The Ultimate Joe Sakic Hockey Card Guide (2022)

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As natural leaders go, Joe Sakic (07/07/69) is up there with the best. One of the most influential players to grace the ice; his exploits are legendary.

With Sakic as team captain, the Avalanche/Nordiques captured an NHL-record nine consecutive division championships from 1995 to 2003.

Joe Sakic Rookie Year Stats: 70 games | 23 goals | 39 assists | -36 +/-

Having retired in 2009, the former Avalanche captain has just finished his seventh season as Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations for the team, furthering an association that started in the late 1980s.

Here’s everything you need to know about the best Joe Sakic rookie cards, including investment advice if you’re hoping to cash in on nostalgic Canadians in the future.

Despite his importance as a player and a captain, he was a victim of the lack of parallels and RC options found in the late 1980s. He only has two RCs to pick from, and they look similar.

1989 Joe Sakic Topps Hockey RC #113

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Sakic’s 1989 Topps card is what we’ll begin with. It features a simple posed profile shot of the player looking toward the camera with a blank expression. It’s not especially notable, aside from the border design with a Fresh Prince feel and the old Nordiques logo.

The blue edges make it more difficult to find gem mint copies, which will sell for a four-figure fee if they’ve been professionally graded.

1989 Joe Sakic O-Pee-Chee Hockey RC #113

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O-Pee-Chee (OPC) is Topps’ Canadian counterpart. In most cases, OPC hockey sets tend to carry a significant premium over the Topps versions, as they were typically produced in lower amounts. However, this set is an exception, as both were overproduced significantly.

Visually, it’s almost identical to the Topps card, aside from a small O-Pee-Chee logo found on the top left corner. They even share the same card number (#113). However, the reverse is bilingual to cater for a French/Canadian audience, so it’s easily identifiable on either side.

Checklist

1989 OPC RC #113
1989 Topps RC #113
1989 Kraft Rookie RC #32
1989 O-Pee-Chee Sticker RC

Joe Sakic Rookie Card Value

The most expensive Joe Sakic rookie cards include the 1989 O-Pee-Chee Hockey Joe Sakic rookie card and the super rare 1989 Kraft Joe Sakic Rookie RC #32.

If you have a Sakic hockey card and want an estimated value, please email us at value@goldcardauctions (include two photos at minimum).

Joe Sakic Rookie Cards: Buyers Guide & Investment Advice

Investment Rating: Pass (2.9 out of 5)
Ownership Disclosure: None
Best Card: 1989 Joe Sakic O-Pee-Chee Hockey Rookie Card #113

From leading Team Canada to its first ice hockey gold medal in 50 years at the 2002 Olympics to scoring at least 100 points in six different seasons, Sakic is one of the better players in recent memory for several reasons, including his numerous NHL and franchise records. He’s still affiliated with the Avs to this day, which makes him a prime collectible for fans of both club and country.

From an investment perspective, Sakic looks to be a decent option, despite the lack of RCs. You’d think there would be a clear preference for the OPC version, but they were produced in similar numbers, which is reflected in the asking price for gem mint copies.

If you plan to pick up a copy, we will stick with PSA 10 grades if possible. They’re the only ones to hold any real value, while there’s decent potential for prices to rise.

It’s just that they were released during the junk wax era, and the lack of any rare parallels or signed cards is another factor to consider

The Ultimate Joe Sakic Hockey Card Guide