In a world where the rustle of opening a fresh pack of trading cards induces nostalgia and satisfaction, legendary card manufacturer Topps has returned to the hockey scene. Not, however, with the familiar flick of your wrist and the reveal of a fresh rookie’s face on cardstock. Instead, Topps has engineered a bold, imaginative re-entry into the icy realm of pucks and slapshots with a product that blends nostalgic nods to their past with a contemporary twist for the modern collector.
For years, Topps has been conspicuously absent from the ice rink when it comes to NHL-licensed hockey trading cards, having remained silent since Upper Deck swooped in to secure those exclusive rights back in 2003-04. The trading card world, like the sportscasters of an overtime thriller, buzzed with speculation. Would Topps ever make a comeback to hockey? Fast forward to now, it seems the folks over at Fanatics—that behemoth that swallowed Topps—have found a way to give the hockey fans what they’ve been yearning for. Sort of.
April 3 marks the day Fanatics rolls out Topps Under Wraps: Emanate 2024-25. This is not your grandfather’s hockey card, neither is it the one you traded with schoolmates back in the days of collect-them-all enthusiasm. It’s an entirely different beast. Each Emanate box offers collectors an 8×10 photo that seamlessly combines the essence of an oversized trading card, replete with the artistry and sentimentality of a bygone hobby staple.
These Emanate prints are meticulously crafted. Each one bears a signature that isn’t mass-produced on an adhesive label but is instead hand-signed, adding an earnest touch that feels both genuine and personal. Accompany this with individual serialization and dazzling hologram authenticity marks, and you’ve got a product that stands as a testament to quality craftsmanship in collectible culture.
For those who adore chasing rainbows in the form of card variants, Emanate comes in a festive lineup of colors. The Gold variant is capped at 50 copies, followed closely by Orange at 25. As the numbers dwindle, ambition spikes for the Blue (#/10) and Red (#/5) sets. But the true pièce de résistance is the Iridescent variant, an astonishing 1/1 treasure promising the thrill of the ultimate find.
Donning these kaleidoscopic canvases are over 70 NHL players, each one etched in hockey legend or riding the rising wave of current fan adoration. From the almost mystical Connor Bedard to the powerhouse presence of Auston Matthews and Alexander Ovechkin, alongside Nathan MacKinnon, Igor Shesterkin, Macklin Celebrini, and the evergreen Mark Messier, the roster is a star-studded lineup that spans generations.
There’s an artwork for every fan, but the treasure trove doesn’t stop at single-player photos. Rare multi-signed editions add a layer of scarcity and allure, with collectors’ hearts likely set aflutter by the triple-signed beauty of Ovechkin, Bedard, and Matthews all gracing one illustrious frame. This special 1/1 piece veritably commands its own spotlight.
How these visual masterpieces are presented is in itself an expression of intent to cherish—each comes nestled within a magnetic-ready-to-display folio case. While the pricetag of $130 might make one pause, it offers an entry point into owning a slice of this innovative coupling of sports memorabilia and art.
However, this exciting venture still leaves a lingering question: Is Topps, like a defiant slapshot at the end of a tied game, officially back in the channels and chapels of traditional hockey card collecting? Not exactly. Despite the absence of booster packs, rookies waiting to be unfurled from their cardboard cocoons, or the gripping thrill of base-parallel variants, this offering reveals an inclination from Topps to skate back onto the ice. It might not be a thunderous storming of the rink, but it’s certainly an energetic glide back into relevance.
With Fanatics, that retail colossus that holds the reins of some of the hobby’s most coveted licenses, steering the ship, only time can unfold what this broadening horizon spells for the landscape of hockey collectibles. Enthusiasts and magnates alike are left to ponder—what exhilarating escapades will Topps and Fanatics draft up next in the majestic world of sports memorabilia? The puck has dropped, and the anticipation builds.
