I started out collecting all mainstream Bruins cards from 1951 – 1990, and only want for one (the 1966-67 Topps USA Test Orr rookie, which is nowhere near mainstream).
Back then I completely ignored everything in the 1990s and 2000s. When the NHLPA kicked Topps/O-Pee-Chee in the junk, we seemingly had a dozen amateurs enter the market – ProSet, Score/Pinnacle, Donruss/Leaf, Fleer, and even Parkhurst made a comeback. Topps/O-Pee-Chee lowered their quality quite a bit instead of trying to compete, and flooded the market with junk (except for 1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Premier, which was nicer than the base product, and scarcer). But then this newcomer, Upper Deck, stormed the hockey scene and put everyone to shame with high-quality card stock, breakthrough photography, and true short prints. Eventually they took over several of these brands, most notably O-Pee-Chee, and muscled their way into deals with McDonald's, Tim Hortons, and Canadian Tire.
So, in more recent years, I've been able to collect every single Upper Deck and SP Authentic base card (including Young Guns and Future Watch) from 1990-91 to present. I'm missing a few variants but otherwise complete, and have lots of other team sets and parallels too. I don't know that I'll ever get around to documenting all the cards I have, because that's a lot, but I did want to highlight a short list of my favorites from the modern era. Some of these I tracked down via auction; most I pulled from pick-your-team case breaks.
2019-20 Ultimate Collection Autos #95 Bobby Orr
Those skates remind me of my first pair, which I probably laced on for the first time close to when this picture was originally taken. The Legends are the rarest of the auto parallels, coming in at either 1:59 or 1:61. Across 25 cards that really means the odds of pulling Orr are about 1 in 1,500 packs. This is an on-card ("hard signed") auto. I also have the base variation #/99, which is rare enough on its own.
Willie O'Ree Ceremonial Puck Drops
I have all four variations in existence. The base variety is as scarce as the same year's Day with the Cup inserts, but the autographed version is much rarer (though they are both stickers):
2018-19 CPD-2 1 in 2,000 packs 2018-19 CP2-2 Auto 1 in 16,000 packs 2019-20 CPD-7 1 in 2,880 packs 2019-20 CPD-7 Auto 1 in 30,000 packs
2018-19 SP Game Used Blue Autos #87 Bobby Orr
Even though it's a sticker, this was the first autographed Orr I ever pulled in a case break, and it was memorable because it was the first box of the break. The Orr auto is in Group E, which means it is part of the group that is inserted 1 in every 25 boxes. A little more common than Gretzky, but not by much (1:44).
2014-15 Upper Deck Canvas #C225 David Pastrnak
The canvas insert was introduced in 2011-12 Upper Deck. Veterans are relatively plentiful, but rookies and retired stars are short printed. This particular card is not seen often, and certainly not with a PSA 10 designation (this is one of just 36).
2017-18 SP Authentic Great White North Autos #GWN-BO Bobby Orr
This card features an overused photo of #4, but a gorgeous on-card auto and is extremely scarce. Intended for 2017-18 SP Authentic, this card was actually not distributed until 2019-20 SP Authentic. In the original release the odds were 1 in 576 packs, but they aren't stated for the update. I was lucky enough to pull two of these, and I've only seen a handful enter the market.
2014-15 SP Authentic Future Watch Auto #282 David Pastrnak #/999
Being a redemption, many copies went unredeemed because the packs weren't opened in time, making this a cornerstone card. You'll see these come out in Buybacks products from time to time but they're very hard to come across in the market. My copy is particularly scarce because it is still inside the top holder where Upper Deck put it. This is a double-edged sword because, while I know the card has to be in perfect shape because it hasn't been touched since, I would have to break that seal in order to get it graded. This is a hard-signed auto.
2018-19 The Cup HOF Patch Autos #HOF-BO Bobby Orr
One of my more exciting case break pulls, especially since with this product no break is guaranteed to even have a single hit for your team. I'm up in the air about fake manufactured patches vs. authentic game-used material, but this card is pretty all the same, especially with an on-card auto.
2003-04 SP Authentic Future Watch Auto #146 Patrice Bergeron #/900
This future hall of famer rookie autograph (on-card) is important to me for multiple reasons – it's the first key Bruins rookie card since Joe Thornton, and it's the last "big one" I've obtained (shortly after Pastrnak's SP Authentic and Young Guns Canvas rookie cards). Also, being graded PSA 10, I will never have to wonder about the quality of the card, or how rare it is (there are currently 44 in existence).
2018-19 Engrained Signature Shots Red Ink Stick Auto #SS-WO Willie O'Ree #25/25
Not only is the red ink the scarcer auto (vs. /150), but this lucky pull is serial numbered to Willie's jersey number, making this a 1/1. (And yes, though O'Ree's officially retired number is 22, 25 is what is on his jersey on this card.)
2018-19 Chronology Timeless Memories Gold Ink Auto #CMA-BO Bobby Orr
While 2019-20 Chronology seems to be plagued by horrible quality control for the canvas cards, this 2018-19 specimen I pulled – featuring arguably the most iconic action shot in Stanley Cup history – is flawless. The on-card gold Sharpie does brush up against the canvas border, adding a little human touch.