in-the-cards

Wayne Gretzky hasn’t played a professional game this century but he’s still finding ways to set new records. A 1979 O-Pee-Chee Gretzky rookie card was reportedly sold for $465,000 (U.S.) to an anonymous buyer.

Collectors can now purchase digital hockey cards from their computer or, in the near future, from a mobile device, while also having the option of getting a physical card.

Upper Deck commemorated Frank Zamboni and his machine on a trading card in 1991.

Burgeoning card company Score tabbed the NHL’s next great star for it’s first spokesman. But it came with one great caveat.

In 1992, hockey cards were big business and the licensing rights for hockey cards were a contentious issue between the NHL and NHLPA.

When hockey cards exploded and became an investment commodity, Wayne Gretzky cards were one of the most counterfeited. One rare counterfeit showed Gretzky as a member of the WHA's Indianapolis Racers -- his first professional team -- and wearing the No. 7 jersey.

Before the 1974-75 season, it is speculated Jacques Lemaire was on the verge of becoming a Buffalo Sabre. The trade never materialized, though, and Topps' and O-Pee-Chee's attempt at getting ahead of the curve backfired as they released a Lemaire card that pictured him in a Sabres uniform. Lemaire remained a Canadien for his entire career.

The lockout may have claimed the 2004-05 campaign, but that didn't stop Topps from making a card to commemorate the NHL's lost season. The lockout card ended up being the end of an era for the longtime card manufacturer.

Jaromir Jagr has played through four lockouts and made one-game appearances in Italy and German leagues during the 1994-95 work stoppage. It's from his appearance in Germany that one of the most unique Jagr cards exists.

One of the biggest free agent deals of all-time happened when Bobby Orr became a Chicago Blackhawk in June 1976. But because the trading card companies didn’t have a photo of Orr in Chicago, they painted over his Bruins jersey to make it appear as if he was skating as a Blackhawk.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Josh Harding and O-Pee-Chee have teamed up for a special series of inscribed cards that pay tribute to his father. After battling back from Multiple Sclerosis, Harding won the Masterton Trophy in 2013 and the proceeds from other versions of the card will go towards helping others with MS.

In his Hockey Card Stories book, Ken Reid revisits his own childhood, picking some of his favorite cards from his youth and asking 59 former NHL players what their pieces of cardboard means to them.

When it comes to hockey cards, there are only three things that aren't allowed. Former St. Louis Blues winger Phil Roberto's card from 1973-74 stands out because his card was released before you couldn't show a fight on a hockey card.

In 1991, Upper Deck produced cards of the Canadian World Junior Championship team, but they couldn't make one of Eric Lindros, who had an exclusive deal with Score trading cards. However, the team at Upper Deck came up with a workaround, introducing, "Canada's Captains."

In this installment of In The Cards, our memorabilia expert, Sal Barry, looks back at a rare hockey card that put Lord Stanley's mug in a whole new slant of light.

In this installment of In The Cards, THN's memorabilia expert, Sal Barry, looks back on a couple cards that took The Great One off the ice and onto the pitch.

In this installment of In The Cards, our memorabilia expert, Sal Barry, looks back on a 2-for-1 deal for hockey fans.