National Hockey Card Day is Saturday

Get Free Hockey Cards on February 18

Doughnut lovers have National Doughnut Day. Vinyl aficionados have Record Store Day. Hockey card collectors have a day of our own, too. Saturday, February 18 is National Hockey Card Day. Set your alarm, grab some coffee and head out to your local card shop – or maybe a few card shops — and get some free hockey cards. 

National Hockey Card Day, or NHCD as us cool kids abbreviate it, started in Canada in 2009 and in the U.S. in 2012. Collectors who visit a participating card shop can get a free pack of exclusive Upper Deck hockey cards. Each pack has five cards. A bonus card can also be acquired by making a $10 purchase. 

Here are the details on National Hockey Card Day in each country. 

National Hockey Card Day USA

Coinciding with the NHL’s “Hockey Weekend in America” on February 18 and 19 is National Hockey Card Day USA on February 18, 2017. A special, 15-card set will be given away at participating card shops. This set will focus almost exclusively on American-born players.

“America’s Rookies” showcases five top-flight rookies who were either, as the song goes, born in the U.S.A. or are playing on U.S.-based teams.

“Stars in Stripes” highlight five U.S.-born stars who play for teams in the U.S. Is it just me, or does Pavs look a little green there? 

Five “American Icons” cards look back at some of the best former NHLers born in the U.S. 

To truly complete this set, you will want the 16th card of Toronto Maple Leafs rookie Auston Matthews from the 2016 NHL Draft. To get this card, make a $10 purchase of Upper Deck products from the retailer you visit. 

Check out all of the NHCD USA card images and the list of participating shops. 

National Hockey Card Day Canada 

Also on February 18, 2017 is National Hockey Card Day Canada. Over 200 retailers across Canada are giving away free hockey cards. These cards will differ from those given out in the U.S., as the Canadian cards will concentrate on the best Canadian-born players…with a few “import” rookies tossed into the mix, like this guy here. 

“Canada’s Rookies” features five elite rookies that play for Canadian teams. 

Next up are five “Pride of Canada” cards, focusing on great players from Canada, though not necessarily playing for Canadian teams. Hey — you gotta fit in Sidney Crosby somehow. 

Finally, five “Hockey Heroes” cards are of retired legends. 

To finish out your NHCD Canada set, you will need the 16th card — again of Auston Matthews — that you can only get if you make a $10 purchase. This card shows Matthews in his NHL debut. 

NHCD Canada isn’t just limited to card shops. Big box retailers like Toys R’ Us and London Drugs, as well as the Hockey Hall of Fame, will give away nine-card uncut sheets of NHCD cards. 

You can see the rest of the NHCD Canada images here and find a participating shop here

Do you plan on going to any shops to get free hockey cards on National Hockey Card Day? Or, if you are reading this after NHCD 2017, did you end up visiting any shops? How was it? Did you get a complete set? Did you bring your kids or go with friends? Leave a comment and let us know.  ■

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Author: Sal Barry

Sal Barry is the editor and webmaster of Puck Junk. He is a freelance hockey writer, college professor and terrible hockey player. Follow him on Twitter @puckjunk

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