Best 5 Hockey Rookie Cards of 2023
Although the NHL playoffs are right around the corner, there are however some NHL rookie cards that you should be acquiring for your collection before their value increases.
All the players on this list are likely nominees for this year’s Calder Memorial Trophy; an award that recognizes the league’s top rookies.
Table of Contents
Jake Sanderson, Ottawa Senators
The first American-born player off the board in the 2020 NHL Draft, the Ottawa Senators took Jake Sanderson with the 5th overall pick. Sanderson impressed scouts prior to the draft, earning the fourth highest pre-draft rankings among his class.
In his debut season with the Ottawa Senators, Sanderson has thus far scored four goals and 21 assists, placing him at 52nd in overall defenseman rankings.
Jake is the son of former NHL forward Geoff Sanderson. He went from No. 11 on the NHL Central Scouting midseason list of North American skaters to No. 4 in the final rankings after excelling for the United States National Team Development Program Under-18 team, where he scored 29 points (seven goals, 22 assists) in 47 games.
Honors & Awards
• NCHC All-Rookie Team (2021)
• NCAA (West) First All-American Team (2022)
• NCHC Second All-Star Team (2022)
Kaiden Guhle, Montreal Canadiens
Kaiden Guhle was drafted 16th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2022 NHL draft. Prior to being drafted, Ghule was playing in the WHL where he won Playoff MVP and WHL Central Division First All-Star Team in 2022.
Currently, Ghule mans the Habs’ second defensive pairing alongside David Savard and has four goals and thirteen assists this season.
Guhle has been praised for his offensive ability, skating speed, and physicality. His impressive play earned him a spot on
Honors & Awards
• WHL Central Division First All-Star Team (2022)
• WHL Playoff MVP (2022)
As Kaiden Guhle’s rookie success continues to spread throughout Montreal, hockey card collectors and sports memorabilia enthusiasts have begun to notice. His rookie cards are presently some of the most sought after in the Canadiens’ fan base, as collectors scramble to get their hands on Kaiden cardboard!
Mason McTavish, Anaheim Ducks
The Canadian-native Mason McTavish was drafted third overall by the Anaheim Ducks in 2021. During his previous season with the Peterborough Petes in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), McTavish finished second in the OHL rookie of the year race.
This season, McTavish spends most of his games on the Ducks’ second line where he has managed 16 goals, 24 assists with 40 points this season. He is averaging 0.6 points per game and has a minus-13 rating.
Strengths and Weaknesses
According to some web sources, some of his Strengths are:
• Scoring ability and shot accuracy
• Hockey IQ and playmaking skills
• Physicality and competitiveness
Some of his weaknesses are:
• Skating speed and agility
• Defensive awareness and positioning
• Discipline and penalty minutes
Best Hockey Rookie Cards 2023
Mason McTavish most collected sports cards are his Upper Deck Young Guns rookies. His sports cards currently report prices ranging from .99 cents and up.
McTavish’s biggest recent price movers include 2021 Upper Deck Canvas Program of Excellence, 2021 Upper Deck Young Guns and 2021 Upper Deck Young Guns Canvas rookie cards.
2021 Upper Deck Young Guns is an established set of NHL rookie cards that are part of 2021-22 Upper Deck Series 1 and Series 2 Hockey. This set features 250 base cards with parallels. The Young Guns cards fall six per Hobby box. Some of the other notable rookies in this set include Cole Caufield, William Eklund and Quinton Byfield.
Owen Power, Buffalo Sabres
You didn’t think we were going to leave the first overall pick off the list right? Owen Power was the first off the board in the 2021 draft and rightfully so. It’s rare to discover defenseman that are as big as he is (6’ 5”) with the mobility that he has. Power demonstrates the skating ability to contribute to clean zone entry and boasts a powerful enough shot to represent a threat from the blue line.
Power made his NHL debut on April 12, 2022.
Best Hockey Rookie Cards 2023
Power’s cards are gaining momentum in popularity as he is expected to be a star player for the Sabres and Team Canada for years to come. Owen’s hockey cards can be found in various products including AMPIR IIHF World Championship (Unlicensed), O-Pee-Chee Glossy Rookies, Topps(eBay) NHL Sticker Collection and more.
The top valued Owen Power hockey cards depend on various factors like the product, the condition, the rarity and the demand.
Here is a small market snapshot illustrating what some Power sports cards are valued at:
– $59.68 for a 2022-23 Upper Deck Series 1 Young Guns Canvas card
– $409.99 for a PSA 10 graded 2022 Upper Deck Young Guns card
– $6.58 for a 2022-23 Upper Deck Series 1 O-Pee-Chee Glossy Rookies Gold card
– $27.99 for a raw 2022 Upper Deck Young Guns card
These prices are based on recent listings and sales and may change over time.
Matty Beniers, Seattle Kraken
Perhaps the strongest of this year’s rookie class, Matty Beniers has made a splash (no pun intended) with the Seattle Kraken this year. As an expansion team it was paramount the Kraken nailed their draft this season, and with the addition of Beniers as the second overall pick via the NHL draft they’ve achieved that.
Beniers, known for his speed, skill, and work ethic, has taken over the team’s first line center position and second powerplay unit. Accordingly, Beniers has 22 goals and 34 assists so far this season.
Best Hockey Rookie Cards 2023
Some of Matty’s top sports cards are found via Upper Deck products. Here’s a few of his best cards to buy:
– 2022-23 Upper Deck Young Guns Matty Beniers Rookie Kraken #213
– 2021 Upper Deck Game Dated Moments Debut Gold /100 #81
– 2022-23 Upper Deck MVP Blue Foil Parallel RC #244
– 2021 Michigan Issued Hockey College Card RC
These cards are based on their popularity, value and rarity and may change over time.
Remember, baseball-trading-cards.com remains a top resource for all things sports cards. Utilize our sports card price lookup tool for help making educated decisions on which cards are the best to purchase and our blog for recent trends.
Written by Chris Keeley, Baseball-Trading-Cards.com Freelance Staff Writer
