Ten Terrific CGC-certified Cards of NHL Phenom Connor McDavid

As the captain of the Edmonton Oilers, center Connor McDavid has led the franchise back to prominence for the first time in years. The team was the envy of the NHL in the 1980s, as a young Wayne Gretzky helped the Oilers win four of their five titles in only a seven-year span during the 1980s. After decades of futility in Edmonton, the Oilers held the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, selecting McDavid with the top pick and effectively changing the tide of their entire organization.

Today, the 27-year-old from Ontario is one of the best hockey players in the world. Earning the captain's badge in Edmonton as a teenager, McDavid has been the face of the franchise since he was 19 years old; however, he wasn't a franchise savior overnight.

In the first few seasons of his pro career, lackluster team performances led to the Oilers missing out on the playoffs in back-to-back seasons, part of a trend that plagued the franchise in the 2000s and 2010s. By 2019, McDavid and his teammates started to bounce back and have made the playoffs every year since the 2019-20 season. Edmonton has won a minimum of 49 games the last three seasons and they're now playing for the Stanley Cup, as they battle the Florida Panthers for the 2023-24 title.

McDavid now chases the ultimate team award in the Stanley Cup trophy, but individually he's already won basically every piece of hardware available. He is a four-time NHL First Team All-Star, a five-time Art Ross Trophy recipient, a four-time Ted Lindsay Award winner, a three-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner and the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy recipient as the league's leading goal scorer. Validating comparisons to "The Great One," McDavid is also one of only two players to ever unanimously win the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's most valuable player, joining fellow Oilers captain Wayne Gretzky in the feat. The future is bright, and the future is now in Edmonton with McDavid at the helm.

Ten Terrific Connor McDavid Cards

2015-16 O-Pee-Chee Platinum Retro #R97 Connor McDavid - Rainbow Gold

Nothing says hockey collectibles like Canada's premier card brand: O-Pee-Chee. What started out as a confectionery company branched out into a sports card brand in the 1930s, focusing primarily on hockey cards. For decades, O-Pee-Chee has been synonymous with the sport, and arguably the most famous hockey card around is a 1979 O-Pee-Chee #18 Wayne Gretzky rookie card that can be worth upward of seven figures. Any serious hockey collection will include O-Pee-Chee rookie cards, and this retro-inspired issue definitely fits the bill for any Connor McDavid fan.

2015-16 NHL Upper Deck Series One SP #SP3-1 Wayne Gretzky / Connor McDavid

Considering Connor McDavid has received comparisons to Wayne Gretzky since he was drafted No. 1 overall by Edmonton (the same team where Gretzky began his legendary NHL career), this is the perfect card to commemorate the pair of Oilers stars. Issued with images of both players in their respective blue and orange Oilers jerseys and encircled by a border mimicking the ice in a hockey rink, this is one of the more attractive cards from McDavid's earliest years in the league.

2015-16 Upper Deck Young Guns #201 Connor McDavid

Hockey collectors have come to love Upper Deck's Young Guns inserts that feature some of the best rookies in the league each season. As far as non-autographed cards go, there is no more desirable or valuable rookie cards than ones from the Young Guns series. That's why examples of Connor McDavid's Young Guns issue are one of the hobby's most coveted modern cards.

2016-17 O-Pee-Chee Platinum Retro #R-25 Connor McDavid - Rainbow Orange

The second O-Pee-Chee card on the list is the perfect mix of throwback nostalgia and modern card technology. This one has an old school look and design, a close-up image of Connor McDavid and is framed in orange and blue foil that matches the Oiler's colors. It's a beautiful card that is also our first serial numbered example on the list, which was limited to only 49 ever made in the Rainbow Orange parallel.

2016-17 Upper Deck Overtime Top Rated #TR-1 Connor McDavid - Red Rainbow

Another serial-numbered, color parallel, this time from Connor McDavid's sophomore season in Edmonton. With full Red Rainbow foil across the whole card except McDavid's image, this is another great-looking issue from Upper Deck's Top Rated inserts. Since only 25 were created in this color, it's one of the rarest on our list.

2018-19 Upper Deck The Cup Canada Juniors Tribute Patch Auto #197 Connor McDavid - Gold

This is not only the first patch and autographed Connor McDavid card on our list but it's also the first to feature the NHL superstar playing for his country's national team. This rare issue shows McDavid in a black, white and red Canada jersey from when he played for the National Junior Team. It includes a patch of his Canada jersey as well as a bold signature in blue ink at the bottom and it was limited to only 25 made.

2020-21 Upper Deck Metal Universe Jambalaya Achievements #1 Connor McDavid

Although geared toward seasoned stars instead of rookies, the Jambalaya inserts are similar to the Young Guns series in that they are one of the most-sought-after and valuable non-autographed cards in the hobby. First issued in the late 1990s, Jambalaya inserts have been collector favorites for both basketball and hockey. Oval-shaped and with an intricate patterned foil background, Jambalaya cards are a welcome addition to any hockey collection.

2020-21 Upper Deck The Cup Dual Scripted Swatches #SC2-MD Connor McDavid / Leon Draisaitl

As the only dual card on our list featuring current teammates, this is arguably one of the best Connor McDavid duo cards an Oilers fan could ask for since it also includes fellow All-Star and alternate captain Leon Draisaitl. Not only does it contain jersey patches of each Edmonton star, but McDavid and Draisaitl each signed their respective jersey swatch. Considering only 15 were created, this rarity would be a cornerstone to anyone's McDavid or Draisaitl collection.

2021-22 Fleer Ultra Medallions #M-4 Connor McDavid - Emerald

With one of the more unique backgrounds of any card on our list, the Fleer Ultra Medallions inserts place star players' images over an entire foiled background of a Fleer Ultra logo. The Emerald green parallel is especially striking, standing out against a full-bodied image of McDavid in his white, blue and orange Oilers jersey. Serial numbered to just 10 copies, this is another rare one for serious collectors.

2021-22 Fleer Ultra Autographs #100 Connor McDavid - Red Rainbow Foil

Even though rookie cards are always the most sought after of any sports star, their autographed cards from any season will be coveted as well. This more recent issue from a couple seasons back is a great example of just that. Numbered to only 25 ever made of the Red Rainbow Foil parallel variety and with a signature that includes the player's name and No. 97 jersey number in blue ink, this is another valuable rarity that rounds out our list of Top 10 CGC-certified Connor McDavid cards.