Good: Mystery, Cheap box price, Massive base set, Short printed base cards and inserts, Retro Rainbow parallels, Highly collectible, Perfect for set builders
Bad: Hard to come by hits, Rookie card value isn't great unless you get a finite parallel, Not a rip & flip product, Product won't amaze you
The Bottom Line: 4/5
If you hate O-Pee-Chee Hockey, than you may as well hate Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe and Bobby Orr as well, as this is one of those products that even if you don't like, you have to respect. On the surface, OPC always seems like a boring, simple product, when in reality that's far from the case.
Each year I open a box of OPC hockey, yet I never remember how the parallel system works, which is why I enjoy it so much. Mystery is missing in too many of today's products. The most entertaining products are the ones that require a day or two of detective work. Opening a product should be like unlocking several clues to a much larger puzzle.
If you enjoy hockey cards and are looking for some cheap fun, 2010-11 O-Pee-Chee is definately worth looking into. Each hobby box carries a price tag of around $50.
Design: 4/5
The thing I find so refreshing about Upper Deck hockey products is their authenticity, they don't try to win over some new demographic with gimmicks. In the case of OPC, they keep the card design simple and let the game of hockey sell the product. OPC's base card design is plain, but the parallels are fantastically intriguing. The card design is meant to take collectors back in time and they do just that.
Checklist: 4.25/5
The checklist is a set builder's dream. On a yearly basis OPC pries itself on having one of the largest checklist's in the sports card world and each year they deliver, updating the rookie class and throwing a few new wrinkles into the formula for good measure. This year's base set is filled with 600 cards, 200 of which are short printed, which is something I would like to see every product do, as it boosts the collectability and value of a product.
The parallel system is also solid, featuring Retro parallels, Retro Raindbow Parallels, Black Retro Rainbow Parallels and Blank Back parallels of all 600 base cards. Another intriguing thing Upper Deck does with many of their hockey products is short print a handful of inserts to encourage insert set building.
Value: 3.75/5
OPC is one of the most collectible low-end products in the sports card world. For those looking to rip and flip, this certainly isn't the product for you. Much of the OPC's value revolves around the set building aspect and low box price. At the same time, there's always a card or two per box that surprises you. Also, anytime a set is build-able, base cards are worth something and OPC has a yearly following of set builders similar to Topps in baseball.
Fun Factor: 4/5
OPC is good old fashioned sports card fun. From it's old card design to low box price, you won't find me complaining about much. I'm not a fan of most low-end products, but OPC is a different story. OPC is one of the few products that actually feels like a vintage product, which is one of the highest compliments a vintage redux product can get. From short prints to parallels to the potential to pull an auto or relic, OPC is a must for hardcore hockey card collectors, especially your on a tight budget.
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