Is Topps Making Hockey Cards Again?
Topps hasn't made hockey cards since the 2003-04 season. Since then, Upper Deck has held the NHL license to produce hockey cards.
But on April 3, Fanatics will release a new product called Topps "Under Wraps" Emanate 2024-25. Although not technically a trading card set, the product features a series of 8x10 autographed photos that resemble trading cards.
The first edition of @NHL #Emanate is here and @DougPlagens has an inside look at the newest #UnderWraps release! 🏒
— Fanatics Authentic (@FansAuthentic) March 26, 2025
Available for 24 Hours Early Access on the @Fanatics App tomorrow, March 27th at 9 AM EST and via Product Drop, April 1st - April 3rd at 1 PM EST! 👀 pic.twitter.com/BGaTjyBnyU
"Heck, these even have photos and information on the back," collector and dealer Sal Barry wrote in his weekly PuckJunk.com newsletter.
Topps said each Emanate photo -- the front and backs of which look like an oversized trading card -- is "individually hard signed, numbered and hologrammed for guaranteed authenticity! Each one comes in a ready-for-display premium foilo with magnetic case."
Collectors can chase six color variants: Gold (#/50), Orange (#/25), Blue (#/10), Red (#/5) and Iridescent (1/1).
All 32 teams are represented with over 70 players on the checklist, including past and present stars such as Connor Bedard, Auston Matthews, Alexander Ovechkin, Nathan MacKinnon, Igor Shesterkin, Macklin Celebrini and Mark Messier.
There are also multi-signed short-printed editions and what Topps calls "the elusive 1/1," including a triple signed and inscribed photograph featuring Ovechkin, Bedard and Matthews.
The photos are hard signed, meaning the product features no sticker autos.
Emanate comes one photo per box and retails for $130.
Clemente Lisi is a writer and editor with nearly three decades of experience. You can follow him at x.com/ClementeLisi.
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