A one-of-a-kind NHL rookie card just fetched seven figures. So how do the top Senators cards stack up?
For hockey card collectors, finding a Macklin Celebrini Gold Outburst card inside a pack of standard hockey cards would be like finding Willy Wonka's golden ticket tucked away in a chocolate bar wrapper.
Upper Deck produced exactly one Gold Outburst version of Macklin Celebrini's 2024-25 Young Guns rookie card and slipped it into a random pack for some lucky collector to discover.
Finally, according to Goldin Auctions, someone did, and on Saturday night, they sold it for life-changing money.
A collector named James recently bought a hobby box of cards, containing multiple Upper Deck packs at $15 per pack, hoping to pull a standard Young Guns Celebrini rookie card.
He ended up with a lot more than that, discovering the one-of-a-kind Celebrini rookie.
The outburst gold card immediately generated a ton of interest, with James reportedly turning down a Giant Peach of an offer of C$600,000 (which will conclude our children's book references).
It was a wise decision. After a multi-day online auction, the card sold to a buyer who bid $1.281 million on Saturday.
So that got us wondering: What kind of money do modern-day Ottawa Senators cards command?
The simple and obvious answer is, "Not that much."
Cards today come from several companies in many variations, including autographs, patches, and one-of-ones. Some may never be offered publicly, while others change hands privately. And a wild asking price on eBay, of which there are many, doesn't necessarily tell us what somebody is actually willing to pay.
We went looking for Senators cards that have sold for good money to get a ballpark sense of what collectors are actually willing to shell out.
Compared with Celebrini's $1.281 million, prepare to be underwhelmed.
Tim Stützle Rookie – 2020-21 Upper Deck "The Cup" Set With Patch & Autograph /99
Upper Deck's high-end The Cup product combined StĂĽtzle's rookie card with his autograph and a jersey patch, with only 99 ever produced.
A PSA 9 copy sold at an eBay auction for US$1,975 in May 2023. More recently, PSA 9 copies sold for US$1,277 in December 2025 and US$1,195 in May 2025.
This may be the most coveted Sens card out there, but it's certainly not in Celebrini territory.
Erik Karlsson – 2009-10 Upper Deck Young Guns #210
Karlsson's Young Guns card is one of the most recognizable Sens rookie cards out there.
A PSA 10 copy sold for US$279.99 in April 2026, although other recent PSA 10 sales have generally been considerably lower.
Daniel Alfredsson – 1995-96 SP #100
The greatest Senator doesn't have the most expensive Senator rookie card, and after defecting to the Leafs to coach in Toronto this season, we're not expecting his card stock to surge anytime soon.
His 1995-96 SP #100 is one of his notable rookie cards, and as always, condition makes a significant difference.
A PSA 10 copy sold for US$225 in March 2026.
Jason Spezza – 2002-03 Upper Deck Young Guns #443
Spezza's Young Guns card is still a recognizable rookie card for Sens fans, though the artwork doesn't really hold up. It was printed at a time when we were still impressed by background removal and replacement.
Now, replacing a background takes five seconds.
A PSA 10 Spezza Young Guns sold for US$216.85 in April 2024. Other PSA 10 copies have changed hands for considerably less.
Brady Tkachuk – 2020-21 The Cup Patch Auto /8
This card, numbered 5/8, sold on eBay in January 2026 for C$241.95.
Only eight copies were produced, and yet it sold for less than the mass-produced Karlsson card. That's no surprise in Ottawa, where Tkachuk cards are probably being used now for kindling.
Are these the five most valuable Sens cards ever sold? As Alfie would say, "Probably not."
The true value of a card is whatever someone is willing to pay, and that brings us back to the Celebrini card.
Like thousands of others, James went out and bought a box of hockey cards, knowing there was a golden ticket somewhere out there. He just happened to be the one to find it.
And unlike Willy Wonka's fictional version, which only guaranteed you a weird tour of a bizarre chocolate factory with a creepy crew of obnoxious children, this golden ticket turned out to be worth $1.281 million.
By Steve Warne
The Hockey News
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