, so get ready for an extra-large helping of hockey goodness!

Show Notes and Links:
2019-20 Upper Deck Allure Hockey Checklist (Beckett)
Mike Mondano making “Modano Face” (image)
That rare Zdeno Chara Day with the Cup card (image)
Some images from the 1985-86 O-Pee-Chee set:

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

Subscribe to the Puck Junk Hockey Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, Podchaser, PocketCasts, Castbox , Castro,
Overcast, TuneIn and SoundCloud.

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.

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”

Puck Junk Podcast: October 31, 2019

2019-20 O-Pee-Chee Hockey Cards

In this episode of the Puck Junk Podcast, Sal Barry and Tim Parish talk about the new 2019-20 O-Pee-Chee Hockey card set. Plus, the latest about Topps Now Hockey stickers and Upper Deck Game Dated Moments, and Tim finds more outrageous hockey items on eBay. It’s one full hour of hockey goodness.

Follow Sal on Twitter @PuckJunk.

Follow Tim on Twitter @TheRealDFG.
Podcast intro music by Jim “Not the Goalie” Howard.
Like this podcast? Support the site and buy a shirt. ■

Box Break: 1991-92 O-Pee-Chee Premier

During The National last month, I purchased a box of 1991-92 O-Pee-Chee Premier Hockey cards for $5. It seemed like a fun retro break to do. The set is small, at just 198 cards, and seemed relatively easy to put together. Plus, I already had some doubles in my collection, so I thought if anything, I’d get a set out of the deal. I was wrong.

Continue reading “Box Break: 1991-92 O-Pee-Chee Premier”