Hockey enthusiasts, lace up your skates and get ready to glide down memory lane as well as current collector’s thrills, because SP Game Used Hockey is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Over these two-and-a-half decades, Upper Deck’s SP Game Used series has firmly cemented itself as the ultimate authority in memorabilia-based hockey cards, while similar attempts in baseball, football, and basketball met a speedy demise akin to a rookie stumbling on freshly-zambonied ice.
For its silver jubilee, this legendary collection is not content with merely relishing past glories. Instead, it’s pulling in the tantalizing scent of fresh ice shavings, introducing an exciting new chase for cards featuring relics from the first-ever 4 Nations Face-Off. This showdown, featuring USA, Canada, Finland, and Sweden, took place in February 2025 and adds an exhilarating touch of international rivalry to the hunt for these elusive cards.
True to the series’ form, each hobby box delivers a single, nine-card pack that promises collectors a mixed bag of potent hockey wizardry: four hits, which might include autographs, memorabilia, autographed memorabilia, or premium inserts, alongside three base cards including Authentic Rookies or New Grooves inserts, and two parallels of base cards, Authentic Rookies, or New Grooves.
Think of the Checklist as a buffet for the hockey card enthusiast, with 200 base cards featuring current NHL stars, retired legends, and Authentic Rookies more than ready to claim the spotlight—and likely, your savings. Husk your way through parallel options like the flashy Red cards, unnumbered but capable of dazzling, down to the elusive Green 1/1s, the unicorns of the hockey card universe. Of course, there are autographed and relic parallels to further whet your collecting appetite.
As expected from a collection with “SP Game Used” proudly in its name, relics take center stage. Upper Deck’s tireless scouring of game-used gear ensures this set delights fans with relics from regular NHL contests, Stanley Cup playoffs, NHL Global Series, Stadium Series, Winter Classics, and now, the debut 4 Nations Face-Off. Sought-after relic sets such as the Rookie Sweaters (/299), Troupe Threads (/199), Game Day Gear (/100), and Rookie Jumbo Patches (/25) are here to sparkle, alongside the rare Supreme Materials (/15) and super-sized Supreme Patches (/15) spotlighting relics from that 4 Nations tournament because in the realm of card collecting, bigger is decidedly better.
For those with a penchant for unique memorabilia, returning favorites await like Puck Relics and Net Cord cards bearing pieces of game-used nets. Draft Day Marks, featuring manufactured letter patches signed by rookies, is back too. Collectors with the patience to spell out entire player names earn bragging rights the size of an on-ice brawl, plus endless flexing opportunities on social media.
Fans of rookies can cheer for Inked Rookie Sweaters (/99), which come with rare Patch parallels (/25), while veterans aren’t left out in the cold: their Inked Sweaters join the mix as challenging finds in 1:100 packs, along with their own Patch parallels (/25). Banner cards carry over, deftly slicing banners from NHL events like Draft Days, Stanley Cup Finals, Winter Classics, and more, with autographed versions available for those seeking an extra chill of excitement.
The New Grooves inserts return with the aplomb of a slickly-executed powerplay, cherishing fresh-faced rookies with parallel options in Red (/499), Gold (/149), Rainbow (/99), Purple (/5), and Green 1/1. Adding a novel twist is the NHL Masters insert set, newly numbered to /299, bringing with it Jersey and Patch versions featuring an enticing blend of rookies, current superstars, and revered hockey luminaries.
For collectors eager to strategize their purchase, here’s the brief playbook for each box: a nine-card pack contains four autographs, memorabilia cards, or premium inserts, alongside two parallels, and three base, Authentic Rookies, or New Grooves inserts. With 20 boxes nestled neatly in a case, split into two 10-box inner cases, the bounty is as impressive as that star forward’s breathtaking hat-trick.
Released in January 2026—subject to the unpredictable winds of card manufacturing—the SP Game Used Hockey 2025-26 edition promises a legendary ride through frozen pastures, sure to evoke both frozen thrills and bittersweet wallet spills. Fans, it’s time to celebrate—game on!
