Collector Club
Upper Deck has signed James Hagens, one of the most promising young talents in hockey, to an exclusive trading card and memorabilia deal.
The agreement makes Upper Deck the sole producer of licensed James Hagens trading cards and autographed memorabilia, both during his amateur career and once he enters the NHL.
Hagens is widely projected to be a top pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, with some analysts predicting he could go first overall with his boyhood team, the New York Islanders, his destination.
Hagen rookie cards and signed memorabilia on the way
As part of the agreement, Upper Deck will release trading cards featuring Hagens’ image and likeness, along with limited edition autograph and game-used memorabilia products. These are expected to appear in both future NHL sets and potentially pre-draft or promotional releases in the lead-up to the 2025 NHL Draft.
Hagens is expected to appear in upcoming Upper Deck NHL releases as well as special sets leading into the 2025 draft. While no specific card designs or release dates have been confirmed yet, collectors should expect limited pre-NHL content — similar to how Upper Deck handled previous signings like Connor Bedard and Shane Wright.
Rising star of USA Hockey
James Hagens currently plays for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program (NTDP) and has been a standout performer at the U18 level.
During the 2022–23 season, he finished second in team scoring, posting 26 goals and 40 assists over 43 games. He followed that up in 2023–24 with an additional 39 goals and 63 assists, before going on to lead the 2024 IIHF World U18 Championship with 22 points, where he earned MVP honours and helped Team USA to the silver medal.
His combination of elite skating, hockey IQ, and playmaking ability has a lot of people excited about his future, making him a hot name not only for scouts, but now also for collectors.
A key addition to Upper Deck’s exclusive roster
This deal continues Upper Deck’s long-term strategy of signing elite prospects before their NHL debut.
Their exclusive athlete portfolio already includes Connor Bedard, Jack Hughes, Auston Matthews, and Cale Makar, all of whom signed with Upper Deck early in their careers and have remained key figures in the company’s flagship NHL sets.
“We’re excited to support James Hagens ahead of a monumental stage in his career and celebrate his successes as he prepares for the NHL Draft and his NHL debut.” – Upper Deck President Jason Masherah.
Masherah added, “At Upper Deck, we pride ourselves on scouting the next generation of hockey greats and capturing their key moments with collectibles that fans covet. Beyond being a part of Hagens’ story, we’re thrilled to give fans the opportunity to own a piece of his professional journey from the very beginning.”
With this agreement, collectors can expect authenticated cards and memorabilia tied directly to Hagens’ journey through to the NHL. Are you excited? We are!