You know, I used to collect a ton of cards growing up. No, I wasn't a full-blown millennial and hoarded Pokémon cards like I was on a TLC show. Instead, I was more invested in the sports side of things, specifically baseball and hockey.
I had a ton of cards featuring the biggest names, whether that was Wayne Gretzky, Ken Griffey Jr., or Mark McGwire. Heck, I even had one of the current Golden Knights' goaltender coach, Sean Burke! Talk about a small world we live in, eh?
Fast forward a few decades later and times have changed. Upper Deck is all-in on the NHL and the Vegas Golden Knights have become the league's hottest commodity. With a Stanley Cup in tow, it makes the two a perfect marriage.
With that, I received an opportunity to speak with Upper Deck's associate marketing manager, Amanda Whitaker-Smith. She talks about National Hockey Card Day (which is coming up on April 11) and what Golden Knights can get, ranging from Jack Eichel to... Chance (it's true)?
How popular has the NHL side of things been with Upper Deck?
The NHL has been one of the largest licenses for our company. With markets like Florida and Vegas winning Stanley Cups in the past decade, it's bringing in new collectors.
I assume that Golden Knights superstars like Jack Eichel and Mark Stone get a lot of traction, correct?
Jack Eichel is available in the National Hockey Card Day set. He has plenty of people who are chasing his card. We have three shops that are Certifed Diamond Dealers (higher status of card dealer) who do tremendous work.
A lot of that growth comes from how you're doing on the ice. Teams like Florida and Vegas have helped boost the game's popularity in these markets. You can find your nearest hobby shop participating in National Hockey Card Day here.
Is National Hockey Card Day like your Christmas?
*Laughs* You can consider it like that. Some shops will go all-out and do raffles and giveaways. Some will have 100s of collectors come in. It's a great way to connect with fellow hobbyists and collectors.
We have CHL products. If they are interested in the London Knights (think Mitch Marner), they can get that on our website. Keep in mind that it's one pack per person for the National Hockey Card Day packs. Along with receiving a free pack of National Hockey Card Day cards, collectors can also receive a special Rookie Moments Ivan Demidov card with a $10 purchase of any Upper Deck product.
What cards and collectors items should Golden Knights fans look out for?
As mentioned in the National Hockey Card Day set, there's Jack Eichel's card, as well as other superstars like Connor Hellebuyck (in a Winnipeg Jets jersey, of course), and legends like Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux.
Tell us more about Upper Deck E-Pack
This is where people can purchase cards online here. Some of our most recent popular products come from the 2024-25 season, which include Macklin Celebrini rookie cards.
Chance is also in the Mascot Mannerisms sets. People love the mascots since they're fun collections. It's a 10-card checklist and Chance made the cut! Check out the website for more. As for the NHCD set, the players in the NHCD promo set on ePack are Cale Makar, Henrik Lundqvist, Jacob Fowler, Macklin Celebrini, Teemu Selanne, and Zayne Parekh.
Where can Golden Knights fans get information regarding drops and specific items?
One area is our website. They can see what's new in the set, what's coming, the chases, etc. They can also check our socials and see what's coming. We also send stuff to the shops, whether it's promotional material, mailers, posters, or signage.
We're running a contest through Sunday, where people can share their experience. They can win special prizes, including hand-drawn rookie cards. All the criteria are on the website.
Add us as a preferred source on Google