Ladies and gentlemen of the ice rink and hobby arenas, mark this down as the dawn of the Macklin Celebrini era. If hockey trades and card collecting news ever strayed from your radar, prepare your shelves and portfolios because they’re about to get a refresh. Macklin Celebrini, freshly drafted as the first overall pick by none other than the San Jose Sharks in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, has evolved into the talk of every hockey town—and rightly so. Not only is he making waves with his remarkable debut on the ice, but he’s become the prime jewel of the collecting world with Upper Deck Series 2 cards spotlighting the young phenom.
Celebrini, affectionately dubbed “The Cheetah,” isn’t just a nickname that’s tossing around—it’s a homage to his blistering pace and uncanny hockey sense that’s reminiscent of legendary players like Connor Bedard and Auston Matthews. His on-ice wizardry, wrapped in an 18-year-old package, isn’t merely talk; it’s a capstone of his brilliant start with the Sharks, who are thoughtfully curating a comeback story around him.
The hype, though mind-boggling, is not without cause or merit. Celebrini stands, skates, and scores as the front face of the Calder Trophy race, tipping scales alongside talents like Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson. Simply put, he’s what the Sharks and hockey fans everywhere dreamt of for early-season fire.
However, the flair doesn’t end on the ice. It transitions into the card aisles with the much-anticipated 2024-25 Upper Deck Series 2 release. Oh what a boon it is for the collectors! Now, fervent hobbyists can chase not one, not two, but three Macklin Celebrini Young Guns cards. Upper Deck’s tantalizing triptych includes the standard rookie card, already envied and treasured to the tune of $200 on eBay, which practically broke the auction barrier within just 24 hours of release. Also gracing the set is a ‘Young Guns Teammates’ card, complementing Celebrini with fellow Sharks new face Will Smith, and a checklist pairing with Philadelphia Flyers’ promising starlet Matvei Michkov, retailing at $20 and $25 respectively.
Collecting these cards has become synonymous with possessing a piece of hockey’s burgeoning future. The secondary market reverberates with the price hikes reflective of this booming demand. But, the adulation isn’t surprising given the immense popularity that Young Guns releases enjoy, particularly when top-tier prospects like Celebrini are in play.
Upper Deck, seizing the golden goose as it were, cemented an exclusive autograph coalition with Celebrini in July 2024, decking further allure upon his autographed variants available only through their offerings. Yes, we are in an epoch where a simple signature can metamorphose into long-term investment akin to those belonging to Hall of Famers like Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby. It’s the unique cocktail of admiration and estimation that has collectors scrambling to possess their own slice of potential hockey lore.
Despite the heightened buzz and comparisons to Earth’s greatest young hockey wizards, Celebrini has remained unmoved from his path to supremacy—steadied, focused, and self-aware, crafting his legacy rather than conforming to others’. In an insightful tête-à-tête with Puck Junk, he declared his self-conscious journey with modest brevity:
“I have my expectations for myself. I’m not really comparing myself to other guys [like Bedard]. I know what I can do, and I’m just going to try to play my game. I can’t really control the results, so I’m just going to focus on the day-to-day and try to get better.”
And therein lies the twinkle in the eye of the storm—Celebrini’s patient progression paired with exuberant flashes of brilliance promising hopeful returns on, and above, expectations.
Those holding Celebrini cards in their mint ensemble have placed their stakes on a contemporary classic in the making. As collectors continually refine their vaults with these treasures, Macklin Celebrini’s presence shines not just as a player but as a tide-turner in the hobbyist universe. Otherworldly expectations? They’re ripe for blitzing past, with a cheetah-like dash into collectors’ prized troves everywhere. There’s an art and poetry to this hockey renaissance—where play meets investment, and legend building bridges to the future.
