The hottest name in hockey trading cards is a 19-year-old nicknamed after the Cheetos mascot by all-time NBA great Stephen Curry.

Macklin Celebrini opened the current NHL season with odds of +50000 to win the Hart Trophy, via BetMGM. The San Jose Sharks’ young star could’ve basically been called “the field.” Now he’s a +180 shot to take home the league’s MVP award, ranking second behind the Colorado Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon.

Celebrini ranks fourth in the NHL with 78 points, so it’s no wonder his rookie card values are climbing. In December, Celebrini led all hockey players in total eBay card sales volume ($684,728), according to tracking database Gemrate, beating out Connor McDavid and Wayne Gretzky.

The 2024 No. 1 draft pick’s top cards have trampolined in value within the past six months, as two of his most recognizable cards are up between 292 and 403 percent.

Celebrini’s 2024 Upper Deck Young Guns rookie card with a Gem-Mint PSA 10 grade has jumped from $450 six months ago up to $1,675 on Tuesday, according to online card sales database Market Movers. His more rare 2024 Upper Deck Young Guns Silver Outburst PSA 10 rookie card launched even higher, starting at $839 six months ago and now up to $4,219.

And none of those cards even bear Celebrini’s nickname, given to him by the Golden State Warriors’ legend: “Chester.”

Rick Celebrini, Macklin’s father, has worked for the Warriors as the team’s director of sports health and performance since 2018. So Curry has known the younger Celebrini for years, which helps explain why Curry nicknamed him on the fly during an interview at the 2024 NHL Draft.

Curry tagged Celebrini as “Chester” drawing from Cheetos’ famous mascot “Chester Cheetah,” because “his hands are so filthy, just like after eating a big ol’ bag of Cheetos.”

Maybe Curry has inside knowledge about how often Celebrini washes his hands, but it’s a safer bet that he was referring to Celebrini’s skill with a hockey stick. The Sharks center has more than lived up to the praise this season.

The nickname didn’t disappear after draft night, though. It’s lived on through a few of Celebrini’s autographed cards, to which he has added a “Chester” inscription, making them some of his most unique cards to own.

The two “Chester” inscribed Celebrini cards that have sold publicly. Photos: eBay

According to Upper Deck, the “Chester” inscribed cards exist thanks to a friendly conversation between Celebrini and a representative of the card company. The nickname and its source came up as the two discussed potential inscriptions. Celebrini then wrote “CHESTER” in big, bold letters on four cards — two in 2024-25 The Cup and two in 2024-25 Stature.

Two of Celebrini’s “Chester” cards have sold on eBay since November 2025. The latest “Chester” card — a 2024 Upper Deck The Cup Baroque auto numbered 71 of 99 — sold for $10,866.12 on Jan. 15. A Stature “Chester” inscription auto numbered 71 of 199 sold for $3,052.33 on Nov. 5, 2025.

Overall, Celebrini’s top card sale occurred on Dec. 18, when his 2024 The Cup Gold RPA (rookie patch auto) numbered to 24 sold for $47,235.52. So even though “Chester” inscriptions may not be the most expensive Celebrini cards (yet), they certainly possess the best backstory.

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