National Hockey Card Day is a day when we can all be a kid again. Founded by Upper Deck, this is the 14th Annual National Hockey Card Day (#NHCD), which provides an excellent opportunity for new collectors to connect with experienced hobbyists to experience the fun and thrill of collecting.
With the global sports trading card market reaching $974.4 million in 2022, trading cards and collectibles continue to rise in popularity. It’s not just a hobby for seasoned collectors but one that is all-inclusive for kids of all ages, from eight to 80 years old.
Upper Deck is Celebrating By Giving Away FREE Packs of Cards
From launching its first NHL cards in 1990 to creating a beloved, long-running holiday looked forward to by fans for 14 years, Upper Deck is proud to have founded National Hockey Card Day. To celebrate, Upper Deck is providing FREE packs of hockey cards to everyone at participating hobby shops in Canada, the United States, Czechia, Sweden, the Netherlands and Australia on April 15.
These packs of cards are free without purchase and feature budding rookies like Matty Beniers, current superstars such as Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby, and Hall of Famers including “The Great One” Wayne Gretzky. Upper Deck has provided a list of all hobby shops participating in National Hockey Card Day, and fans are encouraged to visit as many local shops to collect the full set.
An Opportunity To Be Part of the World-Wide Community of Collectors
Upper Deck’s Senior Marketing Manager, Paul Nguyen commented on the day.
“National Hockey Card Day is more than a celebration of the hobby, it’s an opportunity for experienced and new collectors to come together to learn, share stories and celebrate as a community.”
By visiting multiple participating stores, collectors can receive a free National Hockey Card Day pack and trade with other collectors to complete the set. It’s recommended to call local stores in advance to confirm their participation and any promotions or offers they may have on National Hockey Card Day. You’re encouraged to plan your day to visit as many participating hobby stores as possible to collect the full set.
April 15 Will Be A Special Day for Players Choice Sports Cards in Kelowna, BC
On Feb. 7, 2023, burglars broke into Players Choice Sports Cards in Kelowna and stole approximately $20,000 in sports cards and an autographed Wayne Gretzky Indianapolis Racers Jersey valued at $10,000. Players Choice Sports Cards has been closed since that Tuesday in February but is reopening just in time for National Hockey Card Day on April 15. If you’re in the Kelowna region, you’re invited to stop by Players Choice, as well as Okanagan Sportscards, who are both participating in National Hockey Card Day.
Share Your National Hockey Card Day Stories on Social Media Using Hashtag #NHCD
Upper Deck’s National Hockey Card Day has become an event circled on the calendars of collectors and families for over a decade. You can share your Hockey Card Day Adventures using the hashtag #NHCD. Whether you only visit one store or you’re lucky enough to be at Steel City Collectables in the Pittsburgh area to meet NHL Hall of Famer Bryan Trottier, the hockey card and memorabilia community would love to hear your story.
Related: Upper Deck’s New Card Set Honors Indigenous Hockey History
If you’re an old-time collector like me, National Hockey Card Day will be a day full of great memories. I’ll be thinking back to the time I purchased a Gretzky Rookie Card inside a 20-cent pack in 1980 or when I got my first Bernie Parent Card in 1975. National Hockey Card Day on April 15 is a day when we all get to be a kid again. It’s a day set aside to capture the pure joy of opening up a pack of cards.
