Upper Deck

Clemente’s Corner: 3 Things Hockey Collectors Can Expect in 2026

I don’t have a crystal ball, but all indications are that this will once again be a big year for trading cards and collectables.

In a year where you have NHL stars competing at the Winter Olympics, Upper Deck pumping out new sets and some big shows filling our days and nights, the year is likely to be one of the most interesting and potentially impactful 12 months for hockey card collectors. Whether your focus is on Young Guns, international stars or show exclusives, this is a year worth planning for.

Here are three things to watch for this year.

Continue reading “Clemente’s Corner: 3 Things Hockey Collectors Can Expect in 2026”

Puck Junk Podcast: 2025-26 Upper Deck Series One Hockey Cards

Plus: Shill Bidding Controversies
Episode #233: December 3, 2025

Sal, Tim, and Clemente give their review of the 2025-26 Upper Deck Series One hockey card set – what’s great about it, what could be better, and which Young Guns are worth looking out for. Plus, a deep dive into the recent shill bidding controversies that have been the talk of the card collecting hobby. The YouTube version of the show features video and pictures. 

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 Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Castbox, Deezer, iHeartRadio, Overcast,  
PlayerFM, PocketCasts, Podcast Addict, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher,
or Transistor.

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Connect with us and other hockey fans on the Puck Junk Facebook Group.

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

Puck Junk Podcast: 2015-16 Upper Deck Hockey Setrospective

Plus: Chicago Game Worn Jersey Expo Recap
Episode #231: November 19, 2025

Sal, Tim and Clemente look back at the 2015-16 Upper Deck Hockey set that was released a decade ago – and how both Connor McDavid’s Young Guns card and the start of the e-Pack platform changed hockey collecting forever. Plus, game-worn jersey collector Sean Sullivan gives his recap of the recent Toronto Sport Card Expo and last weekend’s Chicago Game Worn Jersey Expo. The YouTube version of the podcast features photos and video.

Links
Chicago Blackhawks Jersey History website.
Follow Sean Sullivan on Twitter at @sulli26.
Chicago Sports Spectacular 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. 

Listen
Listen to the Puck Junk Podcast on Apple Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Castbox, Deezer, iHeartRadio, Overcast,  
PlayerFM, PocketCasts, Podcast Addict, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher,
or Transistor.

Connect 
Connect with us and other hockey fans on the Puck Junk Facebook Group.

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. ■

Puck Junk Podcast: 2024-25 PWHL Hockey Cards

Plus: Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2025
Episode #230: November 12, 2025

Sal, Tim, and Clemente give their review of the 2024-25 PWHL hockey card set. Plus, a discussion about the Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2025 inductees, the recent statement by the President of Upper Deck, and Alex Ovechkin reaching 900 goals. It’s 120 minutes of hockey goodness – with chapters, so you can skip to your favorite parts. The YouTube version of the podcast features photos and video. 

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 Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Castbox, Deezer, iHeartRadio, Overcast,  
PlayerFM, PocketCasts, Podcast Addict, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher,
or Transistor.

Connect 
Connect with us and other hockey fans on the Puck Junk Facebook Group.

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. ■

Puck Junk Podcast: 2025-26 Artifacts Hockey Cards

Plus: Questions for the 2025-26 Season
Episode #228: October 8, 2025

Sal Barry and Clemente Lisi look at the new 2025-26 Artifacts Hockey cards and discuss the pros and cons of this impossible-to-complete set. Plus, Topps starts making hockey cards again, the Chantilly Show might need a new home, and our big questions for the 2025-26 NHL season. It’s 133 minutes of hockey goodness. The YouTube version of the podcast features video and photos. 

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 Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Castbox, Deezer, iHeartRadio, Overcast,  
PlayerFM, PocketCasts, Podcast Addict, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher,
or Transistor.

Connect 
Connect with us and other hockey fans on the Puck Junk Facebook Group.

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. ■

Puck Junk Podcast: Remembering Ken Dryden

Plus: 2024-25 Ice Hockey Cards
Episode #226: September 10, 2025

A discussion on the life and career of all-time goaltending great Ken Dryden, who sadly passed away on September 5. Sal, Tim, and Clemente talk about Dryden’s many accomplishments on and off the ice, as well as some of his most-memorable hockey cards. Plus, a review of the 2024-25 Upper Deck Ice hockey card set, and Clemente’s recap of the 2025 NHLPA Rookie Showcase. It’s 108 minutes of hockey goodness. The YouTube version of this podcast features pictures of the cards and photos from the Rookie Showcase. 

Show Notes and Links
Ken Dryden Career Stats (HockeyDB)
Dryden Quits Hockey for Law Clerk Job (NY Times)
Dryden Ends Holdout, Signs Contract for Record $150,000 (NY Times)
1999-00 Upper Deck Century Legends #23 – Ken Dryden (Puck Junk)
Matthew Schaefer Ready to Anchor Islanders’ Future (Puck Junk)
Clemente’s 2025 NHLPA Rookie Showcase Story (Sports Collectors Digest)

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 Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Castbox, Deezer, iHeartRadio, Overcast,  
PlayerFM, PocketCasts, Podcast Addict, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher,
or Transistor.

Connect 
Connect with us and other hockey fans on the Puck Junk Facebook Group.

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 Parkhurst Champions Hockey Box Break

Released at the end of the season, the 2024-25 Parkhurst Champions set gives retro flair to modern players. The cards are designed to look like they could be from the 1950s, with cut-out players superimposed over a bright, solid-colored background. 

A box of 2024-25 Parkhurst Champions is currently selling for around $130 for a 20-pack box, plus one bonus “Retro” pack. 

2024-25 Parkhurst Champions Hobby Pack

Each of the 20 packs have eight cards. Packs have six base cards plus two other cards which are either a short print, a parallel, or an insert. A box contains one autograph, memorabilia, or lenticular (“magic motion”) card. 

2024-25 Parkhurst Champions Bonus Pack picturing Mr. Hockey himself, Gordie Howe.

The “Bonus Pack” has five “1953-54 Retro Cards,” which use the 1953-54 Parkhurst design. It is possible to get an autograph or parallel “Retro” card in this pack. 

I recently opened a box of 2024-25 Parkhurst Champions Hockey. Let’s take a closer look at what you get in a typical box. 

Continue reading “2024-25 Parkhurst Champions Hockey Box Break”

Puck Junk Podcast: 2024-25 Parkhurst Champions Hockey Cards

Episode #224: August 20, 2025

Sal Barry and Tim Parish talk all about the new 2024-25 Parkhurst Champions Hockey Card set. Yes, the design looks great – but is it a set worth building? And what’s the deal with the bonus “Retro Pack?” Plus, discussions about Team USA winning the Hlinka Gretzky Tournament, eBay’s changes to its platform, and the NHL Network’s “Quarter Century Team” – and who they snubbed. It’s 107 minutes of hockey goodness, now with chapters so you can skip to your favorite part. The YouTube version of this episode features video and pictures, too. 

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 Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Castbox, Deezer, iHeartRadio, Overcast,  
PlayerFM, PocketCasts, Podcast Addict, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher,
or Transistor.

Connect 
Connect with us and other hockey fans on the Puck Junk Facebook Group.

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. ■

2025-26 MVP Hockey Box Break

In recent history, MVP has been Upper Deck’s first hockey card set of the season, usually hitting shelves in August or September. The 2025-26 MVP set was released on July 30 – almost 10 weeks(!) before the start of the season. MVP gives you a lot of bang for your buck. A box costs about $60 USD or $90 CDN and has 20 eight-card packs. Each pack has an insert card and it is possible to pull a serial-numbered card, too. 

Let’s take a look at what’s inside a box of 2025-26 MVP Hockey cards. 

Continue reading “2025-26 MVP Hockey Box Break”

2024-25 Upper Deck CHL Hockey Box Break

Spotlighting many future NHL draft picks, the 2024-25 Upper Deck CHL hockey card set features the best players from the Ontario Hockey League, the Western Hockey League, and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The set consists of 300 base cards and 100 short-printed cards. 

A box of 2024-25 Upper Deck CHL contains 12 packs and costs around $70. Each pack has 14 base cards, one short print “Star” or “Star Rookie” card, and one insert or parallel card. Each box contains either an autographed card or an Outburst parallel card.

I recently opened a box of 2024-25 Upper Deck CHL hockey cards. Let’s see what I got:

Continue reading “2024-25 Upper Deck CHL Hockey Box Break”