Fans of puck and paraphernalia, it’s time to break out those lucky jerseys and sharpen your card-collecting claws because SP Game Used Hockey is back for its 25th anniversary. With a quarter-century under its belt, this illustrious series has conquered the sometimes slippery slopes of sports memorabilia, especially where other fields have found less solid ground. Hockey enthusiasts have made this a staple collection, while attempts to transplant it into baseball, football, and basketball have skated a much shorter distance before bowing out.
This milestone edition is not slapping a “vintage” sticker on its achievements and calling it a day. No, this year’s collection greets fans with an exciting new chase: cards flaunting relics from the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off—an international showdown between USA, Canada, Finland, and Sweden held in February 2025. Because nothing says “must-have collectible” like a slice of history from an instant classic battle on ice.
Continuing the tradition from previous years, each hobby box contains a punchy nine-card pack—a sweet spot deal for collectors—comprising a tantalizing mix:
– Four hits that could be autographs, memorabilia, autographed memorabilia, or premium inserts.
– Three cards to pad your base collection, could be brilliant Authentic Rookies, or the ever-intriguing New Grooves inserts.
– Two parallels from a choice of base cards, Authentic Rookies, or New Grooves.
For the true hockey card connoisseur, the 200-card base set features a lineup as awe-inspiring as the fiercest NHL skaters—from today’s hard-hitting stars to legendary retired players and a rookie roster just waiting to shine (or swipe those rookies from your budget).
For those who adore the thrill of the hunt, the parallel options beckon powerfully with their shimmering allure:
– Red, still flashy without too much pomp.
– Gold, brushed with class, and numbered to a serene 149.
– Rainbow, a colorful challenge linked to player jersey number—some easier to find than others.
– Purple, a mere five in the wild.
– Green, the elusive 1/1—a sight as rare as spotting a unicorn lacing up their skates.
Remember, variety is the spice of life—or at least the thing that keeps binders full and checking accounts apprehensive.
Stealing the spotlight in this series, as it does with expert ease, are the relics—those glittering morsels from the heart of the game. Holding pride of place, the memorabilia is freshly lavished on us courtesy of Upper Deck’s determined endeavor to sweep up game-used gear not just from the regular NHL season, but from the incendiary clashes of the Stanley Cup, the icy expanses of the NHL Global Series, and the open-air brawls under the Stadium Series and Winter Classic. Now, they bring us artifacts plucked from the fresh and fierce 4 Nations tournament.
Collectors will undoubtedly be eyeing:
– Rookie Sweaters, a cozy yet competitive chase out of 299.
– Troupe Threads (199), aptly named for team spirit.
– Game Day Gear, a tighter pull at 100.
– Rookie Jumbo Patches and Supreme Materials, feeding the hunger for fabric history at numbers 25 and 15, respectively—now adorned with elements from the 4 Nations to dial up the allure.
Popular relic returns include Puck Relics and Net Cord cards, where actual strands of game-used nets tangle with history from debuts and milestone matchups. Draft Day Marks are also back to leave scrabble-like satisfaction in their wake. Manage to puzzle an entire name with these manufactured letter patches, and your collection gains not just completion, but chatter—perfect for endless Twitter triumph.
Rookies haven’t missed a marketing beat either, marking Inked Rookie Sweaters at 99 and rare Patch parallels at a solid 25. Veterans, not to be shown up, find themselves in esteemed company with Inked Sweaters (girls tough enough to surface at odds of 1:100 packs) and their very own Patch visuals (25).
For those on the lookout for color with their cards, New Grooves inserts have returned, giving a lively face to emerging rookies alongside a host of parallel options:
– Red, subtly dramatic at 499.
– Gold, holding its own with a reassuring 149.
– Rainbow (99), Purple and Green both boasting the finest five and an elusive 1/1, respectively.
Brand new this year, we’re delighted to welcome the NHL Masters (/299) insert set, glistening with Jersey and Patch versions gilded with the authority of hockey’s brightest, from those skimming into the spotlight now to the revered superstars of ice-time past.
For those keeping track of time and releases, here’s a sneak peek at the box contents:
– Cards per pack: 9 (with a single pack per box).
– Boxes per case: 20, divided into two cozy 10-box inner cases.
– Set size: A satisfyingly substantial 200 cards.
– Expected on the scene in January 2026 (with a note to mind the date—it has been known to adjust, like pre-game warmups).
So gear up for frozen thrills and the inevitable wallet chills because SP Game Used Hockey’s 25th anniversary is set to dazzle and mesmerize, keeping collectors on the edge of their seats—not a bad place for us when the stakes are this tied to a sense of nostalgia and fandom honor.
