Dean Barnes, an avid hockey card collector since childhood, has collected the rookie cards of the 100+ Black and biracial players who appeared in at least one NHL game, beginning with Wille O’Ree, who was the league’s first Black player in 1958. His goal is to raise awareness and celebrate the achievements of underrepresented and minority players in hockey.
The interest in BIPOC NHL cards and sports memorabilia extends beyond Dean’s collection – it’s a trend we’re seeing across the country. In fact, according to eBay Canada, Canadians are buying and valuing BIPOC-related NHL hockey cards and sports memorabilia more than ever. From 2019 to 2022, Canadians purchased 10 times the amount of BIPOC NHL hockey cards and sports memorabilia, and the average selling price has more than doubled in Canada.
Dean’s extensive collection features rookie cards of Hockey Hall of Famers like Grant Fuhr and Jarome Iginla, with featured cards currently on tour with the NHL’s United by Hockey Mobile Museum.
To further amplify the voices and accomplishments of the Black and biracial players in his collection, Dean is launching the My Hockey Hero podcast. The series, launching later this month will feature interviews with the players in his collection shining light on their experience. My Hockey Hero will be available across all podcast platforms. Links to the trailer can be found below:
• https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/63e41143c5f4b50011804d30
• https://open.spotify.com/show/2fWK88BRSb444dWYNA8Oer
• https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-hockey-hero/id1671226604
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