I think J.M. Barrie, the creator of Peter Pan, said it right, “Even though you want to try to, never grow up.” I love this quote, as it takes me back to my youth and my love of collecting hockey cards.
Related: Hockey Cards Are Worth Collecting
Whether you’re a seasoned collector or a kid at heart, opening up a pack of cards with your favourite player is still an awesome experience. And there’s some good news on that front, as Upper Deck and the NHL Alumni Association (NHLAA) have agreed to a long-term trading card license extension.
A Win/Win/Win for Collectors, Upper Deck and the NHLAA
Paul Zickler, Director of Sports Brands for Upper Deck, spoke about the new agreement and mentioned, “Upper Deck will continue to be the exclusive licensed producer of physical trading cards for the NHL Alumni Association.” In addition to physical trading cards, the deal will also include Authentic Digital Collectible Trading Cards that will be available through Upper Deck’s Evolution platform. Zickler went on to add, “This agreement will allow for more family collecting opportunities where parents get to share their joy of collecting cards and memorabilia of their favourite players with their children.”
Hockey fans and collectors will be able to continue to collect cards and memorabilia from some of the greatest names in the history of the game, such as Mario Lemieux, Gordie Howe, Patrick Roy, Mark Messier, Bobby Hull, Steve Yzerman and more Hockey Hall of Famers. Recently retired stars, such as Ryan Miller, Dustin Brown, and Brent Seabrook, will also be included, as well as one of the newest members of the Hockey Hall of Fame, Henrik Lundqvist.
Upper Deck and NHLAA Excited About Extending Their Agreement
“The NHL Alumni Association has proven to be an important catalyst in our business, differentiating our product portfolio to include trading cards and autographs from some of the greatest players to ever play the game of hockey,” said Jason Masherah, President of Upper Deck. “We look forward to expanding upon our past successes to include Authentic Digital Collectible trading cards.”
“The NHL Alumni Association is excited to continue ‘Honoring the Past’ alongside our long-standing partners at Upper Deck,” said Glenn Healy, Executive Director of the NHL Alumni Association. “Upper Deck trading cards have always played an integral part in preserving the legacy of hockey. This announcement ensures that fans and collectors of all ages can celebrate the iconic NHL Alumni who built the game we all love. We look forward to working with Upper Deck to keep bringing fans one step closer to the history of our game.”
The Legacy of Collecting Our Favourite Players Continues
Remaining a kid at heart could be one of the secrets to enjoying life. I’m counting on it. I’ve been a collector for over 50 years, and I recently picked up a 2023 Upper Deck Tim Hortons Legends Resume Bernie Parent Card, and I felt like someone just handed me a million bucks.
I’m looking forward to reliving that experience over and over again as I continue to collect cards of my favourite players such as Lemieux, Messier and Hull. Whether I collect the physical cards at a store or online through Upper Deck Evolution, I’m looking forward to feeling like a kid again. Now, if only Upper Deck could turn back the clock and invent something to take away the pain from my old hockey injuries, then I’d feel even more like a kid again. A guy can always dream, right?
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