Whole Lotta Hossa

Dale Tallon must be out of his mind.

Yes, the Blackhawks General Manager did "manage" to sign this summer's hottest free agent, Marian Hossa.

The problem is, he signed Hossa for twelve years. Twelve years. Let's think about this for a minute, shall we? In 12 years, it will be the year 2021--which sounds like the title of a Rush album or an Arthur C. Clarke novel--and Hossa will be 42.

Now, there's nothing wrong with being 42 years old. Hossa will probably be in better shape when he's 42 than I was at 22. But while goalies and defenseman can play into their 40s, for forwards it does not usually work out that way since their game depends so much on speed and agility.

And 12 years? Where's the motivation when you have that much job security? It is said that a player performs best when his contract is up at year's end. Hossa, who only signed for one year with the Red Wings, was Detroit's top goal-getter with 40 last year. But what's Hossa's incentive now? The 'Hawks can't buy him out for probably seven or eight years if he under-performs, and if failed expectations are the case it will also be hard to trade him away with such a long-term deal.

The contract is "front-loaded" though, so while Hossa makes an average of $5 million per season, he actually gets more during the first nine years, and way less over the last three years.

Sure, I'm excited that the Blackhawks have signed a dynamic player like Hossa, I just wish the term wasn't so long. But I guess Dale Tallon would have agreed to *any* terms, so long as to keep Hossa out of Detroit.

As you may have noticed, I made a custom hockey card of Hossa "as a Blackhawks" to illustrate this post, based on the 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee design. If you got a moment, tell me what you think of it. I guess it's no great shakes really, I was more or less just trying to make it look as "real" as possible.

The Blackhawks signing of John Madden and Tomas Kopecky is so unexciting, that I did not bother to make custom cards of them.

Speaking of custom cards, have you checked out my Custom Hockey Card blog lately?

Thanks Brandon!

A belated "Thanks!" to Brandon Wagner for sending me some hockey cards. Brandon maintains a blog aptly named Cardboard Hockey, ETC., and usually posts about packs of hockey cards he's opened recently.

Not only did he hook me up with a bunch of 2008-09 Artifacts cards I needed for my set, he also threw in some cool miscellaneous cards, including two packs of 1990-91 O-Pee-Chee and this 2008-09 Collector's Choice Jonathan Toews card.

OK, Toews isn't really miscellaneous. He's the team captain of the Blackhawks, and was a starter in the All-Star game this year. This card shows him in the 'Hawks second game from the 2008-09 season, against the Washington Capitals.

As for those 1990-91 O-Pee-Chee packs...maybe I'll open them up and see if the gum still tastes as good as it did 18 years ago.

Cam Neely ESPN Commercial

This commercial, starring former Boston Bruins player Cam Neely, was to promote the ESPN News TV Channel. It aired in 1997.



"You guys wanna kick my dog while you're here?"

Check out more hockey related videos at the Puck Junk Channel on YouTube.

Mother Ducker

Sports Illustrated for Kids is a spin-off of the magazine Sports Illustrated, but aimed at the younger set. Each issue includes a sheet of nine trading cards featuring athletes from various sports. The magazine's editors decided to have some fun, and put "April Fools' Day Cards" in the April 1999 issue of SI for Kids. This card shows Anaheim Mighty Ducks captain Paul Kariya skating on the ice with other ducks - real ducks. (Full story)

Puck Junk Giveaway #1

Summers sure seem long when there's no hockey on TV. So today, I am starting the first of (hopefully) several Puck Junk hockey card related giveaways and promotions over the summer.

This week, I'm giving away some shiny team logo stickers from the 1995-96 Panini Hockey set. Everyone likes shiny logo stickers, right? Well, to get one for FREE, just follow these easy steps:

Step 1
If you have not done so already, please become a follower of this blog by clicking on the FOLLOW button on the right, at the top (just below the Search box).**

Step 2
Post a reply here, listing your top three choices of team logos and your email like this:

1st choice: Boston Bruins
2nd choice: Vancouver Canucks
3rd choice: Winnipeg Jets

name@email.com

Or you can write it like...

name AT email DOT com

...if you're afraid of evil spam bots!!!!

Note that since these logo stickers are from 1995, there aren't any of Nashville, Minnesota, Columbus, Atlanta, Phoenix or Carolina--but there are of Hartford and Winnipeg.

Step 3
Next week, I'll email you asking for your mailing address.

Step 4
When you email me your address, I'll send you a logo sticker PLUS a few stickers of players from the teams you listed.


That's it. So please, don't crush my fragile ego. Become a "Puck Junkie", post a reply, and let me give you some rad hockey stickers.

Oh, and check here tomorrow for an all-new Card of the Week!

** - By following this blog, not only are you helping my fragile ego, but you will be alerted of much cooler contests and giveaways in the future.

1963-64 Parkhurst #56 - Billy McNeill

It's been a while since I purchased a 1963-64 Parkhurst Hockey card. The same day the Penguins won the cup, I got this in the mail. It is a card of former Red Wing Billy McNeill.

The card is in decent shape, with the typical discoloration and rounding of the corners. With shipping, it cost me $4.50.

I now have 3 cards, and need 96 more. Slow and steady wins the race...

Thanks, Greg

Thanks goes out to fellow sports card blogger Greg Armentrout, who sent me a bunch of cards featuring Michigan State Spartan hockey players - and a few coaches too - including this card you see here of current NHL player Rod Brind'Amour.

As you know, I love cards that show players before they made it to the pros, from the junior leagues to the minor leagues. You don't often see too many college hockey cards, either, so these are very much appreciated. The Michigan State set has cards of a few guys who made it to the pros, including Joe Murphy, Bob Essensa, Kelly Miller and Kip Miller.

Video Olympics for the Atari 2600

Sometimes we forget how far video games have come. Those old enough to remember when Wayne Gretzky played for the Oilers probably got their start playing video games on the Atari 2600 - with games like Space Invaders, Combat, Surround and Video Olympics.

Today, the ultra-realistic graphics and sound in games like "NHL '09" make us feel like we are controlling an actual hockey game on TV - from the player's stick movements to the line changes. That was not the case 30-something years ago, when your typical game was composed of basic shapes and bright colors underscored by boops and beeps for sound effects.(Full story)

The Holy Grail

Last week, the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Detroit Red Wings in game seven, winning the Stanley Cup - the third time the Penguins have won hockey's "Holy Grail" since joining the NHL in 1967. Not long ago, I too acquired a holy grail - one for card collectors: 1990-91 Pro Set Stanley Cup hologram.

The Pro Set Stanley Cup hologram is one of the hardest "chase cards" to find from the early 1990s. (Full story)

Beckett Marketplace purchase

Last week, I decided to purchase a bunch of cards from a Beckett.com dealer. I got free shipping, and it scratched a few itches for me.

For several years now, I've wanted to own the 2001-02 Topps Heritage Parallel set. Seeded one per pack, the cards resemble the classic 1971-72 Topps/OPC set, which is among my favorites. No one ever sells these cards as a full set, but I was able to find a dealer that had all 110 cards. About 1/3 of the cards were 25 cents, and another 1/3 were 45 cents. It cost me $61.47 to purchase all 110 cards.

I also purchased several cards to kill off some sets:

-- 1989-90 O-Pee-Chee (1 card)
-- 1993-94 Donruss (1 card)
-- 1993-94 Leaf Hat Tricks insert set (2 cards)
-- 1995-96 Pinnacle Select (1 card)
-- 1996-97 Leaf (1 card)
-- 2008-09 Fleer Ultra (5 cards)

Finally, I picked up another 67 different Chris Chelios cards. I'm trying to get all of Chelios' cards. I now have 326 different Chelios cards in my collection.


If you are considering ordering from the Beckett.com marketplace, you should know that if you order $50 or more from a single dealer, then the shipping is free. However, if you place an order over $100, then for some reason the site wants to charge you for shipping. So, I'd recommend placing an order between $50 and $99.99, because once your order hits $100 they try to charge you $14 or so for shipping.

Final round, fight!

Series: Detroit Red Wings vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

My prediction: Penguins pull the UPSET in 6 games.

Thoughts: Last year, I predicted that the Red Wings would win in 6 games--and they did. Am I psychic? No. Am I really good at guessing how many games it takes to win a particular series? Obviously not, as evidenced by my prior blog posts during this year's playoffs.

But I do know this: both of these teams are awesome, are totally capable of scoring a lot of goals and have so-so goaltending. But I don't think we can expect to see games with 7-6 scores. It seems that everyone goes conservative once they reach the finals. I would love to see some blowout scores. It might happen--both teams have the tools to do so.

Now, the Red Wings are pretty much the same team as last year, except now they have Marian Hossa too. Hossa was on the Penguins last year, but figured that if he can't beat 'em Red Wings, then join 'em Red Wings.

And despite the offense that Hossa adds to Detroit, I can't help but feel that Pittsburgh will do it this year. Last year, they struggled and lost to the Red Wings. This is very much like the 1983 Edmonton Oilers, who lost to the Islanders that year in the Cup finals. That was the Islanders' fourth straight Stanley Cup. The next season, a more mature, more confident Oilers team would beat the Islanders, starting a dynasty of their own.

History is cyclical. It's time for a changing of the guard.

Penguins in six.

Round 3 recap

With only two series in the third round, I can be either half-right, completely right, or completely wrong. No more of this 75% stuff.


Series: Detroit Red Wings (2) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (4)

My prediction: Red Wings in 7.

What actually happened: Red Wings won in 5.

Thoughts: While I was hoping that the Blackhawks would pull off an upset and make it to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1992, I knew that they could not beat the Red Wings this year. The Wings depth players performed well, while most of the Blackhawks depth players were nowhere to be seen in this series. Byfuglien, Ladd and Bolland were all non-factors.

I was right about the winner, but really thought the 'Hawks would test the Wings better. Oh well. What do Cubs fans say? Oh yeah, Wait 'til next year!



Series: Pittsburgh Penguins (4) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (6)

My Prediction: Penguins in 7.

What actually happened: Penguins in 4.

Thoughts: Ah, stupid 'Canes. Two weeks ago, I stated

At this point, no team is just going to roll over and die. The Penguins will win the series, but it will be another hard-fought battle. The Hurricanes bumped off two teams ranked above them--the Devils in Round 1 and the Bruins in Round 2. Clearly, this team is for real.

Hard fought? This team is for real? Not only does that sound hokey and cliched, but it was wrong. I stated that the Hurricanes would not "roll over and die", but that's pretty much what they did. Other than the first game, which the Pens won by a single goal, the rest of the games were lopsided victories for Pittsburgh.

By the way, during Game 2 I heard Versus commentator Darryl Reaugh say "The Malkin Mind Meld," in reference to one of Evegeni Malkin's goals. Dude, seriously--keep Star Trek out of hockey. I can see the appeal of alliteration, but using it for a thinly-veiled sci-fi reference is just sad. Now, had Tomas Vokoun been tending the nets for either team, Vokoun Mind Meld might have been funny.

Well, I did pick the winners of each series, but come on--anyone could have done that. Those kids from Mozambique that we see in those "Right to Play" ads could have picked the conference winners. I'm not saying that kids from Mozambique don't know hockey--I'm just saying that once the Sharks and Capitals were out of the way, everyone was smelling a rematch of last year's final.

Great weather for a sweater

I recently wrote a hockey column for The DePaulia, recounting how the Blackhawks have turned things around in the past 1 1/2 years, and how popular the team is right now. Sure, the Hawks might not make it past this round against the Red Wings, but they've done a helluva job.

You can read the article here.

Not quite a "blast"

Today, after watching the Blackhawks lose 5-2 to the Red Wings, my girlfriend Shellie and I got some shopping done at Target.

And like a junkie, I am always drawn to the trading card aisle. I must need to get my head checked because I know that blaster boxes of trading cards are a waste of time and money. But as a fool and his money soon part ways, I purchases a blaster box of 2008-09 Upper Deck Series 2 Hockey cards.

Here's what I got:

-- 51 base cards

-- 2 Young Guns (Brad Staubitz, Teddy Purcell)

-- 3 Victory update cards

-- 3 Victory Rookie update cards (Petr Vrana, Dwight Helminen, Nathan Oystrick)

-- 1 Tales of the Cup insert (Clark Gillies)

Wow...what a waste! Sure, you're not always going to get an awesome rookie card in a box--especially a blaster box.

But let's do a little math here. Don't worry, I promise it will be easy.

A single pack of Upper Deck Hockey cards costs $2.99 and contains 8 cards. Young Guns are found in 1 out of every 4 packs (1:4).

A blaster box of Upper Deck Hockey cards contains 12 packs--but the packs only have 5 cards each. Additionally, Young Guns are seeded at a rate of 1 in 6 (1:6).

So, what's the better "value"? Glad you asked.

A blaster box gets you 60 cards for $20.

To get 60 cards from single packs, you'd have to purchase 7 1/2 packs of cards. For argument's sake, let's just assume you could purchase a "half pack". Your total cost would be $22.45.

Purchasing single packs would cost more to get the same amount of cards. Besides, grabbing eight packs at random from the shelf does not mean that you will get two Young Guns...it means you might get two Young Guns. And seriously folks, we know that's why we buy these damn cards.

At least when you buy a blaster box, you almost always get two Young Guns.

But now, I must voice a few gripes that most of us are thinking anyways:

1. The blaster box does not state how many cards per pack. This is a recent development in the design of these boxes, as sets released earlier this year state on the blaster boxes how many cards per pack. This feels very "bait-and-switch" to me. One might assume that if a single pack contains 8 cards, then each pack in a blaster box also contains 8 cards. That's a reasonable conclusion, albeit an incorrect one. The fact that Upper Deck does not state how many cards you get in a pack (or a box) should be illegal. Seriously. If you buy a box of tissue or a bottle of aspirins, it clearly states how many you get. Why are trading cards exempt from this?

2. The insertion of Victory Update cards. For those of us trying to build a set of Upper Deck Series 2 Hockey, it is frustrating to get one Victory Update card in every other pack--or every pack if you buy the 8-card single packs. Six out of 60 cards I got were Victory Update cards--that's 10% of the box. Most of us would rather get another Upper Deck card--bringing us closer to completing our sets--than a Victory Update card. Plus, I got more Victory Update Rookies than I did Young Guns. Which brings me to my third point...

3. Cost of Upper Deck-brand cards. Really, what is the difference between the $2.99-a-pack Upper Deck cards and the 99-cents-per-pack Victory cards? Both are printed full-bleed, are ultra glossy and have full-color backs. The only difference is, Upper Deck sells the Upper Deck-brand cards for more. Sure, we have a 1-in-300 chance of getting some dumb memorabilia card. So what? That just drives up the cost. Upper Deck cards are really not any better than Victory cards, quality-wise. Therefore, they should be a buck a pack. But their not, which leads us nicely to point number 4.

4. Cost per card. Time for more easy math. A blaster box costs $20.

$20 divided by 60 cards = 33.3 cents per card. That's 3 cards for $1.

But, living in Chicago, I have to pay 10.25% sales tax. So let's recalculate.

$20 plus 10.25% tax = $22.04 divided by 60 cards = 36.73 cents per card. That's closer to 3 cards for $1.10.

Unless you live in Chicago like I do--which has the highest sales tax in the U.S.--you'll pay less for cards than I do, but are still paying about 33 cents per card. If someone at a card show tried to sell me Upper Deck commons for 33 cents each, I'd have to lacerate them with a rough-edged OPC card from the early 1980s.

And yet today at Target, I willingly--and foolishly--paid that amount. Like I said, a fool and his money.

... ... ...

On a related note, I still need about 70 base cards from Series One and 60 base cards from Series Two. If you have any, please take a look at my Wantlist.

Likewise, if there are some 2008-09 Upper Deck Hockey cards you need for your set, check out my Trade List. I'd rather trade with someone than pay 33 cents a card.

Round 3, fight!

Hockey's "Final Four" starts today, with the Chicago Blackhawks facing off against the Detroit Red Wings in the



Series: Detroit Red Wings (2) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (4)

My prediction: Red Wings in 7, but if the 'Hawks win, they'll have to do it in 6.

Thoughts: Has any team gone from non-playoff contention to Stanley Cup winner?

Actually, yes. The Montreal Canadiens did not make the playoffs in 1970, but won the Stanley Cup in 1971 (ironically, at the expense of the Blackhawks). So, a team can turn it around in a year and go from zeroes to heroes. And the Blackhawks can be that team.

But let's be realistic here. The Red Wings are pretty much the same team as they were last year, minus Dominick Hasek (who was a non-factor) and plus Marian Hossa (who helped the Penguins reach the Finals last year). They are an awesome team that became a little awesome-r with the addition of Hossa.

I don't think goaltender Chris Osgood can carry the Red Wings, but they have so many high-scoring players that it does not make a difference. Henrik Zetterberg, Johan Franzen, Pavel Datsyuk and Marian Hossa are all deadly with the puck, and Nick Lidstrom ain't no slouch, either.

But the Blackhawks won't go down easily. They made it this far for a reason. They, too, have a lot of scoring potential, with Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Martin Havlat and Patrick Sharp. Maybe these guys aren't as dynamic as the Red Wings scorers--yet--but they've all come through in the past two series.



Series: Pittsburgh Penguins (4) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (6)

My Prediction: Penguins in 7.

Thoughts: At this point, no team is just going to roll over and die. The Penguins will win the series, but it will be another hard-fought battle. The Hurricanes bumped off two teams ranked above them--the Devils in Round 1 and the Bruins in Round 2. Clearly, this team is for real.

So are the Penguins. They have two of the best players in the league--Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Bill Guerin has been stepping it up too. As the Penguins proved in Game 7 against the Washington Capitals, their offense can be devastating.

Really, it will have to be Pittsburgh's offense that wins this series. Pens goalie Marc-Andre Fleury has not proven himself to be a standout goaltender, and stands to be the Penguins biggest weakness. Things will get troublesome if the 'Canes learn how to exploit that weakness. Of course, they did solve Martin Brodeur.

Looks like it's going to be another Detroit-Pittsburgh matchup in the Stanley Cup Finals. But, I would love it to be Chicago-Pittsburgh--even more so because the Penguins are my sister's favorite team, and she still won't drop the fact that the Penguins beat the Blackhawks in the 1992 finals. A rematch is long overdue.

Round 2 recap

Round 2 of the playoffs was by far the best hockey I have seen in a long time. Three of the 4 series went down to the bitter end and were settled in 7 games. The fourth series went 6 games, but like the other series was also very close.

Here is the breakdown of my Round 2 predictions and the actual results.


Series: Detroit Red Wings (1) vs. Anaheim Ducks (4)

My prediction: Red Wings in 7.

What actually happened: Red Wings in 7.

Thoughts: You can't get much closer than this. Most of the games were within 1 goal, but the Red Wings did win by 3 goals in Game 4 and Game 5. Regardless, I was right about this one going 7 games. Feelin' pretty smug...



Series: Vancouver Canucks (2) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (3)

My Prediction: Blackhawks pull UPSET in 6.

What actually happened: Blackhawks pull UPSET in 6.

Thoughts: Oh yeah! There are some games in this series where the Blackhawks looked lethargic--namely Games 3 and 4 in Chicago. But in Game 2 they were dynamite. The Hawks had their ups and downs in the series, but when they did good, they did really good. Their big guns like Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews came through, but so did depth players like Adam Burish and Dustin Byfuglien. And the fact that the scored 7 goals against Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo is pretty amazing,. I also correctly predicted that this would be settled in 6 games. The smugness continues!



Series: Boston Bruins (1) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (4)

My Prediction: Bruins in 5.

What actually happened: Carolina UPSET in 7.

Thoughts: I guess the Hurricanes are a better team than I give them credit for. But what the hell happened to the Bruins? They were the best in the East, and self-destructed a la the Sharks. I'm kind of disappointed, because I would have loved a Bruins vs. Penguins conference finals. I'm a little less smug, now...



Series: Washington Capitals (2) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (3)

My Prediction: Penguins UPSET in 6.

What actually happened: Penguins UPSET in 7.

Thoughts: The Penguins-Capitals series by far was the best of the playoffs so far, and might prove to be the best series of the playoffs, period. The first 6 games were close, and both Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin were awesome. Pittsburgh's 6-2 win in Game 7 was the only real decisive victory in the series.

This round, 3 of my 4 predictions were correct, as far as series winners go. That's another 75% for me--same as last round, where I correctly picked 6 of 8.

Hawks make it to Round 3

As I astutely predicted they would two weeks back, the Chicago Blackhawks have won Round 2 of the playoffs by beating the Vancouver Canucks in 6 games.

I'm not surprised.

My reason? The Hawks won Game 2. I don't remember the exact statistic, but it seems that whichever team wins Game 2 more often than not goes on to win the series. In fact, it's been said that Game 2 is more important than Game 1, when the teams are still feeling each other out.

If you remember Game 2 of the Chicago-Vancouver series, the Hawks won 6-3, were pretty much the dominant team and controlled the game. Their stars shined brighter in Game 2.

Game 3 and Game 4 were different stories. The Hawks played horribly and lost in Game 3, and did not deserve to win Game 4. But they did, along with the next two games, and now they are in the Conference Finals.

This is awesome! The Hawks have not made it this far since 1995. But what was even more exciting was that they scored 7 goals in Game 6. Sure, they let in 5 goals too, but Vancouver is no slouch. Two seasons back, if the Blackhawks allowed 3 goals in a game, they were toast. Now they can let in 4 or 5 and still win.

The Blackhawks have potential to hold their own in the next round because they are not just getting scoring from their best players like Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews--they are also getting goals from guys like Adam Burish and Dustin Byfuglien. While every championship team has top-tier players who do the bulk of the scoring, they also have several guys who normally don't score step it up and help out.

Mind you, Adam Burisn scored the game winner. Of course, Patrick Kane (3G, 1A) and Jonathan Toews (2G, 1A) won the game for the Hawks. But if Burish hadn't chipped in when he did, it could have gone to OT.

Speaking of Kane, his third goal was amazing. One-on-one with a Vancouver defender, Kane faked a shot, fooling the Canucks' D-man, then took his real shot, fooling Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo. That single play showed that Kane can play at the same level as Alexander Ovechkin or Sidney Crosby.

One person's puck...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the saying goes "One man's puck is another man's junk." At least, that was the case yesterday, when my girlfriend Shellie and I investigated a few boxes of discarded books in the alley. You usually don't find anything good when people throw books away--just romance novels and The Da Vinci Code. I, on the other hand scored a hat trick and found two pucks and a hockey book amongst the otherwise mundane collection of travel guides and cook books.

One person's junk...my pucks. Or treasures. Or however that saying goes.

Propped up atop one of the boxes, almost as if it wanted to be found, was a Chicago Blackhawks puck. I don't normally collect pucks because the leagues and teams make so many different ones on purpose--collect 'em all, kids! But free is good. Heck, five bucks would be good. Hockey pucks sell for $8 to $15, depending on whether they are "game" pucks or "commemorative" pucks. This 'Hawks puck is of the game category, but it is not game-used.

Digging around in a box of sex-advice books--the alley being a perfect place to find those, come to think of it--I also unearthed this Chicago Wolves puck. The puck is adorned with a Gaelic or Celtic-style font and shamrocks. Every year, the Wolves play a game or two in green St. Patrick's day jerseys, and sell these shamrock-infested pucks. Some of the design seems worn off, particularly in the ring of green that is below the Wolves logo. The backside is also a bit scuffed up. Was it caught at a game? Who knows. I'm just glad I rescued it before some dumb kid used it to break a window.

Shellie found this book called The Complete Idiot's Guide to Hockey. Because, apparently, only a complete idiot would want to watch hockey, right? Shellie asked me if I wanted this hockey book, which prompted me to pick up the discarded copy of Dogs for Dummies and ask her if she wanted that book.

Obviously, Shellie--a long-time dog lover and owner of three basset hounds--needs a guide to dogs as much as I need a guide to hockey. But paging through this Idiot's book, it seemed to have quite a bit of semi-obscure factoids that I'll find interesting.

By the way, the collection of books itself painted an interesting picture of the person who discarded them. Shellie surmised that the types of books--travel guides, health-conscious cookbooks and sex/relationship books--pretty much confirms that the previous owner was a woman. I mean, how many dudes do you know with "healthy eating" cookbooks? The owner of these books probably went to a Blackhawks game and a Wolves game this season, bought this Idiot's book to better understand what the hell Brian Englbom is talking about, then broke up with her boyfriend, concluded that all men are stupid, that she was tired of cooking healthy meals, and that hockey was a waste of time.

Or maybe she just needed the space on her shelf.

Ode to the Ice Bats

Late last week, I heard that the American Hockey League (AHL) granted an expansion franchise to Austin, Texas. Immediately, I got excited--would this be the return of the Austin Ice Bats?

To my dismay, the answer is no.

Instead, the Austin-based team will be known as the Texas Stars, and will be affiliated with the NHL's Dallas Stars.

The Dallas Stars did not have their own AHL team this season. Thus, they had to disperse their minor-leaguers among several other AHL teams. Part of the reason why the Dallas Stars had to get rid of Sean Avery was because none of the minor league teams they had agreements with would take Avery for a conditioning assignment once he finished his anger management classes and was reinstated into the league.

Then again I'm not sure why the AHL has insisted on being a 29-team league for so long, especially IF the AHL is the premier minor league AND there are 30 NHL teams. The math doesn't add up.

30 NHL teams / 29 AHL teams = WTF?

The Austin Ice Bats have played in either the WPHL or CHL--low-level minor leagues--from their inception in 1996 until 2008, when they had to disband operations due to lack of funds and fan support, as well as the rumored (now true) AHL franchise in Austin. Any team that can survive playing in Texas-based hockey leagues for 12 years definitely deserved a long look as an AHL franchise.

While this most likely marks the end of the Ice Bats'--or at least their run in Austin--it also gives us another boring-as-hell hockey logo.


Great. The Dallas Stars foisted a slightly-updated version of their lame logo on their affiliate.


They also foisted their dumb name upon them too. From 1967 to 1993, they were the Minnesota North Stars, which was one of the coolest team names in hockey. Changing that to just the Stars when they headed south was as lazy as their logo design.

Two years ago, the Dallas Stars were affiliated with an AHL team in Iowa. That team's name? The Iowa Stars. Ah, always an original. I'm sure you can imagine what their logo looked like.

The Ice Bats, on the other hand, have a badass name and logo. As far as "animal-with-hockey-stick" logos go, the Ice Bats are second only to the Pittsburgh Penguins.


One other minor detail (no pun intended) that I like about the Bats' logo is the pattern on the gloves--it's the Texas Flag. It's not just a screeching bat with a hockey stick--it's a screeching bat with a hockey stick AND state pride.

Just for the hell of it--as if I don't have enough things going on already--I created a "What if" logo, showing us what the Ice Bats might have looked like if they were affiliated with the Dallas Stars. I might be onto something here.

Round 2, fight!

Round 2 of the 2009 NHL playoffs start today. I was 6 for 8 in my first round predictions; let's see if I can be 3 for 4 in my second round picks.


Series: Detroit Red Wings (1) vs. Anaheim Ducks (4)

My Prediction: Red Wings in 7.

Thoughts: The underachieving Ducks--who finished 8th in the Western Conference--knocked off the Sharks in 6 games. Can they repeat their success against the Red Wings? Nope! I don't know why the Sharks keep sabotaging themselves each year, but the Red Wings don't seem to have this self-destructive tendency. I'm not saying the Ducks will go away that easy; this series will go down to the wire.



Series: Vancouver Canucks (2) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (3)

My Prediction: Blackhawks pull UPSET in 6.

Thoughts: Yes, I'm pulling for my team here, but they've won two and lost two against the Canucks during the regular season. The Hawks will win if they can steal a road game early--if it goes to seven games, then the Canucks will draw upon the power of playing on their native Canadian soil and win the series.



Series: Boston Bruins (1) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (4)

My Prediction: Bruins in 5.

Thoughts: If you use your imagination, you can pretend it's a Bruins-Whalers matchup (there I go again, living in the past). While Carolina upset the Devils, the Bruins averaged 4 goals a game against the Canadiens. Tim Thomas is having a hell of a playoffs (1.50 GAA so far), so the Bruins will make it to the Final Four.



Series: Washington Capitals (2) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (3)

My Prediction: Penguins UPSET in 6.

Thoughts: This one will be interesting. Capitals rookie goaltender Simeon Varlamov kicked ass in goal against the Rangers. Can he continue to do so against the Penguins--a team who will push him to his limits. I think Alexander Ovechkin is a better player than Sidney Crosby, but I think the Penguins have the better team.

Round One Recap

After two weeks, the first round of the playoffs are finally over. There were some surprises, like the President Trophy-winning Sharks getting usurped by the 8th-seed "mighty" Ducks. And an exciting, "it-ain't-over-'til-it's-over" comeback by the Carolina Hurricanes.

Here are the predictions I made two weeks back, and how the series actually played out:


Series: Sharks (1) vs. Ducks (8)

My Prediction: Sharks in 6

What actually happened: Ducks won in 6 games

Comments: Wow...It's funny how it seems that, more often than not, that the team with the best record in the regular season fizzles in the playoffs. I really thought this would be the year for the Sharks. I know they've come up short in past seasons, but I really believed that the Sharks would go all the way.


Series: Red Wings (2) vs. Blue Jackets (7)

My Prediction: Red Wings SWEEP in 4

What actually happened: Red Wings win in 4 games

Comments: We knew the Wings were going to win this series. They're pretty much the same team as last year, only now they have Marian Hossa. Columbus is one of those "dog shit" teams that should not have won a game in the series, and they didn't.


Series: Canucks (3) vs. Blues (6)

My Prediction: Blues in 6

What actually happened: Canucks won in 4 games

Comments: Wow, another sweep in the Western Conference. I thought that the Blues would pull of an upset, because while the Canucks are good, they still seem like a very beatable team. Instead, the Blues curled up and died like the Blue Jackets. Maybe having the word "blue" in your team name dooms you to mediocrity.


Series: Blackhawks (4) vs. Flames (5)

My Prediction: Blackhawks in 5

What actually happened: Blackhawks won in 6 games

Comments: Yeah, I'm pulling for the 'Hawks because they're my team, but I knew they'd win in less than 7 games. Most of the games were very close, and it was a very entertaining series. I thought Dustin Byfuglien would do well in the series; in actuality, he did OK getting one assist and one empty net goal. He was a presence near the crease, which did lead to some goals while he hovered near Kiprusoff.


Series: Bruins (1) vs. Canadiens (8)

My Prediction: Bruins SWEEP in 4

What actually happened: Bruins win in 4 games

Comments: I'll admit, I didn't want the Canadiens to win because this is their 100th season of existence, and frankly they are not that good of a team. If the Canadiens did pull off an upset, then we'd have to hear about how it has something to do with the whole "magical-ness" of this being Montreal's 100th season, blah, blah, blah. Besides, the Bruins are a damn good team, so they deserved to win.


Series: Capitals (2) vs. Rangers (7)

My Prediction: Capitals in 5

What actually happened: Capitals won in 7 games

Comments: This one was close, and we all have to give the Capitals credit for clawing their way back from being down 3 games to 1. Rookie goaltender Simeon Varlamov came out as the hero after Jose Theodore started and lost Game One. Could this make Varlamov the next Cam Ward...and Theodore the next Martin Gerber?


Series: Devils (3) vs. Hurricanes (6)

My Prediction: Hurricanes UPSET in 6

What actually happened: Hurricanes win in 7

Comments: I knew that the smoke-and-mirrors known as the New Jersey Devils would not make it far. Some "Anonymous" poster--who thinks I'm living in the past--pointed out that the Devils don't play their neutral zone trap anymore. Who cares? They're still a boring team. The 'Canes, on the other hand...scoring two goals in the last 90 seconds of play...going from about to be the losers to the winners. Now, that's what playoff hockey is all about! I think the last time the Devils made a play that exciting, Kirk Muller was wearing the "C" (OK, maybe I am living in the past). Plus, we won't have to hear from the Devil's "fat goalie" anymore. No party for Marty.


Series: Penguins (4) vs. Flyers (5)

My Prediction: Penguins in 5 (though I really wanted a 7 game series)

What actually happened: Penguins won in 6

Comments: The Pengiuns were the better team, and have way too much offensive firepower to be brushed aside by the Flyers.

Anyway, I picked the right winners for 6 of the 8 series, so I guess 75% isn't too shabby. On Thursday, I'll give my predictions for Round Two. And eventually, I might even write something about hockey cards again.

Slap Shot

Now that hockey season is over for the DePaul Hockey Club, I've shifted my focus at The DePaulia to writing movie reviews.

But not just any movies; old, awesome movies. Last week, I reviewed the cult-classic martial arts film Five Deadly Venoms. This week, I wrote about Slap Shot.

You can check out that Slap Shot review here.

Happy Secretaries Day!

During the 1988-89 season, the ProCards company produced minor league hockey cards of AHL and IHL teams. Each was sold as an individually-wrapped team set. Many future NHLers would be featured, with players like Ed Belfour and Mark Recchi appearing on trading cards for the first time. Most notable, though, would be a card of one team's administrative assistant. Yes, that's right - a hockey card of a secretary. (Full Story)

DePaul Hockey, part 2

In September of last year, I mentioned that my grad school--DePaul University in Chicago--has an ACHA Division 2 hockey team. Since attending their first game, I have covered the team throughout the season for the school newspaper, The DePaulia.

It's cool being a hockey writer, even if it was for what one might consider the "minor league" of college hockey (DePaul does not have an NCAA hockey team, just ACHA "club" hockey).

But to me, hockey is hockey. I wrote quite a bit about the Chicago Wolves when I was an undergrad, and put the same effort into it as if I were covering the Blackhawks. Same deal here. When you love a sport, you always want to do your best to "spread the word" and try to win over a few new fans for it.

Speaking of winning, DePaul's hockey team had a winning season. They won both games at the Regional Tournament, then went 2-1 at the National Championships, finishing 7th. Mind you, only 16 out of 170 Division 2 teams make it to the Nationals, so that places DePaul within the top 5 percent of teams nationwide.

After that, a few of their players were invited to the All-Star tournament, capping off a very successful season for the team.

Of course, it's always easier to cover or follow a winning team than a losing team. Win or lose, I plan on covering the team next season too.

The playoffs finally matter again

For the first time in seven years, the Chicago Blackhawks have made the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They finished 4th in the Western Conference, and will face the 5th place Calgary Flames.

And, for the first time in seven years, I can finally care about the playoffs.

While I've tuned into the NHL's annual "second season" each year, I never really cared who won or lost. Oh sure, I love to see Detroit lose. But if they win, it's not like my Blackhawks would be facing them in the first round.

Rather, I'd just hope for as many seven-game series as possible. I love watching hockey--even if it's not "my"team--so I want the playoffs to last as long as they possibly can.

But when you have a team in the playoffs, you have a vested interest in the outcomes of all the other games and series. You hope your team wins, and that an underdog knocks out a top seed like San Jose or Detroit, so that the Blackhawks don't have to face them in the next round. The underdogs do the dirty work for you, and so long as you finished higher than them in the standings, you still get home ice advantage. It's a win-win situation.

Of course, the underdog sometimes beats the top seed, and then steamrolls their way to the Finals (see Minnesota North Stars, 1991 and Edmonton Oilers, 2006).

Sal's prediction: Despite the Blackhawks sweeping the Flames in the regular season 4-0, I don't think the playoffs will be a sweep. Flames goalie Mikka Kiprusoff will step up his game, but he won't be a match for the 'Hawks offensive firepower--especially if Patrick Sharp returns to the lineup.

Dustin Byfuglien will be the surprise player of the series, when he realizes that he is a big mofo who can bully his way to the front of the net. When Big Buff plays that way, he scores goals. Course, I'd love to see how he'd do in a scrap with Todd Bertuzzi.

Anyway, 'Hawks are gonna win this one. They'll drop one of the first three games, but end up winning it in five.

Here's how I see the First Round going down...

Western Conference

Sharks (1) vs. Ducks (8) - Sharks in six. They did finish with the best record.

Red Wings (2) vs. Blue Jackets (7) - Red Wings SWEEP Jackets 4-0. Columbus sucks.

Canucks (3) vs. Blues (6) - Blues pull off an UPSET, winning in six. The Canucks are good, but I think the Blues have potential for an upset.

Blackhawks (4) vs. Flames (5) - Hawks in five. Because I say so.

Eastern Conference

Bruins (1) vs. Canadiens (8) - Bruins SWEEP in four. Montreal's 100th season definitely was not their best one.

Capitals (2) vs. Rangers (7) - Caps in five. Not even Sean Avery can save the Rangers.

Devils (3) vs. Hurricanes (6) - Hurricanes pull off an UPSET, winning in six. Only because the world would be a better place without the New Jersey Devils and their bland, excitement-killing style of hockey.

Penguins (4) vs. Flyers (5) - Penguins in seven. Actually, no. Penguins will win in five...but I want this to go seven games. I love it when these two Pennsylvanian teams meet in the playoffs. The Pens are pretty awesome up front, with Sidney Crosby and Art Ross winner Evgeni Malkin.

Unfortunately, I will now have to subscribe to the Versus (VS) Network, as they'll be showing most of the playoff games--including the 'Hawks games. Grrr....

The '73-74 Topps set build

I was at a card show this past weekend, and suddenly decided that I am going to build a 1973-74 Topps Hockey set.

OK, maybe not suddenly. Even my "sudden" decisions still seem to be mulled over.

Truth be told, I never really cared for the '73-74 design. The variance in border colors are rather haphazard, the team name in that little "ribbon" just gets in the way while the torn edges around each photo seems arbitrary.

In other words, the design just plain sucks. But...I have every Topps set from 1968-69 to 1972-73, so this would be the next "logical" 1970s set to collect. Like I said, even sudden decisions have some rationale to them.

Well, I'm not the only one who seems to dislike this set. At the show I went to, most of the cards were very cheap, and I was able to pick up 133 cards for $53--including Bill Barber (RC), Gilles Gilbert (RC), Dave "The Hammer" Schultz (RC), Darryl Sittler, Marcel Dionne, Stan Mikita, Rick Martin, Gilbert Perreault, a "marked up" checklist and some minor stars.

Checking my collection, I already have a Billy Smith RC. I remember paying $4 for it back in 1991. I also have the Guy Lafleur card from that set--probably paid $1 or $2 for it back then--as well as 14 other commons that I've had forever and probably paid a dime each for.

On Monday, I managed to pick up the Bobby Orr card in the set for $5.

Counting the cards I bought when I was a kid, I spent $65 thus far on putting together this '73-74 set. My goal is to piece the set together for less than the Beckett "low" price of $125.

Of course, I'll need a Ken Dryden, Bobby Clarke, Phil Esposito, Tony Esposito and a few of those "League Leaders" cards. Once I get those--and an upgraded checklist--the rest I need are commons.

After that, it will be onto 1974-75...as well as all of the "current" sets I'm always trying to build.

Walt Poddubny

Former NHL player Walt Poddubny died suddenly on Saturday, March 21. He was 49 years old. The cause of his death is unknown.

I always get a strange feeling when a former NHLer dies before his time. Yes, people die every day - but someone who is (or was) an athlete should not just suddenly kick the bucket. Considering the incredible things that pro hockey players do, you almost think that they are invincible, that they will live forever. Or at least live past age 50. (Full Story)

The Love Guru

Mike Meyers ought to be ashamed of himself for writing, producing and starring in The Love Guru. It is a bland, stupid comedy - and I use that word very loosely - that panders to the lowest common denominator with an overabundance of toilet humor and bad puns. Even worse, the film revolves around a hockey player on the Toronto Maple Leafs - making the sport of hockey guilty by association for being in this lame film. {Full story}

My First Hockey Card

They say one man's junk is another man's treasure. But sometimes, one man's junk can later become his own treasure.

Back in 1985, I started collecting baseball cards - mainly because the other kids at school were buying them too. I was ten years old at the time, and usually I'd watch the Cubs if it pre-empted my afterschool cartoons. The 1985 Topps Baseball Set had a lot of cards - 792 to be exact - and I had accumulated hundreds in a short amount of time, trying in vain to complete my set. (Full story)

My Fighting article in Beckett Hockey #210

This month, in Beckett Hockey #210, my fourth article for Beckett media has been published. Entitled A Force to Be Reckoned With, it details the history of fighting in hockey, and fighting's general exclusion from trading cards.


Printed on pages 6,7 and 8, I am pleased to say that this article is in color. My past three articles were in black and white--I'm moving up in the world! I also penned two sidebars that support the main piece: Five for Fighting notes five hockey cards that actually did show fighting, while Goon Squad talks about some of hockey's most famous enforcers, past and present.

All I can say is "wow!" A few months back, I was jazzed just to have an article published in Beckett. That was awesome in itself. But this--a full-color, 2,000-plus word, feature story--definitely trumps all.

If anyone buys--or borrows--an issue and reads my article, please give me some feedback. I am always striving to improve my writing, both for Beckett and for Puck Junk.