Confessions of a Hockey Card Dealer — Chapter 2

Hi, I’m Sylvain Cormier and when I joined the Hockey Cards Gongshow Podcast, my goal was simple: share the real side of being a hockey card dealer. In Chapter One,

I talked about my origins. Basically, how I stumbled back into the hobby and decided to move towards turning it into a career. Now in Chapter Two, I shared what life looked like once the dust had settled: the summer slowdown, the deals that work, the ones that don’t, and the lessons I’ve picked up after four summers in this fun and booming business. 

I promised to be honest about this journey and include the wins, the mistakes, and the habits that keep me learning. So here we go! 

Summer: the reality of the offseason

People assume the card market never stops, but I’ve found that summer is its own beast. July and August are unpredictable. There’s no regular-season hype, no playoff momentum. For me, summer has boiled down to two strategies:

• • Stock up and wait for the fall rush —  to an extent. 
  • Hold some cash and hunt for deals — collections and lots I can flip when the market reactivates. 
  • Don’t be afraid to sell in the summer — Some players and cards are worth moving during summer when the demand is still high and everyone else is holding stock.

Even after four years, I admitted that I was still learning. Prices don’t always fall in the summer like you might expect. Sometimes supply dries up because sellers sit on their inventory, and prices stay stubbornly firm, so it makes sense to move some inventory in the summer for these cases. The previous summers, I’ve sometimes been in what I call “analysis paralysis,” basically sitting on cash, and inventory while that inventory stayed stagnant. 

What I buy when the market cools

In summer, I usually targeted collections and lots:  a mix of raw and graded. Some I would grade myself, which maximizes upside. 

For example, that summer I bought five Auston Matthews PSA 10 Young Guns and a Connor Bedard PSA 10 Young Gun from a dealer friend who graded them himself. I then sold one or two for a modest profit,  and held the rest for September or October  once the market shifted in my favour. 

Takeaway: players with consistent demand (like Matthews) are safe bets in PSA 10. Raw cards offer higher risk and higher reward, but that’s only if they grade well. Young Guns that are a few years old are harder to find raw in PSA 10 condition, this is important to keep in mind. 

The anatomy of a win: the Zach Hyman lot 

Ok, so this deal almost didn’t happen. I second-guessed it until a more seasoned hobbyist told me, “That’s easy money.” Thankfully, he was right. 

Here’s what I bought: a 40-card Zach Hyman collection — multiple Future Watch autos, Some High end Rookie cards from The Cup, a few Young Guns Acetates, around 20 raw Young Guns, and more. All for less than the price of two McDavid PSA 10s. 

The results during Episode 2: 

• • I had already sold a dozen cards, sitting at 90% from break-even. 

• • A raw acetate Young Gun that didn’t move at my booth for $300 sold for $555 on consignment. 

• • Around 20+ cards were out at PSA, and cracked and submitted almost all BGS 9.5 cards to PSA for a potential upgrade. 

At this point, whatever came back from PSA was profit on top. Deals like this are part strategy, part relationships, and part luck. Yes, the key takeaway here is that in every successful deal, there’s always an element of luck. I know most traps to avoid now because I’ve already fallen into some of them. 

The loss that humbled me: Ty Smith 

Not every play hits. in Early-Mid 2021, I went heavy on Ty Smith Young Guns— about 30 copies, including French parallels, many sent for grading. Some came back as PSA 10s. For a moment, I thought I’d struck gold. Then reality hit: Smith got traded, then demoted, and his market value plummeted. Hey, it happens. 

I spent $1,200–$1,500 in grading alone, so obviously the money stung. But the bigger lesson was in my mindset. I had convinced myself it was a sure thing. So my key takeaway from this is the faster you can be humble and let go of perceived certainty in this hobby, the better you’ll do. 

Relationships vs. instincts 

One of the biggest surprises in this business has been the value of community. I often lean on vendors and trusted friends before making big buys (like I did with the Hyman lot). Those second opinions are invaluable. This knowledge is also what excites me about working with Private Collection Insurance. The team here are lifelong collectors, and our collection knowledge and passion is infectious.  

So far, I haven’t run into too much competition locally when sourcing collections. Maybe it’s the smaller community vibe in Atlantic Canada, or maybe I’ve just been lucky. Either way, I’ll keep asking questions and listening before I leap. 

The “hot potato” rule 

The pandemic made everything look easy. You could buy almost anything, sit on it for a month, and still come out ahead. Those days are gone. Holding 80% of your inventory no longer works as a dealer. 

My new rule is simple: treat money like a hot potato. 

• • If you have cash, put it into inventory you can flip. 
  • If you have inventory, move it before it cools off. 

Long holds as a dealer are risky. Injuries, trades, new rookies — all of it can wipe out your margins pretty quick. 

Macro risks and cycles 

There are really two cycles at play: the hockey season and the macro economy. Sure, you can ride preseason hype or playoff runs, but inflation, interest rates, and consumer spending habits can cut through all of that. 

And chasing history? That’s dangerous. I’ve seen people stockpile Ovechkin Young Guns betting on his record chase, but supply dynamics and macro shifts make those bets far less predictable than people think…even after Ovechkin broke Gretzky’s goal scoring record in 2024/25, 

Practical tips for new dealers and collectors 

Here’s what I’ve learned to keep myself grounded: 

• • Ask for second opinions — community knowledge is gold. 
  • Budget for grading — costs add up fast. 
  • Diversify — never go all-in on one player. 
  • Move inventory quickly — the hot potato rule keeps risk low. 
  • Separate your bankroll — keep hobby money distinct from personal money. 
  • Value relationships — repeat customers are worth more than short-term profit. 
  • Learn from losses — humility is the best teacher. 

Where I stood at that point 

Back then, I kept reinvesting almost everything back into inventory, something I did for about 4 years. Could I have taken more profits during the pandemic? Sure. But I chose to build for the long haul. 

The reality behind the highlight reels 

Let’s be honest, social media makes it look like every dealer wins every time. The truth? It’s a grind. There are wins, losses, and a lot of messy middle. That’s what I love (and hate) about it — the complexity. 

Sales instincts, grading math, timing, and patience all collide here. I’ve had enough wins to stay excited, and enough losses to stay humble. 

I’ve found something that challenges me, excites me, and lets me use the skills I value most — sales, negotiation, and patience. I’m in this for the long haul. 

Thanks again to Hockey Cards Gongshow for letting me share my story and to Private Collection Insurance for understanding the importance of protecting what we all collect.