10 Huge Hockey Cards Pulled from 21-22 O-Pee-Chee Platinum
- Rocco Panetta
- Jun 25, 2023
- 4 min read
Highlighting Some of the Coolest Collectibles from the First Few Days after Release
The always popular O-Pee-Chee Platinum hockey card set is back for a new year with its 2021-22 edition, coming in hot with some slight tweaks. With less total packs in a box but more cards in a pack, there are plenty of opportunities to get some 'Marquee Rookies' of the biggest names for this rookie class. Collectors are also chasing flashy, low-numbered parallels of their favourite players including the popular 'Emerald Surge' (numbered to 10 copies per card) and the elusive 'Golden Treasures' 1/1s. With some luck, you can potentially get your hands on some of the most sought after cards this year.
Now that the new set has been out for a few days, I thought I'd share some of the coolest cards I've seen from the community and give them the spotlight they deserve. Here are 10 of my early favourites, in no particular order.
1. Ross Colton 'Marquee Rookies' - 'Golden Treasures' Parallel - 1 of 1
The 'Golden Treasures' design is always a favourite for collectors, myself included, and the design for this year looks as slick as it ever has. Although Ross Colton is not the flashiest name you can get, he's still a solid player who scored the winning goal in game 5 of the 2021 Stanley Cup Final, helping his Tampa Bay Lightning take home the trophy for the second straight year. Any Bolts fan would love to get their hands on this (literally) one of a kind card.
2. Moritz Seider 'Rookie Autos' - ' Orange Checkers' Parallel - #/15
One of the rarest autographs of one of the biggest names in this rookie class, Mo Seider has been a stud for Detroit's defence, and even though he had a bit of a sophomore slump, he's going to be a fixture on their back end for years to come. I love the sharpness of the 'Orange Checkers' border, and I'm sure many of you feel the same way, especially the collector who shared this on Facebook after pulling it. This one's a beauty.
3. Cole Caufield 'Rookie Autos' - 'Seismic Gold' Parallel - #/25
Speaking of big rookies, this Cole Caufield auto is beautiful. It's hard enough to find his regular auto in the set, compared to other names, so it's extra special when you see a low-numbered 'Seismic Gold' make its way out of a box. Of all the parallels in platinum, this one almost shines the brightest. Spoiler alert: this is not the last Caufield rookie card you'll see on this list.
4. Connor McDavid 'Blue Rainbow' Autograph
With 'Platinum' the rookies tend to take the spotlight, but the veteran stars still have some of their own huge cards in this set, like this one. This hard-signed Connor McDavid auto is one of the hardest to find. It does not have its own serial number, but you could open thousands of packs without finding it. It could take some time before you see another one like this listed on eBay.
5. Trevor Zegras 'Marquee Rookies' - 'NHL Shield' Easter Egg Parallel
This card stood out to me, and I have a feeling it will catch your attention too. Trevor Zegras is one of the best rookies from the 21-22 season, but this card, with the NHL shield on it, is not even on the set's checklist. What we do know is that it's an Easter egg that's quite hard to find. How rare is it exactly? Only Upper Deck, and maybe a few of you smarter collectors, will know.
6. Kirill Kaprizov 'Platinum Die Cuts' - 'Golden Treasures' - 1 of 1
One of the new wrinkles of this year set is that the inserts now have 1 of 1 'Golden Treasures' cards, which, to my knowledge, haven't been in circulation in past years. One of the first ones to show up is this die-cut of Kirill Kaprizov, who in my opinion is one of the most electric players in the league. This card is almost as flashy as his game on the ice.
7. Trevor Zegras 'Retro Rookie' - 'Purple Houndstooth' Parallel - #/15
O-Pee-Chee's retro designs hardly disappoint, and the purple houndstooth pattern always adds some extra flair to these cards. The fact that this is such a rare card for one of the most skilled players in the league makes it a bonus. Zegras is currently one of the most entertaining players to watch, and as the Ducks surround him with more talent, he's only going to get better.
8. Shane Pinto 'Marquee Rookies' - 'Emerald Surge' Parallel - #/10
This one is more of an underrated pick, but I wanted to make sure I included an 'Emerald Surge' card because I love the shade of green they use, and how it makes the rest of the card stand out. As for the player himself, I'm high on Shane Pinto and think he can be one of the better players in this league if he can consistently play the way he's capable of on the Senators. A lot of fans and collectors wouldn't be surprised if he breaks out for a career year next season.
9. Cole Caufield ''Marquee Rookies' - 'Cosmic' Parallel - #/65
I told you there was going to be more of this guy. While there are lower numbered cards of his to chase, the 'Cosmic' parallel has always been popular among collectors, and like the 'Emerald Surge', the background elevates the rest of the card, giving it more pop. It's fitting to feature one of a player who has out-of-this-world skill.
10. Cole Caufield 'Rookie Autos' - 'Golden Treasures' Parallel - 1 of 1
How much can really be said about this one? It's the rarest autographed cards of one of the best rookies, making it of one of making it arguably the best card in the entire set. It would be a crime to not include it on this list, so I figured I'd save the best for last. Caufield is already a star and he's only going to get better. As a Leafs fan, it absolutely scares me.
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