The hockey card collecting community has been abuzz with anticipation and finally, the 2024-25 Upper Deck Extended Series Hockey set has made its grand entrance. Complementing its predecessors—Series 1 and Series 2—it wraps up this year’s much-awaited trio in spectacular style. Laden with updated player cards, a fresh slate of highly sought-after Young Guns, and intriguing new inserts, this release has created a stir among even the most seasoned collectors.
A quick glance at the set shows that it pushes the total Upper Deck Hockey lineup to an impressive 750 cards for the year. Loaded hobby boxes are promising an exhilarating, multifaceted collecting extravaganza with several inserts or parallel cards nearly every time you tear open a pack.
Let’s take a Wayne Gretzky-worthy deep dive into the checklist that’s nothing short of illustrious. This Extended Series bolsters the collection with 250 fresh cards—200 of which pay homage to veteran players. They emerge in shiny updated jerseys or on new teams, keeping fans at the edge of their seats with visual and statistical updates alike. It’s the last 50 cards in this lavish set, though, that will really set collectors’ pulses racing. These are reserved for the cherished Young Guns and the revered 1st Round Rookies, short-printed jewels that surface just when you’ve got your card strategy figured out, enticing collectors to persevere in their quest for the game’s next-generation heroes.
Ah, but there’s treasure spotting for more than just the rookies. Keen collectors will be grappling for the rare parallel cards that add yet another frenzied layer to the hoarding mayhem. From the most welcoming to the ultra-elusive, they span:
– Outburst at a rate of 1 in every 30 Hobby packs
– The mysteriously translucent Clear Cut, showing up just once in every 96 packs
– Deluxe and Exclusives, numbered to a moderate 250 and 100 respectively
– Rarer still are the Outburst Red and High Gloss, capped at just 25 and 10
– The absolute zenith, the gold-standard Outburst Gold, a unique singular piece that promises eternal card glory
These rare parallels are the uncaptured quarries of collectors, ready to fortify and elevate any collection yet to meet its goals of completion and acquisition.
Collector aficionados will be eager to see the beloved UD Canvas cards make their triumphant return. Fashioned with alluring subtleties and appearing four times per hobby box, they include subsets that immortalize Young Guns, Legends, and the illustrious NHL All-Stars. Opting for a touch of mystery, Black and White parallel versions of these canvases, paired with exclusive Printing Plates, promise more nuanced hunts.
The spectrum does not stop there. Those dazzling Dazzlers are back to light up the stage, flaunting Blue versions in 1 out of every 12 packs, with their rare Pink counterparts peeking through 1 in a staggering 72 packs. And for the connoisseurs crafted from perhaps myth, Printing Plates lie hidden like tricks in a magician’s deck.
But what’s a great series without a sprinkle of something new? Enter Oracles—enigmatic tarot card-inspired inserts that diverge from the conventional path. These captivating creations vary from somewhat scarce SPs teased every 30 packs to the precious rarer goods at the 1:180 pack mark.
It’s not all unchartered territories, though. The retro favorites—Pros and Prospects, Beehive, and the distinguished Upper Deck Encore—waltz back gracefully. Trilogy Rookie Premieres are allocated in Common (999), Uncommon (499), and Rare (99) variations. The alluring Triple Dimensions Reflections, in base and Ruby, Amethyst, Emerald, Gold, or Sapphire parallels, add vibrant splashes to the collector’s tableau.
Silver Skates coast back into the limelight too, ornate in base form at 1:4 packs or ushering a limited intrigue with Gold parallels tethered at 250.
And what’s the physical spread of this splendid saga, you ask? Allow us to break it down:
– Cards per Pack: 12 no matter the choice of Hobby or Blaster
– Packs per Box: 12 too for Hobby, but just 4 for Blaster
– Boxes per Case: A hearty 12 for Hobby and an abundant 20 for Blaster
– Release Date: The merriment officially kicks off May 29, 2025
Watching over a vast launch, the Hobby Box offers the chance at 8 special inserts from Beehive or such, a Blue Dazzler, some Oracles, a tasty treasure when scouring special finds space, with more Young Guns and top-tier Rookies sure to be unwrapped than you could wish for.
As the curtain rises on this collector’s carnival, the 2024-25 Upper Deck Extended Series Hockey set proposes a festive, broad-reaching gathering for card lovers at every level of devotion. A testament to possibility, rich in tradition and novelty, each card serves as a tiny piece of tomorrow’s memory book.
