Ted Nolan finally has his rookie card more than 40 years after making his NHL debut. Better late

Ted Nolan finally has his rookie card more than 40 years after making his NHL debut. Better late than never, particularly because it includes a nod to his First Nations heritage.

Upper Deck this month unveiled a “First Peoples Rookie Cards” set featuring eight Indigenous hockey players who did not get this opportunity the first time around. It comes at a time when appreciation for Native American and First Nations influences in the sport is on the rise.

“It’s kind of like somebody calling you 40 years after your 18th birthday and saying, ‘Hey, you’re turning 18,’” Nolan said. “It wasn’t as exciting as it would have been if I was actually getting it when I was a rookie, but just the same I’m so honored to receive it, especially with the Indigenous component to it because (for) a lot of our kids, representation really does matter, and the more the kids get to see these type of things happening, they can dream, also.”

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