hckycdn93
Verified Trader,
As 2026 approaches, I took time to reflect on the many additions to my collection over the past year and selected my personal favorites. Below, I'll be sharing my top 10 personal bests of 2025 that I was fortunate enough to add to my ever-growing 2005–06 hockey card PC. So sit back, grab a coffee, and enjoy the show!
#10 – 2005–06 Hot Prospects #263 Ryan Whitney (100/349) – Sidney Crosby Autograph ERROR
Ryan Whitney played 481 NHL games across 10 seasons before retiring in 2016. While he enjoyed a solid NHL career, he became far more widely recognized in the hockey media world following the rise of the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast.
This card earns the #10 spot not because of Whitney himself, but because of a notorious sticker-autograph placement error involving both Fleer and Upper Deck products. The autograph on this card is not Whitney’s, but Sidney Crosby’s—an error that also appeared on the much rarer Red Parallel /50 and the more common SPx Update /1999. Adding this Hot Prospects rookie this year allowed me to secure one example of each Crosby autograph error card for my collection.
As Spittin’ Chiclets continues to grow in popularity and Crosby further cements his legacy as one of the greatest players of all time, I believe these shared-error rookie cards will become increasingly sought after in the years ahead.
#9 – 2005–06 UD The Cup Rookie Patch Autograph Corey Perry (182/199), PSA 8 – 5-Color Patch
Corey Perry is one of the few members of the 2005 rookie class still active in the NHL. Now with the Los Angeles Kings, he will forever be best remembered for his tenure with the Anaheim Ducks and his contributions to Team Canada’s success throughout the 2010s. Perry captured the Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP in 2011, along with the Rocket Richard Trophy for most goals that same season. His résumé also includes a Stanley Cup (2007), a World Cup of Hockey gold medal (2016), and two Olympic gold medals (2010, 2014).
While Corey Perry Cup RPAs are not particularly difficult to find, what sets this copy apart is the exceptional quality and color of the patch. I’ve seen many three- and four-color examples, but this is the only one I’ve encountered that features all five colors from the Anaheim Mighty Ducks crest worn during his rookie season. As far as Mighty Ducks patches go, it doesn’t get much better than this.
#8 – 2005–06 UD Ultimate Premium Patches: Tomas Vokoun (7/35) & Kari Lehtonen (18/35)
Number eight on the countdown features not one, but two cards from the 2005–06 Ultimate Premium Patches set, each showcasing some of the most impressive patches in my collection.
The top card features Tomas Vokoun and includes a stunning six-color Nashville Predators logo patch worn on the shoulder during the 2004 NHL All-Star Game. It’s exceptionally rare to encounter a patch that can be photo-matched, and even more so when it can be traced to a specific moment. In this case, the patch aligns with Vokoun’s appearance in the second period for the Western Conference All-Stars, as that was the only period he played.
The bottom card features Kari Lehtonen and may be the most intricate Atlanta Thrashers patch card I’ve ever seen. The patch contains six distinct colors and is immediately recognizable as the bird’s head from the Thrashers’ shoulder patch, worn on both the home and alternate jerseys of that era.
#7 – 2005–06 UD Ultimate Rookie Patch #97 Autograph Henrik Lundqvist (7/25)
Earlier this year, I was fortunate to acquire a partial 2005–06 Ultimate Rookie Patch set, with this Henrik Lundqvist card—serial numbered 7/25—standing out as the clear highlight. Cards from this set, particularly the elite rookies, have become increasingly scarce over time.
The patch is everything you could hope for, and the autograph remains bold and vibrant in deep blue with no signs of fading. Overall, this is a top-tier example of one of Henrik Lundqvist’s finest rookie patch autographs.
#6 – 2005–06 Fleer Hot Prospects En Fuego Shield Jeff Carter (1/1)
Jeff Carter concluded a highly successful NHL career at the end of the 2023–24 season, finishing with 442 goals and 851 points across 1,321 games. He also won two Stanley Cups with the Los Angeles Kings and earned a gold medal with Team Canada in 2014.
The Hot Prospects En Fuego Shield 1/1s from the 2005–06 season remain one of my favorite sets to collect, and I was fortunate to add the Jeff Carter Shield this year—my only En Fuego Shield pickup of 2025. With this addition, my total now stands at 19 unique En Fuego Shields from the set, making it a well-deserved entry at #6 in my Top 10 countdown of 2025.
As I approach the 1000-character threshold, please stay tuned for the top 5 of 2025 in part 2 of the top ten countdown!
#10 – 2005–06 Hot Prospects #263 Ryan Whitney (100/349) – Sidney Crosby Autograph ERROR
Ryan Whitney played 481 NHL games across 10 seasons before retiring in 2016. While he enjoyed a solid NHL career, he became far more widely recognized in the hockey media world following the rise of the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast.
This card earns the #10 spot not because of Whitney himself, but because of a notorious sticker-autograph placement error involving both Fleer and Upper Deck products. The autograph on this card is not Whitney’s, but Sidney Crosby’s—an error that also appeared on the much rarer Red Parallel /50 and the more common SPx Update /1999. Adding this Hot Prospects rookie this year allowed me to secure one example of each Crosby autograph error card for my collection.
As Spittin’ Chiclets continues to grow in popularity and Crosby further cements his legacy as one of the greatest players of all time, I believe these shared-error rookie cards will become increasingly sought after in the years ahead.
#9 – 2005–06 UD The Cup Rookie Patch Autograph Corey Perry (182/199), PSA 8 – 5-Color Patch
Corey Perry is one of the few members of the 2005 rookie class still active in the NHL. Now with the Los Angeles Kings, he will forever be best remembered for his tenure with the Anaheim Ducks and his contributions to Team Canada’s success throughout the 2010s. Perry captured the Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP in 2011, along with the Rocket Richard Trophy for most goals that same season. His résumé also includes a Stanley Cup (2007), a World Cup of Hockey gold medal (2016), and two Olympic gold medals (2010, 2014).
While Corey Perry Cup RPAs are not particularly difficult to find, what sets this copy apart is the exceptional quality and color of the patch. I’ve seen many three- and four-color examples, but this is the only one I’ve encountered that features all five colors from the Anaheim Mighty Ducks crest worn during his rookie season. As far as Mighty Ducks patches go, it doesn’t get much better than this.
#8 – 2005–06 UD Ultimate Premium Patches: Tomas Vokoun (7/35) & Kari Lehtonen (18/35)
Number eight on the countdown features not one, but two cards from the 2005–06 Ultimate Premium Patches set, each showcasing some of the most impressive patches in my collection.
The top card features Tomas Vokoun and includes a stunning six-color Nashville Predators logo patch worn on the shoulder during the 2004 NHL All-Star Game. It’s exceptionally rare to encounter a patch that can be photo-matched, and even more so when it can be traced to a specific moment. In this case, the patch aligns with Vokoun’s appearance in the second period for the Western Conference All-Stars, as that was the only period he played.
The bottom card features Kari Lehtonen and may be the most intricate Atlanta Thrashers patch card I’ve ever seen. The patch contains six distinct colors and is immediately recognizable as the bird’s head from the Thrashers’ shoulder patch, worn on both the home and alternate jerseys of that era.
#7 – 2005–06 UD Ultimate Rookie Patch #97 Autograph Henrik Lundqvist (7/25)
Earlier this year, I was fortunate to acquire a partial 2005–06 Ultimate Rookie Patch set, with this Henrik Lundqvist card—serial numbered 7/25—standing out as the clear highlight. Cards from this set, particularly the elite rookies, have become increasingly scarce over time.
The patch is everything you could hope for, and the autograph remains bold and vibrant in deep blue with no signs of fading. Overall, this is a top-tier example of one of Henrik Lundqvist’s finest rookie patch autographs.
#6 – 2005–06 Fleer Hot Prospects En Fuego Shield Jeff Carter (1/1)
Jeff Carter concluded a highly successful NHL career at the end of the 2023–24 season, finishing with 442 goals and 851 points across 1,321 games. He also won two Stanley Cups with the Los Angeles Kings and earned a gold medal with Team Canada in 2014.
The Hot Prospects En Fuego Shield 1/1s from the 2005–06 season remain one of my favorite sets to collect, and I was fortunate to add the Jeff Carter Shield this year—my only En Fuego Shield pickup of 2025. With this addition, my total now stands at 19 unique En Fuego Shields from the set, making it a well-deserved entry at #6 in my Top 10 countdown of 2025.
As I approach the 1000-character threshold, please stay tuned for the top 5 of 2025 in part 2 of the top ten countdown!
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