The game of hockey was aiming to grow in the 1960s and as the NHL was ready to move from the Original Six era to a 12-team league. Before expansion, it was tough to crack a roster and it was tough for a special talent to make it up - even for a few games. Sometimes, these players might have found themselves a hockey card, too. However, even the stars can become forgotten … [Read more...]
The Big Three: Collecting the Heart of the 1970s Montreal Canadiens
Throughout the 1970s, the Montreal Canadiens were the most dominant club in hockey. While the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers tried to wrestle that title away from them throughout the decade, the team's defense corps that featured the Hall of Fame trio of Larry Robinson, Serge Savard, and Guy Lapointe ensure that Lord Stanley's Mug was staying with the Bleu, Blanc et … [Read more...]
Taking A Bow: 10 Key Final Cards of Hockey Legends
In the modern world of hockey card collecting, the appeal of retired players within new releases practically ensures that many of the game's greatest legends will be discovered by new generations of hobbyists. However, there was a time where retirement often meant that a last card was exactly that, and there are plenty from Parkhurst, Topps, and O-Pee-Chee that deserve a second … [Read more...]
Mr. Goalie’s Memorabilia: Collecting Glenn Hall
When hockey collectors discuss the game's greatest goalies, there are names that naturally pop up like Terry Sawchuk, Jacques Plante, Patrick Roy, and Martin Brodeur. Their place in hockey history is undeniable, but there is one amazing talent that seems to get lost in the shuffle despite being arguably the best in the game during the 1960s - Glenn Hall. Why hasn't the hobby … [Read more...]
Spelling it Out: 1933-34 V252 Canadian Chewing Gum
Hockey's original gum card era began in a memorable fashion during the Great Depression as Canadian kids were looking to escape from the grim reality of the world around them. With the sport gaining national momentum thanks to radio broadcast of Hockey Night in Canada, the thought of getting a picture of your favorite stars and a stick of gum was a tempting way to spend your … [Read more...]
Mistaken Identity: 1937-38 V356 World Wide Gum Hockey Cards
The largest single-issue hockey card set issued before World War II, the relatively plain 1937-38 V356 World Wide Gum release has never had a sparkling reputation in the hobby. However, it is a collection which still deserves the respect of modern fans since it is a perfect snapshot of the NHL as it edged toward the Original Six era and holds a few secrets that took decades to … [Read more...]
1954-55 Parkhurst: Preparing For Battle
The hockey card world was turned upside down in the mid-1950s. Canadian kids had a difficult choice to make as they could check out the new competition from Topps or stick with what they already liked with the 1954-55 Parkhurst collection. 1954-55 Parkhurst was the last set to feature all of the Original Six together in one offering. Topps made deals with the teams … [Read more...]
1978-79 O-Pee-Chee: Goodbye Bobby, Hello Mike
With the NHL and WHA in the final stages of their seven-year battle, hockey card collectors were surprised to see that there would only be cards from one of the leagues and welcomed the 1978-79 O-Pee-Chee set with open arms. For the fifth straight season, O-Pee-Chee's set was made up of 396 cards. The set is a major source of frustration for those wanting to put a high-grade … [Read more...]
Hockey’s 10 Most Underrated Rookie Cards Of The 1980s
For the generation that grew up watching hockey in the 1980s, there are plenty of heroes from that era which are still heavily praised. The exploits of players like Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Mike Bossy and many others are well-remembered, but there are also those that were stars at the time which have been forgotten or are in danger of fading into the ether of hockey … [Read more...]
10 Important Old School St. Louis Blues Cards
The St. Louis Blues are challenging for the first Stanley Cup in franchise history and it conjures up memories of some of the players that helped pave the way along with their best O-Pee-Chee (and in some cases, Topps) hockey cards. As part of the NHL's great expansion of 1967, the team was an early success with three straight trips to the Stanley Cup Final thanks to a … [Read more...]