If Bedard is a Bust, Does That Make Celebrini the Savior of Hockey Cards?

For this article, please separate the reality of professional sports from the hockey card-collecting world. Connor Bedard is a great hockey player who will have an outstanding career.

Hockey card collectors have declared Bedard a bust due to declining card values. Yes, hockey card collectors consider a 19-year-old with 87 points in 99 career games a bust.

It is still a tough crowd.

One of the biggest things that upset hockey card collectors is the cost of boxes featuring Bedard's rookie cards. We will use Upper Deck Black Diamond Hockey as an example.

Black Diamond 2022-23 Hockey retails for $200 at various retailers. Bedard's rookie year Black Diamond 2023-24 Hockey retails for $365 ($500 per box on release day). Macklin Celebrini's rookie year Black Diamond 2024-25 Hockey will retail for $285 per box when it releases in early January of 2025. All prices are USD.

Welcome to the Hockey Card World, Macklin Celebrini

Celebrini and the rest of the 2024-25 hockey card rookie class are a breath of fresh air to hockey card collectors. Scroll to the previous paragraph to see why.

Upper Deck 2024-25 Black Diamond Hockey offers hockey card collectors the first chance at a full checklist of Celebrini hits. Let us not forget about Matvei Michkov, Lane Hutson, and Logan Stankoven.

Why is Celebrini the Savior of Hockey Cards?

If Bedard is a bust, how is Celebrini the savior with just 20 points in 21 career NHL games?

It is a really tough crowd.

Not to take anything away from Celebrini, or the great career he will likely have. Celebrini is the savior because he is the face of an exciting rookie class and collectors can chase Celebrini's rookie cards for a fraction of the cost of Bedard's. Collectors are enjoying buying into group breaks that take less time to fill. Many group breaks featuring 2023-24 Upper Deck Hockey products stall on the Bedard spots.

Bedard has made hockey cards go mainstream. You can decide for yourself if that is a good thing. The question is can Bedard and Celebrini keep hockey cards mainstream?

Maybe the bigger question is will Upper Deck keep hockey cards affordable now that they have gone mainstream?

Happy hunting and collecting!