Dust off your old hockey sweater, give that lucky stick a twirl, and prepare to dive into a swirling snowstorm of nostalgia. For a quarter-century, SP Game Used Hockey has stood as the top contender when it comes to memorabilia-based hockey card collecting, and the hockey faithful have embraced it like a warm cup of cocoa on a frosty day. While Upper Deck’s ambitions to expand similar card wonders to baseball, football, and basketball didn’t quite make it to overtime, it remains a slam dunk in hockey for fans who’ve continued to skate along its legend-filled ice year after year.
Marking its big 2-5, the latest edition isn’t just here to reminisce about the good ol’ days. Instead, it has dived head-first into the thrill of international rivalries. This year, aficionados will be racing to catch cards showcasing pieces from the first-ever 4 Nations Face-Off—that fiery face-off between the USA, Canada, Finland, and Sweden, played in the heart of February 2025. Because nothing ignites the heart of a collector like unwrapping a bit of sporting history from their favorite country’s great plays and intense showdowns.
Now, let’s talk numbers and details. In the tradition of last year’s triumphs, every hobby box is like a mini treasure chest with a single nine-card pack of wonders. Each pack unpacks the magic with:
4 hits—autographs, memorabilia, autographed memorabilia, or those sought-after premium inserts
3 base cards, Authentic Rookies, or New Grooves inserts
2 tantalizing parallels of base cards, Authentic Rookies, or New Grooves
For the collectors who thrive on checklist dreams, rest easy—the base set dives 200 cards deep into the frosted rinks of both current NHL stars and the retired dormant legends that still float in our blue-line daydreams. Plus, we introduce Authentic Rookies, who may just skate up and steal the spotlight and, perhaps, even your wallet.
Parallel enthusiasts, allow the hunt to commence with these options gleaming in rarity:
Red—a little common, but glinting with potential
Gold, numbered to 149—a glimmer of scarcity
Rainbow—not just a serial giggle, but numbered to the jersey! Some easier to grab than others, making uniform numbers more than just style!
Purple, numbered to 5—few but fabulous
Green, just one!—the unicorn grazing in the ice
Alongside the base parallels, the icing on this collectible cake comes from autographed and relic parallels guaranteed to stack your binders and, quite possibly, test your fiscal restraint.
And now, the pièce de résistance—the memorabilia and autograph section, hinting at ice-cold secrets hidden in each pack. With a name as evocative as “SP Game Used,” you betcha that relics are the shining center stage performers. Upper Deck threw caution to the frigid wind and went berserk gathering game-used gear from regular season NHL shootouts, the heart-pounding Stanley Cup playoffs, the global wanderlust of the NHL Global Series, the cool appeal of the Stadium Series, the winter warmth of the Winter Classic, and culminating with the 4 Nations Face-Off—a rookie of a tournament compared to the rest.
Keep an eye peeled for relic collections like Rookie Sweaters which skate in at numbers like /299, Troupe Threads at /199, and Game Day Gear making appearances at smaller /100. There are Rookie Jumbo Patches at an ant-sized /25, and Supreme Materials making a massive statement at /15, plus those celebrated (and appropriately named) Supreme Patches, also at /15, featuring relics from that high-gloss 4 Nations tournament. Because, let’s face it, the bigger the patch, the deeper the connection to the game.
Beloved regulars come marching back such as Puck Relics and Net Cord cards, letting us touch—literally—a piece of NHL debuts and milestone games. Draft Day Marks, complete with signed manufactured letter patches, offers an A-to-Z challenge, with collectors vying to spell out a player’s full name earning not just eternal bragging rights, but a championship-level flex across social media platforms.
Rookies have left their signatures on Inked Rookie Sweaters limited to /99, with those coveted Patch parallels slipping in at /25. Veteran players also get their chance for the spotlight with Inked Sweaters, an elusive pull at 1 in every 100 packs and their own Patch parallels flirtatiously waving at /25. Banner cards renew their presence, with slices from significant events like Draft Days, Stanley Cup Finals, Winter Classics, and more, smartened up further with autographed versions for the fancy collector’s delight.
The returning New Grooves inserts keep us busy and thrilled. Featuring breakout rookies, they offer parallel haven in Red numbered to /499, Gold at /149, Rainbow swishing in at /99, a blink-and-you-miss-it Purple limited to /5, and the one-and-only Green numbered to a mythical 1/1.
With a unique spin, the debut of the numbered NHL Masters (/299) insert set introduces Jersey and Patch versions featuring rookies, present stars, and all-time hockey demigods.
In this wondrous box of icy delight, each contains nine cards ensuring joy in every hockey-loving heart:
🔹 4 Autographs, Memorabilia Cards, or Premium Inserts
🔹 2 Parallels
🔹 3 Base, Authentic Rookies, or New Grooves inserts
Now brewed anticipation and shivering excitement are part of the experience. With its launch set for January 2026 (subject to the whimsical winds of change), the SP Game Used Hockey 25th anniversary edition stands ready to deliver back-to-back hat tricks of thrill, toe-drags of nostalgia, and perhaps a few wallet Give & Go’s too! The question is: are you ready to lace up, hit the ice, and celebrate a quarter-century of card-collecting camaraderie?
