The Next Generation of Young Guns Is on the Horizon
The Journey from First Pick to First Card Begins at the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft
By Stephen Laroche
The 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft is just a few short weeks away, and excitement is building among hockey fans as to where the sport’s best and brightest prospects will be selected.
For more than 35 years, Upper Deck has been the place where first picks become first cards. While all of the prospects listed below are likely to find themselves on a highly coveted Young Guns card in the near future, collectors everywhere can look forward to ripping open a pack and seeing the first overall pick’s iconic Upper Deck Rookie card.
Penn State Star Ready to Make an Impact
Ranked the highest among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, Gavin McKenna is coming off an excellent first season at Penn State University. Hailing from Whitehorse in the Yukon Territory, he developed into one of hockey’s most exciting prospects during his time with the Western Hockey League’s Medicine Hat Tigers, earning CHL Player of the Year honors, before ultimately choosing to continue his development in the American collegiate system.
In 2025-26, the former CHL Player of the Year maintained a high level of offensive output and outscored all Big 10 skaters in the regular season on his way to earning Big 10 Freshman of the Year accolades. Additionally, McKenna returned to play for Team Canada in the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, chipping in 14 points on the way to a bronze medal. A slick and speedy forward that can generate plenty of offense, he has the potential to be a star in the hobby, and his Young Guns card is sure to be in high demand once it arrives at Certified Diamond Dealers, retail stores, and Upper Deck’s e-Pack platform.
A Challenger for Number One
While many feel that McKenna is a lock to go first overall, there is an interesting challenger for that honor as well. Swedish sensation Ivar Stenberg set the Swedish Hockey League on fire with Frolunda HC in 2025-26 as he paced all rookies with 22 assists and 33 points. In fact, his totals were the third-highest all-time for a draft-eligible prospect in that league – only behind Hall of Famers Henrik and Daniel Sedin.
A big factor in Sweden’s run to a gold medal at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, Stenberg generated 10 points and later received an invitation to play for his country at the 2026 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, where he had a final opportunity to make his case for being the number one pick. Over eight tournament games, he delivered four goals and four assists to place third in scoring on a roster loaded with established NHL players. An elite offensive talent, the top-ranked international skater has also received additional praise for his defensive game.
Dynamic Defenders Expect to be Picked Early
For some teams, the need for a potential first-pairing defender is glaring, and there are two players who may hear their names called out soon after the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft begins.
Carson Carels of the Prince George Cougars is the third-ranked North American skater on the Central Scouting list and is coming off a solid season where he ranked fourth among all WHL defenders with 73 points. An agile two-way puck carrier with a booming left-handed shot, he has been praised for his strong work ethic – a product of being raised on a cattle farm. Many fans first saw him during the World Junior Championship, and he has committed to playing with the University of North Dakota in 2026-27.
Speaking of the Fighting Hawks, one of their brightest stars from this season is considered a top pick for the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft. Keaton Verhoeff placed fourth on Central Scouting’s list of North American skaters and earned a spot on the NCHC All-Rookie Team. Serving as Canada’s captain at the 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship, this right-hand shooting defender has good offensive potential and logs plenty of minutes on the power play.
Plenty of Prospects Coming Out of Ontario
The Ontario Hockey League continues to produce draft-ready talent, and there are two players in particular that are bound to be early first round picks this year.
Caleb Malhotra fit in beautifully with the Brantford Bulldogs in 2025-26 and proved to be one of the league’s top rookies on the way to a regular season championship. The son of former NHL player Manny Malhotra, his draft stock rose dramatically during playoff action after posting 26 points in just 15 games. His passing skills and competitive nature have been noted by scouts along with his superior hockey sense. He is committed to Boston University next season.
As for Ethan Belchetz of the Windsor Spitfires, he showed dramatic improvement as an OHL sophomore this season, doubling his goal production while also averaging more than a point per game. Blessed with great size and a willingness to mix in some physical play, he is relentless with or without the puck. Should he not immediately transition to the pro game, he has made a commitment to Michigan State for 2026-27.
As these rising stars look forward to hearing their names called to join the ranks of the NHL, Upper Deck is preparing to introduce them to the hobby community through iconic Young Guns cards. Once these exciting young players hit the ice for the first time as professionals, they’ll also join another elite group as they see their name on a rookie card from Upper Deck – becoming a part of hobby history.
The post The Next Generation of Young Guns Is on the Horizon appeared first on Upper Deck.
Sculpting Gotham City’s™ Most Notorious Villains: An Interview With Amos Hemsley on Enemies of™ Gotham City™ Miniatures
In this Artist Spotlight, we are thrilled to feature Amos Hemsley, the 3D sculptor behind the stunning miniatures in the new Enemies of
Gotham City tabletop game. From an early age, Amos Hemsley was immersed in comic books, action figures, and memorabilia that were commonplace for the Bronze age of comic books. Movies and television shows also caught his eye, such as great films like Superman the Movie, Spider-man, and the 1960s Batman TV series. Amos has spent his career translating the dynamic energy of comic books and film into tangible art. From the broad-shouldered silhouette of the Dark Knight to the theatrical menace of The Joker, Amos’s work captures the fluid, minimalist elegance that made Batman: The Animated Series a masterpiece. Join us as we go behind the scenes with Amos to discuss his journey sculpting the legendary heroes and villains in Enemies of Gotham City.
Product depicted for demonstration purposes only and is subject to change without notice. ©2026 The Upper Deck Company.
BATMAN and all related characters and elements ©2026 & DC. WB SHIELD: © & WBEI. (s26) AGES 14+
The Enemies of Gotham City game is inspired by the iconic and beloved Batman: The Animated Series. With so many fans sharing Amos’s enthusiasm for the series he truly wanted to create something that the fans will love. One of Amos’s biggest challenges in sculpting the well known DC characters was trying to land a definitive version that would do the series and game justice. Amos said “these characters have been cherished for decades. So I have to do my part”.
Product depicted for demonstration purposes only and is subject to change without notice. ©2026 The Upper Deck Company.
BATMAN and all related characters and elements ©2026 & DC. WB SHIELD: © & WBEI. (s26) AGES 14+
Sculpting well-known and highly recognizable characters at such a small scale is no easy feat. With the Enemies of Gotham City’s tallest miniature measuring about 50 mm, every detail counts. Amos explained that getting each feature just right was doable through a 3D sculpting program called ZBrush, which allows him to go back and zoom in to apply little details once the base of the sculpture is completed. To coincide with this, we asked Amos how he was able to convey the personalities and might of these characters, despite them being this small. To that he responded “that part is based on the brilliant art direction of Caleb Cleveland (Visual Art Specialist at Upper Deck). He’ll sketch the pose that he’d like for the character to be in. I’ll then translate what I see to 3D incorporating that desired feeling”. 
Product depicted for demonstration purposes only and is subject to change without notice. ©2026 The Upper Deck Company.
BATMAN and all related characters and elements ©2026 & DC. WB SHIELD: © & WBEI. (s26) AGES 14+
Before we wrapped up our conversation, we asked Amos one final question about the impact he hopes his work will have when fans see the Enemies of Gotham City miniatures for the first time. Amos shared, “When I was a kid I’d look up and pretend that Superman flew by as he raced to stop Bizarro from causing a disaster. There was this raw emotion that overtook me. That passion has stayed with me ever since. I’d like for the fans to be inspired to create their own epic battles with these figures”. Whether you are a DC fan or tabletop gamer the Enemies of Gotham City miniatures are truly spectacular! Follow along to learn more about the various artists that contributed to the creation of Enemies of Gotham City.
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The post Sculpting Gotham City’s™ Most Notorious Villains: An Interview With Amos Hemsley on Enemies of™ Gotham City™ Miniatures appeared first on Upper Deck.
Categories: Upperdeck Tags: Amos, City, City’s™, Enemies, Gotham, Hemsley, Interview, Miniatures, Most, Notorious, of…, Sculpting, Villains
Legends Are Born at the Upper Deck NHL Draft
By Stephen Laroche
The connection between hockey legends and their trading cards often begins when they are fresh-faced rookies. A rite of passage shared by countless young players, the path to greatness features a common thread – the Upper Deck NHL Draft, an event which the company has proudly sponsored for the past five years, and one that sends prospects on a path to living out their childhood dream, and maybe being mentioned as one of the all-time greats one day.
Not Every Legend Was Drafted
In the days before the NHL instituted a formal amateur draft, however, scouts for the Original Six clubs searched everywhere for talented young men to play on their sponsored junior teams.
After seeing a teenaged defenseman and future Upper Deck spokesman Bobby Orr during a tournament, Boston Bruins scout Wren Blair was determined to bring him into the fold. After meeting with the Orr family, he was able to obtain his rights by signing what was called a C form. During the pre-draft era, this tied a prospect to one of the six clubs in perpetuity until they retired or the team decided to trade away their rights.
At age 14, Orr debuted with the Oshawa Generals and established himself as a generational prospect. His final junior campaign (1965-66) was one for the ages as he averaged two points per game on the way to a championship. The rebuilding Bruins brought him aboard soon after and his impact on the game was immediate.
Gretzky’s Unconventional Route to Glory
Much like Orr, longtime Upper Deck exclusive spokesperson Wayne Gretzky did not hear his name called on draft day. Instead, the NHL’s all-time leading scorer ultimately did things his own way.
Hailing from Brantford, Ontario, Gretzky made national headlines at the age of 10 after scoring a mind-boggling 378 goals. By 1977-78, his path took him to the OMJHL’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, where he donned the iconic number 99 for the first time.
In the late 1970s, players were not drafted until they were 20 years old but the struggling World Hockey Association was making waves by pursuing younger talents. The Indianapolis Racers brokered a deal with the 17-year-old superstar and he joined them for a mere eight games before the cash-strapped club dealt him away to the Edmonton Oilers.
In his first year Gretzky defied critics and won WHA Rookie of the Year honors. Soon after, four of the rival league’s clubs joined the NHL and the Oilers retained his rights due to a personal services contract with team owner Peter Pocklington and made him a priority selection heading into the 1979 NHL Expansion Draft.
First Round Picks Have Legendary Potential
Players perceived as having the greatest potential tend to be chosen in the early stages of the draft and first round picks historically tend to be more hits than misses. In some years, some of these names will go on to become true legends.
Before the 1980 NHL Entry Draft, Paul Coffey was touted as one of the brightest blueline prospects. In 1979-80, he had emerged as an elite offensive specialist and split the season between Sault Ste. Marie and the Kitchener Rangers – leading the latter club with 71 points over 52 games.
Edmonton was underrated by many experts at the time – but the shrewdness of their scouts, headed by Barry Fraser, ensured that the team was on its way to becoming a serious contender. Having selected future Hall of Famers Mark Messier, Kevin Lowe, and Glenn Anderson a year earlier and with Gretzky already in the fold, this draft brought them more legends in Coffey, Jari Kurri, and Andy Moog. This group would ultimately capture its first Stanley Cup in 1984.
Coffey, taken seventh overall, did not take long to become one of the game’s best. By mid-decade, he consistently racked up over 100 points a year and eventually became the second player at his position to record over 1,000 career points.
Success Can Come With Later Picks
Even those that aren’t chosen in the first round can rise to stardom. Another legend selected later in 1980 proved to be one of the decade’s best. During the fourth round, the Los Angeles Kings added a player that generated tremendous excitement in the years that followed by calling out the name of Bernie Nicholls from the OMJHL’s Kingston Canadians.
Despite not cracking the lineup right away, Nicholls was determined to succeed. Unable to be held back, Nicholls debuted with the Kings in 1981-82 and developed into a lethal scoring talent. By the time Gretzky joined the team, he exploded with a career-best 70 goals and 150 points in 1988-89.
While most drafted players are selected in their first year of eligibility, there were some that needed more time to hone their skills. In the case of Hall of Famer Mark Recchi, he was able to prove himself and recorded an eye-popping 154 points with the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers in 1987-88.
Even with that impressive total, he had to wait until the fourth round of that year’s draft before the Pittsburgh Penguins took him 67th overall. After a short apprenticeship in the minors, he swiftly rose to stardom and eventually captured three Stanley Cups.
Great Goalies Come From Deep Picks
Some of the game’s greatest netminders have been selected beyond the first two rounds and in 1984, the Montreal Canadiens used a third rounder (51st overall) to take Patrick Roy of the QMJHL’s Granby Bisons. Most goalies need several years to develop, but this Upper Deck spokesman defied the trend. Snaring the top job for the Habs as a rookie in 1985-86, he backstopped the club to the Cup. By the time he retired, he added three more championship rings to his collection along with other numerous awards.
The path to the NHL is not always linear and can often take several twists and turns. Talent is a player’s true measure and like it has in the past, the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft is bound to add a few more legends to hockey’s lush historical record.
The post Legends Are Born at the Upper Deck NHL Draft appeared first on Upper Deck.