Patrick Roy (10/5/1965) was selected 51st overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1984 NHL Draft. He played previously for the Sherbrooke Canadiens of the AHL.
[lwptoc]He played in only one game as a rookie but posted more than 1,000 saves and 23 wins (versus 18 losses) with one shutout in his sophomore season.
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Roy’s four Stanley Cup titles, three Vezina Trophies, three Conn Smythe playoff MVPs, and unfailing clutch gene make him one of the 100 greatest NHL players of all time.
Patrick Roy Rookie Year Stats: 47 games played, 23 wins, 18 loses, 1,038 saves, 3.36 goals-against average.
Best Patrick Roy Rookie Cards
A legend of Roy’s stature deserves similarly legendary rookie cards. Let’s see how Roy’s best RCs measure up.
1986 Patrick Roy O-Pee-Chee RC #53
The 1986 Patrick Roy O-Pee-Chee RC #53 is the gold standard for a limited class of Roy RCs. As a Canadian trading card company, O-Pee-Chee is no stranger to elite hockey cards.
The 1986 set featured Roy as he was fresh off of a Stanley Cup victory. Roy’s rookie card is the undisputed gem of this set.
It features Roy hunched over in a defensive goal-protecting stance. His brown leather pads and glove are old-school NHL, as is his logo-less white facemask.
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Roy’s face displays intense alertness common to elite goaltenders.
The O-Pee-Chee design is simple and classic, with a red, white, and blue border and accent combo. A Canadiens logo occupies the bottom-right corner beside a blue and white nameplate.
French text on the rear side of the card is a quirk common to O-Pee-Chee cards, and is a notable distinction between this and the 1986 Patrick Roy Topps #53.
The population of PSA 9s is far greater than the pool of PSA 10s for this card. Though a 10 will generally cost you more, it may retain stronger long-term value.
1986 Patrick Roy Topps RC #53
The design of the 1986 Patrick Roy Topps #53 is virtually identical to the 1986 O-Pee-Chee rookie card. Same color scheme, borders, logo, and nameplate. Same everything. Almost.
You’ll tell the difference in these cards by the Topps logo in the upper-left corner (where the O-Pee-Chee logo resides as well.
A lack of French text on the card’s rear is one of the only other differentiators. Oh yeah, the Topps rookie card also tends to cost less than the O-Pee-Chee alternative.
The market is flooded with Gem Mint versions of this card, making it the more affordable of the two primary Patrick Roy rookie cards.
1986 Patrick Roy O-Pee-Chee Stickers RC #19
O-Pee-Chee released the 1986 Patrick Roy Sticker #19 as an addendum to the official Roy rookie card. The famine of total Roy rookie cards makes this stick a notable item.
Smaller than a full-sized card, it shows a boyish Roy helmetless, skating casually in his red Canadiens sweater with his stick held parallel to the ice.
It’s an extremely spartan design, with only a J-shaped black and yellow accent inside of a white border.
The sticker is generally more affordable than the Roy rookie cards, which may make it an appealing piece of memorabilia for collectors with a limited budget.
Patrick Roy Rookie Card Value
The most valuable Patrick Roy rookie card is the 1986 O-Pee-Chee Patrick Roy RC #53.
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Checklist
- 1986 O-Pee-Chee Patrick Roy RC #53
- 1986 Topps Patrick Roy RC #53
- 1986 O-Pee-Chee Stickers Patrick Roy RC #19
Investment Outlook
With a nickname like St. Patrick and Hall of Fame credentials, the verdict is out on Patrick Roy: he’s a legend.
- Patrick Roy Rookie Card Investment Rating: Buy (3.7 out of 5)
- Risk Profit Analysis: Low Risk\Moderate to High ROI
- Best Patrick Roy Rookie Card: 1986 O-Pee-Chee Patrick Roy RC #54
- Ownership Disclosure: None
With a severely limited selection of Roy rookie cards, the two featured here are strong investments. Though they’re not bank breakers, the O-Pee-Chee in particular has a high price floor.