What does the Future hold?

[cwpucks]

Ok so lets have some fun and think about what the future hold for Hockey cards.

• What type of card will be hot or popular (not players) We know rookies will always be popular but will say OPC Vintage style ( so 2008 to current) rookies, or MVP turn to be hot because not many people collected them. Things like that
• What type of cards that are not currently made would you like to see? EX Coaches cards or game used coaches cards, Game used Goalie mask or helmet cards. you would get a piece of the goalie mask or players helmet. Pieces of players street clothes.... I know that last one is a long shot and i dont think would be popular.
• The Engrained Carved in Time cards do you think we will see a whole base set done like that or do they add game used material to the cards. We already have auto's.
• Does Upper Deck ever add game used material to The Cup that was from the Stanley Cup playoffs?
• Does Upper Deck ever do what Topps does in Baseball and have a code for the piece of game used material so you know what game it was from?

This is for fun and I know no one knows the future so post your thoughts.I will post my thoughts on the above a little later.

[RGM81]

Fun topic!

As you say, rookies will always be popular and I don't expect much to change there. I think over time that "game dated" type cards that are linked to specific achievements or moments in a player's career or team's success will become more popular. As a collector of a player now in his 13th NHL season, the more cards UD produces of Carey Price that are about his records, trophy wins, etc. have more meaning to me. There's so many autos, patches, etc., of him at this point, they need stuff that stands out, and things like this do it for me:



What's next? I think they'll eventually find a way to incorporate game-used skate cards. They'll likely need to encapsulate them under an acetate window to avoid potential lawsuits, but I think that's something we could one day see in a higher-end release. I'd also like to see more game-used / goal pucks; it's an easy enough thing to get a hold of, slice up, etc. It also ties in with what I was talking about earlier about those game-dated type cards--imagine owning a piece of the puck from Ovi's 50th goal in a season, that type of thing.

I love the idea of adding actual playoffs material (indeed, take it one further and have stuff from The Finals) in The Cup. It would likely take a bit of a deal to be swung with the NHL/NHLPA to get that access for every player's jerseys, but imagine how cool it would be to secure something like that for a subset for the previous year's Cup winner to be included in the product. The patches with the Cup Finals patch would be insanely popular.

[pwaldo]

The trend in almost all the other sports is Rookie Card and their parallels being the hottest things with rare inserts being next. Hockey really hasn't accepted parallel rookies as real rookies yet so that hasn't translated over to hockey. If that does then say hello to the jacked up prices the other sports have been seeing.

One trend I do see is that game used stuff is really really weak along with autographs of no names. If the companies can find some cool good selling inserts to replace these it would be much cheaper for them and *might* see a reduction in box prices or at least we can dream and expect prices to hold at current prices rather than continue to skyrocket.

I personally would rather just see some cards that look really good rather than rushed out garage designs. Other than retro themed stuff you don't really see many "classic" looking sets now. With the rise of the internet collection show off trend cards that look good may/should be a focus that companies do again.

[odjickfan]

I think the true rookies from Credential have the potential to gain some value. Great looking cards with very low numbers.

[cwpucks]

I have to agree with @RGM81 that game used material that is tied to a game or moment should be the next thing they do with Game used stuff. Like @pwaldo said some game used cards have little value. Sometimes it does not even matter if its of a star in the league or not. Something else they might be able to do is a set of Game used cards with a theme of Player 1st, game used material of a players 1st goal, assist, point, win, SO, Game, Fight, I know this would be a streach and maybe improbable to do but its a nice thought.

Autos are another area that for some players no matter how good they are their is no value. Take the Engrained Synthesis Carbon fiber cards. Really cool cards and something so different but you can pick up a Barkov Signed one for around $15. I know its just because of the team he is on but come on. issue i think is beside a few players like Gretzky, Orr, Roy, McDavid, Crosby, and a few others most dont have that much value because their is little demand and they are so easy to get now.

I know they would not be popular but i think might be cool is to bring back cards of coach's. To make them some what more collectable you can add cut outs of a game line up that the coach completes and insert in the card. so just imaging getting a card of Mike Sullivan with a cut out from the line up card with Sidney Crosby. i know so off of a concept.

As for parallels as true rookies. i think hockey is coming around slowly. For some it will depend on what it is or what its from. Take OPC platinum. I think a lot o people think the Auto or numbered ones are true rookies. Same with the canvas ones (my favorite set beside OPC).It will be interesting on how the hobby will view the new heavy parallel sets that were put out this year.

I would love to see but know i could not afford them goalie cards with pieces of pained goalie masks. I think these would be so popular if they could do it. we think now if you get a cool patch just think if you got a piece of a goalies mask.

[30ranfordfan]

I don't understand why people think that rookie parallels don't do well in hockey. THEY DO. It's just that nobody considers them to be "Rookie Cards".

Young Guns are the easy one:

For the big names, the base YG (the actual rookie) is more popular than the Canvas..... but that's because the Canvas is not THAT hard to find. For common players - the Canvas does better, since they're rarer.

The price of an Exclusive or HG or Acetate or Clear Cut (or some other version, that I forget about?) is many times greater than the base. The ePack foils, IMO, don't do as well as should - but I think that's more about how they're released. A lot of people ignore ePack exclusive cards.

You'll hear comments about how Cup ARPs sell much better than their parallels. That isn't really true either. A Crosby /99 vs the Gold /87? Yes. The real rookie card is a bigger deal. There's also a difference of 12 in the total number of copies, which is basically nothing... and that's the card people often cite as evidence on this stuff. Do you think you're going to get a Leon Draisaitl Cup Gold /10 or Gold Spectrum /25 for less than the ARP /249? Good luck, if you do.

[Maggot]

My prediction is that the hobby eventually shuns rookie content.
All of the game-used and auto stuff of superstars and legends will be what truly holds value in the long term. This will be especially true as the years go by and more of the expansion era legends start to pass. The only exceptions will be the generational talent rookie cards continuing to deliver (mcdavid, ovie, crosby). The rest eventually becomes near-worthless.

[cwpucks]

My prediction is that the hobby eventually shuns rookie content.
All of the game-used and auto stuff of superstars and legends will be what truly holds value in the long term. This will be especially true as the years go by and more of the expansion era legends start to pass. The only exceptions will be the generational talent rookie cards continuing to deliver (mcdavid, ovie, crosby). The rest eventually becomes near-worthless.

@Maggot I will have to agree on some rookies will not hold their value after they are done playing. However stars of the era still hold value not just the generational talents. a lot of it has to do with where they played. i say any players (if they play majority of their careers in Texas, Nashville, Carolina, FL or California area will not hold their value after they retire because only their teams fans will want their cards. Its sad to say but just like the NHL for TV its generational Talent, or your from an original 6 team. or Philly, Pitt or a Canadian team.

Ron Francis, Brett Hull, Peter Statsny, Paul Coffey. Grant Furh they are not worthless but they are by no means worth what they should be. Compared to say what rookies of Roy, Gretzky or Lemieux go for. Im not saying the prior are on the same level as the later but still.

[WillyC]

I believe UD is saturating the market with too many boxes and parallels... they are approaching 90s level of over production.

Synergy, Allure, Stature, Credentials, Engrained etc.... it really is becoming like the 90s all over again.

[discomike]

I believe UD is saturating the market with too many boxes and parallels... they are approaching 90s level of over production.

Synergy, Allure, Stature, Credentials, Engrained etc.... it really is becoming like the 90s all over again.

It is, except now it's one company that is releasing all the sets, and charging way too much for the value that one gets out of the boxes.