Following the success of Topps’ Debut Patch cards, Upper Deck will put its own spin on the first appearance game-worn relic concept. The company will now produce NHL Debut Game Jersey cards, which will include swatches of a rookie’s game-used jersey from the first time they play in the league.
The cards will be in 2025-26 Upper Deck Extended Series, which is scheduled to be released this summer.
Upper Deck took inspiration from Topps’ popular 1-of-1 autographed Debut Patch card series, which include a special patch worn by athletes in their first appearance in everything from MLB and MLS to the NBA, WWE and Formula 1. But Upper Deck, the exclusive NHL trading card license holder, will purposely spread the opportunity to own a piece of a given rookie’s milestone moment to more collectors with three card variations with different print runs.
“Look, it’s no secret Topps has had a good run with their pro debut jersey patches, but there were some things that we didn’t necessarily agree with within that program and wanted to maybe do something different,” Upper Deck president Jason Masherah said.
The three variations will include jersey relic cards without autographs, jersey relic autographed cards (serial numbered to their jersey number) and a one-of-a-kind autographed Black variation containing a unique patch or fight strap tags from the debut jersey.
“Each team does things a little bit differently, but there’s a label chronicling the game,” Masherah said. “In some cases, they’ll take the fight strap and the equipment manager will write the date and the period that the game-used jersey was worn. And we’re basically going to take that tag or that fight strap that’s been inscribed by the equipment manager and make that into the one-of-one piece with the player’s signature and make that the chase.”
There will also be three card designs paying homage to the 1996-97 UD Game Jersey inserts that introduced the first-ever game-used jersey trading cards to the hobby. Each Debut Game Jersey card will feature an image of the player from their first professional game, as well as a piece of the jersey they wore during that game. Upper Deck also will offer a certificate of authenticity for each of these cards, matching the exact date of the debut game.
Some of the NHL rookie cards collectors will chase in the initial offering include Matthew Schaefer, Sam Dickinson, Michael Misa, Beckett Sennecke, Brady Martin, Isaac Howard and Easton Cowan.
Masherah said including the Debut Game Jersey cards into a more cost-friendly set like Extended Series was also by design to allow increased chances for collectors to acquire these unique cards at a lower price point. A 2024-25 Extended Series hobby box can be found online between $110 and $130 per box. However, the inclusion of these cards could drive up the demand for and value of Extended Series boxes the way Topps’ MLB Debut Patches have done with its Chrome Update Series.
“The cards aren’t going to be common, but we wanted the average collector to be able to get their favorite rookie or their favorite player,” Masherah said. “But they will be uncommon enough to where some of these will be extremely high-dollar type cards, especially the autographs.”
The Athletic maintains full editorial independence in all our coverage. When you click or make purchases through our links, we may earn a commission.