Signs of the Pwhl Taylor Heise Upper Pont in the middle of the female sports push

Recruits are a large company in the commercial card sector. Thus, while the number of players appeared in the new PWHL: First edition The set that was published last week by Upper Deck was limited by the relatively small size of the six team league, the good news was that each player could be considered a recruit in the brand new circuit.

“We have 70 unique players presented in the basic set,” said Paul Zickler, director of sports brands at Upper Deck. “I think the first 50 are the basic set, then 20 young guns.”

So yes, collectors will be able to find cards of young guns in these packs for longtime stars of sport like the Montreal captain Marie-Philip Poulin or the MVP of season 1 Natalie Spooner of the Toronto Scepters.

The list of real rookie Young pistols overall is titled by the first first choice of recovery of the PWHL and the MVP in the playoffs in 2024 Taylor Heise From the Frost du Minnesota.

During the publication of the whole, Upper Deck also announced that he had signed Heise to an exclusive collection agreement, now holding exclusive law to produce his cards and memories. It is the second exclusive PWHL athlete of the upper bridge, after 2024 first choice Sarah Fillier was signed in December.

“Growing up, I would never have thought that there would be an opportunity for women practicing professional sports to have the spotlight. The fact that it is now a reality and that I am one of those players presented on cards to exchange is incredible, “Heise said in a press release. “We are not only doing history, but we create a stronger community of fans and collectors who can connect and celebrate with us through our stories.”

While they went up to the top of their sport during their university years, Heise and Filler were ideal choices to reach the upper Pont stable.

They each represent a side of the rivalry of female vegetable hockey between Canada and the United States. Filler is from Georgetown, have. While Heise was raised in Lake City, Minnesota, and although recruits of the NHL generally need several years to reach their full potential on the side of the men of the game, these two have both had instant impacts .

After having conducted the first PWHL qualifying series with five goals in 10 games, the 14 points from Heise until January 28 have it on equal. in 2024-25. Filler is just behind, with 13 points in its first 12 PWHL games.

Statistics are not everything when choosing athletes to represent a brand, but figures like these are a welcome bonus.

“They are both very good people, so we are excited at this level, as well as their performance on the ice,” said Zickler. “In a way, we have evolved, honestly, to see how well they behave well at the start of their career.”

Since everything at the launch of the PWHL has occurred at a frantic pace, the PWHL: First edition The game presents lists and images of the league first year In 2024. The cards will forever be distinct because they present the original jerseys with only the cities of the team, before the nicknames and logos were finalized. And since Filler directs the recruit class of season 2, it is not included overall.

In the past, hockey players have been presented on cards as representatives of their national teams. The upper bridge has also signed a multi -year license agreement with the Phf In 2021, but the first year of this agreement in 2022-2023 was also the last of the League, before being bought and folded by the current PWHL ownership group.

“Some of our PHF contacts have moved to PWHL,” said Zickler. “But it was never on the inaugural ensemble of PWHL that we launched last week.”

Hockey has been an integral part of the Upper Deck brand for over 30 years. The company has maintained the NHL and NNHS negotiation card licenses since 1990 and is currently associated with the NHL project.

The addition of PWHL to the brand wallet had a common sense.

“It was a personal mandate, and I am thinking of our management team, raising female sports,” said Zickler. “But it is not only our hockey company where we focus on female athletes.”

The other women of the Upper Deck family include current Golfers LPGA Rose Zhang and Lexi Thompson as well as the Legend Annika Sorenstam, and the stars of the Beach-Volley Kerri Jenning and Misty May-Tranor beach. A Zero product is also underway and will have a large number of female athletes.

“We want to focus on sports that do not get the same exhibition as basic sports,” said Zickler. “You will see gymnastics, you will see hockey on the field, you will see volleyball. We really want to raise female sports. We think there is enormous huge growth on this market. »»

That being said, hockey remains a priority.

“The sport of hockey is in a very good place, both on the side of men and on the side of women,” said Zickler. “The game has never been faster, has never been so popular, has never been younger. The skill on ice has never been better. It has been built for some time, so we are simply delighted that the PWHL is able to raise it even more. I am delighted to build more collectors of hockey cards, more women fans collectors and to raise the league. »»