The 10 Most Memorable Hockey Cards of the 1980s

This 1983-84 O-Pee-Chee Pelle Lindbergh rookie card is one of the most underrated cards of all time. A great looking card of the Flyers' goaltender wearing an old school goalie mask, this card is even more memorable because of Lindbergh untimely death. Lindbergh won a Vezina trophjy and appeared in an All Star game before he died in a car accident during his fourth NHL season. He was actually posthumously elected to the All Star team in 1986. Any 1980s hockey fan should try to add this great card to their collection.

This 1988-89 Topps Brendan Shanahan rookie card features the young winger in a New Jersey Devils jersey. Most famous as a member of the St. Louis Blues and Detroit Red Wings, Shanahan has amassed over 600 career goals and is sure to be a Hall of Famer some day.

This 1984-85 Topps Pat Lafontaine Rookie is a nice rookie card from an affordable set from the 1980s. It should appeal to all hockey fans, especially Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders fans. An American born center, Pat LaFontaine was a great player and a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

This 1980-81 O-Pee-Chee Ray Bourque is the rookie card of the great Boston Bruins defenseman. A difficult card to find with an intact scratch off puck over the name, most will have to settle for one like the card pictured. Bourque was named the NHL's top defender five times, was named an All Star 19 times, and won a Stanley Cup late in his career with the Colorado Avalanche. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004.

This 1984-85 Topps Steve Yzerman rookie card is the first card of the hockey Hall of Famer. Yzerman would become a ten time NHL All Star, three time Stanley Cup Champion, and one of the biggest stars in the league. He is known as "The Captain" as a result of serving as the Detroit Red Wing captain for 20 years.

This 1988-89 Topps Wayne Gretzky is the first hockey card to feature The Great One as a member of the Los Angeles Kings. This iconic photograph was made possible by a trade in the offseason before the 1988-89 NHL season. Gretzky would not go on to have the success with the Kings that he had with the Edmonton Oilers. Nevertheless, Oilers fans must hate this card.

One of two great rookie card in the set (along with Ray Bourque), this 1980-81 O-Pee-Chee Mark Messier is one of the more popular cards of its era. Featuring the young Messier in his Edmonton Oilers jersey, this card will still fetch a high price. Messier won six Stanley Cups, was named league MVP twice, and played on fifteen All Star teams. He is known as one of the greatest leaders of all time. Messier was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007.

This 1988-89 Topps Brett Hull rookie card was for a short time not only the hottest hockey card on the market, but some might argue it was once the most sought after sports card overall especially during Hull's 86 goal 1990-91 season. After five straight 50 goal seasons, Hull's career slowed a bit and this card dropped in value. Nevertheless, Hull had over 700 career goals and won a Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars on an illegal goal in 1999 against the Buffalo Sabres.

Is there any good reason why this 1985-86 O-Pee-Chee Mario Lemieux rookie card is any less popular than the 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky rookie? I would say not. Mario Lemieux was one of the greatest players of all time in the same era at the Great One. Lemieux won multiple Stanley Cups, MVPs and holds a slew of NHL records. He was actually inducted into the Hall of Fame before his career even ended.

One of the most popular and expensive hockey cards of the 1980s is this 1986-87 O-Pee-Chee Patrick Roy Rookie card. A Topps product distributed by a Canadian company, this is obviously the more popular rookie card of the great Canadian/Canadien netminder. As a member of the Habs and the Colorado Avalanche, Roy won four Stanley Cups, 3 Conn Smythe Trophies, and three Vezina Trophies. Roy is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.