In the realm of hockey collectibles, a storm brews, and its name is Macklin Celebrini. The 2024 San Jose Sharks first-overall draft pick has taken the NHL by storm, and with him, he’s sweeping the collecting community into a fever pitch with the release of the 2024-25 Upper Deck Series 2 Hockey cards. The hockey market is ablaze with collectors and investors scrambling to capture a piece of history.
Celebrini, an 18-year-old whirlwind of talent, arrived on the NHL scene with the velocity and unpredictability of a summer monsoon. Nicknamed “The Cheetah,” his presence is unmistakable; a speedy, offensive dynamo who’s already making a significant impact on an evolving Sharks team. This phenom has quickly made a name for himself, dazzling audiences with his playmaking skills, sniping goals with precision, and showcasing hockey IQ well beyond his years.
Flash forward to today, and Macklin Celebrini is far more than just a bright spot on the ice; he’s become a jewel in the crown of the collecting world. His cards, particularly the Young Guns series from Upper Deck’s Series 2 release, have ignited a frenzy among collectors. From enthusiasts to investors, there is a palpable urgency for these rookie cards that rival the collective fixations of a treasure hunt.
Three versions of his Young Guns card are sending pavlovian shivers down the spines of collectors: the base rookie card, a “Teammates” card, and a Young Guns checklist card. The base card has already found itself being exchanged for upwards of $200 mere hours after hitting the market. The “Teammates” card, which pairs Celebrini with a fellow Sharks rookie stalwart Will Smith, is trading hands at a cool $20. Meanwhile, the checklist card, giving a nod to a partnership with Flyers rookie Matvei Michkov, sees interest sparking a $25 price tag.
But why all the hoopla? The crux of this hockey card mania seems to be rooted in a curious combination of Celebrini’s skyrocketing career trajectory, his icy resolve in the face of immense potential, and the overall allure of the Young Guns series. Historically, these cards have captured the imagination and financial speculation by chronicling the ascent of future NHL legends.
Adding further intrigue is Upper Deck’s exclusive autograph deal with Celebrini—it’s nothing short of monopolistic magic in the collectibles market. Among elite company in the annals of NHL greatness like Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby, Celebrini’s autograph cards from Upper Deck are positioned to transition from momentary marvels to heralded antiquities of posterity.
For all the discussion swirling around him, Celebrini approaches the hullabaloo with the sagacity of a seasoned pro, despite his rookie status. Speaking with Puck Junk, he waived off comparisons to his peers, suggesting that any juxtaposition of talent, from Connor Bedard to the newest class of phenoms, didn’t distract from his singular pursuit of personal and professional excellence.
“I have my expectations for myself. I’m not really comparing myself to other guys [like Bedard]. I know what I can do, and I’m just going to try to play my game. I can’t really control the results, so I’m just going to focus on the day-to-day and try to get better,” he said pragmatically.
Celebrini’s grounded approach belies a stage that has been set for prolific greatness, both for himself on the ice and within the clutches of fervent collectors. Watching his career unfold will surely be as exciting as owning a fraction of it, encapsulated in a small, rectangular memento worth its weight in gold and nostalgia. For the initiated, the chase of these cards is a frenzied spectacle, full of highs and lows worthy of any hockey match. It’s a game within a game, collecting history as it happens, with Macklin Celebrini still miles from the finish line but well on his way to greatness.
