2022-23 Upper Deck Obsidian Hockey

Upper Deck Obsidian arrived in 2022 as a premium, low-print release aimed squarely at serious hockey collectors. This is high-end stuff with just a handful of packs per box, so expect limited availability and steep secondary market prices. The set leans hard into rookie content with Connor McDavid parallels still commanding attention alongside emerging talents like Auston Matthews in parallel form. You're looking at a release designed for the collector who wants scarcity and eye candy over volume. What drives value in Obsidian is the parallel ecosystem. Base cards come in multiple versions, including color parallels and case hits that can run deep into product tiers. Autographs and memorabilia cards are the real pull targets here. The hobby configuration is where serious rippers focus their money, since retail boxes offer fewer opportunities for hits. Most of the chase involves hunting specific player parallels and low-numbered versions, particularly of young stars. Print runs are intentionally restricted, which means even common base parallels hold collector interest. Expect to pay premium prices just to open packs. Obsidian works best for collectors who have a specific player in mind and the budget to chase parallels. This isn't a set for building on a shoestring or testing the waters with hockey cards. Compare it to other ultra-premium lines, and you'll see Obsidian sits in the tier where supply matters more than product design. Singles buying makes more sense for most collectors unless you're prepared to drop serious money per box. If you want to rip for the thrill, only do so if hitting a McDavid or Matthews parallel justifies the price tag for you personally.