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 Mark Stone 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 decades, 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 diamond certified 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 popularity of the game in these markets. You can find your nearest store 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.
What cards and collectors items should Golden Knights fans look out for?
As mentioned, there's Jack Eichel's collection that fans should look out for. But fans can also look out for Team USA memorabilia, such as Connor Hellebuyck.
Tell us more about Upper Deck E-Pack
This is where people can purchase cards online here. Once a player wins a Stanley Cup, their cards become more collectable. That includes "Young Guns" cards, which are popular. The most collectable items came from 2024-25, namely with Macklin Celebrini.
Chance is also in the 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.
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 have CHL products. If they are interested in the London Knights (think Mitch Marner), they can get that on our website. There's an Ivan Demidov card that's $10 for purchase. It focuses on his first NHL goal and features a call-out for his goal. Keep in mind that it's one pack per person.
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.