Wayne Gretzky Michael Scott once said "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." One was talking about hockey, the other about selling paper, but the quote works just as well for The Hobby, too.
With the puck officially dropped on the 2026-27 NHL season, now is a great time to take some shots of your own.
Everyone’s personal collection is different, but when it comes to the best hockey cards to collect right now, there’s a fairly short list: young stars like Macklin Celebrini and Lane Hutson, franchise cornerstones (and future hall of farmers) Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews, and, for anyone who wants a piece of history, The Great One himself.
Here's how today’s hockey stars stack up on Courtyard, plus a few picks for collectors who aren't ready to spend four figures.
Opening Week Storylines
It’s only day two of the new season, and there's already plenty of hockey to talk about. The Carolina Hurricanes raised their 2026 Stanley Cup banner against a Florida Panthers team featuring the Tkachuk brothers. Love them or hate them, Brady Tkachuk and Matthew Tkachuk can play. Toronto's Gavin McKenna, the Leafs' first No. 1 overall pick since the Leafs drafted Matthews in 2016, kicked off his rookie season. Chicago fans, meanwhile, welcomed Patrick Kane back to the Blackhawks for the first time since 2023, though Connor Bedard couldn’t join him as he’s spending the first month+ of the season recovering from shoulder surgery.
New season, new hype, and new cards on the way. Here's who we’d focus on before the rest of The Hobby catches up.
The Best Hockey Rookie Cards: The Young Core Leading the Market
- Macklin Celebrini: The numbers speak for themselves: 45 goals, 70 assists, and a Sharks franchise-record 115 points last season, after he became just the seventh player in NHL history to hit 100 points before turning 20, joining Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Sidney Crosby. Unsurprisingly, collectors are taking notice. On Courtyard, Celebrini owns the title of the most expensive hockey card in any of our Hockey Packs: a 2024 Upper Deck #451 Outburst (PSA 10) valued at $5,688. A 2024 Upper Deck SP Authentic #184 Autograph (PSA 9) isn't far behind at $5,262. In peer-to-peer trading on the Courtyard Marketplace, he accounted for five of the 25 biggest hockey sales on the platform between July 1 and September 25, including the number one spot: a PSA 10 copy of the Upper Deck #451 (non-Outburst) that sold for $2,100.
- Lane Hutson: The Canadiens blueliner put up 78 points last season, the third-highest single-season total ever by a Montreal defenseman, trailing only Larry Robinson's two best years. The 2024 Upper Deck SP Authentic #139 Autograph (PSA 10) found in our Hockey PSA 10 Pack and our Hockey Platinum Pack is valued at $4,593, which puts the defenseman in rarefied air. Collectors are betting on the Habs' future, and it shows.
- Connor Bedard: Even with his rehab timeline, Bedard's 30 goals and 75 points in 69 games last season are a reminder of why his cards still carry weight—even if they’ve dipped since his rookie year. His 2023 Upper Deck #451 Speckled Rainbow Foil (PSA 9) is valued at $3,014, and a BGS 10 of that same card sold for $1,200 on the Courtyard Marketplace this summer. Patient collectors may see some upside in buying before his November return, especially if this young Chicago team gets off to a hot start.
Blue-Chip Hockey Cards We’re Eyeing
- Connor McDavid: The 2015 Ultimate Collection Spectrum Silver #109 Jersey Autograph, numbered to 49 (BGS 9.5), found in our Hockey Platinum Pack is valued at $4,209. Low print run, big name, and one of the game's best players still in his prime…the only question is whether the Oilers will finally make it over the hump this year. If not, does McDavid stay in Edmonton?
- Auston Matthews: The 2018 Upper Deck Clear Cut Rookie Tribute Autograph #RT-AM (PSA 10) found in our Hockey Ultra Pack checks in at $3,083. The 2022 MVP and 2021, 2022, and 2024 Rocket Richard Trophy winner just turned 29, and the Leafs have shown they aren’t afraid of making big trades to put pieces around him — but will he ever lift the Stanley Cup? A PSA 10 2016 Upper Deck #201 sold for $700 on the Courtyard Marketplace this summer, so there's also a lower entry point for fans willing to stand behind the Leafs captain.
- Wayne Gretzky: Gretzky's 1979 O-Pee-Chee #18 rookie card (PSA 6) is valued at $4,424, with the 1979 Topps #18 (PSA 7) at $3,890.80. Both are available in our Hockey Platinum Pack if you’re looking for cards that have already stood the test of time. Even with McDavid putting up monster numbers, hockey’s GOAT is undisputed.
Other modern standouts found in our Hockey Ultra Pack include Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov's 2013 Upper Deck Exclusives #483 Young Guns (BGS 9.5) at $2,842, Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon's 2013 SP Authentic #312 Autograph (PSA 9) at $1,538, and Cale Makar's 2019 Upper Deck #493 Young Guns Speckled Rainbow Foil (PSA 9) at $1,447.
The Best Hockey Cards Under $500
Not every great hockey card comes with a four-figure price tag. A few of our favorites for collectors on a budget:
- $342: Seth Jarvis – 2021 Upper Deck O-Pee-Chee Platinum #284 Seismic Gold (PSA 10). The Hurricanes forward is a great pick for fans of the reigning champs. Can the Storm Surge continue in Raleigh?
- $299: Cole Caufield – 2021-22 Upper Deck #201 Clear Cut (PSA 9). A sniper on a rising Canadiens roster. Just how far can this Habs team go?
- $147: Brady Tkachuk – 2018 Upper Deck #499 (PSA 10). A new team and a fresh start alongside his brother in Florida.
- $119: Sebastian Aho – 2016 Upper Deck #210 (PSA 10). A Gem Mint copy of the face of the Carolina Hurricanes franchise—for less than $120.
And since every single card on Courtyard is slabbed and graded, what you see on our platform is authenticated and safely stored within our vault.
Why Courtyard Is the Place to Chase Hockey Cards
The season is only a day old, and hope is high for nearly every team throughout the league. Before dreams are dashed—or Cinderella stories start to take shape—now is the best time to pick a lane, whether you're chasing a Celebrini grail, a Gretzky rookie, or a bargain on Gem Mint card of a player on your favorite team. Browse our hockey packs, check out the Courtyard Marketplace and take your shot.
