The 2025 NHL Draft took place last weekend, and defenseman Matthew Schaefer was taken first overall by the New York Islanders. If Schaefer makes his NHL debut this fall, collectors will undoubtedly be looking for his Young Guns rookie card when it appears in 2025-26 Upper Deck Series Two. And depending on how good the young d-man plays, collectors may even buy his RCs found in other sets like O-Pee-Chee Platinum or SP Authentic.
In fact, ever since 1990, hockey collectors have anticipated a first-overall pick’s rookie card, usually buying like crazy when their RCs first hit the market. Such was the case with Connor Bedard in 2023-24, Connor McDavid in 2015-16, Sidney Crosby in 2005-06, and numerous other first-overall picks.
I recently wrote a story for Sports Collectors Digest about every first-overall pick since 1963 – the year the NHL implemented a draft – and their rookie cards.
Do you know who the first-ever first-overall pick was?
How about the first goalie taken first overall?
The first American?
The first European?
Which first-overall pick got a rookie card two years before his NHL debut?
Or did not get a rookie card until four years after his NHL debut?
If you want to know the answer to these questions and more, you can read my article here at the Sports Collectors Digest website.
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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The 2025 NHL Draft took place last weekend, and defenseman Matthew Schaefer was taken first overall by the New York Islanders. If Schaefer makes his NHL debut this fall, collectors will undoubtedly be looking for his Young Guns rookie card when it appears in 2025-26 Upper Deck Series Two. And depending on how good the young d-man plays, collectors may even buy his RCs found in other sets like O-Pee-Chee Platinum or SP Authentic. 
