Snap Shot Art Playing Cards

Art poker playing cards inspired by the cult film Slap Shot.

This project was created in collaboration with Yvon Barrette, the larger-than-life actor who portrayed the legendary goaltender Denis Lemieux. Yvon is "Le Meilleur" the king of kings, the ace of aces, and a joker. This artistic deck of cards pays tribute to a significant period in his career and celebrates the 50th anniversary of the cult movie. Featuring a special appearance by Hockey Hall of Famer Jeremy Roenick, illustrating the King of Spades. He embodies Jim "Coffin Varnish" Roeling, the Syracuse Punks star player and the terror of the league.

Snap Shot Universe

In the spring of 1977, a farmer and visionary businessman from St-François, Île d’Orléans, purchased part of the dissolved Charlestown franchise, champions of the Federal Hockey League, in order to relocate it to Quebec City so that it could serve as a farm team for the Nordiques in the World Association. The new team, the Charlesbourg Chips, joins the Northeast League and would serve as a promotional vehicle for the owner’s new potato chip brand.

Some players from the Lockhart Cup winning team, including Denis Lemieux and Jean-Guy Drouin, are joining the Quebec City area team. During this transition, the two friends retreat into a riverside cabin along the St. Lawrence in Charlevoix to train relentlessly for the upcoming hockey season. They forme a summer team, the Charlevoix Cerfs, to join the National Ball Hockey League. In their spare time, they are organizing private poker nights where large sums of money were at stake. As their underground ventures expand, so does their appetite for risk. By winter, they are organizing secret outdoor ice hockey games alongside their professional careers. 

Despite a phenomenal regular season, the Chips’ playoff run ends in disaster, crushed in a four-game sweep by their bitter rivals, the Syracuse Punks. When the team owner uncovers the illicit activities of certain players, contracts are terminated, and futures are shattered.

Fall, 1978. With debts mounting and pressure from dangerous circles closing in, Denis and Jean-Guy flee south toward a fresh start in Florida. Their sights are set on joining the Coconutown Chicks, a Southern Hockey League team affiliated with the Birmingham Bulls in the WHA. They have big ambitions, but what awaits them in Miami isn’t an opportunity. It’s a darker, more unforgiving world than anything they left behind.

The Cards

A bold reimagining of the classic deck, Snap Shot Playing Cards features character illustrations that bring the King, Queen, Jack, and two Jokers to life with striking personality and artistic detail. This four-suit system transforms tradition with a vibrant twist: clubs appear in blue, diamonds in yellow, hearts in pink, and spades remain in timeless black, creating a visually captivating experience with every hand dealt. Designed for collectors, card enthusiasts, and hockey lovers, this deck turns every game into a showcase of creativity.