If there ever were a rookie card to own this season, it’s undoubtedly Macklin Celebrini’s from the newly released 2024-25 Upper Deck Series 2. Hockey card enthusiasts find themselves in a veritable stampede as they scramble to secure a piece of the burgeoning career of the NHL’s newest sensation. With the San Jose Sharks holding onto their prized No. 1 overall pick, Celebrini has dazzled with a rookie season that’s anything but ordinary, igniting collectors’ passion and inflating card values faster than a mid-90s tech stock.
Enter the hockey stage: Macklin Celebrini. Drafted first overall in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, this 18-year-old whirlwind on skates, affectionately dubbed “The Cheetah,” has galloped into the hearts of fans and statisticians alike. Much like a comet streaking across the sky, his brilliance is overwhelming. Comparisons to legendary draft picks like Connor Bedard and the goal-machine Auston Matthews are already swirling like frosty winds in a mid-season blizzard. Celebrini’s rapid ascent is marked by his stunning speed and razor-sharp offensive instincts, making him a key cog in the Sharks’ ongoing transformation from bottom dwellers to predators of the ice.
Such is his prowess that Celebrini is not just a conversation starter but a central figure in this year’s Calder Trophy chase. Riding alongside him is Montreal Canadiens’ defenseman Lane Hutson, but with each nimble glide and deft pass, Celebrini solidifies his status as a frontrunner. This boiling pot of youthful talent has collectors all but salivating, eagerly seeking that slice of hockey history.
Upper Deck, sensing blood in the water, wasted no time in unleashing their Series 2 collection featuring not one, but three distinct Macklin Celebrini Young Guns cards. No sooner had these cards hit the market than secondary prices soared, reminiscent of a rare northern lights display—ephemeral yet spectacular.
Let’s cut to the collector’s favorite cards:
1. The Base Young Guns rookie card: Your quintessential Macklin card. It’s the one every collector with a pulse is talking about, currently changing hands at a cool $200 on eBay mere hours after its launch.
2. The Young Guns “Teammates” card: An homage to friendship and teamwork, graced by the presence of Celebrini alongside Sharks rookie Will Smith. It’s the more moderately priced sibling, at about $20.
3. Young Guns checklist card: A nod to unity, pairing Celebrini with the Flyers’ own rising star, Matvei Michkov, and selling around $25.
With Young Guns releases always causing a stir, it’s safe to say these cards will remain coveted collectibles for the foreseeable future. The demand shows no signs of cooling, mirroring the searing summer heat these cards seem to generate from the passion of collectors.
Understanding the hype surrounding Celebrini means understanding Upper Deck’s strategic maneuvers. In a July 2024 masterstroke, they clinched an exclusive autograph deal with the budding star. Now, all of Macklin’s signed cards are locked in the Upper Deck vault—a gold mine for collectors and a strategic checkmate by Upper Deck. With each game, as Celebrini flutters to heights once reserved for heavies like Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby, the allure of his autographed cards grows ever stronger, turning what was once a rookie release into a long-term treasure chest for savvy investors.
While the hockey world draws parallels between him and Bedard, Celebrini remains impressively grounded. Speaking with Puck Junk, he exhibited the poise of a seasoned veteran, focusing keenly on his own aspirations and development. “I have my expectations for myself,” Celebrini declared, dismissing the white noise of comparisons. His philosophy is zen-like: concentrate on the task at hand, let the skates do the talking, and improve each day.
And so, the chase continues. Investors and collectors, with wallets in hand and eyes wide with anticipation, dive headfirst into the action-packed ocean of the hockey card market. With Macklin Celebrini’s cards at the forefront of this exhilarating venture, they represent not just pausing moments of youthful brilliance but signify the potential of future greatness within the NHL tapestry. Indeed, owning a Celebrini card is akin to owning a share of hockey’s next grand saga.
