The American Hockey League (AHL) is a crucial stepping stone for many players aiming to reach the National Hockey League (NHL). As such, AHL hockey cards have gained popularity among collectors, offering a glimpse into the early careers of potential NHL stars.
This guide provides an overview of AHL hockey cards, focusing on base sets, star rookies, parallels, and insert checklists.
Collecting Upper Deck Cards: Lessons Learned After 1 year.
Base Set
The base set typically features a comprehensive collection of players from across the AHL. For example, the 2021-22 Upper Deck AHL Hockey base set includes 150 cards.
Here are examples of base set cards:
- Max McCormick - Coachella Valley Firebirds
- Lucas Carlsson - San Jose Barracuda
- Garrett Pilon - Belleville Senators
- Emil Bemstrom - Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins
- Alex Steeves - Toronto Marlies
- Carson Lambos - Iowa Wild
- Colton Dach - Rockford IceHogs
- Trevor Carrick - Charlotte Checkers
Each pack contains a set number of base cards, allowing collectors to build their sets efficiently. For instance, many sets include 8 base cards per pack.
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Zac Dalpe of the Charlotte Checkers
Star Rookies
A significant draw for collectors is the Star Rookies subset. These cards highlight promising young players who are new to the AHL and seen as potential future NHL stars. The 2021-22 Upper Deck AHL Hockey set includes 50 Star Rookies cards (#101-150). These short prints average one per pack.
Examples of Star Rookies include:
- Artyom Levshunov - Rockford IceHogs
- Hunter Haight - Iowa Wild
- Dalibor Dvorsky - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Jacob Melanson - Coachella Valley Firebirds
- Konsta Helenius - Rochester Americans
- Cameron Wright - Bakersfield Condors
- Parker Ford - Manitoba Moose
Parallels
Parallels are variations of base cards, often featuring different designs, colors, or numbering. These add rarity and collectibility to the cards.
Common parallels include:
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- Exclusives: Limited to a specific number, such as /100.
- High Gloss: Even more limited, often numbered to /10.
- Gold Parallels: Found in every pack.
- Deluxe Parallels: Numbered to /250.
For example, the 2025-26 Upper Deck AHL Hockey Star Rookies parallels include Gold (1:3 packs), Deluxe (/250), UD Exclusives (/100), and High Gloss (/10).
Example of a Hockey Card Parallel
Insert Checklists
Inserts are special cards that are not part of the base set and often feature unique designs or themes. These can include All-Star cards, team cards, or special event cards.
Examples of insert sets include:
- All-Rookie Team
- All-Stars
- Captains
The frequency of inserts varies, but they are generally less common than base cards, making them more valuable to collectors. For example, in some sets, inserts combine to fall one per pack.
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2021-22 Upper Deck AHL Insert Checklist Examples:
- All-Rookie Team Set Checklist
- R-6 Philip Tomasino - Chicago Wolves
- All-Stars Set Checklist
- AS-30 T.J. Tynan - Colorado Eagles
- Captains Set Checklist
Card Set Examples
Here's an overview of some cards that you might find in an AHL set. Note that the odds of pulling specific cards can vary.
Base Set
| Card Number | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max McCormick | Coachella Valley Firebirds |
| 2 | Lucas Carlsson | San Jose Barracuda |
| 3 | Garrett Pilon | Belleville Senators |
| 4 | Emil Bemstrom | Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins |
| 5 | Alex Steeves | Toronto Marlies |
| 6 | Carson Lambos | Iowa Wild |
| 7 | Colton Dach | Rockford IceHogs |
| ... | ... | ... |
Exclusives Parallel
| Card Number | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max McCormick | Coachella Valley Firebirds |
| 2 | Lucas Carlsson | San Jose Barracuda |
| 3 | Garrett Pilon | Belleville Senators |
| 4 | Emil Bemstrom | Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins |
| 5 | Alex Steeves | Toronto Marlies |
| 6 | Carson Lambos | Iowa Wild |
| 7 | Colton Dach | Rockford IceHogs |
| ... | ... | ... |