Overlooked by most every hockey card guide and checklist is the fact that there are two distinct sets of Kellogg's NHL Hockey Discs. The first set from 1984-85 includes 36 discs (unnumbered) as listed at the bottom of this post with 1983-84 date and stats on the back.
Updates & Four Substitutions in 1985-86
The next year, the set was updated with 1984-85 date and stats on the back, and the replacement of four players due to trades: Dan Daoust to replace John Anderson, Dennis Herron to replace Rick
Kehoe, Bob Gainey to replace Guy Lafleur, and Dave Poulin to replace
Darryl Sittler. The fronts of the other cards remained unchanged. The checklist for this second set is also listed at the bottom of this post.
Where most checklists miss the mark is they refer to the four replacement players as
variations of cards in a single set. In fact, there are
two distinct sets that can be recognized by the dates and corresponding stats on the back of each card.
Identical Stanley Cup Discs...
To add to the confusion, there is no discernible
difference between the two Stanley Cup disc versions, and no date appears anywhere. The only ways to
truly tell if you have a 1984-85 or 1985-86 version of the Cup disc
would be to have it as part of an original attached panel of 6 cards,
and looking for the date on the back of those adjoined cards.
...But Differences in Pucks?
In terms of distribution, a panel of 6 perforated discs were included inside a two-piece plastic puck in specially marked
packages of Kellogg's Cereals in Canada. I believe that the pucks from each year were also slightly different. By finding instant prize
messages inscribed on the inside of the pucks, one could win sports equipment, such
as hockey jerseys, skates, sport bags or hockey sticks. "SORRY, PLEASE TRY AGAIN." was predictably the most common message received. But you'll also find pucks--I'd argue from the second year when there were no prizes offered--that do not have any messaging inside.
1984-85 Kellogg's NHL Discs (has 1983-84 stats on back)
John Anderson
Mike Bossy
Barry Beck
Dave Babych
Richard Brodeur
Dino Ciccarelli
Paul Coffey
Marcel Dionne
Bernie Federko
Ron Francis
Mike Garnter
Michel Goulet
Thomas Gradin
Dale Hawerchuk
Dale Hunter
Rick Kehoe
Jari Kurri
Guy Lafleur
Reed Larson
Kevin Lowe
Paul MacLean
Lanny McDonald
Rick Middleton
Gilbert Perrault
Paul Reinhart
Glenn Resch
Doug Risebrough
Larry Robinson
Borje Salming
Darryl Sittler
Stan Smyl
Peter Stastny
Mario Tremblay
Rick Vaive
Doug Wilson
Stanley Cup
1985-86 Kellogg's NHL Discs (has 1984-85 stats on back)
Mike Bossy
Barry Beck
Dave Babych
Richard Brodeur
Dino Ciccarelli
Paul Coffey
Dan Daoust
Marcel Dionne
Bernie Federko
Ron Francis
Bob Gainey
Mike Garnter
Michel Goulet
Thomas Gradin
Dale Hawerchuk
Dennis Herron
Dale Hunter
Jari Kurri
Reed Larson
Kevin Lowe
Paul MacLean
Lanny McDonald
Rick Middleton
Gilbert Perrault
Dave Poulin
Paul Reinhart
Glenn Resch
Doug Risebrough
Larry Robinson
Borje Salming
Stan Smyl
Peter Stastny
Mario Tremblay
Rick Vaive
Doug Wilson
Stanley Cup