Roll out the welcome mat and dust off your collector’s cape because the 2024-25 Upper Deck Extended Series Hockey set has finally dropped. This jubilant release is the cherry atop the sundae of the year’s trio of flagship hockey offerings, unveiling a palette of revamped player cards, unique inserts, and that ever-exciting roster of Young Guns rookie cards. It’s enough to make any aficionado’s heart skip a beat.
Swinging into this explosive finale, the Extended Series complements its siblings—Series 1 and Series 2—by significantly expanding the full 2024-25 Upper Deck Hockey lineup. We’re talking a colossal total of 750 cards, people! Hobby boxes are brimming with promise, offering a dynamic collecting experience where collectors can feast their eyes on a range of inserts or parallels in nearly every pack they tear open.
Now, let’s shine a spotlight on the checklist, shall we? The Extended Series flaunts an impressive 250 new cards. The first 200 feature veterans—old faces in new places, many showcased in updated jerseys or with new teams, delivering fresh visuals that could tango with your sense of nostalgia.
And then, for the pièce de résistance, the final 50 cards scream “must-have” as burlesque spotlights caress them. Enter the hallowed hall of the iconic Young Guns and the elusive 1st Round Rookies. These short-printed rookie marvels turn up about every other pack, igniting collectors’ competitive spirits as they chase future hockey stars that went from ice rink whisperings to household names overnight.
Parallel cards get their own fanfare here, and for good reason. They’re the Easter eggs of the hockey card universe, each boasting its own aura of rarity. In the illustrious lineup, we have:
– Outburst, teasing you with a 1:30 hobby pack chance,
– Clear Cut, making aficionados work at a 1:96 pack ratio,
– Deluxe, limited to 250,
– Exclusives, pushing boundaries further with only 100 in play,
– Outburst Red, even cooler at a limited count of 25,
– High Gloss, a tantalizing 10 cards in total existence,
– Outburst Gold, the veritable unicorn of parallels—a unique 1/1.
These parallel cards elevate the collecting experience from a leisurely saunter in the park to an exhilarating roller-coaster ride where every pull counts.
Next stop on this card collecting journey: Inserts and Special Features and boy do fans have something to celebrate with their return! The beloved UD Canvas cards reemerge, showing up four glorious times per hobby box. These aren’t just your run-of-the-mill inserts; they come adorned with subsets featuring the vibrant Young Guns, revered Legends, and reigning NHL All-Stars. Taken to the next level, Black and White parallels join ranks with elusive Printing Plates for those eager to push their collecting game to stellar levels.
Enter the arena of visual exuberance, where the Dazzlers inserts make a triumphant return, dazzling (pun intended) with Blue versions (every 1:12 packs), rare Pink delights (1:72 packs), and Printing Plates that gleam with uniqueness. Meanwhile, green-thumbed collectors might prefer the extra Bauer curve provided by Blaster boxes, exclusive home to Green Dazzlers at a snug 1:4 pack frequency.
With the introduction of Oracles, Upper Deck sends collectors on a spiritual journey with tarot card-inspired inserts. Ranging from challenging SP to mind-bogglingly rare finds, these Oracles come in a trinity of divine difficulty (SP at 1:30 packs, SSP at 1:45 packs, and supremely rare at 1:180 packs), tickling at any collector’s sense for adventurous collecting.
Nostalgia brims over with Classic Inserts that whip up warm memories, including Pros and Prospects (1:4 packs), Beehive (1:5 packs), Upper Deck Encore (1:5 packs), and more, inviting seasoned collectors to reminisce while pursuing the shiny new.
The illustrious Trilogy of Rookie Premiere cards graciously joins this club, offering its presence in Common (/999), Uncommon (/499), and Rare (/99) formats. As the Triple Dimensions Reflections saunter in with their many colorful parallels, they bring a cascade of excitement to hobbyists eager for rarity and innovation.
And for those prizing a silver lining, the Extended Series tosses Silver Skates originals into the collecting pot with show-stopping grace. Base versions come at 1:4 packs, but it’s the limited Gold parallels, numbering only 250, that gleam like a magpie’s newest obsession.
Collectively, these offerings form an artful mosaic that beckons collectors into a realm of structured chaos and heterogeneous collecting pleasure. It’s a veritable feast with a serving size that caters to both the casual skater and the seasoned power-dynamo.
Whether you’re ripping open packs in a flurry of excitement or strategically plotting out your acquisitions with the precision of a top-tier scout, the 2024-25 Upper Deck Extended Series Hockey set is a celebration of the sport, its players, and above all, the thrill of the chase. Grab your packs, ready your sleeve protectors, and embark on a journey filled to the brim with unparalleled excitement and that ever-elusive sense of gathering history, card by card. It’s time to break the ice and elevate your collection.
