When SkyBox Metal Universe first hit the ice in 1996, it changed how hockey cards looked forever. The mix of bold artwork, metallic shine, and comic-style backgrounds made the set stand out from everything else at the time. Nearly three decades later, Upper Deck continues that legacy. The 2025-26 SkyBox Metal Universe Hockey release keeps the same energy that made the brand famous while adding new rookies, autographs, and bright Precious Metal Gems for a new generation of collectors.
The base set includes 150 cards with 100 veterans and 50 rookies, and each pack guarantees at least one rookie. Hobby boxes come with either an autograph or a Precious Metal Gem card along with multiple inserts and numbered parallels.
The Precious Metal Gems lineup features four levels. Red PMGs are numbered to 100, Blue PMGs are to 50 and appear only in Hot Boxes, Green PMGs are to 10, and Gold PMGs are one-of-one cards. The first ten copies in each print run are Green, while the rest are Red.
Base cards have autograph parallels as well. Veteran autographs appear once in 80 packs and rookies once in 60 packs. Green autographs are numbered to 10 and Gold autographs are one-of-one.
Collectors will also find other signed cards from several themed sets. SkyBox Premium Prospects autographs fall once in 120 packs and include a Star Emerald version numbered to 25. Fresh Foundation autographs appear once in 240 packs. Championship Galaxy, Circle Button, Lethal Weapon, and Lunar Cycle autographs all show up about once in 600 packs. The rarest signatures are from the All-Galactic Team set at one in every 1200 packs.
Inserts remain a big part of Metal Universe and bring back many favorites. The 2013 Metal Universe Retros return with classic art and added PMG parallels, appearing once per case at around 1 in 240 packs.
Four inserts are easier to pull and include Fresh Foundation, Championship Galaxy, Lunar Cycle, and All-Galactic Team. Each comes with three color parallels: Purple numbered to 349, Red to 99, and Gold to 10. Circle Button and Lethal Weapon are both 1 in 15 packs with Red parallels to 100 and Green to 10. Outer Limits appears about once in eight packs with a Gold parallel numbered to 99.
More inserts include Planet Metal (1 in 60), Magnetic Field (1 in 80), Rave Review (1 in 80), and Copperheads (1 in 120). Tougher pulls include Dark Matter (1 in 240), A Cut Above (1 in 267), and Brush Off (1 in 267). The rarest chase cards are the die-cut Platinum Portraits, found only once in about 1200 packs.
SkyBox Premium Prospects inserts show up once every five packs with three parallel types: Star Rubies numbered to 50, Star Emeralds to 10, and Star Diamonds as one-of-ones.
Each hobby box includes six cards per pack, fifteen packs per box, and sixteen boxes per case. Collectors can expect one autograph or Precious Metal Gem card, one extra chase card, one numbered parallel, two Outer Limits inserts, ten other inserts, and fifteen rookies.
The full checklist will be announced closer to release, but fans can already expect plenty of variety, bright foil designs, and the signature metal look that has defined this series since the 1990s. The release date for the 2025-26 SkyBox Metal Universe Hockey set will be announced later.