Breaking Down 2022-23 Upper Deck MVP Hockey – Review, Checklist And More
The 2022-23 Upper Deck MVP Hockey release is the first for the 2022-23 NHL season, which will get underway this week when the Sharks and Predators square off in Prague on Friday.
The set is known for its all-foil designs. MVP Hockey is a veteran set that has gone through quite a few changes over the years. However, it remains a fixture in the hockey card calendar.
But what about this year’s release? Is it worth pulling the trigger for? We have the answers in our 2022-23 Upper Deck MVP Hockey review.
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2022-23 Upper Deck MVP Hockey release date
The hobby box for Upper Deck MVP Hockey was released on September 8, 2022. Since its launch, 2022-23 Upper Deck Hockey has been releasing the retail formats gradually since. The release of the boxed set is expected at some time in October. However, the exact date has not been announced yet.
Looking for 2023-24 Upper Deck MVP Hockey? Check out the review
History of the Upper Deck MVP Hockey release
The product was first released for the 1998-99 season and has been a fixture of the Upper Deck annual schedule until 2009-10. Well, almost. They did not release one for the strike-shortened 2004-05 campaign.
It was initially a value product that came with a ton of base cards. Think of the initial release as Topps Opening Day for hockey collectors. It was that kind of cheap product aimed at kids. For example, the 1999-00 set had a “draw your own card” competition for young collectors.
Due to its low price and the easy availability of base cards, it also had considerable appeal for set builders. Like the Opening Day cards, MVP Hockey includes the occasional awesome auto and memorabilia card hit.
It never caught on the way Upper Deck wanted. So, when the company relaunched Upper Deck MVP Hockey in 2011-12, they retooled the concept. It was now marketed as an insert-heavy release, and they have not missed a season since. However, they continued to release it as the first hockey release and maintained its set builder-friendly status.
Though the set has changed over the years, it has maintained a consistent design concept. The cards are all-foil. But if you are expecting a bold rainbow, you will be disappointed. These are tasteful foil cards. The design doesn’t work every year (which product does?), but it’s a gorgeous set when it works.
Traditionally, the big chase in these boxes is the silver script parallels. Initially, they came in 1:2 packs, but you never wanted just any silver script. Instead, you wanted one for a desirable rookie.
But as Upper Deck began to insert more low-numbered parallels and autos, the desirability of the silver script cards was reduced. But they are still fun and essential to the product’s appeal.
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The pros of 2022-23 Upper Deck MVP Hockey
The MVP Hockey line has always featured a ton of base cards for a reasonable price. Sure, the days where you could get a box of 300 cards for $10 are gone (yes, that is what a package from the inaugural release cost). But the 160 cards you get for a $60 box is still an acceptable deal by current standards.
The inclusion of imaginative inserts makes up for the price increase. Indeed, the inserts have kept this release alive for all these years. And among the Upper Deck releases, it has some of the best on offer. The astute combo of affordable base cards and attractive inserts make this an ideal release for kids and a fun but not particularly challenging occupation for set builders.
The cons of 2022-23 Upper Deck MVP Hockey
The Upper Deck MVP Hockey cards draw a good amount of attention in the hockey community upon release. It is a part of the traditional excitement surrounding the beginning of the season.
However, the cards lose value when the more prestigious Upper Deck Series 1 release arrives and are entirely forgotten in time for Series 2. So, don’t expect any long-term value from these cards. Then, of course, you may hit something extraordinary. But the odds are stacked firmly against that.
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Upper Deck MVP Hockey 2022-23 release formats
The 2022-23 Upper Deck MVP Hockey release will always include both hobby and retail formats. There is even a factory set coming. You can expect them readily available at hobby shops and big retail stores. We all know the hockey stuff tends to last longer on the shelves.
2021-22 Upper Deck MVP Hockey hobby box
- 6 cards per pack
- 20 packs per box
- A hobby box is currently going for $60
- You can get a 20-box case for $1,149.95
Hobby Box Exclusive Cards:
- Comes with an exclusive 20 Base Set
- Ice Battles Parallel Cards
- 10 Base Set High Series Star & Rookie SP Cards
- 5 Base Set – Silver Script Parallel Cards
- 4 Pinpoints Cards
- 4 Regular 20th Anniversary Cards
- 4 Domains and Encounters on Ice Cards·
- 1 Colors & Contours and/or 20th Anniversary Parallel Card
- 1 Rare Hit Card per box on average·
Retail Box
- 6 cards per pack
- 36 packs per box
- Available for $44.95
- It can be purchased in a 20-box case for $874.95
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2022-23 Upper Deck MVP Hockey blaster box
- 6 cards per pack
- 13 regular packs
- 2 bonus packs per box
- Available for $19.95
- A 2-box case goes for $374.95
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Factory Set
- 200 regular base card set
- 50 High Series Star & Rookie SPs
- Blue parallel cards exclusive to the box set
- 1 bonus pack per box: featuring exclusive cards of Eastern Stars, Western Stars, or Rookie Formations
- You can purchase the box for $29.95
- A 20-box case goes for $574.95
Silver Script Parallel box sets
These are identical to the regular factory set box. However, each card is a Silver Script parallel. Because the Upper Deck MVP release has long been associated with these cards, this seems like a good box to chase.
2022-23 MVP Upper Deck Hockey Review Of The Checklist
The 2022-23 Upper Deck MVP Hockey checklist offers 200 base cards. In addition, they come with a list of 50 short print cards. They are all of the High Series Star / Rookies SP subsets. We will talk about both below.
2022-23 Upper Deck MVP Hockey Base Set Parallels
Here are the odds for the parallels. They are numbered #201-250.
- Base Set – Ice Battles Parallel (1:2 packs)
- Base Set – Silver Script Parallel (1:10 packs)
- Base Set High Series Star & Rookie SP’s (1:4 packs)
- Base Set High Series Star & Rookie SP’s – Ice Battles Parallel (1:5 packs)
- Base Set High Series Star & Rookie SP’s – Silver Script Parallel (1:40 packs)
2022-23 Upper Deck MVP Hockey inserts
MVP Hockey is known for its generous insert policy. So here are the pack odds for this year’s crop.
- 20th Anniversary (1:10 packs)
- Pinpoints 1:14 (1:10 packs)
- Pinpoints – Gold Parallel (1:40 packs)
- Encounters On Ice (1:20 packs)
- Domains (1:14 packs)
Ice Battles
These call cards show some of the outstanding players in the league on the front. On the back, they feature stats allowing for their use in the Upper Deck Pack Wars interactive game. So, you can take the players and see how they match up.
Magenta Autographs
These are among the best hits in the 2022-23 Upper Deck MVP Hockey release. Named for their unique color scheme, the Magenta Autographs include some of the biggest stars, like Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid.
2022-23 Upper Deck MVP Hockey Rookie Redemptions
We tend to associate redemptions with Panini, but Upper Deck also features them heavily in this release. We all prefer to land an actual auto over a redemption. However, Upper Deck can be forgiven for including redemptions in this release, considering the short calendar they are working with to get this out before the NHL season commences.
Therefore, the set comes with some great rookie redemptions. The 2022 NHL #1 Draft Pick SP Redemption cards are exclusive, which come one for every 1,250 packs. If you are truly lucky, you can score a Gold parallels of these cards, though the odds are slim at 1:12,500 packs.
Colors & Contours
Upper Deck MVP Hockey isn’t known for its die-cut cards. However, the Colors & Contours series has a remarkable design and is one of the most notable inserts in the release.
Encounters on Ice
Maybe it’s just me, but I am a sucker for cards that highlight sporting rivalries. The Encounters on Ice cards show players who have a history of battling for puck supremacy. So I will be collecting them.
2022-23 Upper Deck MVP Hockey value
No one is buying this release to provide for their retirement. But still, it’s good to know what you are dealing with in terms of long-term value. So, let’s look at recent boxes and singles of Upper Deck MVP Hockey.
Wax
Here are boxes from the last four years of Upper Deck MVP Hockey releases. As you can see, the prices are relatively consistent:
| Year | Hobby Box | Blaster |
|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 | $40 | $17 |
| 2019-20 | $43 | $18 |
| 2018-19 | $60 | $30 |
| 2017-18 | $47 | $44 |
One exciting element is the significantly higher value of blasters than hobby boxes. None of the hobby boxes are worth more than the $60 a new box will set you back. So, there are zero reasons to hold on to one. This is a ripping-only product.
Singles
I looked at some of the highest-selling eBay cards from the MVP series. They were all relatively recent. That is not surprising since Upper Deck has made an effort to put in more autos and numbered parallels.
| Card | Value |
|---|---|
| Jeremy Swayman Auto RC Magenta Pink #235 | $225 |
| 2018-19 Connor McDavid Original Auto Checklist Card #200 | $145.52 |
| 2022-23 Magenta RC Auto Marco Rossi Auto #221 | $140 |
| 2021-22 Die-Cut Moritz Seider #115 /250 | $100 |
The prices speak for themselves. Even if you hit one of the best cards, you will not make significant money. Another very noticeable thing: few, if any, of the high-selling cards were graded. That is a surefire sign hockey collectors do not take the hits from this series very seriously.
Bottomline Of The 2022-23 Upper Deck MVP Hockey
Upper Deck has made a conscious effort to spruce up the MVP Hockey line. It has included more autos, inserts and low-numbered parallels. That upgrade has succeeded in making the box a more worthwhile rip, and has allowed the brand to survive for over two decades.
However, the change has only been partially successful. While Upper Deck MVP Hockey is now a more fun rip than ever before, collectors still don’t take it seriously. The hobby boxes tend to lose rather than gain value over time. People don’t grade the cards, and they fetch minimal prices on the market.
Still, there may be an opportunity here. The latest release includes some cool autos. If you believe in this crop of rookies, you may want to invest (not that much really) in the autos of the best prospects.
If you grade them, you will be sitting on a low pop card which is their first real rookie. It won’t be worth as much as their Young Guns, but it could be well worth the money you put in.
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Upper Deck MVP Hockey 2022-23 Base Set Checklist
200 base cards
50 parallel cards
Parallels: Ice Battles, Silver Script, Gold Script (1:17.5 Blaster), Super Script #/25 (Hobby/ePack), Super Script Black #/5 (Hobby/ePack), Printing Plates 1/1 (Hobby/ePack).
