Connor Bedard, NHL prospects help Upper Deck with highly anticipated rookie cards at Showcase

The NHLPA Rookie Showcase, an event held every summer featuring the league’s top prospects, turned out to be a picture-perfect day.

The focus of the 13th annual gathering, held Tuesday at the MedStar Capitals Iceplex in Arlington, just outside Washington, D.C., allowed Upper Deck to hold a photoshoot with the players in their uniforms for the very first time.

“This event really sets the stage for us,” said Paul Zickler, senior sports brand manager at Upper Deck. “The season is just around the corner so everyone’s excited.”

In addition to the photos, players also signed autographs that will be part of future card releases. The jerseys they wore will also be cut up and inserted as patch cards in future sets.

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The NHL regular season, which starts on Oct. 9, will feature rookie Connor Bedard. Chosen No. 1 overall in this year’s draft by the Chicago Blackhawks, Bedard has been described as a once-in-a-generation talent and the highest-touted rookie since Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid.

Bedard’s minor-league cards have skyrocketed in value and were among the must-have items among collectors at the recent National Sports Collectors Convention held in Chicago. While Bedard buzz is real among fans and collectors, Zickler said there is “buzz every year” when it comes to trading cards.

“We are all excited about the next crop of rookies,” he added. “Obviously, Connor, and what he did this year in the World Junior Championships and in the CHL, is among the very best.”

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Upper Deck, the official trading card partner of the NHL, confirmed at the event that Bedard’s Young Guns card would appear in packs of this season’s Series 2 release.

“He’s going to an Original Six team so there is a lot of excitement around him.” Zickler said when asked about Bedard. “We’re excited about all the rookies here this week.”

Bedard, meanwhile, said he used to collect hockey cards as a child.

“Growing up, I was a big card guy,” he said. “I used to open packs and stuff.”

Bedard said he used to keep “a big binder in my closet.”

“I remember me and my friends, when we were five to 10 years old, loved it,” he said, “and we used to talk about who we got.”

Asked if his mother had thrown out his cards, Bedard said, “She did not.”

“I’ve got them all back home,” he added.

In all, 34 rookies and prospects took part in the event. This year’s class of rookies may be the deepest in years, something that has collectors salivating. In fact, several collectors stood outside the arena looking for Bedard autographs despite temperatures hitting a sweltering 97 degrees.

Conor Geekie, a center with the Arizona Coyotes, said he’s excited about being featured on a trading card and sharing them with his family.

“I will give some of them to my parents and friends,” he said. “It’s something special for me and special for them to have them.”

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Tye Kartye, a Seattle Kraken prospect, had the distinction of playing in preseason and in last season’s playoffs, but never in the regular season. Kartye, who hopes to be on the regular-season roster this season, said getting his photo taken to be used on cards was “pretty cool.”

“As a kid, I used to open packs,” he said. “Being in them now is pretty special.”

For some players, hockey cards are a new thing. Leo Carlsson, chosen by the Anaheim Ducks No. 2 behind Bedard, may have grown up in Sweden, but said he did not collect hockey cards.

“Actually, I collected soccer cards. It was big in Sweden,” Carlsson recalled, saying Lionel Messi cards were the best in his collection.

But Carlsson also said he was looking forward to seeing a card of himself, saying he had signed his name 2,500 times the day before the event so his autograph could be included in future Upper Deck card releases.

“It was a pretty hard day,” he joked.

The event was also the first time many of the players had come together since the NHL Draft was held this past June in Nashville. The players capped off the day by holding a scrimmage. Some of them — rivals and teammates as junior players — used the showcase to show off their offensive flair just weeks before training camp opens.

Asked if he has a rivalry with Bedard and the other top picks in the 2023 draft, Carlsson said, “I don’t think so. We are good friends now. We haven’t played each other yet at that level.”